1C, CIP Review Process Discussion

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1/16/2009 Page 2 The advantage of reviewing projects by year is that it provides an overall view of everything that is happening in a given year, and enables priority setting across all projects. The disadvantage is that it is more difficult to see how projects in one year relate to projects in other years. The advantage of reviewing projects by type is that it enables a focus on specific project types, both in a given year, and over a 5-year period. The disadvantage is that it is more difficult to see the overall picture of all projects for a given year. The advantage of reviewing projects by department is that it enables Council to see how departmental projects relate to each other in a given year, and over time. It also provides a picture of what the department is planning to accomplish over time. The disadvantage is that it does not provide an overall picture of all projects in a given year. In terms of project review, it has also been pointed out that the Council members each focus on different projects, in terms of wanting more in-depth information. This results in spending time at a work session discussing details about projects that most of the Council may not need. An alternative is to provide a significant amount of information regarding each project for discussion at a work session. Then, if a Council member wants more information than is provided by the presentation and discussion, this can be provided through communication directly between staff and the Council member. Recommended Review Process Based on the discussion above, the recommended process for review of the CIP is to continue to provide project information by year and project type, but to present the projects by department. Each department will present their projects by year and by type. Council will have an opportunity to ask questions, etc. If one or two Council members need more in-depth information regarding a project, the department will follow-up to provide this information directly to the Council member(s). The presentation of projects to the Council will begin at the regular February work session, and could continue to additional work sessions, depending on how long the review process takes.