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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-0606 Council Goal Setting MIN City Council Business Meeting June 6, 2016 Pagel of 4 MINUTES FOR COUNCIL GOAL SETTING ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL June 6, 2016 Council Chambers 1175 E. Main Street Mayor Stromberg began the Goal Setting meeting at 5:39 p.m. in the Siskiyou Room. Councilor Lemhouse, Rosenthal, Voisin, Seffinger, Marsh, and Morris were present. Mayor Stromberg explained this was the first of three meetings and focused on collecting goals. Session 2 would determine Council priorities. During Session 3, Council would discuss financial implications and funding sources. Top Five Goals per Councilor Councilor Marsh 1. Downtown vitality - street people, urban design, circulation, parking 2. Changes in Food and Beverage Tax collection and expenditure 3. Stability of AFN 4. Climate Change - current process and inherent infrastructure systems Councilor Rosenthal 1. Climate Change - complete and implement the community and energy plan 2. Public health and safety - additional reporting structures to determine effectiveness of recent ordinances, establish an enhanced law enforcement area (ELEA) c e south end of town +~--t.._ 3. Social service improvements - 4. Economic Development - foster emerging industries like wine tourism, recreation, and clear obstacles for potential business development 5. Improve the effectiveness of citizen communication and engagement Councilor Morris 1. Affordable housing - evaluate funding, and execution 2. Social service improvements - evaluate role of services, streets, the resource center and how the City is involved and effectiveness 3. Evaluate the Master Plan process and gain efficiencies 4. Make Commission and Committees more effective 5. Make Council work more effectively Councilor Voisin 1. Seeking opportunities for all citizens to meet basic needs, find revenue stream for the affordable housing trust fund 2. Prepare the community for natural and human made disasters 3. Adopt an urban tree standards policy for maintenance and planting of city trees 4. Update the Comprehensive Plan 5. Continue to prepare for the impact of climate change - find funding for the Fire and Police departments Councilor Lemhouse 1. Public Safety - reduce negative behavior, increase security in the downtown area, and continue to look at reducing hazards downtown 2. Maintain infrastructure - plan for future improvements., get funding for street repair City Council Business Meeting June 6, 2016 Page 2 of 4 3. AFN - find a path forward, possibly treat it like a utility 4. Economic Development - increase ability to retain businesses, encourage growth, find out why businesses close, reasons and trends, and what the City can do to help new businesses start 5. Social service improvements - foster better collaboration between social service organizations, nonprofit government agencies, be more collaborative and strategic Councilor Seffinger 1. Public Safety - increasing Police and Fire Department staff, expanding the ELEA to the south side of town, prompt paramedic response 2. Maintain infrastructure - roads, sidewalks, possible parking options 3. Environment -public transit, earthquake preparedness in the community and at City Hall, drought 4. Look at the needs of the aging population - possibly establish an aging commission, downtown circulation ideas 5. Economic Development - living wage jobs, affordable housing options, using City social grant funds for affordable housing units Mayor Stromberg 1. Public Safety - funding to address behavior, homeless, and transients 2. Infrastructure - street maintenance 3. City Hall replacement - known seismic issue 4. Fire Department Consolidation 5. Affordable Housing - achieve social justice and equity Core Services Goals Report City Administrator Dave Kanner shared the following core services goals: 1. Overhaul the City's procurement and contracting policies and processes 2. Increase the capacity of the Legal Department and the Human Resources Division in conjunction with organizational restructuring. Rewrite AMC 2.28 and convert the city recorder to an appointed position. 3. Increase the Police and Fire Department staff 4. Adequately fund street maintenance and storm drain maintenance, including funding the pavement management program with Food & Beverage tax revenues 5. Build a new City Hall and get a 21St century phone system 4. What are 'Core Services' and how do they relate to 'Council Goals'? City Administrator Dave Kanner explained core services included police, fire, electric, street, water, sewer, storm drain, and land use planning. The City Charter and state law required the City to maintain any infrastructure it owned. Council discussed public safety and suggested adding core services to the goals document. Council comment thought most of the core services related to council goals. City Attorney Dave Lohman explained the need to think regionally and work with other cities to address similar issues and used transportation and social services as examples. 5. What has changed, and what has endured, from the last time we discussed our Goals? Council reviewed specific 2414 Goals that included: Organization 4. Evaluate real property and facility assets to strategically support city mission and goals. 4.1 Identify and evaluate underperforming assets. City Council Business Meeting June 6, 2016 Page 3 of 4 4.2 Cultivate external funding opportunities. 4.3 Examine city hall replacement and other facility needs. 4.4 Examine long-term use of Imperatrice property. Council comment thought 4.3 and 4.4 should be removed due to current discussions on the topics, noted nob-performing assets, and this was a multiyear plan with a completion date in 2020. People 5. Seek opportunities to enable all citizens to meet basic needs. 5.1 Examine means and methods by which to improve access to mental health services for Ashland citizens who need them. 5.2 Support and promote, through policy, programs that make the City affordable to live in. 5.2.a. Pursue affordable housing opportunities, especially workforce housing. Identify specific incentives for developers to build more affordable housing. 5.3 Leverage partnerships with non-profit and private entities to build social equity programming. 5.4 Encourage the ongoing effectiveness of the Resource Center. Staff was currently following up with 30 community agencies that met with the Mayor and will report later. Council discussed the unintended consequences of providing social services and the influx and demeanor of travelers coming to town creating more people than the community could serve. Environment 8. Protect the integrity and safety of the watershed. 8.1 Implement and maintain the Ashland Forest Resiliency project. 8.2 Educate and engage the community in watershed stewardship. 8.2.a Declare a "year of the watershed" and coordinate activities around it. 8.3 Maintain current Firewise communities and implement the Fire Adapted Communities model. 8.4 Complete the expansion of the city's wildfire hazard zone to accurately reflect risk. 8.5 Fund the AFR & AIR programs. 8.6 Continue to engage state and federal representatives on the AFR project. 8.7 Weed abatement on County land within the UGB (exotic species). Economy 17. Market and further develop the Ashland Fiber Network. 17.1 Complete and implement the AFN business plan. Council discussed efforts to look at alternatives for AFN and the conclusion it needed to work as efficiently as possible. Council also discussed marketing implementation strategies and analyses that would take place independent of the ad hoc committee that would come up in the next biennium. City Administrator Dave Kanner explained AFN Direct kept getting customers and the ISP's did not. Councilor Voisin knew someone who might be interested in purchasing AFN and would forward that information to staff. Council did not think selling was viable since there was an $11,000,000 debt on the system. Energy and Infrastructure 22. Prepare for the impact of climate change on the community. 22.1 Develop and implement a community climate change and energy plan. Council noted the goal was in process and what was missing were the ties to specific departments. City Administrator Dave Kanner described work prioritization in the departments. Council thought core resources should include the scrutiny of climate change. Mr. Kanner went on to address BPA's surplus of power due to conservation efforts in the northwest and Tier 2 rates. City Council Business Meeting June 6, 2016 Page 4 of 4 6. Are we leaving anything important out`! 7. City Administrator reorg ideas City Administrator Dave Kanner shared a reorganization proposal that would create two new departments and eliminate the current ones in an effort to improve communication and collaboration. Within four years, all department heads would retire except two. The structural change would remove department head positions with three blended branches of the City reporting to the City Administrator and two Assistant City Administrators. Human Resources, Risk Management, Fiscal Services, Accounting, Utility Billing, and the Municipal Court would report to one Assistant City Administrator. Planning, Building, Engineering, GIS, Water, Sewer, Street, Storm Drain, Facilities, Fleet, Housing, CEAP implementation, and Water Resources would report to a second Assistant City Administrator. Police, Fire and Electric/AFN/IT would report to the City Administrator. The City Administrator would retain the executive assistant and two new positions, public information officer and parking and economic development. Council discussed the proposal, department head response, how it would affect succession planning, and lines of authority. Meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dana Smith Assistant to the City Recorder Proposed Goal Proposed b Pro nosed Goal cont'd Proposed b "Core Services" oafs Downtown vitality - street Overhaul the City's people, urban design, Affordable housing. Evaluate procurement and contracting circulation, parking Pam funding and execution Mike, John policies and processes. Increase the capacity of the Legal Department and HR Division in conjunction with organizational restructuring, including the rewriting of AMC 2.28 (the "organizing ordinance") and the conversion Changes to F&B collection Evaluate how we do master of the city recorder to an and expenditure Pam plans Mike appointed position. Increase the number of public Make commissions and safety personnel (sworn police Stability of AFN Pam, Greg committees more effective Mike and firefighters). Adequately fund street maintenance and storm drain maintenance activities (including funding the Climate change - current pavement management program process and inherent Make the Council more with food & beverage tax infrastructure systems Pam, Rich, Carol effective Mike revenues). Public health and safety - Additional reporting structures Seek opportunities for all Build a new City Hall (and get to determine effectiveness. citizens to meet basic needs. a 21 st century phone system Addtl ELEA for exit 14 area Rich, Stef, John Dedicated funding for HTF. Carol while we're at it). Prepare for natural and human Social service improvements Rich, Mike, Greg made disasters Carol Economic Development. Embrace emerging industries; improve retention, growth, business development Rich, Greg, Stef Update the comp plan Carol Improve the effectiveness of communication and engagement Rich, Carol Urban tree policy Carol Improve safety in the downtown area Greg Prompt paramedic response Stef Maintain existing infrastructure and develop a plan for street repair Greg, John Infrastructure issues Stef Look at the needs of the Earthquake preparedness increasingly aging population Stef including City Hall Stef; John Fire Dept. Consolidation John City Council Goals and Objectives Approved November 4, 2014 Mission Statement To support a resilient, sustainable community that lives within its means and maintains the distinctive quality of life for which it has become known in the face of external change and internal development - via direct delivery of basic services and leveraged enablement of enhanced services. Please note: • Goals and objectives highlighted in yellow are Priority Strategic Planning Goals and Objectives for the City Council. • Goals and objectives in orange were determined to be Council policy calls that can be pursued by the Council at its discretion. • Goals and objectives in green are NOT recommended by the Council for priority funding in the 2015-17 budget cycle. Government 1. Leverage our regional and state relationships to increase effectiveness in relevant policy arenas 1.1 Maintain coordination and regular communication with State Legislators/county commissioners. 1.1.a. Potential for regular reports to Council from assigned Councilor from Legislative hotline (during legislative session only). 1. 1. b. Explore the utilization of other forms of legislative representation (lobbyist, dedicated staff, etc). l .1.c. Develop a local legislative agenda prior to the session (possibly with Ashland Coalition partners). 1.2. Develop plan for coordination with Jackson County on the following: 1.2.a. County Road Improvements within the City limits 1.2.b. Weed abaten-ient on County land within the UGB. 2. Promote effective citizen communication and engagement 2.1 Engage community in conversation about core services, desired service levels and funding mechanisms. 2.2 Engage boards and commissions in supporting the strategic plan. 2.3 Evaluate existing communication tools currently in use, such as: 2.3.a Open City Hall 2.3.b Listserve 2.3.c RVTV 2.3.d Newspapers 2.3.e City website 2.3.f Expand and promote those tools that are most effective, meaningful and efficient for the public to use for understanding an issue (fact gathering), Page 1 enabling participation, providing avenues for input to Council and being made aware of decisions made. 2.3.g Repackage and make more accessible Council Communication documents to assist in informing the public on issues. 2.3.h Explore the use of Town Hall style meetings for Council/public interaction. 2.3.i Explore "City Walk" style outreach program (Council and staff proactive personal engagement in the community). 2.4 Use the Mayor's State of the City (SOC) address to honor, recognize and appreciate community/volunteer involvement. 2.4.a Incorporate Ragland Award activities (and other potential volunteer related activities) with SOC. 3. Support and empower our community partners 3.1 Look for ways to monitor and support changes at Southern Oregon University. 3.2 Monitor and support Mt. Ashland as a major regional recreational facility. 3.2.a Continue City oversight of the environmental impacts of the ski area as they relate to Ashland. 3.3 Support the non-profit and cultural entities in the community. 3.4 Support RVTD in fulfilling and expanding its mission. Oruanization 4. Evaluate real property and facility assets to strategically support city mission and goals. 4.1 Identify and evaluate underperforming assets. 4.2 Cultivate external funding opportunities. 4.3 Examine city hall replacement and other facility needs. 4.4 Examine long term use of Imperatrice property. Peo le 5. Seek opportunities to enable all citizens to meet basic needs. 5.1 Examine means and methods by which to improve access to mental health services for Ashland citizens who need them. 5.2 Support and promote, through policy, programs that make the City affordable to live in. 5.2.a. Pursue affordable housing opportunities, especially workforce housing. Identify specific incentives for developers to build more affordable housing. Adjust infill strategies inng development along major transportation corridors. • Complete five-year update of City of Ashland Consolidate in the Community Development Block Grant Program. Evaluate the effectiveness of past and new regulatory reforms enacted to address barriers to affordable housing. 5.3 Leverage partnerships with non-profit and private entities to build social equity programming. 5.4 Encourage the ongoing effectiveness of the Resource Center. 6. Develop supports to enable citizens to age in Ashland. Page 2 6.1 Support and augment existing programs. 6.2 Provide links to local non-profit support organizations on City web site. 6.3 With Parks Commission, explore expansion of the Senior Center and senior services. 7. Keep Ashland a family friendly community. 7.1 Support educational and enrichment programs in the community. 7.2 Provide City promotion and marketing of family-oriented events. 7.3 Support land-use plans and policies that encourage family-friendly neighborhoods. Draft pocket neighborhoo cottage housing projects. Environment 8. Protect the integrity and safety of the watershed. 8.1 Implement and maintain the Ashland Forest Resiliency project. • Complete first phase of work on the current 7,600 acre footprint by end of 2017. • If weather allows, complete at least 150 acres of prescribed burning in spring of 2015 and 200 acres in 2016. • Support implementation of the Ashland Forest All-lands Restoration (AFAR) project through staff time and commission support. • Seek funding for the completion of the project. • Continue to pursue the "Joint Chief s Landscape Restoration Partnership" grant. • Maintain the public outreach component of the Ashland Forest Resiliency project to improve the public's awareness of the importance of forest and watershed values. 8.2 Educate and engage the community in watershed stewardship. 8.2.a Declare a "year of the watershed" and coordinate activities around it. • Continue community education and outreach as work progresses. Outreach will continue via the project and City websites, City Source, Facebook, community events, email, news media and education in schools. Film and market the fourth AFR video describing the I~burning in the watershed by April 2015. • Forest Lands Commission will jointly staff public events with AFR project staff and continue to promote City forestlands as an example of successful wildfire mitigation and forest health maintenance. The commission will host at least one public event to get input on the Ashland Forest Plan update. • Complete the Ashland Forest Plan update in the 2016-2017 biennium, including public outreach and input 8.3 Maintain current Firewise communities and implement the Fire Adapted Communities model. Through thinning and prescribed burning, complete at least 50 acres of fuels maintenance each year. • Work with the existing Firewise communities to maintain certification • Certify at least 10 new communities by June, 2015 and 2-3 each year a Mr • Complete the re-write of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan Page 3 8.4 Complete the expansion of the city's wildfire hazard zone to accurately reflect risk. mow Update the Wildfire Hazard Zone ordin and schedule for Council consideration. 8.5 Fund the AFR & AIR programs. Seek City funding at $175,000 per fiscal year to encourage outside investment and serve as a fund for maintaining vegetation as it grows back. City investment will yield at least 175 acres of vegetation treatments per ye • Actively seek outside funding to enable completion of the initial AFR footprint by the end of 2017. Use experience and data collected on City forestlands and AF prioritize the most effective treatments for fiscal investment. • Funding permitting, continue to conduct AIR workshops highlighting emergency preparedness strategies for our citizens. Bring in subject matter experts on the various topics association with disaster risk management. Continue to provide 72-hour kits to participants at a reduced cost. 8.6 Continue to engage state and federal representatives on the AFR project. • Host tours and meetings as needed to update state and federal representatives on the need for AFR funding. Produce a report on AFR progress at least twice a year and distribute to state and federal representatives. 8.7 Weed abatement on County land within the t1GB (exotic species). • On City and Forest Service lands adjacent to the City limits and UGB, continue to proactively search for and manage exotic species populations. Include a comprehensive list of invasive/exotic species in he Ashland Forest .y an update. 9. Enhance and expand natural and recreational resources. 9.1 Work with the local bicycle community on enhancement of recreational opportunities. 9.2 Analyze and expand eco-tourism opportunities. 9.3 Support Mt. Ashland in diversifying eco-friendly recreational opportunities. 9.4 a 17~.-1 r') III IT • Work with Ashland Woodlands and Trails Association to upgrade and maintain the City's trail system. Begin work on an update to the existing Trails Master P on City forestlands not addressed in the previous plan. 9.5 Examine and improve the process for obtaining pen-nits for bicycle and road race events. 10. Support local micro-agriculture and food production. 10.1 Design policies that allow and encourage micro-agriculture. 10. La. Encourage the development of community gardens, farmer's markets, truck gardens and infrastructure. Analyze land use ordinance and identify potential barriers that could discourage community gardens, farmer's markets and truck gardens and follow up with appropriate code reforms if necessary. Page 4 11. Prepare the community for natural and human-made disasters. 11.1 Address the seismic vulnerability of downtown. 11.2 Develop a comprehensive, at-home disaster preparedness program for all citizens. 12. Update the Comprehensive Plan. Consider an update of the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan in to incorporate background information and key findings of recent studies. 13. Develop and support land use and transportation policies to achieve sustainable development. 13.1 Create incentives and ordinances for energy-efficient buildings. 13.2 Develorn in-Fill ,inr1 en~?ir ,.,t rrrh n forl-r) r,nli<~iec Update infill strategy along major transportation corridors to promote h6usirigar business development, as well as alternative transportation choices. 13.3 Support alternative try. 14. Encourage and/or develop public spaces that build community and promote interaction. Economy 15. Seek opportunities to diversify the economy in coordination with the Economic Development Strategy. 15.1 Support film industry growth. 15.2 Evaluate barriers to business start up and expansion. 16. Nurture emerging new technologies. 16.1 Position ourselves as a location where high-tech businesses want to grow. 16.2 Promote the e-commerce zone. 17. Market and further develop the Ashland Fiber Network. 17.1 Complete and implement the AFN business plan. 18. Diversify transportation and shipping options. 18.1 Strengthen the Ashland municipal airport as an enterprise. 18.2 Develop and encourage alternative transportation options. 19. Ensure that commercial and industrial areas are available for development. 19.1 Examine Croman redevelopment plan. 19.2 Evaluate the prospects for the redevelopment of the railroad property. Engage th clean-up. 19.3 Use existing financial tools to support re-development. 19.4 Create predictable pathways for development of employment land. 20. Embrace and plan ahead for emerging social trends that might impact the economy and vitality of the community. Energy and Infrastructure 21. Be proactive in using best practices in infrastructure management and modernization. 21.1 Complete downtown parking management and traffic circulation plan. Page 5 21.2 Expand public transportation options. 213 Re-examine and review master plans and SDCs on regular basis. 22. Prepare for the impact of climate change on the community. 22.1 Develop and implement a community climate change and energy plan. Public Safety 23. Support innovative programs that protect the community. Page 6 The Box 1. We make rules and decisions based on reasons that make sense. 2. We follow these rules and abide by those decisions. 3. Time passes and things change. 4. The original reason for following the rules and abiding by the decisions is gone, but we still follow the rules and abide by the decisions. Think outside the box. Citizens of Ashland City Recorder City Council City Attorney City Administrator •Exec Asst. Asst. City Ad- •PIO Asst. City Adminis- ministrator for *Parking & Econ. trator for Growth Dev. ? Ad min Svcs. Mgt. & Infrastruc- ture Police •HR/Risk Fire *Planning *Fiscal Services Electric/AFN/ *Building (Budget, Purchas- ing, Treasury, IT *Engineering (GIS) Banking) •Operations (Water, *Accounting (AP/ Sewer, Street, Storm AR, Payroll) Drain, Facilities, Fleet) •Utility Billing •Sustainability and *Muni Court Econ. Dev. (Housing, CEAP implementation, Water Resources)