Simplified: Mayor Christine Erickson this week announced a new "Sioux Falls Listen" events series aimed at hearing directly from residents what they want to see in city leadership, as well as to give the community a chance to shape the city's future.

Why it matters

• Erickson said winning the mayoral election by only four votes changed her mentality when it comes to leading the city, and she realized she needed to pause and bring the community alongside during the transition to her administration.
• Erickson herself will attend all of the sessions, which will be facilitated by her transition team co-chair John Beranek. Beranek has previously facilitated community conversations with the Sioux Falls School District, and he's also built strategic plans for multiple universities in the region.
• The listening sessions – which will run through October and November at no cost to the city – are a practical way for residents to get together, talk about what they like about Sioux Falls, what they want to see change, and hopefully encourage people to work together to accomplish their goals.

"The City of Sioux Falls is really in the business of customer service, serving the city and the taxpayers," Erickson said. "If you don't know what your customers want, how can you serve them? This is an opportunity for residents to give us feedback."

Tell me more about the listening sessions

The three Sioux Falls Listens sessions will all take place at the new Levitt at the Falls facility, and will run 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Any and all community members are invited to participate in any of the three sessions, but each session will have an overlying focus area to guide conversations.

• On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the focus area will be "art and resident experience."
• On Thursday, Nov. 5, the focus is on the business community.
• On Thursday, Nov. 12, the focus is on economic development.

Each session will use the World Cafe method for collaborative conversations, which will include people in small groups, people moving to different groups, brainstorming and then identifying themes as a group.

"We’re wanting people to show up – not just to point a finger about what they wish the city or the mayor was doing – but to be contributor to what could make things better," Beranek said. "What are the current challenges from their perspective as a resident, business owner, community leader, student, (etc.) What do they see as challenges through their own lens?"

For Erickson, the goal is to bring the community together alongside her.

"I get to be the mayor and serve the citizens, but that's just one voice," she said. "My voice needs to be the voice of the community. We're not going to all agree. We're not going to all be holding hands the whole time, but there's times where it's important to pause, bring everyone together and see what direction we need to move forward in."

What happens next?

The three listening sessions are open to the public.

In addition to the in-person events, Erickson is also encouraging residents to host their own Sioux Falls Listens conversations with the help of a guide from the city. Then residents who can attend the listening sessions can bring that collaborative feedback.

Folks unable to join an in-person conversation or listening session can submit their feedback online.

All of these events and feedback will culminate in a Sioux Falls Listens Town Hall from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at the Cherapa Place interconnect meeting space.