This study investigated the role of pre-deliberation leading to a group consensus-based decision in government planning. Six people from local municipalities in Skagit County participated in a 5-question in-person interview study process with qualitative measures. Existing literature on consensus decision making and informal pre-meeting discussions, identified in the study as pre-deliberation, is limited. The researcher was concerned with understanding elements from communication theory that support a communication process leading to group decisions in a recent government planning project. Therefore, five variables were measured in this study: needs and concerns, understanding the positions of others, facilitating group decisions, accountability, and successful partnerships. In analyzing the empirical data, the researcher found evidence to support the notion that pre-meeting discussions improve decision making. Future research may further address gender and age implications, and the role or impact of open meeting laws in government planning.