HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-03-01 Council Retreat MINASHLAND CITY COUNCIL
RETREAT MINUTES
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Council Present: Mayor Graham, Councilors Knauer, Dahle, DuQuenne, Bloom, and Kaplan.
Council Absent: Hansen
Sabrina Cotta
City Manager
Alissa Kolodzinski
City Recorder
Carmel Zahran
Assistant City Attorney
Jordan Rooklyn
Deputy City Manager
Kelly Burns
Emergency Management Coordinator
Mariane Berry
Finance Director
CALL TO ORDER - 9:00 a.m.
II. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EXERCISE (Pages 2- 8 of attached)
Exercise about how to react during an emergency wildfire situation lead by Kelly Burns. The Mayor,
each Council member, Cotta, and Rooklyn were given a scenario of where they are when the fire
notification is sent out. Discussion on:
• How to respond based on their individual circumstances
• How to maintain governance once evacuated
• Activation of legal authorities
• Disaster Declaration process
FUTURE OF ASHLAND - Livability survey results facilitated by Jordan Rooklyn (pages 9-12)
• Rooklyn presented the results of the Livability Survey (link in attachment)
• Results are based on respondents' perception not necessarily data
Discussion on the direction for the future of Ashland facilitated by Sabrina Cotta
Who are we now?
Who do we want to be?
Top Priorities
Too old "The Manor"
More families in community
Not be risk averse
1/3 of the population below
Growth in economy- bring
Wildfire preparedness
median income/ two tail
prospects in for jobs, housing
economic situation (Above
and increase diversity and
and below median income
demographics in both age and
Levels, no middle
race
Lack of childcare
More innovative -take more
Housing
risks
Quiet & sedate, no events
Anti -fragile, not so easily
Economic development -
influenced by things outside
levers the City can pull/
our control
diversity and growth
White- no diversity
Resilient
CEAP goals (Climate)
Bedroom community
Increase city's response
Transparency and
capacity
communication
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Involved, kind, engaged
Be pro -active
Affordability
Educated & cultured
Good financial reserves
Fiscal resiliency
Outdoor enthusiasts
More strategic- focus on
priorities and put attention
and money towards the
priorities.
Quality of quantity- ensuring
good service delivery of
essential services
Small
Fiscal resiliency and effective
use of resources
Lack Jobs
Lack housing
Innovative
III. FINANCIAL OUTLOOK AND DEPARTMENT WORKPLANS
Financial Outlook facilitated by Cotta (pages 12-19)
• Review of anticipated cost increases
• Reducing workforce through natural attrition
• Technological upgrades that can provide a service or assist staff
• Evaluating each vacant position for operational necessity
• Discussion on what can be done to make Ashland more affordable to those that live here and
to attract new businesses and people to move to Ashland
• What City services do we want to fund, at what level of services and how will it be funded?
• How to best target services and the costs of those using it, to be in line with those paying for it
• How to balance the desire of service level to match costs (parks, fire, police etc.)
• The cost benefit of technology to allow folks to help themselves vs in -person services
• Review of priorities of 25-27 biennium and what to adjust for next biennium
o Manage for Excellence - opportunity to work with partners to reduce costs. Definite
improvement of communication
o Livable Community - taxes, how to increase tax base
o Rist reduction
o Economic development
o Affordability
o Invest in the future
• Prioritize what to focus on without forgetting to maintain essential City services.
o Focus on Livable community/affordability, risk reduction, economic development,
efficient and effective government
o Increasing personnel and material costs of 10-17%, and select revenue increases 5.5%
(3.2% for general fund)
o Approach for the 25-27 biennial budget will focus on essential services, workforce
needs and reduction through natural attrition and aligning service delivery with
revenue.
o Discussion on how the Council creates the What (policy) and the How (operations)
determined by City Manager
• Departments Work Plan Overview
o City Manager Office
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■ Prioritize strategic planning
• Delay for now - ad hoc Charter Committee and set up a study session with
updates proposed by staff
o Recorder - discussion on records moving forward vs. how to manage backlog
o Human Resources - need software for a variety of needs
o Municipal Court- need software upgrade
o Finance - Needs software upgrade for a variety of needs
o Information Technology - how do we protect against cyber-attacks and natural
disasters. What is outsourced vs what is kept in house? AFN report at study session.
o Community Development - (most overtaxed department generally due to state
mandates), Discussion on Council projects and needed staffing levels to meet those.
How does the city shift staff to match priorities.
■ Add to workplan- railroad and University districts, B street yard etc. Possibility of
code review and how that might address affordability, housing, timeliness etc.
■ Priority to fund staff in Community Development.
o Police - need more space
o Fire & Rescue - how to manage defensible space program and community by -in, need
to shift to community focus, how to pool resources with other agencies.
• Possibility of South Valley fire district
o Discussion on how each department going to implement the priorities, what creative
solutions are being considered and how can the City work with partners to reduce
burden on city staff and be more responsive. And how can projects be funded.
o Parks & Recreation - under the direction of the commission. Looking at cost recovery.
o Electric Utility - capital projects, rate review. Consider strategic plan specifically for
electricity, water and wastewater each.
o Public Works -several projects are joint between PW and Community Development.
Include facility plan results and how to move forward
• Where does deferred maintenance live amongst the priorities - They are part of
the capital plan
IV. FOCUS AREA DISCUSSION: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABILITY AND LIVABILITY
Focus Area 1 - Economic Development- facilitated by Rooklyn (pages 19-22).
o Proposed changes in TLT funding use
o The state dictates how the funds are spent
o What in the short term (2 years) can we do to increase tourism
o Council goals for use of TLT funds and how to measure the outcomes
■ No off-season, reason for people to be here year-round
■ Better and more creative use of indoor space and partnerships
■ Utilize the OSF buildings when plays aren't running
■ The funds are meant to be used to draw folks from 50+ miles away
■ Outreach to those who are not local and provide strategic marketing
• Events calendar, Ashland app
■ The city's role is to provide funding and partner with businesses who do the work
with specific outcomes to ensure success and to ensure clear accountability.
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■ Council would like to see new approaches, and flexible on the different percents
of spending of the TLT funds
■ Tourism is about 25% of economy- how can the City assist with increasing other
avenues
• Businesses' main difficulties are:
o Lack of foot traffic
o Able to attract and retain workforce
o difficult to start a business here
■ Discussion on the use of forums and what the ideal outcomes may be
o How can the City assist our anchor organizations in times of need while maintaining
essential services
o Discussion on how to create an economic development corporation
o Focus Area 2 -Affordability -facilitated by Cotta
■ What is the city's role in getting affordable housing and/or workforce housing
■ Encouragement of development of the smaller lots in the city given Ashland
does not have much land available for development
■ How can Ashland support landowners to develop more housing.
• Density bonus incentives to build, accelerated process for affordable
housing
■ Review housing production strategy - goal is to increase workforce and
affordable housing
o Common priority themes are affordability, fire, and economy
o If additional funding available, the preference would be for fire protection
o Look into vacancy fee, housing excise tax
o Staff will comeback with a proposal for a study session for housing trust fund usage
• Childcare program
o Conversation should include Ashland School District and SOU representatives
■ Issues include - lack of space for certified programs, lack of providers, lack of
knowledge how to run a business
o Support outdoor programs, preschool could be in school districts
o Continue childcare ad hoc and grant funding for one year then move funding to fire as
needed
• Utility Discount Program
o Desired outcomes of the program
■ Rate structure so lower users pay less or based on consumption for water
■ Electric is different as renters can use less electricity but those residences are
generally less energy efficient. Program should be year-round, discount with
assessment of energy audit
■ Broaden the program for more people and potential options for qualification
(SNAP, OHP qualifier)
■ Progressive rate structure
■ What could the funding number be for the next budget - starting at 200,000 per
biennium. With a look at the rate structure to see if we can develop a new one
• Focus Area 3- Livability
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o Wildfire -High priority. Where else could wildfire division live if not in the fire department.
Desire to focus more on the program and how would WARP and CERT integrate.
o Study session to assess fees and how to reach the goals for various funding goals such
as wildfire prevention, homelessness etc.
Public Safety - discussion on staffing levels. There will be an assessment on this fee to
determine how to move forward. As a community, what is the service level you want to see.
Provide information on what each dollar amount would fund to include in the budget
conversation.
Homeless Services- includes dusk to dawn lawn and severe weather shelter
o Last biennium the City had grant funding. In the budget is $100,000 per year. The
expenses of night lawn and shelter far exceed that amount. It would cost about
$175,000 per year to maintain current service level.
o A breakdown of expenses for the night lawn vs shelter and budget for each separately
o Potential contract for a service provider for the night lawn. What would be included?
o What is the level of service Ashland should/could provide shelter and standard policy
verses an emergency situation
Next Steps discussion (page 22)
o Fee discussion
o Future study session conversations
o Flexible budgeting
o Strategic communication
o Short list of points discussed for budget creation
o How the departments will reach council goals (future discussion)
o How can funds in reserve fund be used
IV. ADJOURNMENT
V.
Aw � City Recor er Alissa Kolodzinski
I_P� A,
Mayor Tonya Graham
March 1, 2025
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