Council Retreat Meeting

MINUTES CITY COUNCIL RETREAT MEETING CITY OF MONTEREY Tuesday, February 12, 2013 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. MONTEREY CONFERENCE CENTER, ONE PORTOLA PLAZA, LARKIN I & II MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Councilmembers Present: Councilmembers Downey, Haffa, Selfridge, Sollecito, Della Sala Absent: None City Staff City Manager, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager, Director of Information Present: Resources/City Clerk CALL TO ORDER Mayor Della Sala called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS Mayor Della Sala opened the floor for public comment on items not on the agenda. Dan Albert gave a brief history of Monterey’s Sister City relationship with Nanao Japan and invited the Council to the JTB/Kagaya USA Study Group on February 25 at the Scholze Park Center. Jerry Anderson, Saucito Land Company, announced that his company is breaking off negotiations with Foothill Partners and is now preparing to move forward with their own project to redevelop the burned out building on Alvarado. He distributed copies of a press release, and on question said that they do not yet have an architect. He thanked Council and staff for their support. Mayor Della Sala expressed the City’s eagerness to have the site redeveloped and wished Mr. Anderson the best. Having no further requests to speak, Mayor Della Sala closed public comment. RETREAT 1. Discuss Council Members' Priorities and Build Relationships in Preparation for an Upcoming Strategic Planning Meeting to Review the City of Monterey Value Drivers and Initiatives (Council - 701-01) Action: Discussed priorities and Council relationships Mayor Della Sala noted that there is a Water Management District meeting at 6:00 and suggested that the meeting conclude at 5:45 p.m. Councilmember Sollecito said that his priorities include hiring a new City Manager, remodeling the Conference Center, Downtown redevelopment, maintaining the military installations, and revenue enhancements. He noted that with the loss of the Redevelopment Agency, this will be more difficult. He said that it is very important to hire, maintain, train, and develop the City workforce. Councilmember Downey said that water is her priority for this Council. She suggested that the City might be able to help with the financing and energy for the water project in order to get the cost down. She said she would like the City to look at the effluent that goes out to MRWPCA and to the agricultural community. She said that hiring a new City Manager is a high priority. She asked what the City should do with the loss of the Redevelopment Agency. She said that a City Council Minutes Tuesday, February 12, 2013 personal goal is to see the rapid completion of the ADA upgrades of the Council Chamber. She said that the military is very important, but she expects that Leon Panetta returning to the area will help. Councilmember Haffa said that he agrees with the two previous speakers’ priorities. He said he would like to revisit the City’s Buy Local program because getting the local population to purchase locally has a residual effect. He said that the Downtown Specific Plan is his highest priority to focus on. He said that the homelessness issue is really critical and a number of people are concerned about it. He said that the impacts are one factor, as well as the humanitarian aspect. He suggested that bringing together the stakeholders, including non- profits, faith-based groups, businesses, and the homeless, is necessary to effectively work on this problem. He reported that there will be a symposium in May. He suggested that using some of the City’s portfolio to invest in community businesses might create a return on investment. Councilmember Selfridge agreed with the other Councilmembers about most of their priorities. She said that what is being done regarding the homeless is not working and new ideas are needed. She said that the Downtown must be the top priority, and she does not believe that upgrading the Conference Center will not fix it. She said that it is necessary to get involved in the schools because the City is losing families. She supported more involvement in Sister City programs. She said that the City Council should have a budget in order to grant money to worthy events and organizations. She said that a training officer is very important to the Fire Department so everyone gets the same training. Mayor Della Sala said that Council seems to agree on the priorities. He stated that his number one priority is hiring the best possible City Manager when Mr. Meurer retires. He said that the second issue is getting a water project online in a timely fashion. He said that upgrading and updating the Conference Center is his third priority in order to stimulate the local economy, particularly the Downtown. He said that additional revenue is needed in order to fund programs and organizations. He suggested that making the Downtown more pedestrian friendly would help. He said other priorities include the military and working with faith based groups on the homeless issues. Mayor Della Sala said that staff is extremely important, because it is the staff who get the work done. He stated that it is important to have employees that are content. He said that Council needs to go further to show greater appreciation for staff and the work that is done. He asked the Councilmembers to let him know what his weaknesses are and what he could do better. Councilmember Haffa said that the Mayor runs a great meeting. He said that regarding the Water Authority, he hopes the Mayor will keep the Council abreast of that, even though the members of the Authority are autonomous. Councilmember Downey said that the water update is not enough, but should include questions and a discussion. She said that she wished that each Peninsula Council would have this issue on their agendas. She said that the Water Management District should be supported by the Authority. City Attorney Davi suggested having a regular report from the Water Authority Executive Director. Councilmembers talked about the adversarial tone that often arises during these conversations about water. Councilmember Sollecito said that he has been in the City in the past when the quality of service was horrible because there was no money. He said when there are no funds, good ideas cannot be acted upon. He stated that his biggest fault is that he is utilitarian and impatient. Mayor Della Sala said that all the Councilmembers come from a different frame of reference. Councilmember Selfridge said that the Mayor runs a very good meeting. She said that she would like to have more transparency from staff. She said that there is a feeling that Monterey 2 City Council Minutes Tuesday, February 12, 2013 caters to special interest groups and has a good old boy network. On question, she said that the train depot is an example. Councilmember Downey said that the Subcommittee members were angry that Council sent the matter back to them. Councilmember Haffa suggested that Councilmembers are saying that sometimes we bend the rules and it appears to be favoritism. City Manager Meurer said that the depot is a tremendous example of some of the issues that this Council has with each other and staff. He said that we exist through accountability and transparency. He said that Ms. Selfridge has been unhappy with the process from the beginning, but the Council had multiple opportunities to change the process. He reviewed the history of the depot process, and said that in order to have accountability and transparency there has to be communication. He said that part of his decision to retire is because he has become a lightening rod and he will not allow his presence to make Monterey look like other organizations in the area. City Manager Meurer said that the Council Manager form of government is basic and it is detrimental to undermine that organizational structure and undermine staff members. He said that too many emails are going in the wrong direction without communication, and he is fearful for the organization. Councilmember Sollecito agreed, saying that he has been a staff member during a time where there was infighting on the Council. Councilmember Sollecito said that he is familiar with the employee, who has been representing Ms. Selfridge on the Wharf. The Mayor said that is a legal problem if one Councilmember is directly telling a staff person what to do. Councilmember Selfridge said that she believes that staff reports only show Council what staff wants them to do. She said that she does not believe that Council hears more than one side of the issues. Councilmember Downey said that she agrees that sometimes she does not believe that she gets enough information to make the best decisions. Councilmember Haffa said that everyone has different needs with regard to the amount of information. The City Manager said that there is coordination among the staff to create a broad view and present the best recommendation to the City Council. Councilmember Downey said that she believes it is human nature to only present the facts that support the recommendation. Mayor Della Sala said that he looks at the facts first and then forms a conclusion. Councilmember Haffa said it is human nature to see only the evidence that supports your own bias. Councilmember Sollecito said that one may go into a crime scene and form a hypothesis, but then must look at the evidence and not put blinders on. He said that it is important to speak one’s mind during deliberation but to become a team and support the final conclusion, even if you disagree with it. Councilmember Downey said that the Citizens Survey reconsideration has bothered her because she believes staff approached Councilmember Haferman. City Manager Meurer said that Mr. Haferman came to another staff member the day after his initial vote and said that he was ‘out of it’ when he voted on the issue, and thought that he had voted wrong. He said the staff member told him to ask for reconsideration, but Mr. Meurer never talked with him about that decision. Councilmembers discussed their decision not to discuss the agenda item regarding FORA Guiding Principles and whether it is important for the Monterey City Council to discuss the surrounding issues. Councilmember Downey said that she was glad Monterey did not vote on them, given the issues that have come up since. 3 City Council Minutes Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Councilmember Haffa said that he would like to establish closer personal relationships with the Councilmembers. Councilmember Downey suggested that the Assistant City Manager could focus more on water and give the reports. City Manager Meurer said that would be a full time job and he does not believe that there is capacity in the ACM position for that task. Councilmember Sollecito said that it is important that the Council not take disagreements personally, those disagreements should stay at the meetings and Councilmembers should remain professional toward each other. Mayor Della Sala asked that Councilmembers consider correspondence from the City Attorney as privileged information. Ms. Davi said that if there is any question about whether something is confidential and protected by attorney client privilege, to feel free to call her. She cautioned Council about serial email meetings and commenting on social media pages. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Della Sala adjourned the meeting at 6:02 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Bonnie Gawf Chuck Della Sala Director of Information Resources / City Clerk Mayor 4