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8.1. SR 05-16-2011City of El River REQUEST FOR ACTION TO ITEM NUMBER Ci Council 8.1. AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY Worksession Ma 16, 2011 erem Barnhart, Plannin Mana er ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED B~/ 2011 Vision, Action Steps, and Tasks REVIEWED BY ACTION REQUESTED Staff recommends the adoption of the Tasks associated with completing the 2011 Goals. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Since September 2010, staff has been working through the development and incorporation of the City of Elk River's Vision, Goals, and Action steps. In September, the Vision and Goals were identified. In January and February, a number of Action Steps were identified and prioritized, including: 1. Expand and Enhance Communication 2. Evaluate existing programs and services 3. Improve, revitalize, and invest in streetscaping along primary corridors 4. Explore and develop new programs and services to meet community needs 5. Create City Brand 6. Implement City Wide volunteer recognition program Hierarchy Goals and Action Steps give direction toward the completion of Tasks. When done correctly, completed tasks should promote the Vision. Like a comprehensive plan focuses and allocates land, infrastructure and social resources to areas with greatest benefit, this visioning exercise should be viewed as a way to focus limited resources (time, taxpayer dollars) toward more desired services with greatest benefit to the public. The attached hierarchy chart illustrates how all the pieces fit together. Process Since February, staff has worked on the development of and refinement of these tasks. This list is attached. To develop these tasks, a staff committee representing the Administration, Finance, Parks, Police, Fire, Utilities, Community Development, Clerk, and Economic Development departments and divisions met. Individually, each department or division was asked: 1. To identify ways they or other departments could address the goals and action steps identified. 2. Additionally, recognizing the staff members are utilizers of city services, members were asked to identify things that they felt should be provided, but are not, or items that other cities provide that they see value in. This second question was asked as a way to pull the group out of City Hall, and consider the needs of the service user. N:\Public Bodies\City Council\Coundl RCA\Agenda Packet\OS-16-2011\Request for Action Council adoption.docx Assumptions: Each task was drafted with a basic understanding, or base assumptions: ^ All tasks will include an evaluation of costs, time, benefits, and other options. ^ All tasks will be approved by the City Council, as appropriate. ^ All tasks will be measurable, is a task complete or not? We want to avoid the safe but not defined "work together to meet the needs of the residents" task. ^ Tasks may result in a report to be reviewed by the City Council. (e.g., analysis of Web QA, does it work for what we spend?) In this process, over a hundred different ideas were developed. Staff evaluated the tasks for: ^ Commonalities. Several different team members identifying a like or similar task (e.g., surveys A6, beautification C5). ^ Scope. Tasks that addressed more than one goal, or improved more than one department (e.g., Communication B2, Social media B4). ^ Feasibility. Tasks that are not possible in the next year, or able to be accurately budgeted in the next year were either not included, or redrafted as a critical early step in the process (e.g, Highway 10/ 169 improvements became D3). Ultimately, all of the Actions steps prioritized in February are represented in this list, and others were added, as it was determined that Opportunities and Beautification Goals were under-represented. Priorities On this list, no task has been assigned higher priority than another, with the exception of the Create City Brand (B7) and Increase Volunteerism (B8) tasks, which were identified by the City Council as priorities in February. The Council is encouraged to at any time identify additional priorities. Next Steps With adoption of the task list, the following things will happen: ^ Following adoption, individual departments will organize their priorities and project lists with the goal of completing those items that do not require an out-of-pocket budget impact by June 1, 2012. ^ Those items that have a budget impact will be included as discussion in the 2012 budget and upcoming Capital Improvement plans. All budget requests will be considered in the usual way by the City Council; approval of the task list is not read as presumptive approval of the budget request. ^ Aboard listing the tasks will be prominently displayed at City Hall and other City offices. As items are completed, they will be checked off. This is intended to illustrate the importance of the list, but also the progress being made toward fulfilling the goals. FINANCIAL IMPACT A number of the tasks will have budget impacts, now and into the future. Approval of the task list is not considered a formal amendment to any budget, or waiver of any Council authority to review any customary budget impact request. This visioning was not done with the sole idea of cost savings. Rather, it has been completed to prioritize the use of resources, including financial resources. N:\Public Bodies\City Council\Council RCA\Agenda Packet\05-16-2011\Request for Action Council adoption.docx ATTACHMENTS ^ Hierarchy ^ Task list worksheet ^ Task board example Action Motion by Second by Vote Follow Up N:\Public Bodies\City Council\Council RCA\Agenda Packet\05-16-2011 \Request for Action Council adoption.docx ovation- Develop new programs < services to meet the needs of the community. Explore and develop new programs and services Evaluate existing programs and services Evaluate and anhance transportation I Strengthen and preserve neighborhood I image and involvement I Increase awareness, utilization, and I expansion of public spaces Community Development- Enhance community Involvement and public participation through a variety of innovative outlets. Continue to buld strong partnerships with county, school, and community organizations Increase volunteerism Expand and enhance communication I Enhance, expand, and diversify public I education and outreach Explore community day Create elk River brand autification-Have attractive, welcoming ~eetscapes at City Entrances and primary corridors. Enforce zoning ordinances. Improve, revitalize, and invest in streetscaping along primary corridors and Create opportunities to beautify Provide consisten and expanded sianaee I Consisyent and uniform enforcement of I ordinances Facililtate redevelopment Opportunities- Foster a probusiness atmosphere that provides incentives and other opportunities for new and existing business growth. Posistion land for development Facilitate development and redevelopment desired Customer service Provide attractive business incentives City of Elk River 2 011 Goals Abounding in natural beauty, Elk River is a vibrant, historic rivertowr~ that promotes an active lifestyle in an innovative and involved community offe--ing unlimited opportunities. Develop new programs Al Evaluate existing A2 programs and services A3 Task Complete critical evaluation of Web C1A for percieved value internally and externally Complete evaluation of alternative hours review Benchmark services provided by like cities Review assesment policy and funding options A4 to assure they meet the needs of all residents Periodic external communication from Council A5 Enhance communication (ie blog, newsletter, etc.) Prepare survey for distribution to residents; A6 Explore and develop new gauge interest in new and existing services programs and services Expand ability to accept alternative forms of A7 payment (Credit cards, online payments) n through a variety of innovative outlets Task Enhance and expand Periodic internal communication from 61 Administrator (ie email, blog, newsletter, etc communication Report current communication practices; 62 recommend improvements Complete evaluation of citywatch or similar 63 tool for general citenzry information Enhance and Expand and Complete evaluation of social media use for 64 diversify public education various departments and outreach Increase use of press releases and city-wide 65 marketing materials Approach school administration for civic '' 66 engagement/ city service education 87 Create City Brand Complete City branding process create recruitment, management of volunteer B8 Increase volunteerism program Task Prepare plans to improve primary intersections C1 with landscaping, lighting, and hardscaping. Complete review, provide recommendations C2 to incentivise improvements/ beautification Survey city owned property along major Improve, revitalize, and cooridors, determine if improvements are C3 invest in streetscaping necessary along primary cooridors Complete improvements to primary C4 and entrances intersections Implement median and streetscape design and CS maintanence standards C6 Implement maintenance/ upkeep plan Enforce maintenance standards with outside C7 agencies Actively enforce zoning standards on primary C8 corridors Provide consistent and Utilizing brand, develop and construct C9 expanded sienaee consistent civic sienaee plan Create opportunities to C10 I beautify community I (Promote a "Spruce Up Elk River" Goal: Opportunities- Poster apro-business atmosphere that provides incentives and other opportunities for new and existing business growth Action Steps Task Completed D1 Position land for Complete downtown plan development Identify and secure land for future D2 Commercial/ Industrial development Increase presence with legislators for state D3 Facilitate development highway transportation improvements and redevelopment Complete low cost/ high benefit enhancements to improve traffic flow through D4 the existing street intersections. Evaluate existing Review incentive packages for new businesses, D5 programs and services recommend improvements Est. Time to Est. Out of Goal: Innovation- Develop new programs and services to meet the needs of the community Staff/ Dept lead Est. Staff hours completion pocket cost Budgeted Comments Action Steps Complete critical evaluation of Web C!A for percieved value internally Internal staff initally, included in the Al and externally Allard/dept heads 80 2 months $ - NA resident survey A2 Complete evaluation of alternative hours review Johnson 5 2 months $ - NA Scheduled for workshop in June Evaluate existing programs A3 and services Benchmark services provided by like cities Simon 4000% 3 months 0% NA Internal staff Review assesment policy and funding options to assure they meet 2011 Engineering goal, Finance Aq the needs of all residents Femrite 24000% 6 months 0% NA assistance Periodic external communication from Council (ie blog, newsletter, depend on $12,000 in newsletter budget may be AS Enhance communication etc.) Allard 2 4hours/time method yes reallocated Prepare survey for distribution to residents; gauge interest in new A6 Explore and develop new and existing services Deckert 40 4 months $ 4,000 no Chandler programs and services Expand ability to accept alternative forms of payment (Credit cards, A7 online payments) Simon 40 4 months $ 5,000 no fees, software primary costs Goal: Community Development- Enhance and Expand community involvement and public participation Staff Dept lead Est. Staff hours Est. Time Est. Cost Budgeted Comments Anion Steps Periodic internal communication from Administrator (ie email, blog, Johnson/ Bl newsletter, etc.) communication 2 2 hours/time $ - No Ongoing. Enhance and expand Branding process will provide communication Communication substantial infotrmation, may need B2 Report current communication practices; recommend improvements committee 80 5 months $ - no to supplement with survey Complete evaluation of citywatch or similartool for general citenzry B3 information Cunningham 15 2 months no Internal survey ED, EC, Liquor, Park, Fire, complete. B4 Enhance and Expand and Complete evaluation of social media use for various departments Deckert 30 2 months per $ - no Remaining ongoing diversify public education communication/ Initial training, ongoing BS and outreach Increase use of press releases and city-wide marketing materials dept heads 20 minimal $ - no encouragement. Culture shift Approach school administration for civic engagement/ city service g6 education Johnson 1 1 month $ - No Internal staff, completed by Johnson B7 Create City Brand Complete City branding process Deckert 30/ week 2 years $ - Yes Ongoing, started December 2010 B8 Increase volunteerism create recruitment, management of volunteer program Johnson 50 6 months $ - no Funds for rewards, recognition Goal: Beautification- Have attractive, welcoming streetscapes at City entrances and primary cooridors. Enforce Zoning Ordinances Staff/ Dept lead Est. Staff hours Est. Time Est. Cost Budgeted Comments Action Steps Prepare plans to improve primary intersections with landscaping, Cl lighting, and hardscaping. Barnhart 50 3 months $ - no Engineering assistance Complete review, provide recommendations to incentivise Internal Planning, ED, and C2 improvements/ beautification Barnhart 40 6 months $ - no Environmental staff Improve, revitalize, and Survey city owned property along major cooridors, determine if Orono, Babcock, and Lions Park are C3 invest in streetscaping improvements are necessary Benoit 50 2 months $ - no examples. C4 along primary cooridors Complete improvements to primary intersections Femrite 80 3 months per $ 40,000 no Update with CIP and entrances Implement median and streetscape design and maintanence Started with painting of traffic CS standards Femrite 80 2 months unknown no signals. Cost based on plan C6 Implement maintenance/ upkeep plan Femrite 40 1 month $ - no internal staff Consistent code enforcement C7 Enforce maintenance standards with outside agencies Barnhart 10 1 month $ - yes support necessary Consistent code enforcement C8 Actively enforce zoning standards on primary corridors Barnhart 20 1 month $ - yes support necessary Provide consistent and expanded signage C9 Utilizing brand, develop and construct consistent civic signage plan Barnhart 40 12 months unknown no Cost based on plan, updated with CIP considerations: staff involvement, Create opportunities to beautify community advertising costs, safety equipment and training, supplies, refuse containers, transportation of refuse, C10 Promote a "Spruce Up Elk River" day Rolfe 50 6 months unknown no refuse disposal costs. Dept lead Est. Staff hours Est. Time Est. Cost Budgeted Comments Assumes consultant, printing, Position land for distribution costs. Revised scope development may reduce costs, increase staff D1 Complete downtown plan Mehelich 60 4 months $ 60,000 yes hours Increase presence with legislators for state highway transportation D2 Facilitate development and improvements Femrite 40 1 Year $ - no Mayor and Council led redevelopment Complete low cost/ high benefit enhancements to improve traffic In process, In Capital Improvement D3 flow through the existing street intersections. Femrite 140 Yearly $ 150,000 yes Plan Evaluate existing programs Review incentive packages for new businesses, recommend D4 and services improvements Mehelich 40 4 months $ - yes In process. E.g.WAC/ SAC, Financing Identify and secure land for future Commercial/ Industrial Internal staff. Acquisition will have DS development Mehelich 60 3 months $ - no budget impacts.