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.