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4.5. SR 05-28-2002MEMORANDUM Item # 4.5. TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor and City Council Pat Klaers, City A~inistrator May 28, 2002 Annual Report Thc annual reports from the city departments and thc annual report presentations to the City Council have evolved over the years. Staff is always looking at ways to improve the reports and the presentation, and this goal of improvement is why this topic is on the City Council agenda. Last month the 2001 annual reports were presented to the City Council and most everyone feels that the presentation was the best one since we have gone to our new, shorter format. However, we know that the presentation can be better, and we know that the video, even though it was broken into segments, was still too long and slightly repetitive. We also sense that the best part of the meeting was at the end when staff members responded to council comments and inquiries. One of the things that we need to keep in mind with the annual report presentation is that the viewing audience at home does not typically have the benefit of having read the annual report. This creates some challenges whereas the City Council is quite familiar with activities over the past year, but the public at home generally is not as aware of activities, and we really do not know how much of the presentation should be devoted to informing the citizens at home about past activities. The most popular idea discussed by the staff for changes in the presentation was to have the video highlight only the most significant, bigger issues and activities that have taken place over the past year. This could include such things as the construction of a city facility, the Fourth of July festival, a street improvement project, a fire scene, etc. Not all departments lend themselves to be videotaped as well as others, and we will try to keep the video brief but more city-wide in nature. At some point, either before or after the video, we think that the big issues over the past year need to be verbally highlighted, but only the big issues. After the video and the short presentation, it will be then time for each department head to stand up and present their goals and upcoming projects to the City Council and to respond to Council inquiries/questions. In summary, staff would like Council feedback on this proposal and input on other possible changes in the annual report presentation.