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City Council Work Session Meeting Monday, April 16, 2018 Page 5 Mayor Roe agreed with the Council sentiment that the information coming in via the postcards is just as valuable as the information that comes in at the Truth-in- Taxation hearings, phone calls, and emails. He would not want to task someone with summarizing the information, as it could lead to editorial decisions that may or may not reflect the concerns raised. Councilmember Etten stated that is what the survey is for, where more robust in- formation can be gathered. City Manager Trudgeon recalled that the question posed to the residents is usually this: "What should the City consider and/or take into account as part of the [2018] budget?" He noted that residents will be reacting to the City Manager's budget and spending plan as part of their response. Mayor Roe suggested the question may need to be slightly reworded to something like: "What is your reaction to the proposed budget?" rather than "What are you looking for?" Councilmember Laliberte added she feels strongly about not reacting to a pro- posal, but rather letting the residents tell the City what they want to prioritize in terms of services. Councilmember McGehee stated there are a variety of methods by which resi- dents could give feedback to Councilmembers. Mayor Roe stated it is easy to predict that nearly everyone will prioritize public safety. Councilmember Etten stated the question is whether the intention is for residents to help shape the City Manager's budget or respond to it. Councilmember McGehee suggested the goal should be simply to have residents respond to it and give the Council information. Councilmember Willmus stated he does not have a preference for either approach. It was agreed that the September/October City newsletter will include the post- card. Councilmember Willmus suggested that if a resident wishes to express disagree- ment, that person is more likely to respond than if someone is in agreement. Councilmember Etten agreed, noting that the postcard responses tend to be differ- ent than the general trends of the survey.