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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-28-16-WS AREN HILLS Approved: April 25, 2015 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS,MINNESOTA SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MARCH 28,2016 ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the special City Council work session at 7:35 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Fran Holmes, Dave McClung and Jonathan Wicklund Absent: Councilmember Brenda Holden(excused) Also present: Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Sue Iverson; Acting Public Works Director John Anderson; Community Development Director Jill Hutmacher; and City Clerk Amy Dietl 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. Discussion of Public Works Director/City Engineer Position Vacancy The Council agreed to discuss this item at the next Council work session in order to have all five Councilmembers in attendance. B. Discussion of City Administrator Position Vacancy The Council agreed to discuss this item at the next Council work session in order to have all five Councilmembers in attendance. C. Review of 2011 Council Goal Worksheet Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson stated that at the March 14, 2016 work session, the Council asked staff to provide an update on the previous goal worksheet which was done in 2011. Council's purpose is to look at the goals that have not been completed and reevaluate, realizing the TCAAP development and other projects. Part of the discussion is to include determining how the Council would like to proceed and if a more formal goal setting session or retreat is warranted. Staff reviewed the updated goal worksheets and requested comments or questions from the Council. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—MARCH 28, 2016 2 Mayor Grant questioned when the goals were last reviewed by the City Council. Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson explained that the goals were last reviewed in 2014. Councilmember Wicklund asked how the 2018 Comprehensive Plan interacts with the 2011 goals. Mayor Grant believed that this was a good point and discussed how the City was in need of a comprehensive departmental and committee goal sheet. He provided comment on the history of the 2011 goals sheet. Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson agreed it would benefit City staff to have a well-defined goal sheet. Mayor Grant supported bringing in a consultant to assist in facilitating the drafting of a goals sheet. Councilmember McClung suggested that each department head draft goals and provide this information to the Council for review and further discussion. He stated that he may not want to delve into the goals too deeply considering that three Council seats will be open at the end of the year. He believed the new Council should decide the future goals for the City. Councilmember Wicklund requested further information on the 2018 Comprehensive Plan. Community Development Director Hutmacher discussed the Comprehensive Plan requirements placed on the City by the Met Council. She believed that staff had a good start on this document in preparing for TCAAP. She indicated that the City's water and sewer plans were still in need of updating. Mayor Grant was in favor of the Council establishing a goal document in April or May of 2016 and believed that this would provide staff with direction. He explained that the document could always be adjusted by the new Council in 2017. Councilmember Wicklund stated that he would like to have a better understanding regarding the focus for each department head and how each department is preparing for TCAAP. He liked the idea of having an outside person assisting the Council in facilitating the City's goals moving forward. Mayor Grant agreed that it would be beneficial to understand the work being completed by each department. He believed that a goal document would greatly assist the Council as it plans for the development of TCAAP. Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson stated that at this time, she felt that the City was working backwards. She explained that staff needed to better understand the priorities of the Council in order to work more effectively. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—MARCH 28, 2016 3 Councilmember McClung appreciated the fresh set of eyes that Councilmember Wicklund was bringing to the City Council. Mayor Grant discussed how a goal setting session would benefit both the Council and City staff in order to keep the City moving forward in a positive direction. Community Development Director Hutmacher indicated that she would like to have better direction from the Council on its priorities. It was her hope that she could focus her time more on items of strategic priority such as the Comprehensive Plan and TCAAP and less time addressing lower priority issues. Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson explained that the Council may also have an easier time finding a City Administrator with a goals document in place. Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson discussed several potential consultants that could be contacted for the goal setting session. She indicated she would contact a few consultants and would report back to the City Council. Mayor Grant encouraged staff to pull together its current plans and priorities prior to the Council bringing in a consultant to assist with goal setting. He requested that this work be completed in April in order for a retreat to be held in May with a facilitator. Councilmember McClung requested that a list of goals and priorities be drafted for each department, along with a list of items that have not been completed. D. Discussion of Council Comments and Staff Workloads Mayor Grant stated that Council Comments was originally intended to be comments or simple questions for staff. He indicated that as of late, the Council has directed staff to complete tasks which are longer-term and carry a considerable workload. He encouraged the Council to keep Council Comments to simple comments and questions. He wanted the workload assigned to staff to be done as a Council and not be directed by a single Councilmember. Councilmember Wicklund questioned what the best practice should be for work items for staff. Mayor Grant believed that the best way to manage these situations would be for the requests to go through the City Administrator. Community Development Director Hutmacher discussed how staff feels uncertain about how to allocate staff resources when receiving work direction by one Councilmember. She would greatly appreciate that all work requests come to staff through Council consensus. Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson stated that staff would also appreciate Council requests coming up at work sessions rather than at televised Council meetings. Therefore, a discussion could be had with the Council on what level of detail they want as sometimes it is a quick answer and other times it is more detailed research. ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—MARCH 28, 2016 4 Councilmember Wicklund agreed that there could easily be confusion at the staff level about requests being made during Council Comments. Councilmember Holmes discussed the difference between Council questions and assignments. She wanted all large items to be brought forward at a work session and not at Council Comments. Acting Public Works Director Anderson encouraged the Council to continue contacting him prior to any meetings with questions regarding his staff report. Councilmember Holmes stated that she has always called staff directly with questions. Mayor Grant believed that these questions would be better resolved by bringing all questions to the City Administrator. Interim City Administrator/Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson stated that she had no problem with questions going directly to staff members so long as the staff member reports to her with the discussion. Councilmember McClung believed that the Council could self-police this matter and that this would tremendously improve the situation. Mayor Grant wanted to see the Council maintain status quo and not increase workloads for staff. E. Goodwill Window Discussion Mayor Grant agreed to put this matter on the agenda after being approached by another Councilmember. He believed that one area of the Goodwill is unsightly along Lexington Avenue. The thought was to have the Goodwill put some sort of film or covering over the windows in this portion of the building. Community Development Director Hutmacher explained that staff has heard from residents regarding a portion of the building, especially at night. She indicated that the City cannot require that Goodwill install window treatments. She reported that staff met with representatives from Goodwill and they were receptive to the idea of a window covering and would run this idea by upper management. Councilmember Wicklund appreciated staff discussing this matter with Goodwill representatives and trying to establish a relationship with this local business. He did not want staff to push this matter any further. Councilmember Holmes agreed. Mayor Grant was in favor of the City asking for a window treatment given concerns the City has received. It was his hope that something good would come from this. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—MARCH 28, 2016 5 None. ADJOURN Mayor Grant adjourned the special City Council work session at 8:32 p.m. ha"'7Z J,zAia� Amy Dietl David Grant City Clerk Mayor It, --S EN HILLS Request for Special City Council Work Session A special meeting may be called by the Mayor or by any two Councilmembers. Reason for meeting: 1. Discuss Public Works Director/City Engineer Position 2. City Administrator Discussion 3. Review Old Goal Setting Spreadsheet 4. Council Comments/Staff Workloads 5. Goodwill Window Discussion Requested Date: 3/28/16 Requested time: Immediately following the regular City Council meeting. Open meeting X Closed meeting Signature of person(s) making request: h�AVIY_ 33 1,L / Mayor or Council Member Date Council Member Date -This section to be completed by City staff- Date received: 3 /a 3 / I b Date meeting to be held: 3/28/16 Time of meeting: Immediately following the regular City Council meeting. Location: City Hall All necessary posting and notices have been completed. 3 , Signature of City CI k Date City of Arden Hills * 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills,MN 55112-5743 Phone 651-792-7800 * Fax 651-634-5137 www.cityofardenhills.org