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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10D - Report Regarding City Council Work Sessions O~ PRIO/t ~ "(" f..., ~ u ~ h"j ~lNNESO"\~ MEETING DATE: AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSION: 4646 Dakota Street S.E. Prior Lake, MN 55372-1714 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT March 15, 201 0 ~ 100 Frank Boyles, City Manage CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A REPORT REGARDING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS Introduction The purpose of this agenda item is to request that the Council give some thought to and discuss the format, timing and scheduling of work sessions for the coming year. Historv The City Council bylaws provide that, "the City Manager may schedule work sessions subject to Council approval. The purpose of the work session is to afford the City Council, City Manager and City staff the opportunity to discuss policy matters in a more informal environment. Public input will not be allowed unless specifically scheduled on the agenda. The work sessions may be cancelled at the discretion of the City Manager." The work sessions are publicly noticed on the agenda sheet, Prior Lake American and Website. They are open meetings under the law. The City Council may not take action at a work session. Council action may only be taken at regular, special or emergency Council meetings. In January I placed an item on the agenda to discuss this topic. I withdrew the item to provide Mayor Myser and Councilmember Keeney with the opportunity to participate at some City Council meetings and workshops before being asked to evaluate the format, timing and scheduling with the rest of the Council. Current Circumstances For the last few years, City Council work sessions have been conducted beginning at 4:30 p.m. on regular City Council meeting nights and concluded at about 5:50 p.m. The work session format would typically provide a staff report followed by the opportunity for discussion and questions by the Council. From a staff perspective, the existing work session format has the following strengths and weaknesses. Strengths: . The frequency provides for regular opportunities for City Council and staff discussion and interaction. . By utilizing Council meeting nights, the work sessions do not require additional evening work for staff and Council. . The timing of the work session allows staff and Council to "work right through" because a light meal is served. www.cityofpriorlake.com Phon~952A47.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245 . The time is generally agreeable to members of other public bodies, committees or staff members who periodically attend to provide information or participate in the discussion. . Staff members do not wait around between the end of the work day and the beginning of the Council meeting. Weaknesses: . The staff finds that due to the complexity of the topics, there is insufficient time to provide a comprehensive report including all key variables. . The length of the current work sessions means the staff has to "fragmentize" topics in small enough portions that they can be addressed in less than one- and-a-half hours. . It seems like the Council would like more time to discuss the relationships between issues or implications of alternatives and one-and-a-half hours does not provide sufficient time. . Work session frequency (every Council meeting) may cause Council and staff to get a little numb from the onslaught of subjects reducing the value to everyone. . If time were available before some Council meetings, the Council could use that time to interact with other public and governmental entities that they are required or desire to meet with annually. We could meet with the County Board, townships, adjacent cities, school board, watershed, etc. There are various options available to the Council regarding how they would like to see the work sessions conducted, for example: 1. Retain the existina format since it has proven to be reasonablv effective. Havina the Work Session occur prior to the Council meetina involves minimal additional Council time involvement. (Strenaths and weaknesses are summarized above.) 2. Conduct one Council meetina each month and have the work sessions scheduled on the other meetina niaht. Strengths: . Work sessions can be as long as desired. . Council members do not have to hurry to get to city hall by 4:30 p.m. . Time is available before the monthly Council meeting to conduct joint meetings. Weaknesses: . One meeting a month works in a slow economy, but may be insufficient when things improve. . Work sessions may become too long to get everything covered in 12 meetings each year. . Customers may have their agenda items delayed because there is only one meeting each month. . Customers may have difficulty remembering which meeting is which. 2 3. Conduct one Council meetina each month and have the second meetina include a brief meetina (forum. minutes and consent items) and a work session. Strengths: . Routine items and urgent matters can be addressed at either of two meetings. . Two forums each month continue to be available. . Greater time is available at the work session. . No additional nights would be needed to conduct City business. . Time is available for additional joint meetings if desired. Weaknesses: . Public hearing, old business and new business items may be scheduled only once each month so customers may be delayed. . One or both monthly meetings may become too long trying to get necessary work accomplished. . Items which are not consent may be included as such to get them done in a timely manner. . Customers may have difficulty remembering which meeting is which. 4. Stav with existina Citv Council meetina and work session format. but start Council meetinas at 7 c.m. rather than 6 c.m. Strengths: . Provides additional work session time each night. . Provides two complete Council meetings each month. . Provides capacity for 24 work sessions each year if needed. . Entails the least change except for the status quo option. . Starting Council meetings later may help residents to be able to make the meeting. Weaknesses: . Council meetings could go later making it harder for people to watch until the end. . Later Council meetings mean a longer day for the public who wish to testify, consultants, staff and Councilors. 5. Stav with two monthlv Council meetinas startina at 6 c.m.. eliminate work sessions before Council meetinas and have work sessions on a separate niaht. Strengths: . Makes it easier for Council members to get to the Council meetings after work. . Retains two regular meetings per month. . Allows work sessions to be longer because they are scheduled on a different night. 3 Weaknesses . Adds another meeting night for all participants each month. . Causes a gap between the end of the "normal" business day and the Council meetings. ISSUES: Newer Council members, because of the need to learn, may want or require more or longer work sessions. As the Council becomes more experienced, needs of Council members may change. For these reasons, it does not seem unusual that the format of City work sessions may change from time to time. Moreover, the economy in which we operate can change. A better economy may necessitate the capacity for longer, more frequent Council meetings. A bad economy may require more work sessions to deal with budgetary issues, while the Council meetings themselves are relatively short. With these things in mind, the Council should discuss which of the five options they would like to further consider. In the alternative, the Council could take pieces of various options and ask the staff to prepare additional information. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is not a great deal of financial impact associated with these options. Regardless of when the work sessions are conducted, no per diem is paid as they are considered part of the City Council's typical responsibilities. There are not overtime costs for staff members since (with very few exceptions) the employees who attend the work sessions are overtime exempt. A relatively minor variable is meals and refreshments depending upon the timing of the meetings. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Direct the staff to make whatever changes which may be necessary to implement one of the alternatives. 2. Direct the staff to prepare further analysis with respect to an option not identified. 3. Take no action and retain the status quo. RECOMMENDED As determined by the Council. MOTION: 4