Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/13/1991 Adjourned Meeting 363 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON ADJOURNED MEETING - APRIL 13, 1991 The City Council net in session on this date at 9:15 A.M, for a City Council strategic planning retreat at the Yakima Center, Yakima, Washington. Councilmembers in attendance were Mayor Pat .Berndt, George Pechtel, Skip.Semon and Bernard Sims. Councilmember Lynn Buchanan present after 9:22 A.M.; Councilmember Clarence Barnett present after 9:37 A.M. Councilmember Henry Beauchamp absent and excused. City staff members present were City Manager Zais, Assistant City Manager Stouder, and City Clerk Roberts. Also present was Jay Grandy, facilitator. The session was video taped by Wendy Warren, Cable Communications Manager. City Manager Zais reviewed the Council strategic planning history. Prior to 1989, the City would establish goals and objectives from a strategy legislative point of view. It was not done annually and was not a plan for }he City has a whole. In 1989, a retreat was held with Jay Grandy as the facilitator, to develop a mission and vision statement for the City. After that meeting, the statement was taken to City management staff for their input. They were then asked to develop their own mission and vision statement for their department. The mission and vision statement was adopted in May of 1989. This statement influenced the policies for the 199'0 and 1991 budgets. The . next level beyond this meeting would je another joint meeting with the staff to revisit and focus our position. There are multiple, competing objectives. Staff wants Council to know where we have come from, where we are, and where to go from here. Mr. Grandy stated we are going to do some planning today, not try to solve problems. He stated that Council should revisit the presentation he made to them two years ago. Although his experience is not with city government; he is going to talk about a concept of management. (Councilmember Barnett present after 9:37 A.M.) The idea is how to manage through direction. Council needs to recognize that the seven of you who give direction, don't do the work. Mr. Grandy used transparencies to discuss several topics involving strategic management and mission /vision. He described the strategic management cycle involving development, implementation and environmental impacts. The mission defines what the City does; the purpose of the organization. The scope and central thrust of the organization needs to be identified; it may not be measurable. The vi role is to try to see where you want to be in the future. There has to be a strategy on how to get to the vision. The 'environment, opportunities, threats, strengths, weaknesses, critical issues and future assumptions need to be considered. This planing is important for staff to understand Council's goals and the reason for this program. Then comes implementation; operational plans and programs, policies, budgets, techniques. Are the policies supportive of the goals? There are a.fmosoheric cnnditi-ons; need coon vision, develop trust and build credibility, teamwork, support, consensus issues, recognize expertise, applaud performance and retained focus. Council is responsible for the mission and vision statement, strategy, policy, revenue generation and ADJ4.13 /1 36 • APRIL 13, 1991 - ADJOURNED MEETING revenue use. Management has operations, practices, procedures, problem solving, tactics and planning. Under actions, Council needs to review and approve, evaluate and be supportive. Management needs to decide, analyze, recommend, make proposals, follow -up, establish and delegate. These are two different roles, but you have to be working towards the same kinds of things, There has to be a common purpose. Discussion ensued regarding communication with staff and conflict resolution, and City /County conflict. Mr. Grandy suggested reviewing the mission and vision statement. The existing mission statement reads: The mission of the City of Yakima is to provide superior services • and public facilities for the people, businesses and institutions within the City boundaries, or where legally obligated to provide urban services, in order to enhance the quality of life and economic environment, within the community's willingness and ability to pay. Vision: Social, cultural, educational, recreational, and diversified economic center for the I -82 Corridor Clean, safe, and aesthetically pleasing environment Progressive, equitable, and responsive City Council leadership • Dependable, and cost effective municipal services provider on a per capita basis Challenging and supportive work environment, promoting equal opportunity, with motivated, effective employees, recognized for their contributions and expertise • It was the general consensus of the Council to delete the phrase, "or where legally obligated" and insert "where appropriate" in the mission statement. It was the general consensus of the Council to amend the first vision statement to read, "Social, cultural, educational, recreational, and diversified economic center"; the fourth statement to read, "Dependable and cost effective municipal services provider." The revised mission and vision statements read: "The Mission of the City of Yakima is to provide superior services and public facilities for the people, businesses and institutions within the city boundaries, and where appropriate, in order to enhance the quality of life and economic environment, within the community's willingness and ability to pay." • • ADJ4.13/2 ii ' APRIL 13, 1991�.k -, OURNED MEETING 365 "The.'Vision of the City of Yakima is to be a . 'Social, cultural, educational, recreational,. and diversified . .economic center II 'Clean - safe and aesthetically pleasing environment • Progressive, equitable and responsive City leadership, .Dependable and cost effective municipal services provider :. ' Challenging and supportive work environment, promoting equal opportunity, with motivated, effective employees recognized for ' their contributions and expertise ". Councilmember Pechtel brought up for discussion a previously proposed weekly or monthly employee awards:; program. Mr.. Stouder stated that several•' departments and divisions' have done. that, and staff has asked Personnel to look at a city -wide program without affecting what the _•.individual, divisions are doing. Councilmember Pechtel asked if it is `possible to have a small article in the City employees newsletter from . Council: City Manager Zais stated that that could.be done, and it would not have to be done monthly.. Assistant City Manager Stouder commented that the newsletter is done by the employees, and is not edited by • management. Councilmember Pechtel asked if it would make sense, to build . employee morale, to have a Council /work force staff meeting? Councilmembers• would sit down, at several different meetings, and have discourse with everybody. Mayor Berndt stated she thinks the way to build. employee morale is to. show up for the employee's annual breakfast . this next Thursday morning City Manager Zais stated this'could create a lot of•questions by the employees, wanting to know why this is happening. Mr. Stouder stated that if, a _full scale work force planning effort is r initiated, *then it would be appropriate for Council to just walk through " - t ` departments. Councilmember Pechtel asked about taking a. lunch and eat with them. City Manager Zais stated that would appear less threatening to the employees. (Councilmember Barnett absent after 11:45 A.M.) • Councilmembers next reviewed the critical strategic,,issues /priorities. Mr.; Grandy asked Councilmembers for their critical issues. The following . `"' iterns • were viewed as critical issues for the City: ° visual city image, economic development, one city vs two (east side/west law enforcement, parks and recreation, city hall /police facilities, literacy, under law enforcement add youth gangs, maintain and enhance infrastructures (streets, water, sewer, irrigation, transit), issue of ry " ('image of progressiveness to att new industry), workforce development (staff's issue), under city 'image include improving racial problems,. utilizing cultural /ethnic diversity, ° `and money. i ' Following a lunch break, the meeting resumed at 1:30 P.M. with Mayor Berndt and Councilmembers Buchanan, Pechtel, Semon and Sims in attendance. Communications was added to the critical issues list. Mr. Grandy stated that these critical issues should now be prioritized by Council. He asked each Councilmember to pick. two issues that are most important to them and AD J4.13/3 366 APRIL 13, 1991 - ADJOURNED MEETING two issues that are the least important. After this exercise was completed, the top priorities were 1) economic development, 2) communications, 3) city image, 4) parks and recreation, 9) money, and 10) city hall. He stated the other items fall in between the 4th and 9th .priorities. • Councilmember Sims asked what was accomplished ?_ Council can now .tell staff these are our priorities and staff should remember this in developing their departmental plans. Mayor Berndt distributed an article from the Eugene Register - Gu ard , "Adopt Public Safety Plan ", and suggested that perhaps there should be one public safety committee. Councilmember Buchanan stated there is a basic philosophical difference between those who enforce and those who work with fire / EMS. Mayor Berndt commented that maybe Council should look at this differently and get public input. A comprehensive plan on public safety is needed. City Manager Zais stated that there is a major plan Council adopted for the Fire Department. (Mayor Berndt absent after 2:25 P.M.) Council members compared the critical projects against the items on the priority list and the mission and vision statements. City Manager Zais commented that his assessment of this is that this is an ordering process, . but it does not mean that items 9 and 10 do not get any attention. City Manager Zais asked Council if there is any other issue on this list or within the balance of the material that needs further discussion, now or at a future time? Councilmember Pechtel commented that under the city image business, "Yakima - Washington's best neighborhood is a very positive statement about what Yakima, W is. That idea needs to be pushed to continue to develop pride in being from Yakima. • Mr. Grandy stated that the last item on the agenda was to talk about Council /staff teamwork. Councilmember Buchanan commented that the only employee Council has any control over is present today. Councilmember Pechtel commented that a high caliber of professionalism exists among the staff. Councilmember Sims asked if the process goes like this: The City Manager has his meeting with the .Department Heads and tells them this is the focus of the Council and he wants to review their strategic plans based on this and then Council meets with the Department Heads and tells them if they are right. City Manager Zais stated the process from here would be to take this back for a quick overview. Department Heads would like to come back to Council in a group setting before finalizing any group strategic plans. The next level to review is the project work area. Each department benefits from those kinds of group sessions with the Council. Some of the support staff needs to be included in these discussions. Councilmember Sims asked how the staff knows that they are making progress on these goals on a : month- to-month basis? City Manager Zais commented that Council gets statu eports from the "carious divisions and asked if Council wants anything,..different from that. Councilmember Sims asked for a page per .division of charts and graphs that they think are pertinent to achieving' these goals,.. that the department heads set up as the critical issue. City Manager Zais stated that if Council thinks a • ADJ4.13 /4 • 367 APRIL 13, 1991 ADJOURNED MEETING graphic pictorial is something we should try, staff will brainstorm that in the the department meeting. Councilmember Sims stated if it is not important to all the Councilmembers, then he doesn't want another job created. for staff. Councilmember Semon suggested reviewing this whole 11/ report issue. Councilmember Buchanan proposed a meeting with staff bringing a stack of the reports provided to Council nonthly and quarterly and then go through them and see has many are really important to receive. City Manager Zais commented that he would like to avoid a report on • reports; some reports are legally required. Mr. Grandy encouraged staff to follow through and conduct the other level . of Meetings with the staff. City Manager Zais' stated the support Council • has for the staff and the confidence expressed for him and the staff is a positive Way to end this meeting. • The meeting adjourned at the hour of 3:40 P.M., to then meet on Tuesday, April 16th at 11:30 A.M. at the Rio Mirada. • READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: ' •oUNCIL MEMBER . DATE 4 V 02.--cr •MIL mER • ATTEST: 0 d ' '46 - • / ' S • '' (31/ • CITY CLERK MAYOR • _ . ' - ,t • ADO4.13/5