CITY COUNCIL RETREAT INTERVIEW
Your Perspective Will Help Shape the Conversation
Thank you for taking the time to participate in the City Council retreat planning process.
These individual conversations are an opportunity for me to hear your perspective, understand what you believe is most important right now, and learn what would make the upcoming retreat most useful.
Choose the 60-minute meeting option that works best for you:
What to Expect
A Thoughtful, Relaxed Conversation
This is a chance for us to talk one-on-one about your experience, perspective, and what you hope the retreat can accomplish.
Our conversation will be guided by the questions you receive in advance. You’re welcome to jot down your thoughts beforehand or simply come ready to talk them through with me.
How Your Input Will Be Used
Our conversation will not be recorded in any way, transcribed, or captured by an AI notetaker. I will only make brief handwritten notes during our conversation so I can accurately identify the themes and ideas that emerge.
The perspectives shared across the interviews will be combined and summarized to identify common themes, priorities, and areas that may need further discussion during the retreat. The purpose is to understand the larger picture, not to create a record of any one person’s responses.
ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR
Hi, I'm Valerie Jaye.
Much of my work centers on listening carefully, asking good questions, and helping people make sense of complex information and different perspectives.
I’ve moderated more than a dozen panel discussions for chambers, business associations, and entrepreneurial support organizations, often on topics where there are multiple viewpoints and a lot to unpack. In my consulting work with small business owners, I do similar work one-on-one — listening for what’s really happening, identifying patterns, and helping people see how the different pieces fit together.
I also bring three decades of experience working inside organizations of different sizes, along with community leadership and civic service.
For this project, my role is to listen, identify the themes that emerge across the interviews, and use what I learn to help shape a thoughtful and productive City Council retreat.
I'm looking forward to hearing what's important to you.
FAQs
Do I need to prepare anything in advance?
Yes, but nothing formal. You'll receive the interview questions in your confirmation email. Please review them ahead of time and give them some thought. You're welcome to write out your responses and send them to me in advance, or simply bring your thoughts to our conversation.
How long will the interview take?
Plan for approximately 60 minutes. I've reserved enough time for us to have a thoughtful conversation without feeling rushed.
What will you do with what I share?
I'll use the interviews to better understand the perspectives, priorities, and themes that should inform the retreat planning process. The goal is to help me prepare for the retreat—not to produce a transcript of individual interviews.
What if I need to reschedule?
Life is crazy and things happen. Your confirmation email will include links that make it easy to reschedule or cancel your appointment.
What if none of the available options work for me?
Send me a message and we'll figure something out.
When you’re ready, choose
what works best for you.
The important thing is that we have a chance to talk. Choose whichever meeting option is easiest for your schedule.
Do you have questions? Send me a message.
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