Informational Meeting

MINUTES Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Informational Meeting 4:00 PM at Carnegie Town Hall Sioux Falls City Council 235 West Tenth Street Members Present: Sue Aguilar, Kenny Anderson Jr., James Entenman, Michelle Erpenbach, Greg Jamison, Dean Karsky, Kermit L. Staggers, Mike T. Huether Members Absent: Rex Rolfing Staff Present: Jim David, Legislative/Operations Manager; Dave Bixler, Budget Analyst; and Rich Oksol, Lead Internal Auditor 1. Call To Order City Council Chair Michelle Erpenbach called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. 2. Staff Report Jim David, Legislative/Operations Manager, reported that he is preparing the 2013 Legislative priorities. David read the four items currently listed as priorities. Additional items need to be submitted by Council no later than October 5, 2012 to allow time to prepare a resolution for Council action at the meeting of October 9th or 16th. Erpenbach added that the South Dakota Municipal League meets next week and will also have a list of legislative items. 3. Land Use Committee A. Report on meeting held Tuesday, September 18, 2012 Council Member Rex Rolfing was absent from the meeting and no report was given. 4. City Council Open Discussion Council Member Kermit Staggers is concerned about the Charter Revision Commission (CRC) when it comes to transparency. The CRC is planning to hold working sessions in October, November, 2012 and January, 2013 in the Multi- Purpose Room at the Carnegie Town Hall. Staggers is concerned that the Council and citizens will not have access to what is being discussed. Erpenbach and Council Member Sue Aguilar stated that the CRC will have working sessions and then begin regular meetings in February in the Chambers which will be televised. Aguilar added this is similar to Council’s budget working sessions. Council Member Jim Entenman added that the public is invited to attend these CRC working sessions. Staggers is still concerned and feels the CRC should set an example by holding the working sessions in the Chambers. He feels this is imperative as they are dealing with the constitution of the City. Erpenbach believes in the working session concept due to the informal nature of the work. Council Member Kenny Anderson Jr. is not worried about the working sessions, but would like to see them recorded in the Council Chambers so that the public can see what direction the CRC is leading our City or the suggestions they are going to make. Due to the meeting beginning at 3:30 p.m., many people will not be available to attend. Erpenbach stated that the meeting minutes will be on line. As only two people want the CRC notified of this discussion, Erpenbach feels this meeting is sufficient notification. Aguilar suggested that City Attorney Dave Pfeifle pass this information on to the CRC as he attends all their meetings. Anderson Jr. asked if Council staff attended these meetings. Lorie Hogstad, City Clerk, stated that she attends along with Jim David, Legislative/Operations Manager and Dave Bixler, Budget Analyst. Anderson Jr. asked that a summary be sent to the Council after each working session and Hogstad stated she would do this. Council Member Greg Jamison stated that the CRC members are reviewing through the Charter and need to be able to take their time. Jamison feels they should be given the workspace they need and that there will be ample time for review. He added that issues regarding the City’s Charter will not be on the ballot until 2014. Council Member Dean Karsky stated that several months ago he and Jamison were tasked with the CIP Review Committee process. They met today with David and Bixler to continue the discussion of a more public process for the City’s budget. The 2013 budget was just completed, and the 2014 budget process has already begun. Their proposal is to hold an open house that includes City Directors. The outcome will be to provide guidance for the City’s Annual Capital Program process as outlined in Resolution No. 50-03, which established the Sioux Falls City Council goals, objectives and priorities. This will be discussed at the Fiscal Committee Meeting to be held on October 2, 2012.  Over the next six weeks the City Council will approve a resolution similar to this to be presented to the administration in November for the 2014 budget process. This will allow for a more open process incorporating public and Council ideas. Jamison stated the efforts put forward on the CIP Review Committee evolved into a more collaborative process. This process will result in a better informed Council along with the intentions of the public and a cooperative nature with the administration for developing the budget. When the budget is delivered to the Council from the Mayor, the Council will be more aware of what is in there and will have clearly communicated with the administration as to what is important and this will be reflected in the budget. Jamison added that Tracy Turbak, Finance Director, has been a conduit of communication between the administration and the Fiscal Committee. Entenman asked if the concept is a public hearing asking people to come in to look at the five-year CIP budget for the year 2014 and other ideas and suggestions for investing. Jamison’s initial thought is that Public Works, Parks, Planning and Finance would be invited to an open house to take notes and allow the public to express what they feel the City should be doing in the short-, medium- and long-term. The Council will also have their own suggestions and will pass all these on to the administration so they are better informed about the objectives that need to be met. He added the CIP plan could be available and shared with the public as well. In other words, involve the public more than before and engage the Council further ahead of schedule. Karsky added this will result in developing a business plan which is a living document that can be adapted as we move along. Erpenbach stated she has done some reading on this process in terms of inviting the public earlier and that other Council members have been doing research on this process as well. Aguilar discussed scheduling for the months that have a fifth Tuesday. The fifth Tuesday in October will be on the 30th and the only meeting scheduled is an Informational and questioned if items had been scheduled for this meeting. Hogstad responded there are very likely items scheduled for October 30th, but these items could be rescheduled. The consensus of the Council was not to hold Informational Meetings on the fifth Tuesday, unless necessary. 5. Presentations A. Monthly Events Center Project Update Mike Cooper, Director of Planning and Building Services, began the presentation  followed by Darrin Smith, Director of Community Development and Public Parking; Tracy Turbak, Finance Director; Mark Cotter, Director of Public Works; and Mayor Mike Huether. Questions and discussion followed on the various topics covered in the presentation. Erpenbach reminded the Council and public that the Ovations Food and Beverage Contract and the SMG Facilities Management Contract are on the City’s website at www.siouxfalls.org under the Events Center link. She added the Council has two weeks to review these contracts in detail and encourages them to talk to staff and come with questions about both of these agreements to the Informational Meeting on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. Erpenbach also encouraged the public to read these contracts and to contact their Council member if they have items of concern and to be engaged in the process. 6. Adjournment Council Chair Erpenbach adjourned the meeting at 5:12 p.m. Lorie Hogstad, CMC City Clerk