As council finishes each quarter, would council and staff please consider issuing a quarterly report to the community that 1) restates project priorities for the year, and 2) updates the status of each.

Quarterly reports would be a win-win for everyone.  They would give council and staff an opportunity to reinforce to the community what the city is working on, how progress is going, and what work remains ahead for the rest of the year.  And quarterly reports let the community learn (and be reminded) of what we all face together, be they successes or challenges.

Yes, the community hears about annual planning and goal setting as the year unfolds, and along the way.  That is all good.

Yes, the community now receives a weekly city bulletin.  That is also very good.

But to be reminded on a quarterly basis of the collective “big picture” the council and staff are working on ties it all together.  We know council and staff have a lot on their plate during the year.  We know some projects are moving along on schedule, and some may be lagging.  Progress happens that way.

The quarterly reports don’t have to be long, drawn-out narratives, or tables full of facts and figures.  Quick, concise, bullet-points and summaries can do just fine.  What are we working on?  How is it going?  Where is it headed?  Are we on budget?  Are we on time?  Do we need to make any running changes along the way?  Short and to the point.

Putting a quarterly report in front of the community keeps everybody up to speed along the way, instead of trying to catch up (or remember) at year end.  The private sector keeps its stakeholders engaged on a regular basis.  The public sector should try to do the same whenever the opportunity provides itself.  Quarterly reports by our council and city staff afford that opportunity.