The formation of the government agenda in the municipalities of El Carmen de Viboral and Turbo underwent different paths. In the first case, the local government proposed a municipal assembly as a space for citizen participation for the formulation of the development plan. In the second case, the local government hired an outside consultant to prepare the development plan with little public participation. The analysis of the case study, supported by a documentary analysis and a multiple streams approach of the study of public agenda, shows different ways for setting the public agenda and of community participation in this process. It is also noted that, despite the skills and strengths of the presence of the public university in these municipalities, the incidence of the University of Antioquia in setting the local agenda is scarce.