As December settles in, local governments shift from fall budget cycles to year-end reflection and preparation. It is a season of closing loops, communicating results, and setting the stage for the work ahead. While the holidays may slow down formal meetings, this quieter period gives City Managers a valuable window to organize, evaluate, and plan for the coming year.
To help leaders start January with clarity and momentum, here is a practical December checklist built around engagement, data, and communication. These recommendations are rooted in Polco’s best practices for survey follow-up, ongoing engagement, and performance tracking.
If your community completed a Benchmark Survey this year, such as The National Community Survey or CASOA, December is the perfect time to share the results. Polco’s guidance emphasizes that creating transparency, publishing accessible summaries, and explaining next steps strengthens trust and supports higher participation in future efforts.
City Managers can use this month to:
Sharing results now reassures residents that their voices matter, and it sets up an informative starting point for next year’s planning cycle.
Polco’s Track Data provides a consolidated view of community performance across areas like economy, safety, mobility, housing, and more.
December is the ideal time to:
Track helps City Managers step into the new year with a clear, data-driven understanding of community strengths and challenges.
Meaningful engagement does not happen by accident. Polco emphasizes continuity, transparency, and regular contact with the community throughout the year.
Use December to map out:
By setting the structure now, City Managers start the year with a clear roadmap for ongoing connection, rather than scrambling to respond reactively.
Even after a budget is adopted, communities often need follow-up communication to reinforce understanding and transparency. Polco offers accessible tools for this purpose, including Budget Simulations and Taxpayer Receipts.
Many communities use December to:
This kind of communication helps reduce confusion and builds trust heading into the new year.
The Polco Engage Platform makes it easy to manage surveys, polls, content posts, and participant data. End-of-year cleanup sets your team up for success.
Tasks may include:
A tidy workspace in December means faster and more targeted engagement in January.
Residents appreciate clear communication about what government accomplished throughout the year. December is an excellent time to show that follow-through.
Consider posting:
This type of communication reinforces trust, showcases progress, and prepares the community for future conversations.
While December often feels quiet, it is one of the most important months for City Managers. The work you do now (sharing survey results, reviewing performance data, planning engagement, and preparing communication tools) sets the tone for a focused and well-organized new year.
By combining meaningful resident engagement with trusted community data, City Managers enter January ready to lead with clarity and confidence.
Start the new year with a stronger connection to your community. Learn how Polco can support your engagement and data goals for 2026.