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Home My WebLink About1998-0128.Communications MtgCITY OF ASHLAND Conservation DATE: TO:' FROM: RE: MEMORANDUM January 28, 1998 Honorable Mayor and City Council Members Dick Wanderschei~ January 15, 1998 - Meeting Summary On January 15, the Ad Hoc Citizens' Communication Committee met to discuss how the Communication Plan produced by the Committee and adopted by the Council has been implemented. Each action item in the plan was discussed and it was determined if the item had been implemented or if further action was necessary. The meeting started with a discussion with City Recorder, Barbara Christensen, about the new City newspaper, the City Source. There was general consensus from everyone of the quality and value of the first two issues, and Barbara was congratulated for the fine job she is doing on this paper. There was a discussion about the need to establish a Citizen committee to meet with Barbara to help her determine future articles and content. Her feeling is that are adequate opportunities for input already and this is not necessary. She said she would, however, be willing to set up a time and place for a meeting where citizens could provide input about what they would like to see in future newspaper editions. The discussion then moved to implementation of the action items on the plan. I-1 I-2 I-3 Item Monthly meeting calendar Posting City Council agendas City Council packet at City Recorder's office and library Status Further Action Required Fully Implemented None Fully Implemented None Partially Presently not Implemented placed at library - will be done from now on Comment: It was also suggested that a description of the contents of the packet and its availability in the City Recorder's office on Monday prior to the Council meeting and at the library on Saturday prior to the Council meeting should be put in the City Source newspaper. I-~ I-5 Item Citizen right to speak Mayor summarizes Issue brought upon Public Forum and how Issue will be addressed Status Further Action Re~luired Fully implemented None Partially More closure Implemented needed Comment I - The City has a form which is used to respond to citizen requests for action. It was suggested that when an issue is brought up at the Public Forum that needs further action by City Staff that this form be available for the City Administrator to use to ensure that follow up is done and the follow up is tracked by the Administrator. Comment 2 - It was also pointed out that some issues are brought up which the Council is not interested in pursuing or exploring. It was felt that citizens need to be told that the issue, in the Council's opinion, does not warrant follow up and the City will not be pursuing the issue. Comment 3 - Sometimes follow up will require the action to be placed on a future City Council agenda. It was suggested that some verbiage be placed on the agenda pointing out that the Public Forum is used only to raise issues. If the issue is a substantive issue that warrants council discussion and/or action, the issue should be placed on a future agenda. It is important to note that resolution of issues of this kind will not be resolved during the Public Forum but at a later date. Upon council approval this additional language can be added to the agenda. Comment 4 - There was a discussion about the timing of the Public Forum after Public Hearings instead of at the beginning of the meeting. It was pointed out that if one or two lengthy public hearings precede the Public Forum, often times the hour is very late and it is difficult for citizens to wait until the Public Forum time. It was suggested that since Public Forum never exceeds 15 minutes and often times is much shorter, that it should be located before Public Hearings on the agenda. There was no consensus or resolution of this issue but the Council might want to consider the merits of this idea. (Note: Chapter 2.04.040 of the City Code sets forth the Order of Business at City Council meetings - an amendment to the ordinance would have to come before council for proposed amendment) Item Status Further Action Required I-6 New candidates to commissions Fully Implemented None I-7 Introduce commissions at council meetings Fully Implemented Will start rotation again in future I-8 Expand citizen Involvement In Goal Setting Not Implemented Will be Implemented in August 1998 for next year's goal setting Comment - Because of the flood and a change in City Administrator this item was not implemented. Councilor Laws indicated a willingness to work with the Committee to help implement the change in goal setting, as spelled out in an appendix to the Communication Plan in 1998, for 1999 Goal Setting. I-9 1-10 Item Create an ad hoc committee to evaluate past planning processes Create brochure about City Meeting procedures Status Not Implemented Fully implemented Further Action Required Meet with Planning to try and Implement In future Make brochure more available Comment - It was pointed out that this brochure should be made available at Council Chambers for citizen information during City meetings and also at the City library with the Council packet. Item Status I-11 Sponsor celebration/Open House for Not Implemented Councilors, volunteers and commission members Further Action Required Will be discussed at Council Goal Setting Comment- The Department Heads recently discussed this idea and are prepared to bring it up to the City Council at their goal setting for feedback and implementation if desired. 1-12 1-13 1-14 Item Use senior vehicle Update assisted headng equipment at Council Chambers Update video equipment at Council Chambers Status Not Implemented (not feasible) Not Implemented Not Implemented Further Action Required None Needs to be budgeted for in FY Needs to be put in Cap~ Improvement Plan 1-15 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 Implement closed-captioning for RVTV programming Create City newsletter Utilize newsletter, homepage and RVTV for Info, update, meeting schedules, etc. Ust Council liaison on intemet Televise commission/committee meetings 2-5 2-6 Televise Parks & Recreation Meetings Wrtte description of City records availability and how to access them Comment - While the Recorder's office included information in the City Source available and methods to attain it. Not Implemented Fully Implemented Fully Implemented Needs to be put in Improvement Plan None None Fully Implemented None Not Implemented Needs to be budgeted for in FY Fully Implemented None Not Implemented W*dl be done by City Recorder in the future has not produced this brochure, they have newsletter about what kind of information is 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4 Item Initiate public discussion in advance of Issues. Involve citizens in the process Council attend meetings of civic or volunteer groups Moderated forum on intemet Implement visionary or strategic planning Status Partially Implemented Not Implemented Not Implemented (not feasible) Not Implemented Further Action Required Community Forum on Water - 1/27/98 Is 1st step - Future forums will be held Council action None Local groups need to take the lead 4 Comment - It was the feeling of the committee that this would happen better if the idea originated from Community Groups which would be willing to take the lead on this issue. The City will lend its support to any group willing to do this. Item Status 4-1 Create form for citizen feedback to City Not Implemented Recorder on City operations 4-2 Create form to track City response to citizen Fully Implemented complaints about City operations 4-3 Include general public In development of Not implemented future citizen opinion surveys Furti~er Action Re~uireE Will be done by City Recorder In future None Will be done when next survey is undertaken Comment - No survey was done in 1997 because of the shift in funds to enable the City newspaper to be published. When the next survey is undertaken the public will be given an opportunity to help on the development of the survey. 5-1 Item Include evaluation of Communication plan in annual City Council goal setting process Status Further AcEon Required Not implemented Will be done in 1998 Comment - This will be the first Council Goal Setting session since adoption of the Communication Plan. This memo will be provided to them prior to goal setting so it can be a part of the process this year. 5-2 Item Access other municipal models to structure City Recorder position as a Public Information Center Status Fur~er Action Required Not implemented Requires City Recorder action Comment - The Recorder has received some information on this idea from Hal Cloer and Steve Hauck. She has not worked on this but will try to as time permits in the future. Item Satus 5-3 Prioritize recommendation and create action Fully Implemented plan for Implementation Furt!~er Action Required This meeting and memo are part of this item 5-4 Include Information on benefits of citizen Partially Staff training needs participation In commission orientation implemented to be Implemented packet and staff training After the discussion of the implementation of the plan, a brief discussion about the future of the committee and its role commenced. It was decided that the committee or portion of it will continue to be involved in helping plan future community forums on an as-needed basis. There was also agreement the full committee should meet again in about six months to review additional progress in implementation of the Communication Plan. \f~d'U'nemo.120