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14 Staff Report - Town Council RetreatwM F MEETING DATE: 02-02-04 ITEM NO. L f .Mt . , COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ~~S G AS~g DATE: JANUARY 28, 2004 TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL FROM: DEBRA J. FIGONE, TOWN MANAGER SUBJECT: DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING TOWN COUNCIL RETREAT RECOMMENDATION: 1. Approve the meeting minutes from the Town Council Retreat held January 24, 2004. 2. Discuss and provide direction regarding the suggested actions identified during the Council Retreat. BACKGROUND: The Town Council held a Council Retreat on Saturday, January 24, 2004 at the Toll House Hotel. The purpose of the Retreat was to provide an opportunity for the Town Council to identify and discuss priorities and strategic issues for future consideration. DISCUSSION: Attachment 1 provides the summary of the Council Retreat, including the meeting minutes from the Retreat, and the suggested actions for follow-up (Exhibit A). Staff is seeking Council approval of the meeting minutes, and discussion and direction regarding the suggested actions. The suggested actions represent our interpretation of Council's comments and discussion, taking care to not lose the essence of the comments while summarizing and making clear their intent. Many of the actions are ones the Administration can incorporate directly into our business practices and current efforts. Other actions require follow-up staff work. For these, staff will need to develop follow-up work plans in the context of available resources and the current year's work plan. From a work plan perspective, the most significant of these actions include: PREPARED BY: PAMELA S. JACOBS ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney Clerk Finance Community Development Revised: 1/28/04 11;55 am Reformatted: 5/30/02 d PAGE 2 MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL SUBJECT: DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING TOWN COUNCIL RETREAT (January 28, 2004) • Strategic Plan for 2005 to 2010 - which staff will bring back to Council in Fall, 2004 for Council and public input; • Ad hoc Technology Round Table - for which staff will develop a concept and timeline proposal for Council's consideration; • Town Marketing Plan which staff will bring back to Council for further discussion; • Feasibility of Using Miles Ave. Property for Skatepark and Other Uses - which staff will proceed to analyze and prepare a report for Council consideration: • Status of Playing Fields and Discussions with Schools - which staff will proceed to undertake and report back to Council; • Youth Commission - for which staff will develop a plan for Council's consideration. If Council determines interests or priorities other than the above, Council comment and direction is needed. CONCLUSION: Staff appreciates the opportunity to engage in dialogue with Council at the Council Retreat about the strategic issues and priorities for the future. We believe that the Council Retreat was productive and successful, and look forward to Council's feedback on the suggested actions and priorities noted above. Attachments: 1. Town of Los Gatos, Town Council Retreat, January 24, 2004, Meeting Minutes and Exhibit A, 2004 Town Council Retreat Suggested Actions DRAFT TOWN OF LOS GATOS TOWN COUNCIL RETREAT January 24, 2004 Meeting Minutes TOWN COUNCIL RETREAT The Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos met at the Toll House Hotel, 140 South Santa Cruz Avenue, at 8:45 a.m., Saturday, January 24, 2004 in a Council Retreat. COUNCIL ATTENDANCE Present: Steve Glickman, Mayor Mike Wasserman, Vice Mayor Sandy Decker, Council Member Diane McNutt, Council Member Joe Pirzynski, Council Member VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS No-one from the audience spoke during verbal communications. Purpose of Retreat Mayor Glickman opened the meeting with his vision for the Retreat. Debra Figone, Town Manager, discussed why the Retreat was important from her perspective. Shawn Spano, consultant to the Town, presented the purpose of the Retreat as an opportunity for the Town Council to identify and discuss strategic issues and priorities for future consideration. Meeting Discussion The Strategic Framework Debra Figone opened this topic with a brief overview of the input staff was seeking from the Town Council on the strategic planning process. Pamela Jacobs, Assistant Town Manager, discussed the suggested approach for developing the 2005 to 2010 Strategic Plan and asked for Council comments. Suggested actions are included in Exhibit A. Strategic Issues Discussion The Town Council Retreat also served as an opportunity to discuss key strategic issues, including the Town's fiscal health and the economy; Town communication, outreach, and feedback processes; and community service issues. Staff engaged in a dialogue with Town Council to address questions regarding the key strategic issues and to seek Council feedback. ATTACHMENT 1 Sandy Gordon, Chair of the Parks Commission, spoke regarding the use of Town parks for sports facilities. Richard Konrad, Parks Commissioner, spoke regarding the use of Town parks for sports facilities. Steve Raowulf, Director of Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education and Recreation, spoke regarding the Town's relationship with his agency. Exhibit A, attached to these minutes provides a listing of the suggested actions for follow-up. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Glickman adjourned the Council Retreat at 5:00 p.m. DRAFT 2004 TOWN COUNCIL RETREAT SUGGESTED ACTIONS January 24, 2004 The Strategic Framework There is consensus among the Council to continue the 5-year strategic planning process and to conduct an annual review of the plan. Suggested action: Obtain public input on a strategic plan for 2005 to 2010 through a forum such as a Council'Study Session. Strategic Issue #1: Budget Process Review Council is appreciative of staff efforts so far in keeping them informed about budget issues, and asks that the information provided at the February 240' Study Session be as concrete as possible. Suggested action: Enhance public communication-educate the public-about budget problems and impacts; use the media (e.g., Silicon Valley Community Newspapers) and Town website (FAQs). Suggested action: Reinforce lines of communication with Sacramento to learn about latest budget developments and to secure accurate information. Strategic Issue #2: Town Development Process Council is supportive of efforts to optimize staff responsibility in the development process, and to streamline the process through ongoing, continuous improvement activities. Suggested action: Prioritize the hiring of the Assistant Community Development Director position; ensure continued training for planning staff. Suggested action: Ensure that the Council has sufficient time to discuss roles in land use/development decisions with the Planning Commission (e.g., through a separate Council-Commission retreat for the Planning Commission, or scheduling the Planning Commission for all afternoon on April 24); invite past 3-year departing Planning Commissioners to the retreat; schedule the retreat for later if more time is needed for new Planning Commissioners to get up to speed. EXHIBIT A 9 Suggested action: It would be helpful to include more background information and a context from which to better understand how the project has evolved over time in projects going to the Planning Commission and the Town Council. Suggested action.: Develop and enforce applicant deadlines for submitting materials for review, allowing exceptions on a case by case basis. Delaying a decision should be based on "fairness" criteria, broadly construed to include all individuals and groups who have a stake in the process. Suggested. action.: Council continues to support cost recovery for fee-supported services. The Council concurs that increasing such fees gradually over time (as is now the case with the Cost of Living adjustments built into fees) is preferred, rather than periods of no increase followed by large increases. It is important to avoid the perception that the fee-paying public is being asked to solve the Town's budget problems. Strategic Issue #3: Technology There is consensus among the Council to convene/sponsor/encourage some entity like a "Technology Round Table," composed of Los Gatos residents who have training, resources, and unique expertise in technology. Suggested action: Generate ideas for convening an ad hoc Technology Round Table that would meet once or twice a year to advise the Town on technology trends and their implications/opportunities for the future in Los Gatos. Suggested action: The-Town can make efforts to tie into existing technology groups and organizations that operate at the regional level. Issue #4: Marketing Plan There is consensus among the Council for an "appropriate" marketing plan, using the goals and objectives stated on the staff model plan as a guideline. Suggested action: There is a need to explore the Town's role in a marketing plan in relationship to the business community and the Chamber of Commerce. Bring back the marketing plan for further discussion. Suggested action: Explore seeking a community benefit, when appropriate, to contribute to marketing resources for the Town at a whole. Suggested action: Develop specific indicators in order to assess and evaluate the success of the marketing plan. 14 Issue #5: Use of Parks There is consensus among Council to explore how to use existing parks and find new sites for sports activities and facilities. Suggested action: Staff will report to Council on the feasibility of using the Miles Ave. Town-owned property as a potential site for a skate board park considering the most efficient layout for current and other potential uses (report will not include detailed engineering analysis); and also examine the area adjacent to the Outhouse. Suggested action: The Parks Commission's efforts to identify possible sites for new parks and for sports activities should be coordinated with overall efforts to explore possible sites and feed into an overall strategy. Suggested action: Town should review the status of the playing fields identified in the 1993 study, and facilitate discussions between local schools and soccer groups about using school fields where needed. Suggested action: While seeking short-term solutions for playing fields deficiencies, identifying long-term solutions should remain on the Town's list of strategic concerns. Issue #6: Youth Commission There is consensus among the Council to establish a youth commission, consisting of about 10 to 15 open seats. Commissioners will be recruited through the schools and existing youth organizations for one-year, renewable terms. Suggested action: Staff will bring to Council a plan for developing a youth commission, including charter and selection process. Issue #7: Town's Relationship with Recreation District There is consensus among the Council to continue working with the Recreation District under the current structural arrangement, and to continue to collaborate on issues, events and projects.