City Council

APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION The City Council of the City of Idaho Falls met in Special Council Meeting (Strategic Planning Session), Friday, April 15, 2016, at the City Council Chambers in the City Annex Building located at 680 Park Avenue in Idaho Falls, Idaho at 12:10 p.m. There were present: Mayor Rebecca L. Noah Casper Councilmember Thomas Hally Councilmember Ed Marohn Councilmember John B. Radford Councilmember Michelle Ziel-Dingman Councilmember David M. Smith Councilmember Barbara Ehardt Also present: Craig Davis, Airport Director Randy Fife, City Attorney Bear Prairie, Idaho Falls Power Assistant Director Dave Hanneman, Fire Chief Robert Wright, Library Director Pamela Alexander, Municipal Services Director Greg Weitzel, Parks and Recreation Director Brad Cramer, Community Development Services Director Mark McBride, Police Chief Chris Fredericksen, Public Works Director Dana Briggs, Economic Development Coordinator Kerry McCullough, Public Information Officer Kami Morrison, Executive Assistant to the Mayor Darrell West, Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization (BMPO) Deputy Director Amanda Ely, Targhee Regional Public Transportation Authority (TRPTA) General Manager Adelita Woolf, TRPTA Mary Lund, Library Board Trustee Kathy Hampton, City Clerk Mayor Casper expressed appreciation for those in attendance and stated she wants a City to make citizens proud, a City that innovates and leads, and a City that has confidence in the City leadership team. She introduced Kathie Novak, a former Councilmember and Mayor of Northglenn, Colorado, as facilitator of the Strategic Planning Session. Ms. Novak has experience in many aspects of Strategic Planning as well as Priority Based Budgeting (PBB). She assisted with facilitating City Councilmembers and Department Directors in a Strategic Planning Session in October, 2014. Mayor Casper called the meeting to order at 12:22 p.m. and turned the meeting to Ms. Novak with the following agenda items: Desired Outcomes: o Celebrate past accomplishments and successes o Review Council and staff roles and expectations o Review the PBB process, tools and timeline o Identify key strategic issues o Develop a plan for moving forward on key strategic issues Discussion regarding Ground Rules for this Strategic Planning included: 1  APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION  Don’t waste time  Watch the sarcasm  Stay on topic  Control emotional outbreaks  Be open-minded/maintain biases  Maintain strategic perspective  Have empathy, be willing to listen and learn  Be respectful  Have fun, enjoy, have humor Recent success and accomplishments were discussed. The Councilmembers noted these accomplishments required teamwork between the elected officials and staff and were for the benefit of the community. They expressed appreciation to the professionalism and expertise of the staff. A sample of the successes and accomplishments included:  Target and Hitt Road Signal  Sunnyside Road  New Fire Station  Award-winning Comprehensive Plans  Power Bond payoff and decreased rates  River Gardens Award and Tautphaus Park Zoo accreditation  Safe and secure Airport  Library upgrades  Computer software replacement/upgrade (Cayenta and TRAKiT)  In-house Legal Department  Automated electric metering  D Street underpass  City fiber  Area of Impact discussions/negotiations  Sanitation Autoload system Discussion occurred regarding the working relations among and between staff, Councilmembers, and the Mayor. Several items from discussion included: ‘What Council Expects of the Staff’:  Full, forthright, loyalty to the City  Connection with employees, leadership/management skills  Mindful of budget  Patient, visionary, good with communication  All departments move together/efficient managers of departments  Dedicated to residents/excellent customer service  Don’t feel attacked by questions/able negotiators  Willing attitude/bring solutions and recommendations ‘What Council Should Expect of/from the Staff’:  Professionalism and tact  Customer service/open communication  Provide facts/be responsive and dependable  Be supportive (both publically and privately)  Fiscally responsible  Leadership/focus on problem solving 2  APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION  Consistency/efficiency/honesty/accountable to constituents  Healthy departmental culture ‘What Staff Expects of the Council’:  Policy direction and clarity  Be supportive (both publically and privately)  Communicate openly, honestly, and professionally  Become informed on issues/ask questions but don’t attack  Don’t micromanage  Assume staff competency  Be respectful, patient, fair, accessible, empathetic  Follow through with goals  Collaborate and interact with and between each other  Make best decisions for City and staff ‘What Staff Should Expect of/from the Council’:  Be fair, respectful, supportive, empathetic  Be involved – with partners and with the community  Do ‘homework/research’/be willing to learn  Offer political assessment/advocate where possible  Not to micromanage/threaten or throw weight around  Attend City events/interface with the public  Grace under pressure  Avoid a culture of blame ‘What Council Expects of Each Other’:  Communication/open mindedness  Move on when the decision is made – support the Council’s decision  Show leadership by common vision and information for citizen/treat with respect  Represent all the people for the good of the whole (remember the people not in the room)  Make well thought out decisions/outcomes of decisions need to be effective  Decorum – keep emotion out of deliberations/be a professional deliberative body Discussion occurred regarding ‘How to maintain no surprises’ concept. It was decided any critical information (public safety/emergency) would be relayed from the Department Director(s) to the Mayor who would be responsible for informing the Councilmembers. Department liaisons should also be contacted. Brief discussion followed regarding utilizing technology solutions. Priority Based Budgeting (PBB) was reviewed due to several new Councilmembers and staff. Steps to Success included: Determine Results, Clarify Result Definitions, Identify Programs and Services, Value Programs Based on Results, and Allocate Resources Based on Priorities. Minor changes were made to both the Results and Result Definitions and were defined as follows: (informational note – punctuation and wording reflects formatting of information received from facilitator) Access to Culture, Recreation, Leisure, Education and Life-Long Learning Opportunities • Offers Residents and Visitors Diverse Options for Cultural, Recreational, and Entertainment Programming and Venues • Provides Continuous Learning Options for Our Community Through Access to Higher Education Opportunities, a Variety of Training Opportunities and Other Educational Resources 3  APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION • Provides a Variety of Multi-Season Affordable and Accessible Recreational Activities for All Ages, Abilities, and Interests • Fosters Partnerships to Provide Diverse Public Art, Cultural Enrichment, and Museums for Residents and Visitors • Develops Easily Accessible Parks, Trail Systems, Green Spaces, and Recreational Facilities to Meet Current and Future Community Expectations • Plans, Develops and Maintains the Community, Preserving it's Natural Resources and it's Amenities that promote an Active Lifestyle Attractive, Clean, Livable and Family-Oriented Community • Maintains a Visually Appealing, Clean and Safe Community that Balances Community Codes and Regulations with Broader Aesthetic Goals • Develops Easily Accessible Parks, Trail Systems, Greenspaces, and Recreational Facilities to Meet Current and Future Community Expectations • Fosters Neighborhoods that Encourage Diversity, Vibrancy, Safety and Acceptance for Current and Future Residents • Plans for Well-planned Residential and Commercial Developments and Redevelopments • Provides a Variety of Affordable and Accessible Recreational Activities for All Ages, Abilities, and Interests • Provides Connected, Multi-modal transportation network supporting vehicles, public transportation, cyclists and pedestrians Strong, Stable, and Healthy Economic Growth and Vibrancy • Maintains a Business Friendly Environment that Encourages Diverse and High Quality Development in an Appropriate Regulatory Environment • Creates Vibrant Redevelopment Zones that Focus on Commercial Development and Encouraging Additional Tourism • Prioritizes the Development of Amenities that Promote Our Quality of Life and Sense of Community • Ensures the Provision of Community Infrastructure to Meet Current and Future Needs of the Community • Retains, Expands and Attracts High Quality Businesses to Support Employment Stability and Growth • Facilitates the Education and Continuous Training of the Workforce to Meet Community Job Retention and Creation Goals to Support a Diverse Workforce • Ensures Access to Reliable and Affordable Power to Support Existing Businesses and Attract New Business Environmental Sustainability and Resource Preservation • Implements Land Use Plans that Encourage High Quality Development, Reduces Sprawl, and Facilitates an Orderly Well-maintained Community • Designs for a Bikeable and Walkable Community • Encourages the Wide-spread Adoption of Energy Efficiency, Energy Conservation, and Alternative Energy Solutions to Promote Community Sustainability Objectives • Ensures Long-term Community Goals are Met for Preserving & Conserving Natural Areas and Parks and Green Spaces are Provided • Plans for the Protection, Preservation, and Conservation of Scarce Water Resources 4  APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION Managed, Well-Planned Growth and Development • Implement Long-term Planning Processes that Include Land Use, Redevelopment, Infrastructure and Public Amenities/Facilities • Facilitates Planning for Long-term Regional Transportation Planning and Program Implementation • Encourages Collaboration with the County Government to Improve Long-term Planning Coordination, Economic Development, and Overall Relations • Promotes Development and Redevelopment that Emphasize Blight Reduction and Elimination, Infill Development, and Reinvestment in Older Areas of the City • Maintains a Business Friendly Environment that Encourages High Quality Development in an Appropriate Regulatory Environment Reliable Public Infrastructure and Effective Transportation and Mobility • Creates and Maintains a Comprehensive Multi-modal Public Transportation Network that Addresses Current and Long-term Mobility and Development Objectives • Plans, Designs, Maintains and Improves all Public Infrastructure and Facilities (including Water and Sewer Utility, Power and Internet Connectivity), Ensuring Long-term Reliability • Promotes and Offers a Variety of Transportation Options including Air Travel and Public Transit • Creates and Maintains a Safe and Inter-connected and Accessible Community by way of it's Bike Trails, Pedestrian Walkways, and Trail Systems • Develops and Enforces Effective Building and Design Standards that Incorporate Comprehensive Infrastructure Planning for Transportation, Water, Sewer, Electric, and Internet Connectivity Safe and Secure Community • Maintains a Mix of Regulations and Practices that Provide the Regulatory Framework for Supporting a High Quality Community • Offers Residents and Visitors Diverse Options for Cultural, Recreational, and Entertainment Programming and Venues • Promotes an Engaged and Educated Community that is Committed to Mutual Responsibility for a Safe Community and for Creating a Strong Sense of Community Pride • Provides for Safe Travel and Mobility Options, Ensuring that Stops, Shelters, Streets, Sidewalks, Paths and Trails are Accessible, Traversable and Well-Maintained for Motorists, Cyclists and Pedestrians • Implements Community Policing Initiatives to Foster Proactive and Visible Public Safety Presence • Provides Safety Solutions that Focus on Prevention Crime and Rapid Response to Emergency Calls and Situations • Ensures Public Safety Personnel are Well-trained and Well-equipped to Support Rapid Response Times to Emergency Situations Good Governance • Attracts, develops, rewards and retains a high-quality, engaged and productive workforce • Fosters innovative and sound fiscal management and enables trust and transparency by ensuring accountability, integrity, efficiency and effectiveness in all operations • Protects, manages, optimizes and invests in its human, financial, physical and technology resources • Provides assurance of regulatory and policy compliance to minimize and mitigate risk • Provides responsive and accessible leadership, focused on community priorities, facilitates, timely and effective two-way communication and utilizes input from all stakeholders • Supports decision-making with timely and accurate short-term and long-range analysis that enhances vision and planning 5  APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION The Councilmembers and Staff participated in an Environmental Scanning Exercise which identified trends, including those with a positive and negative impact, as follows: Political: • Dillon State • County action impact city governance • Revenue challenges: state allocation; 3% capital property tax; underfunding of transportation • Rocky Mountain Power • Relationship with Ammon • Citizen expectations increasing, but also want lower taxes • Statewide relationships impact the city • Political philosophies that pressure local government: low taxes; inclusive/diversity • Progress is slow (i.e. annexations) because we are dealing with other political entities Economic: Positive Impact: • Disposable income • Interest rates • General taxation issues • Local economic trends (cost of living) Negative Impact: • Unemployment level • Foreign economic trends • General taxation issues Social: • Family and Religion – State • Disposable income shrinking • Advertising – turning to social media • Consumer buying – tightening wallets • Demographics – schools • Shifting population – shrinking middle age • Change in lifestyles – townhomes • Education – Community College Technological: Positive Impact: • Transparency • Efficiency • Budgeting • Ease of access to information • Collaboration with inside and outside entities • Better and faster communication • Workflow improvements • Analytics Negative Impact: • Costs of more technology and storage • Hiring and retaining tech staff • More threats to systems • Cyber-attacks, identity theft • Dependence on technology – challenges is not working • Not enough storage capacity for video 6  APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION • Keeping technology updated Legal: • Challenges in employment law: Affordable Care Act, diversity, collective bargaining • Consumer protection: infrastructure, public safety, fairness of processes • Industry specific regulations • Competitive regulations: Alcohol; etc. • Current legislation regarding home market: Non-discrimination ordinances; fair housing • Future legislation: Urban Renewal; “anti-city” state legislation; gambling; plastic bags; fiber; sharing economy; local sales tax; public transportation; Dillon’s rule state • Regulatory bodies and their processes: electric; fair and predictable; being transparent; strings attached to federal grants • Environmental regulations • Water issues • Environmental justice (affects all transportation) • Historic preservation • Endangered species • Storm water and erosion control standards • Water recharge Environmental: • Water Conservation: litigation and water waste • Water quality • INL waste • Fleet changes – CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles • Wind technology • Docking stations • Climate change • Pesticides and fertilizers impact on soil • Energy production on the river • Canal generators • Small Modular Reactor (SMR) The meeting was recessed at 6:30 p.m. until Saturday, April 16, 2016, at 7:30 a.m. The Councilmembers and Staff participated in a SWOT/C (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats/Challenges) analysis with the following desired outcomes: • Identify internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and challenges • Identify specific action and ideas to build on strengths and take advantage of opportunities • Specific actions and ideas to deal with challenges and weaknesses • Thoughtful deliberations among Council and staff concerning strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges and their implications Internal Strengths – Resources or capabilities that help the City accomplish its mandates and missions, and create public value – were prioritized as: • Best Practices and training • Financial stability • Greenbelt/Riverwalk • Staffing – culture • Urban development 7  APRIL 15, 2016 – STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION Internal Weaknesses – Deficiencies in resources or capabilities that hinder the City accomplish its mandates and missions, and create public value – were prioritized as: • Long-term CIP (Capital Improvement Project) planning and funding • Current infrastructure planning and funding • Adequate O&M (Operations and Maintenance) funding • Market wage study • Recruit and retain Human Resources (HR) specialist External Opportunities – Primarily outside factors or situations that the City can take advantage of to better fulfill its mission, meets it mandates, or create public value – were prioritized as: • Partnership with INL (Idaho National Laboratory) • Community College • Leverage electric rates – economic development External Challenges – Primarily outside factors or situations that can affect the City in a negative way- making it harder to meet its mission, meets its mandates, or create public value – were prioritized as: • Agreeing on Regional Roles (county Relationships) and growth and planning (County and Ammon) • Public perception/marketing of City • Vulnerability to water calls As a result of the SWOT/C analysis, Councilmembers and staff identified the following next steps: • Create a communication plan (formal and informal) to reach out to regional partners with input from Department Directors at monthly meetings. • Develop a schedule of monthly meetings between directors to discuss plans. First meeting to be held within 30 days. • Discover opportunities for synergy and develop a plan for communication between directors as it relates to long-range planning. • Define a timeline for goals as actions items are set. • Mayor and Council to create a plan to update Council on long-range planning. • All directors consider potential planning impacts and act accordingly. • Define what is “long-range” and develop criteria. • Create a list of viable, legal funding mechanisms. • Create a plan to implement financial forecasting. • Identify what O&M needs planned. • Set policy that all capital projects include identification of one-time and ongoing O&M costs. • Develop criteria from the PBB platform. Additional steps will include additional education on PBB and to schedule follow-up meetings to continue the strategic discussions with the possibility of including community partners/planners. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m. _____________________________________ _____________________________________ CITY CLERK MAYOR 8