Staff is evaluating FlashVote as a practical tool to broaden resident engagement and provide timely, statistically valid feedback on community issues in a format that is more representative than traditional public comment, social media input, or open online surveys. Unlike traditional public meetings, social media comments, or open online surveys, FlashVote is intended to capture feedback from a broader and more representative cross-section of the community. According to the materials provided, the service uses a standing panel of residents who voluntarily enroll and then receive short surveys by email, text, or phone. Surveys are generally limited to three to five questions, take about one minute to complete, and results are typically provided within 48 hours. FlashVote is a fully managed service. The company assists with panel recruitment, drafts survey questions, distributes the surveys, and provides summarized results and data visualizations back to the city. Individual responses remain anonymous, and the city’s role is primarily to identify topics for feedback and help promote resident sign-up through existing communication channels. The materials also note that panel members receive the community-wide results shortly after each survey closes, which helps reinforce transparency and ongoing engagement. This item is being presented for informational purposes only. Staff intends to move forward administratively with implementation of the service because the cost falls within the City Manager’s approval authority. The purpose of this work session item is to provide Council and the public with an overview of how the tool works, what type of information it provides, and how it may be used to support future decision-making and community engagement efforts. Based on the proposal provided, Richland Hills would fall within the lowest pricing tier. The annual subscription cost is $7,900, with a one-time implementation fee of $3,000 in the first year unless the city enters into a multi-year agreement. The service allows for up to six surveys per year. If implemented, FlashVote would give the city an additional method for gathering resident input on matters such as service priorities, communication preferences, planning topics, and other community issues where timely feedback would be beneficial. The tool is not intended to replace public hearings, council discussion, or other traditional engagement methods. Instead, it would serve as another source of input by providing quick feedback from a broader segment of the community than is often reached through conventional participation methods. The service may also help staff and Council better understand community sentiment in advance of major decisions, while improving transparency by sharing survey results back with participating residents. Materials provided by the vendor indicate that a number of Texas cities, including North Richland Hills and Bedford, currently use th

Bastiat Liberty & Property Rights Analysis

This motion is scored as RESTRAINS_GOVERNMENT (Impact Weight: 2.2/10). Under the Bastiat Liberty Watchdog Index, voting YES on measures that cap or reduce ad valorem tax burdens, expand taxpayer exemptions, retire debt early, enforce competitive bidding caps, or remove regulatory/zoning barriers to private property rights earns a positive Pro-Liberty score.