HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 07 10 City Council Work SessionO~ P~~+~'
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
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Date: June 7, 2010
From: Frank Boyles, City Manager
Subject: DISCUSSION REGARDING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS
Introduction
The purpose of this item is for the City Council to discuss the format, timing and scheduling of its work sessions
for the remainder of this year and going forward.
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 maybe cancelled at the discretion of the City Manager."
The work sessions are publicly noticed on the City Council meeting agenda, 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 a regular, special or emergency Council meeting.
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 work sessions before being asked to evaluate
this with the rest of the Council. I again placed this item on the March 15, 2010 agenda. The Council directed that
this subject be scheduled for work session discussion. This is the topic for tonight's work session.
Current Circumstances
For the last few years, City Council work session have been conducted beginning at 4:30pm on regular City
Council meeting nights and concluded at about 5:50pm. The work session format typically provides 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:
Stren the Weaknesses
Regular opportunities for City Council and staff Due to the complexity of the topics, there is
discussion and interaction. sometimes insufficient time to provide a
com rehensive re ort includin all ke variables.
Do not require additional evening work Staff has to "fragmentize" topics into smaller
commitments for staff and Council. onions because of the one-and-a-half hour limit.
Get the greatest productivity on Council meeting The time limit often does not seem to provide
nights by "working right through" the evening. enough opportunity for the Council to discuss the
relationships between issues or implications of
alternatives.
Phone 952.447.9800 /Fax 952.447.4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com
Stren the Weaknesses
The time is generally accommodating to Conducting work sessions every Council meeting
members of the other public bodies, committees may cause Council and staff to get a little numb
or staff members who periodically attend to from the onslaught of subjects and information..
provide information or participate in the
discussion.
Staff members do not waif around between the With 22-24 work sessions, topics may be limited
end of the work day and the beginning of the or some items like annual committee reports are
Council meeting. placed on the City Council agenda as
resentations.
Because of the complexity of the issues, Council members may want or require more or longer work sessions.
Moreover, the economy in which we operate can affect more or less commitment to either the meeting or work
session formats. Abetter economy may, for example, necessitate the capacity for longer, more frequent Council
meetings. A slower economy may require more work sessions to deal with budgetary or other implications. In
addition, the costs for not having effective work session can be considerable if Council and staff are on different
pages with respect to understanding City policies, Council priorities, and financial and planning documents.
With these things in mind, the Council should discuss which of the following options, if any, they would like to
further discuss.
Alternatives
1. Two work sessions per month preceding Council meetings (Existing Format) since it has proven to be
reasonably effective with minimal additional Council time commitment. Strengths and weaknesses noted
above.
2. One Council Meeting per month I One Work Session per month on the 1St and 3~d Mondays beginning at
6pm.
Strengths
• Work Sessions can be as long as
needed.
• Council members do not need to
hurry to get to City Hall by 4:30pm.
• No additional time commitment than
currently.
• Time would be available before the
monthly Council meeting to conduct
joint meetings, or conduct other City
Council appointments.
• City saves meal costs.
Weaknesses
• One meeting a month may not work
with development timelines should
significant new development begin to
occur.
• Work Sessions may become too long to
get everything covered in 12 meetings.
• Customers may have agenda items
delayed.
• If the start time is later, staff will have to
wait around for the meeting.
3. One FULL Council Meeting per month /One ABBREVIATED (Consent Only) Meeting per month I One
Work Session per month on 1St and 3~d Mondays.
Strengths
• Routine items can be addressed at
either of the two meetings each
month.
• Customers would suffer less delay
for Council action than in (2) above.
• Two forums each month continue to
be available.
• Greater time is available at the work
session.
• No additional time.commitments by
staff or Council
• Time is available for additional joint
meetings if desired.
Weaknesses
• Public Hearing, Old and New Business
items may be scheduled only once each
month so customers may be delayed.
• Meetings may become too long trying to
get necessary work accomplished.
• Items not normally on Consent may be
included as such to get them done in a
timely manner. (Council could still pull
items from Consent for discussion)
• Customers may be confused by which
meeting is which.
4. Existing Format But Change Meeting Start; 0 7pm rather than 6pm. Works session would still start at
4:30pm.
Strengths
• Provides additional work session
time.
• Maintains frequency and number of
work sessions per year.-
• Provides 2 complete Council
meetings per month.
• Minimal change.
• Possibly more convenient start time
for the public.
Weaknesses
• Council meetings could get really late
for the public, Council and staff.
• More staff and Council time
commitment.
5. No Change to Existing Council Meetings But Conduct Work Sessions on Separate Night.
Strengths
• More convenient for Council
members to get to meetings after
work.
• Retains to regular City Council
meetings at the existing time and
format
• Work Sessions could be longer if
held on separate night.
• Saves meal costs.
• Opportunity for more work sessions
if needed since they are on a
different night.
Weaknesses
• Adds another night meeting for staff and
Council each month.
• Causes a gap between the end of the
"normal" business day and the Council
meetings.
Other
If the City Council spends relatively little time on the work session topic, I have included a list of topics which have
arisen over time. If there are others I have omitted, please bring that to my attention. If time allows, we could
discuss all or some of these including the priority they have from the City Council's perspective.
• City Council Committees, representation and bylaws -more?, less? Configured differently?
• Development Agreement documents -update to address the pros/cons of Today's economy
• Mail tubes -greater regulation of littering
• Tree Preservation /Grading Ordinance - clarifications to address property not being
developed.
• Second Driveways - changes in current written policy
• Crossroads / Klingberg-Staber properties -commercial /residential relationships
• Outdoor Events -liberalization as requested by Captain Jack's, enforcement
• Noise on/from roadways - amount of time spent,
• Sign Ordinance - revisions to address business concerns
• Golf Cart permit process -making the process more friendly, responding to individual
requests/complaints.
• Commercial/residential distances -100ft from what?
• Innovations - How do they fit with traditional government?
• Organized Garbage Hauling -damage to roads.
4646 Dakota Street S:E
Prior Lake, MN 55372
City Council Work Session Notes
June 7, 2010
Mayor Myser and Council members Erickson, Hedberg and Millar were in attendance. Councilmember
Keeney was out of town on business.
Work Sessions
The work session schedule will remain status quo but several of Councilmember Keeney's
recommendations will be implemented:
• Staff presentations are limited to 20 minutes with questions from council members at the end.
• Materials for the work sessions will be provided to council members by the preceding Friday.
• Staff will identify at the onset the decision point(s) or policy direction(s) sought at the work session.
• The Mayor or City Manager will summarize at the end of the work session the "sense of the
Council."
• Five or ten minutes will be left at the end of the work session for council members /staff recent
news or questions on topics of interest.
2030 Vision and Strategic Plan
To assure that the staff and Council discuss upcoming goals and objectives at the appropriate times and that
citizen updates occur as set form in the document, the following actions will be taken:
• To assure regular updates with council members who have had the .opportunity to be in office for at
least six months, the large group meeting will take place in June of odd-numbered years following
even-numbered year elections. Thus, the public will have input every 24 months.
• On even-numbered years, the City Council and staff will meet as one of the first steps in the coming
year's budget cycle to review and discuss the goals and objectives which will receive emphasis, effort
and funding for the coming year.
Priorities
The City Council reviewed 12-15 priorities. Council members present agreed that the following were to be
pursued by staff:
• Revision/update of development agreement documents.
• Clarification of tree preservation ordinance application.
• Discussion of commercial/residential relationships (i.e. Crossroads, Klingberg-Staber)
• Update of sign ordinance especially for business applications.
M:\COUNCIL\Work Session\2010\OG 0710 notes.doc
Phone 952.447.9800 /Fax 952.447.4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com