2.0. SR 10-25-1999
rei ~\.(
( II
.ity of ~
Ell{ River
.
.
Item #2
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Mayor & City Council
Pat Klaers, City Ad~ittor
October 19, 1999
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Priorities
At the September 27, 1999, City Council meeting, a special worksession of the
council was called for Monday, October 25, 1999, at 5 p.m. in the Training Room.
Since this worksession was called, I have not received any City Council comments
or input related to agenda topics. What the City Council desires to discuss and how
various topics are presented/debated/discussed is completely up to the discretion of
the Mayor and City Council.
No suggestions are offered in this memo for City Council topics. The City Council
establishes policy and staff is given the authority and has the responsibility to
implement this city policy. City staff does not set City Council priorities, but
follows the most recent council direction on issues and programs plus manages the
day-to-day and long-term affairs of the city. Long-term thinking is an important
factor in staffs recommendations to the council and in the management of all
municipal affairs and business. Unlike some communities that you may have heard
about, the Elk River City Council accepted plans are actually followed and
implemented. This is true with the city budget, capital improvement program,
economic development strategic plan, and the comprehensive plan (which includes
zoning, land use, park and transportation).
City staff and the City Council are both very busy dealing with a wide range of
municipal issues and there is always a concern about "being stretched to thin" and
having sufficient time and manpower to do the task at hand. Staff is often
concerned about being so busy that we can't pay enough attention or do justice to
the project at hand. We usually live with the feeling that we have to hurry up and
get done with our work so we can move on to the next assignment. These last few
comments are nothing new to the City Council, as councilmembers have brought
these issues to my attention in the past, and the comments are simply offered in
order to help keep the current and ongoing assignments in balance with the desire
to do more.
Attached for your information is an interesting article from the May/June 1999
Minnesota Cities magazine regarding the value of time.
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 '. Fax: (612) 441-7425
recently read an intriguing,
slightly offbeat little book en-
titled, Einstein's Dream. It traced
the impacts of various impossible
time scenarios, such as time run-
ning backwards or standing still,
on the lives of various people
living in Berne, Switzerland.
While entertaining, it also heightened
my awareness of j~st how precious
a commodity time really is. In fact,
it caused me to see that time is really
a resource, as much as money, people
or equipment, which we can either
use prudently or not.
Of course the importance of time
is increasingly on everyone's mind as
we unalterably move toward the year
2000. As the new year approaches,
each day takes on added significance
as city officials continue their. efforts
to develop and implement plans to
prevent or contain the consequences
of the millennium bug. The relevance
of time will undoubtedly become
even more apparent to all of us in
many different ways during the weeks
to come.
Yet a third indication of the value
of time can be seen in our cities as it
becomes more and more difficult to
find citizens willing (or, more likely,
able) to serve on the volunteer fire
department or park board. Likewise,
at least some cities are experiencing
growing difficulty even in obtaining
enough candidates to run for elected
office. A common explanation for this
phenomenon is competition from job,
family, and other important interests
for the same time it takes to serve
the community.
All of this leads me to the uncom-
fortable realization that many of us
take time for granted when conducting
the most important governmental
function-governance. While at one
time it was common to hear stories
about city council meetings lasting
MAY / J U.N E 1 9 9 9
lbe Value of lime
By Jim Miller
five or six hours, which usually meant
well into the night (or early morning),
such stories seem to be waning. Now,
I hear more and more about fifteen-
minute council meetings, and a norm
that is probably less than two hours
for the average meeting. I have even
talked to city officials who say it is
virtually impossible to hold special
meetings or work shops because they
cannot get a quorum. This usually
occurs not because of lack of interest,
but because time is so precious and
the demands on it so many.
So, how can we use the time of
our elected bodies more wisely? Per-
haps most importantly, it is essential
that the council deal only with those
matters that really require their elected
judgment. In some instances, it may
seem politically necessary to debate
the color of the new water tower, but
the challenge is to carefully explore
ways that might alleviate that poten-
tially time consuming and marginally
productive discussion. Certainly neigh-
bors have a need to be heard, but a
process outside of the council meeting,
perhaps involving staff and one or two
councilmembers, might be equally or
more effective. The council's collective
time should be spent on more strategic
decisions, such as how to ensure that
the community's long-term water
system needs are met.
Some councils also fall into the
bad habit of frequently rehashing
issues or reconsidering decisions. Some
decisions may never seem to be really
final. This can create frustration for
councilmembers and citizens alike,
and confusion for staff about whether
or when to implement a council
decision. It points to the importance
of process in decision-making. Plans
for how to manage important or
potentially controversial issues should
be thought out before hand, not made
up as the issue evolves. Adequate
MINNESOTA CITIES
opportunity for public input early
and at key stages of a major street
widening project, for example, may
minimize the time necessary at every
council meeting to hear from citizens
or have council discussion about how
well the project is or is not progressing.
Councils also need to remember
that one of their most important
responsibilities is serving as keeper
of the community's vision. They are
charged with the awesome task of
leading the community to the type
of future its citizens desire. That can-
not happen if most of the council's
time is preoccupied with the here
and now. Councils must find time
on a regular basis to think and plan
strategically; i.e., long term. Retreats
for this purpose are important, but
inadequate. Strategic thinking must
be a frequent part of regular meetings
as well. Simple tools, such as asking
whether a particular decision is consis-
tent with the community's vision or
really matters in that context, can help
sort out what is important and what is
unimportant for expending the
council's time.
Expectations for government
service and responsiveness continue
to grow with no obvious signs of
abating. At the same time, resources
available to local government officials
to respond to these expect~tions grow
modestly or, as in the case of available
time, decline. Time is an abstract,
but important, resource that we can
and must learn to use more wisely.
The future of good governance may
very well depend on it. ..
Jim Miller is executive director of the League
of Minnesota Cities.
3