City Council Work Session October 15, 2026

The Annapolis City Council’s October 15, 2026 work session considered a citywide community-planning process and proposed city branding and website updates. Dewey’s Partners, already under contract with the City, presented a plan to develop a shared community agenda by March, with input from residents, council members, staff, and community partners. Council members debated the process, the advisory committee’s composition and role, and how the work would connect to existing plans and city performance metrics. The City said the resulting priorities could inform department responsibilities and future budget decisions. No procurement vote or contract amount was reported for this item.

City communications staff presented a proposed logo and branding system developed with local design firm Contrast and Co, alongside a website refresh on the City’s existing CivicPlus platform, described as a no-cost vendor upgrade. The work is partly motivated by federal digital-accessibility requirements taking effect in April 2027. The proposed rollout is phased: digital materials and the website first, then replacement of vehicles and signs as they are due, followed by broader conversion in 2029. Cost figures were described only as preliminary estimates; staff plan an asset and department audit to inform future budget requests, particularly for FY 2028 and FY 2029. An ordinance to adopt and protect the new brand was identified as a next step, but no approval or spending vote occurred at the session.