City Council Regular Meeting

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES DATE: Friday, December 3, 2021 TIME: 6: 0 0 pm PLACE: *ILEAS, 1701 North Main Street, IL 61801 A majority of a quorum of the Urbana City council met in goal-setting session on Friday December 3rd, 2021 at 6:00 PM. ELECTED OFFICIALS PHYSICALLY PRESENT: Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor; Phyllis D. Clark, City Clerk, CM Maryalice Wu, CM Christopher Evans, CM Shirese Hursey, CM Jaya Kolisetty, CM Chaundra Bishop, CM Grace Wilken, CM James Quisenberry STAFF PRESENT: Darcy Sandefur, Chief Chuck Laus, William Kolschowsky, Richard Surles, Vince Gustafson, Carol Mitten, Bearden Belcher, Elizabeth Hannan, Sanford Hess OTHERS PRESENT: Kevin James (Facilitator from Quad City Leadership Consulting) 1. RECONVENED Mayor Marlin reconvened the City Council Goal-Setting Session at 6:00 PM. 2. CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC GOAL-SETTING Warm Up Activity Facilitator asked groups: What is an area in which they have grown during the pandemic or something they’ve learned. Council is split into two at a table mixed with two staff members from the City of Urbana creating four tables of four persons. Tables are discussing amongst themselves and then will share with the large group. Facilitator asked groups to share. CM Wu summarized for her group that they can work well at home or in office and how they’ve learned about the work life balance during the pandemic. CM Wilken shared that her table learned what busy is, what the limits of stress are, and how to utilize their skills to help the community during the pandemic. Point of exercise was to focus on how life can change quickly and change is okay. Review and Directions Kevin James provided a brief recap from the last session for staff and anyone who was not present last night and explained the City of Urbana Council Strategic Goal-Setting Strategy Ideas sheet (attachment B). Includes the 4 strategic areas along with some brainstormed strategies to accomplish these goals. Page 1 of 4 Tonight the goal is to dwindle the list down in order to create action steps for these plans to happen. Kevin James shared an example for his business with this model, wanting to pursue radio ads and then shared example steps to make it happen. Explained the importance of the partnership between council and staff to make these steps doable and ensure these goals are completed. Creating Strategies for Strategic Areas (See attachment B for item numbers for these activities) Area #1 Public Safety and Well-Being Facilitator asked tables to share what they did with strategic area #1 public safety and well-being. CM Quisenberry shared the top 3 strategies for strategic area #1 public safety their table selected items 5, 6, 8 from the list. CM Wu shared that her table wanted to create a roadmap for public safety, decrease community violence, and develop programs. Staff member Sanford Hess shared that their group goal was to address gun violence with lines 3, 5, 6 falling under that category. Then suggested line 8 with 10 as its action item. CM Hursey shared for their table that they had items 2, 3, 6, 7 grouped together under pursuing methods to mitigate community violence. They grouped items 1, 5, and 8 under to enhance and expand public safety resources. They grouped items 4, 9, and 10 to engage community organizations to address root causes of community violence. Agreed as group that the below strategies are items they could assign action plans to for Strategic Area #1 Public Safety and Well-Being: 1. Pursing Methods to mitigate community Violence. 2. Enhance and expand public Safety. 3. And engage community organizations to address root causes of community violence were all items they could assign action plans to for Strategic Areas #1 Public Safety and Well-Being Area #2 Housing. Facilitator asked groups to break off again to do the same exercise with the strategic area #2, Housing. CM Wilken shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Directing more resources toward housing needs 2. Address or increase housing security and equity (items 4&7 from housing section). 3. Engage community organizations and partners in housing support and planning. Staff member Carol Mitten shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Support housing security (stabilizing) and 2. Improve housing quality. CM Bishop shared that their group suggested the following strategies: 1. Enforcement of Human rights ordinance, housing, and employment 2. Seek ways to address homelessness 3. Enhance neighborhood livability CM Wu shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Identify funding opportunities and limitations. 2. Neighborhood revitalization. 3. Support housing access and security. Page 2 of 4 Agreed as group that the below strategies are items they could assign action plans to for Strategic Area #2 Housing: 1. Support housing security and equity. 2. Improve Housing Quality. 3. Identify Funding Opportunities and Limitations Area #3 Infrastructure Facilitators asked groups to break off and repeat exercise with the strategic area # 3, infrastructure. Mayor Marlin shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Increased infrastructure equity investment 2. Incorporate vision zero goals into infrastructure investments. 3. Green infrastructure. Staff member Vince Gustafson shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Support pedestrian and bicycle safety 2. Support street lighting projects with emphasis on equity and sustainability for public safety Staff member Rich Surles shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Improve and enhance transportation 2. Improve and enhance lighting 3. Prioritize and improve green space. Staff member Will Kolschowsky shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Support alternative methods of transportation 2. Improve green infrastructure 3. Improve quality of infrastructures assets Agreed as group that the below strategies are items they could assign action plans to for Strategic Area #3 Infrastructure: 1. Improve quality of current infrastructure assets. 2. Increased the Investment in Infrastructure Equity 3. Expand Green Infrastructure Area #4 Economic Recovery and Development Facilitator asked groups to break off and repeat exercise with the strategic area number 4. Staff member Carol Mitten shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Support local business 2. Support workforce development 3. Continue to activate downtown. CM Wu shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Expand business or activate business development (expansion) Staff member Will Kolschowsky shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Each neighborhood and commercial district should have their own targeted strategies (Develop Strategies to support for neighborhoods and commercial districts) CM Quisenberry shared for their group the following strategies: 1. Support local businesses 2. Support workforce development 3. Economic equity and diversification Page 3 of 4  Agreed as group that the below strategies are items they could assign action plans to for Strategic Area #4 Economic Recovery and Development: 1. Support local businesses 2. Workforce development 3. Recruit new businesses and industries Creating Action Plans Facilitator assigned each table an action area (4 topics they just created strategies to address in last activity) and directed them to create action items for each strategy (see the numbered list for each strategic area) Facilitator asked members to send action items to him so he can finish creating their template. Stated this is a starting point for decisions and conversations for future goal setting. 3. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Marlin stated one more session will be needed to wrap up and information about scheduling this session will be available soon. Mayor Marlin adjourned meeting at 7:57 PM. Darcy Sandefur Recording Secretary Minutes approved: 12-13-2021 Page 4 of 4  ATTACHMENT B CC 12-3-21 City of Urbana Council Strategic Goal-Setting Strategy Ideas Strategic Area #1: Public Safety and Well-Being 1. Solicit and complete a review of public safety 2. Investigate and implement programs to interrupt gun violence 3. Pursue methods and tools to investigate, resolve, and solve crime 4. Expand opportunities for youth (16-25) job and internship programs 5. Implementing programs that support community safety which could include building relationships with law enforcement and residents, de-escalation training, or other recommendations from #1 and #2 6. Decrease gun violence incidents (solving, preventing) 7. Decrease domestic violence 8. Create alternative responses for emergencies (especially mental health, substance abuse) 9. Support community organizations 10. Establish ways to engage youth Strategic Area #2: Housing 1. Create action plan for utilizing HUD ARPA Home funds to address homelessness, housing, insecurity, and affordable housing, etc. 2. Identify ways to use ARPA funds to support homeless services 3. Accelerate the redevelopment of lighted property into affordable housing and renovating properties for similar purpose 4. Enforcement of Human Rights Ordinance, Housing, and Employment 5. Neighborhood revitalization 6. Increase affordable housing 7. Support housing security 8. Support community organizations focuses on reducing homelessness Strategic Area #3: Infrastructure 1. Pursue lighting projects for under-served neighborhoods 2. Improve neighborhood walkability with additional sidewalks 3. Address pedestrian and bike safety with intersection and crosswalk improvements 4. Street resurfacing based on the pavement assessment tool and priorities 5. Support vision zero (walkability, cycling)  6. Increase equity of lighting and sidewalks in underserved areas 7. Increase green infrastructure 8. Reduce food/resources apartheids Strategic Area #4: Economic Recovery and Development 1. Expand small business pandemic support to non-traditional Urbana businesses 2. Prepare economic support programs for existing Urbana businesses to help them emerge from the pandemic 3. Support job training and employment opportunities 4. Re-establish community events in COVID safe ways to support the arts and economic activity 5. Continue to activate and support downtown and bring resources to north Urbana 6. Investigate resources and funding for non-brick and mortar businesses 7. Support workforce development 8. Support local businesses 9. Encourage creation of new business sectors (i.e. green business)