7. HRSR 06-06-0211ITEM #7.
City of
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TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
MEMORANDUM
H RA
Jeremy Barnhart, Planning Manager
June 6, 201 I
Vision and Goals
At its meeting on May 16, 2011, the City Council approved the Task Plan as part of the
Visioning process started last year.
Similar to how a comprehensive plan focuses and allocates limited land, infrastructure and
social resources to areas with greatest benefit, visioning exercises can 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.
Background
In September 2010, during a two day workshop hosted by Jermaine Davis, staff and
Councilmember Westgaard identified the Vision and Goals. In February, the City Council
identified and prioritized the following Action steps, 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
Process
After the Vision, Goals, and Action Steps are identified, a number of tasks need to be
completed. Tasks are basically a project level `to do' list. Since February, staff has worked
on the development and refinement of these tasks. To develop these tasks, a staff
committee representing the Administration, Finance, Parks, Police, Fire, Utilities,
Community Development, City Clerk, and Economic Development departments and
divisions met.
Individually, each department ox division was asked:
1. To identify ways they or other departments could address the goals and action steps
identified.
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2. Additionally, recognizing that staff members are utilizers of city services, members were
asked to identify things that they felt should be provided, but currently 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.
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 fox 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.
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.
^ A similar process is anticipated to be completed next year, for that year's goals.
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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 f ormal 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.
ATTACHMENTS
^ Hierarchy
^ Task list
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ovation- Develop new programs <
services to meet the needs of the
community.
Explore and develop new programs and
services
Evaluate existing programs and services
Enhance communication
Evaluate and enhance transportation
Strengthen and preserve neighborhood
Increase awareness, utilization, and
expansion of public spaces
community Involvement and public
participation through a variety of
innnvativa nutlata_
Continue to build strong partnerships with
county, school, and community
Increase volunteerism
Expand and enhance communication
Enhance, expand, and diversify public
education and outreach
Explore community day
Create elk River brand
Beautification- Have attractive,
~elcoming streetscapes at City EntrancE
and primary corridors. Enforce zoning
ordinances.
Improve, revitalize, and invest in
streetscaping along primary corridors and
I Create opportunities to beautify
Community
Provide consistent and expanded signage
Consistent and uniform enforcement of
~ Facilitate redevelopment ~
Opportunities- Foster apro-business
atmosphere that provides incentives and
other opportunities for new and existing
business growth.
Position land for development
facilitate development and
Support desired image
Customer service
Provide attractive business incentives
City of Elk River 2011 Goals
AhotntdinK in natut~al beaut~~, Elk River is a vibrant, historic rivertoiv n
that pronmtes:m active lile,~tcle in an innovative and iln r~?~ t't!
ronnnneity olit~rinr uoiilalift~tl oplxirlunitics
Goal: Innovation- Develop new programs and services to meet the needs of the community
Action Steps Task Completed
Complete critical evaluation of Web OA for
Al perceived value internally and externally
Evaluate existing Complete evaluation of alternative hours
A2 programs and services review
A3 Benchmark services provided by like cities
Review assessment policy and funding options
A4 to assure they meet the needs of all residents
Periodic external communication from Council
AS Enhance communication
(i.e. 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)
Goal: Community Development- Enhance and Expand community involvement and public
participation through a variety of innovative outlets
Action Steps Task Completed
Periodic internal communication from
dminist rotor (i.e. email, blog, newsletter,
Bl Enhance and expand e
)
communication Report current communication practices;
B2 recommend improvements
Complete evaluation of citywatch or similar
83 tool for general citizenry information
Enhance and Expand and Complete evaluation of social media use for
84 diversify public education various departments
and outreach Increase use of press releases and city-wide
85 marketing materials
Approach school administration for civic
B6 engagement/ city service education
B7 Create City Brand Complete City branding process
create recruitment, management of volunteer
BB Increase volunteerism pro ram
g
oa : eau i ica ion- ave a ra rve, we coming s ree stapes a i en rances an primary torn ors.
Enforce Zoning Ordinances
Action Steps Task Completed
Prepare plans to improve primary intersections
Cl with landscaping, lighting, and hardscaping.
Complete review, provide recommendations
C2 to incentivize improvements/ beautification
Survey city owned property along major
Improve, revitalize, and corridors, determine if improvements are
C3 invest in streetscaping necessary
along primary corridors Complete improvements to primary
C4 and entrances intersections
Implement median and streetscape design and
CS maintenance 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 signage consistent civic signage plan
Create opportunities to
C10 beautify community Promote a "Spruce Up Elk River" day
Goal: Opportunities- Foster apro-business atmosphere that provides incentives and other
opportunities for new and existing business growth
Action Steps Task Completed
Dl position land for Complete downtown plan
development Identify and secure land forfuture
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,
DS programs and services recommend improvements