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Home My WebLink About2014-0414 Study Session MIN Minutes for the City Council Study Session April 14, 2014 Pagel of4 MINUTES FOR THE STUDY SESSION ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL Monday, April 14, 2014 Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way Mayor Stromberg called the meeting to order at 5:36 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room. Councilor Morris, Voisin, Marsh, Lemhouse, Rosenthal, and Slattery were present. 1. Look Ahead review City Administrator Dave Kanner reviewed items on the Look Ahead. 2. Review and discussion of the draft Council goals Government Leverage our regional and state relationships to increase effectiveness in relevant policy arenas. Promote effective citizen communication and engagement • Engage boards and commissions in supporting the strategic plan • Engage community in conversation about core services, desired service levels and funding mechanisms Develop leadership that sustains both commissions and council Support and empower our community partners • SOU • Mt. Ashland • Parks - develop a long term sustainable plan for P&R services Council discussed whether to add all of the City's partners, indicate the list was incomplete, or remove the three listed. Another suggestion wanted to focus on the groups Council paid dues. Council discussed adding Identify and support for City services under Government with a bullet for administrative actions. A possible action item was review the Charter. Organization Use our assets to strategically support city mission and goals. • Examine city hall replacement • Look at underperforming assets • Examine long-term use of Imperatrice property. Council added Cultivate external funding sources as a fourth bullet. Under Look at underperforming assets, Identify assets leased at a $1 per year as action item. Council discussed splitting assets into Staff, Infrastructure, and Facilities under Organization as three separate goals. Ensure that we have a trained staff adequate to support the organization's work. • Use existing leadership to train and mentor • Grow leadership within • Develop appropriate succession plans • Match staffing with work plans. Council and staff discussed succession planning and Council's direct role regarding the bullets. Council suggested adding Ensure Council provides the tools for staff to be successful leaders as a goal with Minutes for the City Council Study Session April 14, 2014 Page 2 of 4 succession planning as a bullet. Another suggestion would make succession planning a separate goal. Staff moved succession planning to the parking lot for further discussion with Council consent. People Seek opportunities to enable all citizens to meet basic needs. • Pursue affordable housing opportunities, especially workforce housing • Leverage partnerships to build social equity programming to help those at risk • Address gaps in mental health treatment options. Develop supports to enable citizens to age in place. Maintain and strengthen community's viability for young families. • Seek pathways for SOU students to remain in the community. Council changed the goal to Make Ashland even more family friendly as a community. Strengthen and support local nonprofits. Council added The City supports and promotes through policy programs that make the city affordable to live in and keeping our treasure in Ashland as a bullet. Environment Protect the integrity and safety of the watershed. • Implement and maintain the Ashland Forest Resiliency Project • Educate and engage the community in watershed stewardship. Enhance and expand natural and recreational resources. Protect the community, especially the downtown district, from risk of fire and earthquakes. Council changed goal to Prepare community and limit the effects of natural disasters with downtown seismic issues as a bullet. Empower Community Development Department to effectively develop and implement land use planning. • Complete land use revisions • Examine form-based planning approach. Cultivate Ashland's "sense of place" and small town feel. Develop and support land use and transportation policies to achieve sustainable development. Develop and support land use and transportation policies to achieve sustainable development. • Develop infill policies • Support alternative transportation choices • Create incentives for energy efficient buildings. Encourage and/or develop public spaces that build community and promote interaction. Economy Minutes for the City Council Study Session April 14, 2014 Page 3 of 4 Seek opportunities to diversify the economy. • Support film industry growth • Promote local talent • Partner with SOU to generate business opportunities • Strengthen local nonprofits • Examine and remove barriers to business start up opportunities Nurture emerging new technologies. • Position ourselves as a high tech incubator • Promote e-commerce zone. Market and further develop Ashland Fiber Network. • Complete and implement the 5-year plan. Diversify transportation options. • Strengthen airport as an enterprise • Develop freight rail opportunities Ensure that commercial and industrial areas are available for development. • Create predictable pathways for development of employment land • Examine Croman redevelopment plan • Re-use railroad district. • Optimize downtown and other commercial districts by guiding reinvestment opportunities • Use existing financial tools to support re-development. Focus on measures to achieve a high level of self-reliance for goods and services. • Develop food security local and regionally. Council added the following goals: The City supports and promotes through policy programs that make the city affordable to live in • Support innovative organizations and enterprises • Continually examine, evaluate, and update the economic development strategy • Embrace and plan ahead for emerging social trends that might affect the economy and vitality of the community Ener¢y and Infrastructure Seek excellence in infrastructure management and modernization. Re-examine and review master plans on regular basis • Complete downtown transportation plan element Expand transit Work to keep public services efficient, innovative, and affordable. Council changed goal to "Be proactive in using best practices in infrastructure management and modernization. " Plan for climate change. • Seek energy independence/neutrality Minutes for the City Council Study Session April 14, 2014 Page 4 of 4 • Seek carbon neutrality Develop rigorous conservation plans for energy and water Complete internal and community-based sustainability plans • Recognize impact of climate change on the watershed. Council changed "Plan for climate change," to "Prepare for climate change." Public Safety The City Administrator, Councilor Marsh, Councilor Slattery, and the Mayor would work on the next session. Councilors could work on wording for the goals separately and bring suggestions back to Council. Meeting adjourned at 7:42 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dana Smith Assistant to the City Recorder