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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2009-01-09 MinutesMINUTES OF THE STRATEGIC VISION/GOALS WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, HELD AT WHITE BLUFF RESORT CONFERENCE CENTER, 28904 WHITE BLUFF DRIVE, WHITNEY, TEXAS - JANUARY 9-10, 2009 Council Present: Oscar Trevino Mayor John Lewis Council, Place 1 Ken Sapp Council, Place 2 Suzy Compton Council, Place 3 Tim Barth Council, Place 4 David Whitson Council, Place 5 Tim Welch Council, Place 7 Staff Present: Larry J. Cunningham City Manager Karen Bostic Assistant City Manager Jimmy Perdue Assistant City Manager Mike Curtis Managing Director Vickie Loftice Managing Director Patricia Hutson City Secretary Elizabeth Reining Assistant to City Manager Absent: Scott Turnage Mayor Pro Tem /Council, Place 6 The City Council met January 9, 2009 beginning at 9:30 a.m. and concluded on January 10, 2009 for the purpose of reviewing and setting goals and priorities. Mr. Randy Pennington, Pennington Performance Group, was the facilitator for the work session. Mayor Trevino called the work session to order on January 9, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. with Council and Management Staff present as recorded. Mayor Trevino advised Mayor Pro Tem Turnage would be arriving late. Mayor Trevino and City Manager Cunningham made opening remarks and each of the Council Members were given an opportunity for remarks. Mr. Pennington gave a brief overview of the planning session and reviewed the agenda and the objectives. The Council established ground rules for the work session. Mr. Pennington asked Council if the Council Code of Conduct (House Rules) previously established were still applicable. Council reviewed and discussed the Rules and reached the following consensus: • Council agreed that while some of the rules were not relevant for the existing Council, they needed to remain in writing for future Councils to know what is expected. • Mr. Pennington called to Council's attention that while ethics was a theme throughout the rules, the Rules did not contain a statement about ethics. Council Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 2 felt that because ethics was intertwined throughout the rules there was not a need for a specific statement. • Council concurred that the intent of the statement Support council decision's regardless of individual opinions was to support Council's final decision once Council made a decision. Council concurred that the word final should be added. • Council clarified that Be Open with Communications meant to share information that others would benefit from knowing and to be transparent in operations. Questions and concerns should be communicated in advance whenever possible. The statement Don't blindside staff, council and others should be rephrased. Council concurred with rewording the statement to Don't blindside staff, council and others to sabotage. • Council discussed the various types of emails being received -messages to specific council members from citizens, messages to all council members, requests for information and complaints -and the best way to obtain the information needed to be responsive to the sender. Council was supportive of setting up an email response system to be coordinated by the Assistant to City Manager where emails received by Council that needed background information from staff would be forwarded for a response. Council also discussed the need for a central location for telephone and email complaints and issues. The concurrence of Council was for Staff to develop a process that will responsively handle questions, complaints and issues received from the citizens and keep Council informed of responses. • Council concurred with rewording the last statement - Be cautious about responding to emails from individual/citizens. Only respond to sender.... -with the following wording - Be responsive. Follow practice and procedure regarding communication; Be aware of the open meetings law and be cautious about responding to electronic communications. Mayor Trevino recessed the work session at 10:52 a.m. and called the work session back to order at 11:04 a.m. Council began discussion on opportunities to improve communications between Council and Staff. Council discussed what Staff does that allows Council to be successful and what Staff could do to allow Council to be more successful. Staff will continue to work on helping Council feel comfortable with the information being provided and Council needs to help Staff understand the detail of information they are seeking. Council also discussed Council-to-Council communications and what Council is doing that allows it to be successful. Council expressed kudos to the Mayor for sharing his calendar and inviting all of Council to participate in the events. Staff will continue to work on helping Council feel comfortable with information provided to them. Mayor Trevino recessed the work session at 12:04 p.m. and called the work session back to order at 1:15 p.m. Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 3 Council Present: Oscar Trevino Scott Turnage John Lewis Ken Sapp Suzy Compton Tim Barth David Whitson Tim Welch Staff Present: Larry J. Cunningham Karen Bostic Jimmy Perdue Mike Curtis Vickie Loftice Patricia Hutson Elizabeth Reining Steve Brown Patrick Hillis Andy Jones Larry Koonce Mary Peters Dave Pendley John Pitstick JoAnn Stout Mark Mills Craig Hulse Greg VanNieuwenhuize Mayor Mayor Pro Tem /Council, Place 6 Council, Place 1 Council, Place 2 Council, Place 3 Council, Place 4 Council, Place 5 Council, Place 7 City Manager Assistant City Manager Assistant City Manager Managing Director Managing Director City Secretary Assistant to City Manager Library Director Human Resources Director Fire Chief Finance Director Public Information Officer Building Official Director of Planning & Development Neighborhood Services Director Budget Director Economic Development Director Assistant Public Works Director Mayor Trevino welcomed the directors to the session and reviewed the ground rules discussed during the morning session. Mr. Pennington reviewed the agenda and the deliverables. Mr. Pennington asked the group to identify accomplishments since the last planning session in 2006 and led the group in a discussion of performance and accomplishments on strategic goals since 2006. Mr. Pennington reviewed the City's mission and vision statement set in 2006. After a brief discussion, Council reconfirmed the mission and vision. The group discussed the gaps between where the City is currently and the vision for the City. There was extensive discussion on the City's image and the City not being identified for the reasons it wants to be identified. The group discussed how to make the city a destination and increase regional awareness of the city's positive image. Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 4 Mayor Trevino recessed the work session at 2:28 p.m. and called the work session back to order at 2:47 p.m. As a result of the discussion prior to the break on the vision for the City, Mr. Pennington revisited with the Council the Vision statement and the focus to achieve the vision. The group discussed who the target was to live, work and play -for whom to do what. They discussed how they wanted the community to look and feel and the gaps between reality and the vision. Council felt the primary focus should be placed on quality neighborhoods, updated and improved transportation, business and economic development driven primarily by residents and a secondary focus placed on commercial in existing pockets. The group discussed that when the primary focus is placed on quality neighborhoods, business and economic opportunities will result. In some cases, economic development will also drive revitalization in residential development. There was discussion on the need to do a focus website and using Citicable to publicize accomplishments. The Council also discussed ways to reinvest in the community to ensure quality future development. The vision statement was updated to reflect Council's priority of quality neighborhoods. City of North Richland Hills Vision 2020 The City of Choice To live, work and play A community with: Quality neighborhoods (sustainable and revitalized) Exceptional family living and leisure activities Access to Great Business and Job Opportunities. Mayor Trevino recessed the work session at 4:05 p.m. and called the work session back to order at 4:20 p.m. Council was asked to review the eight goals previously set at the planning work session held in 2006 and determine if the goals were still relevant or needed to be modified. Goal #1: Quality Community Development and Revitalization (no changes) Goal #2: Efficient and Effective Transportation Systems -changed system to systems Goal #3: Safety & Security - no changes Goal #4: Financial Stability - no changes Goal #5: Preserve Positive City Image -reworded to Preserve & Promote Positive City Image which was further modified during the next day's discussion to Positive City Image Goal #6: A Sense of Community - no changes Goal #7: Targeted Economic Development - no changes Goal #8: Local and Regional Leadership - no changes There was discussion on whether a ninth goal should be added that addressed the trend for environmental green initiatives. Staff pointed out that it currently was one of Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 5 the objectives to Goal #5. After a brief discussion, the concurrence of Council was to leave it as an objective. Mr. Pennington led the group in a review of each of the objectives for relevance with modifications and deletions being made. The review was completed the following morning with additional changes and new objectives being added. Mayor Trevino recessed the work session for the evening at 5:30 p.m. and called the work session back to order on January 10, 2009 at 8:36 a.m. with Council, Management Staff and Directors present as recorded the previous day. Council continued their discussion from the previous evening reviewing and establishing objectives for each of the goals. The outcome of the discussion was the establishment of the following objectives for each of the goals: Goal #1: Quality Community Development and Revitalization Objectives: • Complete build out strategy • Expedite redevelopment of Calloway Creek Retail Area • Implement Loop 820 study objectives • Implement Blvd 26 Study • Revitalize residential neighborhoods • Complete rail station land use development plan • Ensure compliance with quality housing standards Goal #2: Efficient and Effective Transportation System Objectives: • Maintain leadership role on regional transportation issues • Continue to address congestion and street conditions as it relates to focal traffic flow • Maintain lead on regional rail issues • Ensure future local rail stations • Coordinate Loop 820 expansion with multi-modal transportation needs Goal #3: Safety and Security Objectives: • Maintain low response time • Maintain low crime rate • Provide effective and efficient Police, Fire and EMS • Maintain the City's ability to respond to all large scale emergencies Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 6 Implement shared regional core public safety services where possible Goal #4: Financial Stability Objectives: • Continue pay-as-you go where possible Maintain a stable tax rate and predictable income stream Update the long-range financial plans annually Maintain cash reserve policies • Maximize grant funding Identify and evaluate funding alternatives for achieving strategic vision Goal #5: Positive City Image (Wording for the goal was modified during Saturday morning's discussion from Preserve & Promote Positive City Image) Objectives: • Enhance public information initiatives Continue and enhance communication flow with citizens • Maintain quality public facilities • Focus on and recognize city successes Promote and initiate environmentally responsible programs • Enhance the Public Art Program Increase regional awareness of positive city image Implement the facilities study Goal #6: A Sense of Community Objectives: • Complete, implement trails plan • Expand park and recreation facilities and programs at current high level • Encourage volunteerism and community wide involvement • Maintain cultural arts program • Promote life long learning through Library services • Prepare for demographic changes to maintain our sense of community Goal #7: Targeted Economic Development Objectives • Attract the types of businesses we want in our community • Promote diversity in economic development Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 7 Encourage developers to use existing real estate and locations (e.g. Loop 820, • Boulevard 26, Cottonbelt Corridor, existing buildings and real estate) Proactive strategic land acquisition and management Goal #8: Local and Regional Leadership Objectives: Continue to be involved on committees setting direction for the region Build & maintain relationships that influence decisions in areas where we have an interest Promote service and involvement that bring prominence as leaders that influence the direction in key issues Lead by example, do it better • Maintain leadership role on legislative issues During the discussion to identify the objectives, the following were also identified as possible action items: Consider placing the city's website address on city vehicles Examine the implementation of asingle-family rental ordinance • Develop strategy for foreclosed homes Analyze needs for library services on south side • Upgrade economic development plan • Use City banners to help identify NRH Future use of former Food Lion building • Traffic analysis of the Post Office area • New Animal Shelter • Develop strategic plan to address housing survey results • Maintain and upgrade facilities at Golf Course Gas Ordinance and regulations -communicate regulations city put in place to ensure public safety and minimize impact on residents and environment • Develop plan to identify and revitalize mature neighborhoods Improve property protection classification • Increase communication flow with citizens • Communicate where we are going and what we are looking for in economic development Home Town Core Development Plan Mayor Trevino recessed the work session at 9:55 a.m. and called the work session back to order at 10:13 a.m. Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 8 City-wide priorities were set for 2009-2010 by ranking the objectives. The objectives were categorized into Urgent and Important, Important (on-going), and Maintain (continue at high level). Results of the rankings were: Urgent and Important: Implement Loop 820 Study Objectives Expedite redevelopment of Calloway Creek Area Complete rail station land use development plan • Maintain lead on regional rail issues Implement Boulevard 26 Study • Ensure future local rail stations • Coordinate Loop 820 expansion with multi-modal transportation needs • Maintain leadership role on regional transportation issues • Continue to address congestion and street conditions as it relates to local traffic flow • Implement shared regional core public safety services where possible Identify and evaluate funding alternatives for achieving strategic vision • Maintain a stable tax rate and predictable income stream Implement the facilities study • Expand park and recreation facilities and programs at current high level (Recreation Center) • Attract the types of businesses we want in our community • Encourage developers to use existing real estate and locations • Proactive strategic land acquisition and management • Maintain leadership role on legislative issues Important: • Complete build out strategy • Revitalize residential neighborhoods • Continue and enhance communication flow with citizens • Ensure compliance with quality housing standards • Promote diversity in economic development • Complete, implement trails plan • Enhance public information initiatives • Focus on and recognize city successes • Promote and initiate environmentally responsible programs • Enhance public arts program • Prepare for demographic changes to maintain our sense of community • Promote life long learning through library services • Encourage volunteerism and community wide involvement • Increase regional awareness of positive city image Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 9 Maintain /Continue at High Level • Provide effective and efficient Police, Fire and EMS • Maximize grant funding • Maintain cash reserve policies • Maintain low crime rate Maintain low response time Continue pay-as-you-go where possible • Update the long-range financial plans annually Lead by example, do it better Promote service and involvement that bring prominence as leaders that influence the direction in key issues Continue to be involved on committees setting direction for the region Maintain quality public facilities Maintain the City's ability to respond to all large scale emergencies • Build and maintain relationships that influence decisions in areas where we have an interest • Maintain cultural arts program Council suggested that as objectives are completed, they should be moved to maintain. Mr. Pennington discussed with Council how they would like to define success for the coming year. Council identified as criteria for success - • Ability to cross off objectives or move up • Citizen satisfaction from survey Plan for 820 underway • Implementation of action steps • Council satisfaction. Council agreed that Staff would prepare the action plan for the objectives. Management Staff and Directors were allowed to leave the work session at 11:42 a.m. Mr. Pennington continued the work session with the Council and the City Manager present. There was a general discussion on the focus of the City Manager in relation to the Council's goals and objectives, communications and expectations. The following was identified and discussed: • Lead the organization • Manage broad strategic initiatives • Grow & develop staff to handle the day-to-day operations and be ready to move up • Make sure Staff knows not to blindside City Manager and knows expectations of the City Manager. Council Work Session Minutes January 9-10, 2009 Page 10 Mayor Trevino adjourned the work session on January 20, 2 09 at 1:30 p.m. AP OED: Oscar Trevino -Mayor ATTEST: ~_ G~,~~~ Patricia Hutson -City Secretary o{ten ~ y~ z; r N V o`'k h n~~ ,,~ i