05-15-23-WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 15, 2023 13 Mayor Grant asked who is we? Councilmember Fabel said he supports it and Councilmembers Monson and Rousseau are supportive of it. Councilmember Holden stated the problem she has was that if she goes to the grocery store tomorrow and someone starts talking to her about a problem, instead of bringing it up at the next meeting to tell staff and ask for resources, she would have to wait four weeks for the next work session where they would discuss it. Which means one action item brought forward by a resident will take at least six weeks when it could be done just by adding it to the agenda to discuss it. She didn't understand how they could think that would be right. She supports a deadline for agenda items but she now wouldn't submit an item unless it were an action item as defined by Councilmember Fabel. Councilmember Monson said Councilmember Holden was OK with a Tuesday deadline but requesting to have discussion times, not just actionable items on the council meeting. Councilmember Holden said she is not supportive of the definition of an actionable item as it exists now. And they should restrict sharing of the information to come from the City Administrator and not from individual councilmembers going to other individual councilmembers, which hasn't been happening and is a big concern. Councilmember Monson thought it was interesting that Councilmember Holden felt something would have to go to Council rather than work with staff on items. Councilmember Holden felt she wasn't privileged enough to tell staff what to do with their resources. Councilmember Monson agreed that if an item comes from a resident there shouldn't be four weeks if there needs to be a decision, but wanted the items on the agenda to be actionable as much as possible. So maybe there could be a residential concern standing item. Councilmember Holden said that to her the action item is the decision of staff resources. That's why when she brings forth something like the open house it's because it will make work for them, and it's up to the Council to decide if it should happen. Councilmember Monson said she understood what their role was in directing staff. She wondered if anyone else had any ideas about having a standing item on the agenda if they need to have a discussion item at a meeting that a resident has come up with. Councilmember Fabel said they currently allow councilmembers to give a speech at the end of a meeting and Councilmember Holden takes full advantage of that and she could continue with whatever information from the person she was talking to. Councilmember Holden thought that again defeated the purpose. At the end of the meeting they wouldn't make a decision or dump it on staff, so then it would have to wait until the next meeting. The definition of actionable to her is directing resources.