City Council - Workshop Meetings

City Council Workshop Meeting August 31, 2022 | Ash North and South Conference Rooms Following City Council Meeting Approximately 8:30 p.m. This City Council Workshop meeting is taking place virtually and at Woodbury City Hall in the Ash North and South Conference Room. Members of the public may attend the meeting in person and may also join the meeting using a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device. Watch the Live Meeting Public comments will be accepted during the meeting both in person and by using the link to the virtual meeting to join the meeting and then submit your questions via the online Q&A feature within the meeting. Questions regarding the meeting will be taken between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 651-714-3524 or at council@woodburymn.gov. Questions received after 4:30 p.m. will be responded to in the next three to seven business days. Please note that all agenda times are estimates. Workshop Agenda 8:30 p.m. 1. City Council 2022-2024 Strategic Initiatives Proposals 9:00 p.m. 2. Administrator Comments and Updates1 9:05 p.m. 3. Mayor and City Council Comments and Commission Liaison Updates1 9:10 p.m. 4. Adjournment 1 Items under comments and updates are intended to be informational or of brief inquiry. More substantial discussion of matters under comments and updates should be scheduled for a future agenda. The City of Woodbury is subject to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities. The City is committed to full implementation of the Act to our services, programs, and activities. Information regarding the provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act is available from the City Administrator's office at (651) 714-3523. Auxiliary aids for disabled persons are available upon request at least 72 hours in advance of an event. Please call the ADA Coordinator, Clinton P. Gridley, at (651) 714-3523 (TDD (651) 714-3568)) to make arrangements.  1 City of Woodbury, Minnesota Office of City Administrator Council Workshop Letter 22-228 August 31, 2022 To: The Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council From: Clinton P. Gridley, City Administrator Subject: 2022 – 2024 Draft Strategic Plan Review Summary At the June 8, 2022 Council Retreat, the City Council gave guidance toward developing the following Strategic Initiatives through 2024 (the next community survey year). The attached documents provide descriptions and background information for the City Council’s review and feedback. The selected areas were: 1. Drinking Water - Water Treatment Implementation 2. Public Safety - Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention 3. Environmental Stewardship - Improving Environmental Outcomes Recommendation Staff recommends Council review the draft 2022 - 2024 Strategic Initiatives, provide feedback on the language and authorize moving these documents, as amended, for Council adoption at a regular meeting. Governance Mode • Strategic - Setting priorities, reviewing and modifying strategic plans, and monitoring performance against plans. Focus is the “ends” rather than the "means”. Fiscal Implications To be determined. Public Process The Council held its biennial City Council retreat on June 8, 2022 Council Workshop Letter 22-228 August 31, 2022 Page 2 Background The biennial Council Retreat is an opportunity to thoughtfully identify the highest priorities or emerging, critical issues that the City must urgently address over the short term (two to three years). In order for an issue to rise to the level of a “Strategic Initiative,” it should account for the following criteria: • Alignment with City’s mission, vision, and values • Proactive, rather than reactive management • Consistent with existing City plans or reports (i.e., 2040 Comprehensive Plan) • Associated with data from the 2022 Community Survey The primary documents used to assess the need for a special Strategic Initiative is the biennial community survey, which is performed in the early spring of the even year (previous surveys were on the odd years) ahead of Council’s strategic planning, and the City’s award-winning annual performance measurement program report. At the Council Retreat on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, the agenda covered: 1. Framing Documents and Issues Review a. Review of Mission, Vision and Values Statements b. Review of Critical Success Factors c. Review of 2022 Community Survey Results d. Progress on 2019 – 2022 Strategic Initiatives 2. Council discussion of potential SI topics 3. Selection of proposed 2022 - 2024 SI’s for staff write-up 4. Review updates to CD-COUNCIL-2.5 City Council and Advisory Commission Roles and Guidelines 5. Council Summary Comments / Observations At the conclusion of the retreat, Council provided staff direction to provide write-ups on the proposed strategic initiatives. Written By: Clinton P. Gridley, City Administrator Attachments: 1. Drinking Water - Water Treatment Implementation 2. Public Safety - Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention 3. Environmental Stewardship - Improving Environmental Outcomes 4. June 8, 2022 Council Retreat Workshop Notes  2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-01 Drinking Water Water Treatment Implementation Issue Water has been the longest ongoing strategic focus of the City Council. The past three rounds of strategic initiatives have had a water focus: 2015 - 2017: Sustainable Water Future for Woodbury (water quantity) 2017 – 2019: Sustainable Water Future for Woodbury (water quality) 2019 - 2021: Drinking Water Quality (temporary treatment, 3M Settlement Working Groups) The 2022-2024 proposed strategic initiative related to water is water treatment implementation. The most urgent policy questions for Council to resolve with this strategic initiative are: 1. Should the entire municipal water system deliver treated water even if not 100% paid for by the 3M settlement proceeds as administered by the State of Minnesota? 2. Will the permanent treatment plant provide softened water? 3. How do we deliver these water treatment improvements as expediently as possible considering city staffing levels and state authorization processes? 4. How should we best engage our community on this project utilizing our Community Engagement Guide to seek to retain the public trust in our water quality, support the extensive pipeline extension disruptions that will be occurring over a number of years and patience with the extended process to implement the CDWSP improvement? 5. What is the rate structure to support our utility system operating and capital cost, and how should we balance short and long-term projections in the rate structure, as well as encouraging greater water conversation? Issue Urgency As of August 2022, the city has lost the use of nine of its 19 groundwater wells as a direct result of PFAS contamination. This well production loss will continue to strain the city’s supply system, particularly during summertime peak demand. Furthermore, this issue is of high visibility and concern to Woodbury residents. The 2021 community survey reveals that the residents of Woodbury are concerned about Woodbury water. When asked about the most serious issue currently facing Woodbury, drinking water rose from 6% in 2017 to 17% in 2019 to 45% in 2021. 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-01 Water Treatment Implementation Page 2 Proceeding with this issue as a City Strategic Initiative will assist in providing the necessary research, detail and information to ensure the City Council can make informed, long-term and strategic decisions regarding the future of the City of Woodbury’s water quality, treatment, and its financial sustainability into the future. Scope and Anticipated Schedule Current – Q3 2022 Preliminary Engineering Report Current – Q3 2023 Treatment Technology Pilot Study Q1 – Q3 2023 Water Treatment Preliminary Design Q2 – Q4 2023 60% Design Q4 2023 – Q2 2024 90% Design Q4 2023 – Q1 2025 Materials/Equipment Procurement Q2 2024 Treatment Plant Bidding Q2/Q3 2024 Treatment Plant Construction begins 2027 Substantially Complete (treated water being delivered) Implementation Team The City staff team includes the Public Works Director, Assistant Public Works Director, City Administrator, Engineering Director, Assistant Engineering Director, Communication Manager, City Planner, Finance and Utilities Divisions. Background The City of Woodbury provides municipal water service to nearly 78,000 residents and customers. Historically, this water has been provided through use of 19 groundwater wells. In 2010, Minnesota’s attorney general sued 3M Company alleging that the company’s production of chemicals known as per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) had damaged drinking water and natural resources in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including Woodbury. On Feb. 20, 2018, the State of Minnesota and 3M reached a settlement agreement, with the state receiving a grant from 3M for $850 million. The court directed the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to set-up working groups to guide the use of the funds. A Conceptual Drinking Water Supply Plan (CDWSP) was drafted by the co- trustees and released October 2021, after two years of working with the east-metro community working groups. Currently, the City has six wells connected to a temporary treatment facility (with three additional wells remaining offline due to PFAS contamination) to ensure adequate water supply. In June 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency released new draft guidance, which if confirmed would put another 8 of Woodbury wells above HI values for PFAS. The CDWSP commits the state to funding: • Treating wells that test over .5 HI (currently 15 wells) • Replacement well for well 1 (well 21) 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-01 Water Treatment Implementation Page 3 • 20 years of O&M for municipal systems • 30 years of O&M for private wells A permanent water treatment plant will be brought online in the next 5 to 7 years. A preliminary engineering report (PER) is underway to determine: pipeline alignment, water treatment plant (WTP) layout and treatment selection, critical path items (permitting, easement procurement, etc.), analysis of state funded and non-funded infrastructure (funding gap).  2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-02 Public Safety Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention Issue Summary Our success as a leading community in which to live, work and thrive requires that the safety of the community and public safety services be continually evaluated, adjusted, and enhanced to meet the needs of a changing and growing community. As our city has grown in a rapid, yet well- planned manner, so has our Public Safety Department. We adopted a public safety service model in the mid-1990s that combines Police, EMS, Fire, and Emergency Management. This allows for better collaboration and coordination of services and has proven to be successful for our community. Throughout the years, the department has evolved in a proactive and forward- thinking manner to meet emerging expectations. Continuing to provide high-quality and exceptional public safety services to our community is of the highest priority. City Council has highlighted the importance of feeling safe and our community has voiced their concerns in this area via survey results. Although overall feelings of safety will fluctuate, being responsive to the evolving expectations is key to building a sense of community and supporting a high quality of life. Increased connectivity via timely data sharing, along with effective communication and community connection are required to meet the expectations of our community. Therefore, with a notable decrease in the feeling of overall safety and an increase in support for the prioritization of crime prevention and education, Public Safety was identified by the City Council as a 2022 - 2024 strategic initiative. Areas of Focus The focus areas of this strategic initiative will be: 1. Culture a. Building and Sustaining Officer Wellness. In recognition of the critical role that officer wellness plays in public safety work, Woodbury has created programs designed to promote mental and physical health and enhance overall resiliency. Despite these efforts, police and fire services are facing recruitment and retention challenges, worker unavailability and rising workers compensation and pension costs due in-part to post- traumatic stress disorder claims. We desire to further evaluate initiatives, practices, 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-02 Public Safety – Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention Page 2 programs and resources that enhance officer wellness and promote healthy employees able to deliver high quality services to our community. b. Examine means and methods to reduce the number of unfilled positions and how to better keep the department closer to its full accompaniment of employees so the mission-critical work of Public Safety can be fulfilled. c. Create intentional internal cohort groups of under-represented employees to support each other and to facilitate diversity in future recruitment and promotional opportunities. d. Evaluate staffing and partnership needs of the Community Support Team with Washington County to enhance community mental health and crisis response. 2. Community Connections a. Develop a Public Safety social media strategy to expand the reach of messaging, education, and information sharing. b. Research communication mediums and the frequency of publications for the delivery of timely communications. c. Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles throughout Public Safety’s governance, operations, and programs leading to a sustainable culture of enhanced understanding and connection within community members by Public Safety. d. Grow partnerships and collaboration with non-profits groups (private and public) to support our community service. e. Complete development of clear pathways for community members to raise questions, concerns and complaints with the Public Safety’s policies, practices, programs and actions to ensure professional and impartial follow-up. 3. Crime Prevention and Education a. Explore demographic-specific crime prevention public education opportunities. b. Identify and evaluate neighborhood-level crime prevention programs to address residential area crimes. c. Examine Washington County records management system capabilities and the capacity to create an information-sharing platform for residents that provides easy-to-access (updated) crime data and mapping. 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-02 Public Safety – Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention Page 3 d. Use IT innovatively to achieve better crime tracking, case management and resolution. Enhance data-led policing practices to direct timely allocation of police resources. e. Evaluate the possible development of a Community Impact Team comprised of detectives focused on timely interdiction of trending crimes. Scope and Schedule The Public Safety Department recognizes that many of the initiatives presented are interconnected and will need frequent adjustments as our community continues to grow. This will require concentrated coordination to ensure the effectiveness of the overall strategy to enhance connections and communication with our community. Q3 2022 City Council Adoption of Strategic Initiatives Q4 2022 Develop strategy, tactics and identify focus area champions and team members to implement strategic initiative Q1 2023 Commencement of strategic initiative focus area action teams Q3 2023 Check in with Council Q2 2024 Check in with Council Q4 2024 Final report on strategic initiative Implementation Team In order to bring the strategic initiative to life, a 5-member team of senior staff members including the Police Chief, EMS Fire Chief, Public Safety Manager and Assistant City Administrator led by the Public Safety Director will guide and direct fulfillment of this strategic initiative. Each area of focus will have a staff member assigned to champion a particular focus area and formation of an action team, project management plan and community engagement plan to support this work. Team members will include as necessary, but is not limited to: Police Commanders, Community Support Specialist, Crime Data Analyst, Communications Manager, IT Manager, Community Engagement & Equity Coordinator and community stakeholders. Background The City of Woodbury recognized early on in our development that in order to meet the increasing public safety needs of its growing population without breaking the bank, it would need to consider some creative staffing options. In 1995, the city began cross-training some police officers as paramedics, and in 1996, it merged its fire and emergency medical services (EMS) with its police service. By 2004, it became clear, however, that additional measures were needed to ensure continued provision of robust public safety services within the city’s existing financial constraints. A major 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-02 Public Safety – Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention Page 4 concern at the time was that the city’s pool of paid, on-call volunteer firefighters had not grown with the city’s population. From 1991 to 2005, the city’s population had increased by 275 percent while the number of paid, on-call volunteers had remained static. Although the city of Woodbury was in a relatively strong financial position with a comparatively low property tax rate, it would have been financially burdensome to add the number of regular, full-time firefighters that would have been needed to make up for the shortage in the paid, on-call volunteer pool. Moreover, the city was also concerned that, with its growing population, a shortage of police officers might become a problem. To address these concerns, in late 2004 the city formed a fire-EMS task force comprising citizens, elected officials, and city staff. The task force was charged with drafting recommendations for public safety service standards and performance measures that represented community expectations. Task force members also recommended staffing levels to meet the new service standards. The task force considered a number of different public safety organizational models and ultimately recommended the public safety integration model, which features the cross-training of public safety personnel in multiple disciplines. A major benefit of the model was considered to be the likelihood of improving fire response times because on-duty police officers are usually among the first to respond to an emergency; under the new model many police officers would be cross-trained as firefighters. In addition, the task force recommended the hiring of additional public safety personnel to meet growing service demands in both police and fire. In 2007, the Emergency Management position was created to develop, coordinate, and direct emergency preparedness and management. This involves staff training, outreach to schools, private industry, and the general public. A core function of this position is natural disaster planning and preparation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the position was critical in setting up an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which coordinated the city-wide response while also overseeing the delivery of all services. As our community continued to evolve, so did our response model. In 2014, we began the process of hiring full time Paramedics to ease the pressure to our Police Paramedics. Being early adopters of the emerging body worn camera system technologies we began an implementation process in 2016. This involved an initial press release, a published draft policy, input from internal stakeholders, and the hosting of a public forum. This transparent and inclusive process led to the successful rollout of the program. In 2017, the City Council identified safety as one of seven “Critical Success Factors” crucial to Woodbury’s continuing success. Council supported the following guiding statement in support of safety: Woodbury is a welcoming community where all people feel safe. The City provides professional, effective and compassionate protective services to ensure Public Safety builds a sense of community and supports a high quality of life. 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-02 Public Safety – Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention Page 5 In 2019, the Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) was formed with involvement from a community steering committee. The purpose of our MAC is to enrich the relationship between community members with diverse identities and experiences and the police department by creating opportunities to learn from each other, engage in meaningful conversations, and solicit input for decision-making processes that impact the community. By building trust and communication between the police and community members, we work to ultimately improve the safety and livability of our community. Also in 2019, to support our staff we researched and implemented a mental wellness program. Each front-line worker visits with our independent professional mental health provider at least once per year for a mental wellness check-up. If additional visits are needed staff can anonymously attend up to five additional sessions free of charge. Employee wellness is further supported by physical wellness programs and facilities. The Public Safety Department embraces a culture that values excellent customer service, training, and education, all of which contribute to our consistently positive resident ratings. To ensure Public Safety staff members are highly trained and capable of providing quality services, City Council supported the construction of the HERO Training Center, which opened in 2020. The new regional training center allows our police officers, firefighters, and paramedics to hone their skills using state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Also in 2020, a staffing study identified critical areas of improvement and provided a foundation for organizational planning. The Public Safety Department continues to work towards achieving the goals identified in the study. This process has allowed the department to enhance its effectiveness in many areas. Another key tool in the evaluation of public safety services has been our biannual resident survey. The 2022 resident survey results revealed an approval rating of over 90% across all divisions within Woodbury Public Safety. Highlights of the survey are: • 94% of residents rated Woodbury as excellent or good in overall quality of life • 94% of residents felt safe or somewhat safe walking alone in their neighborhood, (85% in commercial areas and 85% in city parks and recreation facilities) • 98% of residents rated fire services, ambulance, or emergency medical services as excellent or good • 92% of residents rated police services as excellent or good This survey revealed two additional significant results: • 78% of residents rated their overall feeling of safety in Woodbury as excellent or good (18% decrease from 2019) 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-02 Public Safety – Safer Community through Culture, Connections and Crime Prevention Page 6 • 46% of residents rated crime prevention and education as the department’s top policing priority (22% increase from 2019) Overall, per capita data shows people and property crime rates in Woodbury have remained level. However, meeting the expectations of the community for public safety is more complex than just addressing crime. The feeling of safety is impacted by the media, regional and national crime trends, and the occurrence of low frequency but significant incidents in Woodbury.  2022 - 2024 Strategic Initiative 22-03 Environmental Stewardship Improving Environmental Outcomes Issue Natural Environment and Sustainability have been Critical Success Factor since Critical Success Factor: 1997. Woodbury has re-affirmed its ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP commitment to sustainability and Understanding that environmental health, environmental stewardship multiple economics, and human well-being are times through the value statements and interconnected and interdependent, Woodbury implementation actions in the 2030 and is committed to the responsible use and 2040 Comprehensive Plans, and the protection of all resources. To preserve our adoption of the Critical Success Factor of environment for future generations, the City will “Environmental Stewardship” in 2018. foster environmental stewardship through focused conservation, social responsibility and The 2040 Comprehensive Plan includes best management practices. the following guiding principle in support of Environmental Stewardship: Woodbury is firmly committed to the preservation, responsible use and enhancement of its environment, and recognizes that environmental health, economics and human well-being are interconnected and interdependent. To preserve our environment for future generations, the City will foster environmental stewardship through focused conservation, social responsibility and best management practices. As our local environment faces new challenges, the City will make appropriate investments in preservation, adaptation, mitigation, and maintenance. Furthermore, one of the implementation items in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan is to develop a plan that identifies actionable items and strategies to help guide preservation, resilience, and adaptation within the community. In 2021, Council directed staff to work with the Parks and Natural Resources Commission (PNRC) to evaluate the past twenty years of environmental stewardship. Staff created an inventory of key accomplishments, events, projects, activities, programs, and policies and applied it to a timeline, representing the City’s leadership in addressing sustainability and environmental issues (see attached infographic). Once complete, the Environmental Stewardship Report and Timeline were presented to City Council and the PNRC. The report showed that the City has made remarkable progress in preserving and enhancing the natural 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-03 Environmental Stewardship Page 2 environment over the past twenty years, but what is missing is a Council-approved vision or action plan, outlining strategies to ensure sustainability and resilience into the future. There has been community interest in the issue of environmental stewardship, and there is a unique opportunity now to harness regional and community enthusiasm, and to apply City resources to the Environmental Stewardship Strategic Initiative, to: • Memorialize the city’s status as a leader by developing an Environmental Stewardship Action Plan reflecting past and current initiatives; • Identify actions that the City and community members can take to sustain and improve the natural environment; • Foster community engagement aligned with the City’s public engagement plan; • Engage interested parties in research to better understand the risks, rewards, and responsibilities for Woodbury; • Develop specific goals and strategies that support sustainability and resilience into the future; • Develop a prioritization guide that weighs potential to advance mitigation, adaptation and community equity strategies, including related risks and rewards; • Better position Woodbury as a contender for resources such as grants and awards; • Unite the city’s environmental programs, initiatives and responsibilities under a single vision, without competing for resources; To lead the way to protect our community, and meet the needs of future generations, the City has established Environmental Stewardship as a 2022 – 2024 Strategic Initiative. Establishing this Strategic Initiative unlocks Woodbury’s full potential to be a leader and best serve the interests of present and future residents and affirms its commitment to preserve and enhance our environment for future generations. Scope As stated in a memo by the PNRC to City Council at their May 25, 2022, meeting, by prioritizing Environmental Stewardship as a Strategic Initiative, we can establish strategies to ensure sustainability and resilience into the future. The PNRC states that this is an urgent, massive, complex, and challenging issue to tackle, and the City needs resources to identify local solutions and strategies that fit the community’s needs. As recommended by the PNRC, there should be two focus areas to the Environmental Stewardship Strategic Initiative: Part I: Environmental Stewardship Action Plan: The PNRC recommended the City allocate resources to develop an Environmental Stewardship Plan that includes a robust community engagement process and provides a practical, local approach to city-level environmental stewardship. The plan will develop specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely goals and provide a roadmap for implementation. Part II: Education and Engagement for Property Owners: How to be Environmental Stewards 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-03 Environmental Stewardship Page 3 During the PNRC discussions about environmental stewardship, it became clear that community members want guidance on how they can take meaningful action at the individual, household, or business level. The PNRC will serve as the appropriate body to guide and oversee this work and assist staff in developing this initiative. Fiscal Impact A proposed budget for the Environmental Stewardship Plan in 2023 will be proposed to support engaging professional services to assist staff in developing the Environmental Stewardship Plan. Anticipated Timeline Q4 2022 Issue framing, project management team assembly, stakeholder inventory, and initiative scoping Q2 2023 Develop and advertise Request for Proposal for the Environmental Stewardship Plan based on the development of scope Q2 2023 Consultant interviews and award contract Q3 2023 Develop and implement community engagement plan with staff, consultant, and PNRC Q4 2023 Facilitate community engagement plan and draft contents of the Environmental Stewardship Plan Q1 2024 Progress report memorandum to City Council Q2 2024 Finalize Draft of Environmental Stewardship Plan Q3 2024 Present findings and seek input for the Environmental Stewardship Plan from the PNRC, Audit and Investment Commission and Economic Development Commission Q3 2024 Present draft report and implementation items for the Environmental Stewardship Plan PNRC, Audit and Investment Commission and Economic Development Commission, for recommendation to City Council Q4 2024 City Council adoption of Environmental Stewardship Plan and establishment of priorities and fiscal direction for 2025 Implementation Team Development of the Environmental Stewardship Plan will be led by the Senior Environmental Resources Coordinator as the Project Manager, with the Parks & Recreation Director/staff liaison to the PNRC as the Executive Sponsor. The Project Management Team (PMT) will include the Environmental Division of Engineering along with staff from various departments, including Engineering, Public Works, Community Development, the consultant, and others as appropriate. The two focus areas of work identified above will each be assigned to a task leader who will report back to the project management team. The Senior Environmental Resources Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing task leaders, PMT meetings, allocating resources, overseeing the public engagement plan, documenting goals and outcomes, and supporting the PMT for 2022-2024 Strategic Initiative 22-03 Environmental Stewardship Page 4 delivery of the Environmental Stewardship Action Plan (Part 1) and Education and Engagement for Property Owners (Part II) as detailed above. Background Although it is listed as an implementation item in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the City does not currently have a vision nor documented plan to guide its work in environmental stewardship and resilience. Urgency for the Environmental Stewardship Strategic Initiative as a priority focus area for the next two to three years is supported by the following factors: • Woodbury will experience more frequent and intense extreme weather events. Woodbury has already experienced the pendulum swinging more rapidly back and forth from flood to drought and back and increased water restrictions. • The top climate risk in Washington County will be more frequent, more intense, and longer lasting heat waves. June 2021 was the hottest June on record across the U.S.; July was the hottest worldwide. Heat waves are the deadliest severe weather event in the United States (NOAA). • Minnesota winters are becoming warmer and icier, with higher minimum temperatures. By 2050, it is predicted that Woodbury’s average low temperature will shift up 6.7°F and high temperatures will rise by 5.7°F (DNR). • Minnesotans are experiencing larger and more frequent rain events. The Minnesota DNR predicts a 13% increase in the size of the heaviest rainfall each year. • Woodbury is already investing significant time and resources responding to emerging threats related to environmental change, such as Emerald Ash Borer, water quality and quantity, and flood risk reduction. • In the last few years, residents and businesses have experienced: - The longest and most severe heat wave to occur so early in the season, from June 3- 11, 2021; - The worst wildfire smoke event on record in the Twin Cities in 2021, recognized as the “Summer of Smoke;” - Closure of Carver Lake Beach earlier than usual due to algae blooms in 2021; - Diminished vitality of the southern-most Tamarack stands in the state, which is already at the edge of survivable habitat limits; and - Cancelation of the Cold Catfish Cup bike race on the mountain bike trail because the weather is too unpredictable (50% of years it was above freezing in mid-January). Attachments: Environmental Stewardship Infographic  PROPOSED 2022 – 2024 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Water – per survey (come up with new title characterization unique from previous SI) • Adequate water quality/quantity • Scope defined by council • Communication and Community Engagement Plan • Sustainable funding including various aspects: - Out of scope of conceptual water plan aspects - East Well Field connection - Softening (in or out?) - Rate structure plan (through A & I commission) • C.D.W.S.P. implemented • Plant on-line Environmental Stewardship – per PNRC proposal Create an action plan that reflects work completed and underway. The plan should address city actions and community actions to improve environmental outcomes. The plan should also address financial impact on the city and on community members. Define Scope, Time, Cost. Through PNRC, review by A & I, EDC. Public Safety – per survey (come up with new title characterization unique from previous SI, new leadership team to define scope) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NON- STRATEGIC INITIATIVE ITEMS FROM RETREAT Foundational Statements (motto, mission, vision, values, critical success factors): Start fresh. Assign to 2050 Comp Plan Task Force process with update of guiding principles and plan. 2024 organizing – project management plan, task force selection, consultant selection. 2025 - commence work, adopt new foundational statements. 2028 comp plan 2050 finalized. Form of Government: 2023 research plan - form of government presentations by LMC Q1, Plan A to Plan B city example Q2, Plan A to Charter example Q3. Welcoming & Inclusive Community: Equity impact statement/considerations a new part of appropriate public presentation (administrative directive to be developed). Community Engagement Strategy (with an equity lens) 2022 project in process. Ordinance and Council Directive Review Program: Council memo on process plan Q4 2022, to commence in 2023. Long-term Financial: Focus on ERP implementation, Central Park and water funding programs first. Water rate proposal to run through A & I Commission. Continue to examine other revenue non-property tax sources to help relieve reliance on property taxes. Seek to project and anticipate future unfunded liabilities or cost jumps.