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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 03-13-1999 SpecialAdopted Minutes Plymouth City Council Special City Council Meeting March 13,1999 A special meeting of the Plymouth City Council was called to order by Mayor Tierney at 9:10 a.m. at the Reserve, 3155 Empire Lane, on March 13, 1999. COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Joy Tierney, Councilmembers Bildsoe, Harstad, Johnson, Spigner, and Slavik. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Johnson, Assistant City Manager Lueckert, Public Works Director Moore, Finance Director Hahn, Park and Recreation Director Blank, Public Safety Director Gerdes, Community Development Director Hurlburt, City Clerk Ahrens, and Jim Brimeyer, facilitator. The purpose of the meeting was to establish the City Council's goals and priorities for 1999 — 2000. Jim Brimeyer facilitated the council -staff discussion. Expectations. The Council discussed expectations for the meeting. These included establishing goals and priorities, defining roles of council and staff, discussing the "top ten" lists submitted by council and staff, sharing ideas, and time and work management. Progress on 1997 —1998 Goals and Priorities. City Manager Johnson discussed the progress made on the goals and priorities established for the 1997 —1998 time period. Completed or substantially completed goals and priorities include the Activity Center and Field House, northwest Plymouth planning, the water resources management plan, city center planning and development, completion of West Medicine Lake park, and the East Medicine Lake trail. The Fire Department made tremendous strides in reducing response time through the duty crew program, and had a successful recruitment campaign. The Public Safety Department managed the update of the animal ordinance, and has been deeply involved in enforcing the liquor ordinance. Other capital improvements completed or in progress include Zachary Lane, Schmidt Lake Road, Ferndale road, the Peony Lane bridge, Armstrong Gym, Elm Creek Playfield, and the street reconstruction program. City Manager Johnson also mentioned the establishment of the Youth Advisory Council, Plymouth on Parade, a new format for the Plymouth News, Y2K Preparedness, technology upgrades, transit system enhancements, low crime rate, low tax rate, and maintaining a Aaa bond rating. Discuss Possible New Priorities. The Council discussed those priorities receiving the most votes from council and staff: Comprehensive Plan update (13) Comp Plan implementation New Comprehensive plan booklet Adopted City Council Minutes March 13, 1999 Page 2 Water resources plan implementation (11) Water quality education program focusing on quality and conservation Establish grant program for residents to implement water quality projects Establish funding mechanism for water quality projects City Center planning and development/Plymouth Boulevard streetscape (6) Activity Center and Field House, on time, under budget, and on schedule (6) Orderly development of northwest Plymouth (6) Peony Lane Alignment Fernbrook Lane Alignment Identify site for 10`" playfield Citizen Survey (4) Y2K preparedness (3) Continue enhancing information technology (2) The Council then nominated other issues for consideration. These are as follows: City-wide landscaping program—comprehensive approach Citizen communications, involvement, trust -building Public education on drinking water consumer confidence report. Relationships among councilmembers, and between council and staff. Undo some council policies and priorities that require too much staff time. Emphasize Public Safety, and crime prevention. Establish a city court to address zoning and nuisance issues. Establish what the social and human service needs of the city are, and funding. Focus on staffing and recruitment issues for city positions. Governance Model. Jim Brimeyer discussed John Carver's Effective Governance Model, including the appropriate roles of council and staff. A key question to ask before implementing any major initiative is "what good, for what people, at what cost?" Adopted City Council Minutes March 13, 1999 Page 3 Voting on Goals and Priorities. The City Council and staff voted on the suggested goals and priorities, using the nominal group technique that forces prioritization. The results are as follows. Comprehensive Plan update and associated activities. (75) Water resources plan implementation and associated activities. City Center planning and development/Plymouth Boulevard streetscape. Activity Center and Field House, on time, under budget, and on schedule (49 Orderly development of northwest Plymouth Citizen Survey 52 Y2K preparedness Continue enhancing information technology City-wide landscaping program—comprehensive approach (7) Citizen communications, involvement, trust -building 21 Public education on drinking water consumer confidence report. (4) Relationships among councilmembers, and between council and staff. Undo some council policies and priorities that require too much staff time. (2) Emphasize Public Safety, and crime prevention. Establish a city court to address zoning and nuisance issues. Establish what the social and human service needs of the city are. (11) Focus on staffing and recruitment issues for city positions. 17 The goals receiving the most votes are Comprehensive Plan udpate, water resources plan, completion of Activity Center and Field House, orderly development of northwest Plymouth, conducting a citizen survey, and council/council council/staff relationships. Implementation Plan. The City Council and staff developed preliminary implementation plans for the Comprehensive Plan goal and for the citizen survey goals. Adopted City Council Minutes March 13, 1999 Page 4 Other Discussion. The City Council and staff discussed their relationship. The council also discussed how to deal with suggestions for study session topics. Time limits for items on study session agendas were suggested. Another idea was to add to the regular council meeting agenda a separate discussion item for possible study session topics. A councilmember could then raise an idea, and if it receives support from the majority of the council, it would be placed on an agenda for a future study session. The meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.