Colleen Gantz, co‑chair of the Citizens Advisory Board’s strategic‑plan community engagement effort, told the board on Oct. 20 that the city’s Charting Our Course strategic‑plan outreach will begin after the election and will rely on volunteers to reach underrepresented residents.

“We want to give everyone in the city of Des Moines a voice in the strategic plan,” Gantz said, describing three engagement goals: broad participation, targeted outreach to hard‑to‑reach populations and focused outreach to families with children.

Gantz said focus groups held the prior week drew more than 50 attendees and that the city will launch a community‑wide survey next week. She listed priority public events where volunteers can staff booths or distribute paper surveys: the Holiday Market on Nov. 8, the tree‑lighting on Dec. 6 and a town hall from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 9 at Des Moines Elementary. The survey will be available in translations determined by city demographic needs; Spanish was specifically noted.

The volunteer plan includes pop‑ups at apartment complexes on Pacific Highway, library branches and neighborhood gatherings; hard copy surveys will be available for residents who prefer them. Gantz said the city’s communications staff is preparing a one‑page fact sheet, message scripts and a volunteer toolkit and that an optional role‑play/briefing session will be offered next week.

Board members suggested using the city’s existing email list and community outlets to grow long‑term engagement, leaving physical handouts and QR codes at businesses and community centers, and registering new interested residents to the city email list.

Gantz asked CAB members to sign up for a small number of outreach events and noted that staff will provide printed materials, a QR code to the survey, and talking points for volunteers.