Loading...
04-26-2004 CC MIN - SPECIAL SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL HELD AT THE CITY OF ELK RIVER (UPPER TOWN CONFERENCE ROOM) MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2004 Members Present: Mayor K2inzing, Councilmembers Dietz, Kuester, Tveite, and Mofin Members Absent: None Staff Present: City Administrator Pat Klaers, Finance Director Lori Johnson, Building and Environmental Administrator Steve Rohlf, Economic Development Director Catherine Mehelich, Police Chief Jeff Beahen, Fire Chief Bruce West, Ice Arena Manager Rich Czech, City Prosecuting. Attorney Chris Johnson, Liquor Store Manager Dave Potvin, Street/Park Superintendent Phil Hals, Chief Wastewater Operator Gary Leirmoe, City Engineer Terry Maurer, Utilities General Manager Bryan Adams, and City Clerk Joan Schmidt Also Present: Facilitator Jim Brirneyer 1. Call Meeting To Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River City Council was called to order at 3:00 p.m. by Mayor Iadinzing. 2. Consider Consent Agenda MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER TVEITE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILEMBER KUESTER TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT AGENDA: 2.1 2.2 2.3 Check Register Consider City Hall/Utilities Project Change Orders Pay Estimates MOTION CARRIED $-0. Discussion on the Governance Section of the City, Administrator/City of Elk River Work Program Facilitated by Jim Brimeyer Mr. Brimeyer discussed the reason for the session and that we need to talk about how we got here and where we wish to go. Earlier when the Council talked about performance issues there was a sense of needing direction and a lack of giving direction thereof by the governing body. We need to discuss how the staff and the council conduct their business, governance issue, how we set priorities, and implementation of those priorities. He stated that he can always try a different approach; need to do what's right for this group. Mr. Brimeyer asked the Council for their expectations. Councilmember Tveite stated that informal communication with city staff doesn't work as well due to growth and that leadership needs to come from the council. Mayor I~inzing stated that she wants us to start on a process to reorganization. Councilmember Kuester stated that she would hke a unified City Council ~¥finutes Page 2 April 26, 2004 focus and to communicate ahead of t/me. Councilmember Dietz wants communication to flow by staff to staff and staff to council. Phil Hal stated that he felt communication can approve and would like more direction from the council. Councilmember Motin stated that council gets items 2-3 days before they have to decide on it while staff has been working on these items for a long time; Planning Commission or Parks Commission may have had the issue for several months. Catherine Mehelich stated that she would like to see umbrella goals from the city council that would drive the planning commission's goals, HP,_A goals, etc. versus comm/ssions having contrasting agenda. LoriJohnson agrees and also feels we need the internal piece with staff for good communication to keep us on track. Pat I<laers feels we need priorities of the goals and to implement them consistent with what council feets appropriate. Mayor Fdinzing feels this meeting is one of the most important things that she has done, that it is not a waste of time, and that it is extremely important to be here because of the growth in the city. We need to be very serious about these issues and very deliberate. GOVERNING BODY Reasons for running for office: ego trip, ax to grind, have desire to serve the community Council Role Issues -Vague Task Definition -Little Feedback (accept when things -No hierarchy go wrong) -No Speciahzation -Open Meetings How to get to a model that makes more sense? John Carver talks about governing body and city council organizations. Boar&' thatMa/ee a Difference book by John Carver. Walk us through the Carver Governance Model: -What is our desired end result when we talk about this issue? · FLAWS OF GOVERNANCE Time on the trivial-spend too much time on the stop signs. Need to develop policy. Short Term Bias Reactive Stance Reviemin3 Rehashin3 Redoin&85% of what Council does is staff generated. Leak~y Acz'ountabili~y-Carver is advocate of very strong CEO and under Elk Kiver's form of government it doesn't work; will need to talk how the Council wants this done. Diffuse Authority-decide on rules of behavior; staff can't make decisions unless council has g~ven them authority to do that. · PRESCRIPTIONS Activity and Involvement Board/Staff Relations -Watchdog -Cheerleader City Council Minutes April 26, 2004 Page 3 Board Work and Skills -Manager -Planner -Communicator Do we as a council trust staff to do what needs to be done? PERFECT MODEL o Cradle Vision-has to be owned by the Council o Fundamental Values-need to focus on values; %vhat will successors say about this decision" o External Focus-think of market like external response; ever in position to say "that's not the way we want the city to go" or "how does that fit into our values?" o Outcome Driven System-has to be right for Elk River o Large Issues Versus Small-'q,Vhy is this on our agenda?" - is staff dumping? If council sets the framework, staff shouldn't have to run to them. Councilmember Dietz stated that a lot of things staff brings to council are money related... Mr. Brimeyer stated that if in the budget, it should be on the consent agenda. If not in budget, then come to council for approval. Councilmember Dietz stated that he would like to see more responsibility go to department heads versus going to the Council. Mr. Brimeyer stated that could happen if in the framework of budget and Council guidelines. Councilmember Dietz stated that he would like to see more than one opinion from staff. Mr. Brimeyer stated that council has the right to have more than one option and staff should say "we recommend option number 2 because .... " o Forward Thinking-"If we make this decision tonight, can you explain to the 9th grade civic class why you did it?" o Proactively Leading and not reacting.' o Diversity and Unity-can speak with one voice without dissent o Relationship to Constituencies-how relate to commission, school board, etc. in regards to our vision. o Common Basis for Disdpline o Common topics-articulation of our roles, clear o Information Needed-avoid too little, too late, or wrong information. Say to self, "how does this fit with our value statement?" o Over Control Versus Under Control-become rubber stamp or controller? o Time Management Councilmember Dietz stated that when talking about developments, they get approved if it fits into comprehensive plan. Mr. Brimeyer stated that if a review or variance is needed then the doors are open. If done within that framework, many projects become more special. Council calls the shots if you have your framework together. City, Cotmcil Minutes Page 4 April 26, 2004 · POLICY AS A LEADERSHIP TOOL (these are the guts of the Carver Policy) ~nds-what good for what people for what cost? If I were the investor in a development, could I make money and show this as an example for the next development? Executive La'mitations-the principals of ethics; this is what we want to get done; not sure yet what we want it to look like. Board-Executive Re/atiomhi~-the manner in which power is passed to the executive machinery and how to use that power. Board Process-the manner in which the board makes those decisions. THE POLICY MAICING NESTING BOWL based on John Carver's Model of Governance 1. MISSION 4. COUNCIL-STAFF RELATIONS 2. ENDS 5. COUNCIL PROCESS 3. EXECUTIVE LIMITATIONS 6. MEANS EVALUATING YOUR BOARD Council needs to rate themselves. Councilmember Dietz feels that staff thinks too often that the issues brought to council are purely dollars and cents--how to react? Mr. Brimeyer stated that if you have a framework, then it should fit within that framework and only take back to council if over that amount or better product for more money, etc. That's that trust level. Councilmember Motto stated that he has yet to figure out where we are leaving out a lot of statements of what we want. He's not hearing where there are conflicts between comprehensive plan and downtown planning. Mr. Brimeyer asked if council is on the same page as the Planning Commission or do they just represent themselves. Do you trust anything that comes up? Councilrnember Motin stated that council might do something different than what they suggest but not going to do citywide goal setting because of a few development parcels. Mr. Brimeyer stated that out of this process should come a method for giving the council the heads up on "hot" issues. Is the staff allowed or encouraged to tell the commission that they should not be going in certain directions. Councilmember Tveite stated that we don't have clear guidance as to what should be in place, only have the comprehensive plan. If we as council say priority is tree Preservation, then it becomes clear and then that is specific direction to both parks and recreation and the planning commissions. We need to prioritize. Mayor Klinzing stated that in regards to redevelopment sites, we haven't had opportunity as a council to talk about that. Nothing in pokicy, ordinance, or conversation to say what can't happen. Mr. Brimeyer asked if the city does areawide studies. Mayor IClinzing stated yes, but in reaction to proposals coming through. We have an HRA and an EDA and yet is it Council's responsibility? Mr. Brimeyer stated yes, I think it is, so that when it comes to you it isn't blindsided or reactionary. Councilmember Dietz stated that at one time the city had a difficult time to fill boards and commissions and now they have become entities onto themselves and they have their own agendas. Mr. Brimeyer stated that you have to get back to setting priorities of broad goals. City Council Nfinutes Page 5 April 26, 2004 Councilmember Dietz stated that there are a lot of good people on boards and commissions but council has to get involved to know what they are doing; the council has to know more of what is going on. Mr. Brimeyer stated that staff member needs to make council aware and council needs to make commissions aware that they can't do certain things. Councilmember Kuester stated that the council hasn't been very good at communicating to the commissions what is important and don't always know the new applicant's agenda. Mr. Brimeyer stated that a way to deal with that is to ask board applicant, "are you familiar with our priorities and goals that have been set?" Terry Maurer stated that he could see a whole different scenario regarding the woodland development issue if council had set priorities. Councilmember Motin stated that is a unique parcel and is why treated differently. Mr. Brimeyer stated that it shouldn't be, but staff should be able to tell the developer this is council's priority. Councilmember Tveite stated that guidelines are what ~ve are looking for; they got discussed, but developer got mL, ced messages from our boards. Mr. Brimeyer stated that the discussion needs to happen when it is going to be presented to the Planning Commission and to ask council their opinion. Mr. Brimeyer asked, "Why can't the council come up with guiding principles?" Mr. Brimeyer asked, "How do we get to establishing these priorities?" STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS o Have mandates imposed o Establish Nfission or Value Statement o SWAT Analysis (an assessment) Strengths weaknesses, opportunities, and threats Strengths and Weaknesses (internal environment) -Look at your people -Look at your economic environment -Look at information capacity -Have overall strategy in place -Function (by department) -How do we measure performance (results) o External Environment-what are political forces that have impact on what we do? o What is the Economic Environment? o Social changes taking place? o Technology? Keeping up with? What's our capacity? o ~,Vho are our customers? o Who are paying the bills? Take strengths, weaknesses and generate issues and establish priorities, what are the barriers, and then establish strategies. How do we get there? Develop that 5/fission or that Vision. Set of slx questions to ask ourselves. 1. Who are we? City Council NfinUtes April 26, 2004 2. In general, what are the basic social and political needs we e,,dst to Page 6 kX/'hat are the basic social and political problems we need to address? What do we want to do to recognize or anticipate and respond to these needs or problems? What should our responses be to our stakeholders? What is our philosophy and what are our core values? What makes us distinctive or unique? MISSION STATENIENT CHECICLIST: Ends, not means Effort Verbs-no action, use end statements Brevity-very short put on letterhead Accuracy, not cosmetics Too broad or too narrow-one sentence Net value added Reladon to other Boards 1. WHO ARE WE? *Fully developed city *Destination for the area/region -Recreation -Schools -Commercial/regional *Greenspace development *Affordable housing (older, smaller, core area) *Downtown connection (need to exploit) *Historic *Rivertown (need to exploit) *Role as County Seat Councilmember Motin asked how far should we go with the EDA strategy; need to have council do their process f, rst. Mr. Bdmeyer stated that we might need this other group to slow down. 2. BASIC SOCIAL AND POLITICAL NEEDS? *Job creation development *Public Safety *Infrastructure *Parks/Recreation Opportunities *Environmental Issues Stakeholders (Those individuals/clients/customers having a vested interest in the policies, services, and actions of the organization. Criteria to evaluate performance.) *Residents *Non-resident users *Future residents *Owners-absentee *Business owners *Commuters City Council Minutes April 26, 2004 Page 7 PHILOSOPHY *City/count. ry -Flow together or on a crash course *Friendly *Service orientated -For "ours" and others *Innovative *Desirable Location (close to "God") -Low crmae -Safe *Environmental Issues -Rivers -1LDF -Diversity -Energy *High level "desirability" -Feet good *Gateway to North *Size of community (one of the largest land base communities) *Location -Close enough to drive; far enough away to thrive. DRAFT Council to think about the following: "SWOT" · Strengths, weaknesses are internal resources, forces and directions that shape the organization · Opportunities, threats are forces that occur, or are expected to occur, in the organization's external environment Focus on: looking at flae city as a whole as well as fixe organizational structure. Adjournment There being no further business, Mayor ICkinzing adjourned the meeting of the Elk River City Council at 6:05 p.m. Joan Schmidt City Clerk