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Home My WebLink About05/09/1989 Study Session 154 MAY 9, 1989 STUDY SESSION The City Council met in session on this date at noon at the.Holiday Inn, North 9th Street, Yakima, Washington. Council members present were Mayor Pat Berndt, Clarence Barnett, Henry Beauchamp, Lynn Buchanan, Jerry Foy, and Bernard Sims.. Council member Lynn Carmichael absent and excused. City staff_members present were City Manager.Zais, Assistant City- Manager Stouder,..City: Attorney Vanek, Jerry Beeson, Fire Chief, Pleas Green, Police Chief, Dennis Covell,'Director.of Engineering and Utilities, Glenn Rice, Director of .Community .and Economic Development, Jerry Copeland, Public Works Director, John.Hanson, Director of Finance and.Budget, and City Clerk,Roberts (present.after,1:00 p.m.). • STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLANNING :DISCUSSION. 1. REVIEW OF . CITY. COUNCIL PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY OF YAKIMA ESTABLISHED OCTOBER 7, 1986 Council.members.did.not.discuss this item. 2. CONFIRMATION OF CITY .COUNCIL DRAFT.MISSION.AND VISION STATEMENTS FROM MARCH. 29,'1988'0R REVISED DATED JUNE 22, 1989 Following.discussion,,it was MOVED BY.SIMS, SECONDED. BY BEAUCHAMP, TO ELIMINATE THE WORD, "COUNCIL" IN THE VISION PHRASE, "PROGRESSIVE, EQUITABLE, AND.RESPONSIVE. CITY COUNCIL. LEADERSHIP ". Unanimously carried by voice vote. Carmichael absent. It- was MOVED:.'": BY.:' : SIMS SECONDED; , .BY. . BARNETI',, TO :. ACCEPT 'THE .: MISSION . . STATEMENT AS `AMENDED a ADDING._::. THE PHRASE " OR:::.WHERE . LEGALLY;_ OBLIGATED : T :PROVIDE::.:.URBAN _ SERVICES" , ;: PROVIDED _ .:IN , EXHIBIT.; II -B:. Unanimously carried by..voice vote. Carmichael absent 3. CITY:_MANAGER OVERVIEW OF CRITICAL STRATEGIC ISSUES FACING THE CITY DURING 1989 AND FUTURE YEARS City Manager Zais reviewed Exhibit III in the Strategic Planning Review booklet... Some:critical strategic issues are implementation of capital improvement projects contained in the 1) Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plans, Six -Year Street Transportation Improvement Plan and the Parks Capital Bond issue;.2). establish future capital improvement. project. priorities; 3) pursue funding for staffing, operation and maintenance. of .a law. enforcement- minimum security holding facility; 4) pursue .Eastern Washington legislative initiatives. and prioritiesand design local option funding choices . to meet needs of Eastern Washington cities; 5) create an urban area planned.. annexation,, community development and investment program; 6) guide..regional land use planning:and promote commercial and residential investment within the . Central Business District; 7) continue pursuit of '.Rattlesnake,•Creek Dam/Water Storage Project and Federal Enhancement legislation;. 8) continue to. exercise political and legislative leadership in War: on Drugs; .9) promote quality,. efficiency. and .productivity ..in delivery. of .municipal. services; 10)..update..City's.five -year data. processing strategic plan; 11) develop a community relations strategy;. and 12) enhance, strengthen and.secure the City's General: Fund revenue base. While, outlining the.capital improvement projects for the.:Water. Treatment Plant, City Manager Zais suggested. :Council...might like to .visit the plant. City Manager Zais informed ..Council the..State.increased the amount of tax:. in the solid waste area by 1% to be passed onto the taxpayers. Council member .Barnett urged staff to educate the public that this increase is imposed by the State and is not a City. increase. /1 yi" 4 a � 15 MAY 9 , x1"989' 4. PRESENTATION BY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.OF MAJOR .CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PLANS, PRIORITIES AND NEEDS FOR "THE FUTURE Assistant City Manager Stouder stated there are three basic reasons comunities get involved in planning,: 1) to address problems, i.e. the Parks issue which started with the closure of the two pools; 2) to plan for replenishment of City facilities, streets, etc.; and .3) to prepare for tomorrow. He said we need to plan for growth. He- stated successful planning requires a strong citizen committee. One of .the. issues on the table is do we want to establish a long term, working, citizen special advocacy group that will help lead us into tomorrow. Council member. Beauchamp commented he thinks we need to concentrate on economic development. There is nothing that shows resources may come in to help us address our needs. What kind of planning can we da to try to beef up the internal ability to pay for it.ourselves ? Mr. Stouder said we would need to expand the tax base. We can plan for the,future, or have a growth we can't cope with. We need to encourage more private investment, the kind that- aleads to,more jobs i What we are . doing now allows investors to make their own plans. Council member . Foy suggested we need to be more creative in our cooperation with investors. Mr. Stouder said we need to be creative in financing, but. we can't . lose sight of , the fact, that we need, to make sure we are delivering quality service., It was .the general. consensus of the. Council to request staff to bring Council additional information on the format of the citizen committee, i.e. what .type of representation ?.How large should the,committee be ?.. 5. INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR PRESENTATIONS REGARDING. CRITICAL DEPARTMENTAL STRATEGIC ISSUES • Administrative Services` , Assistant City Manager Stouder reviewed his strategic management .plan, emphasizing the need.to expand the Personnel Division.into a Human Resources Department. Discussion followed regarding the length of .time involved in the hiring process. ,Council also questioned the need for both a Charter Civil .Service Commission and . the Union representing the employees. City Attorney •Vanek • explained how the, dual process came into being and how it works, mainly to the. detriment of. management. City Manager Zais,suggested staff come back to Council and suggest a process of how .we, deal with Charter Civil.Service reform. Mayor Berndt_ commented perhaps this is an..area where a citizen group could become involved. It - was the general consensus of the Council to accept the suggestion made by__the. City Manager. Legal,Department City Attorney.,Vanek reviewed. his_ strategic management plan, speaking about the work performed by his staff, the increase in staff which will occur this year and the need ,for additional computer equipment and programs. (Council member Foy absent after 3:25 P.M.) Department. of Finance and Budget , . John Hanson, Director, reviewed his strategic management plan, speaking about the increased use of computer programs throughout the City and its .impact on the Information, Systems Division, which will require additional staff. He also .spoke about the changes which have occurred in the governmental accounting principals and standards and its impact on the Accounting Division, indicating an increase._ of staff will be necessary within the next couple of years.. . Department of Community and Economic Development • Glenn Rice, •Director, reviewed his strategic management plan. He said the six most critical strategic issues in his department are City Hall, Block Grant Program, annexation /outside utility issue, Convention Center, Industrial Park and Central Business District. - /2 156 MAY 9, 1989 He briefly spoke about the proposed Urban Area Parks Plan, stating it should be developed with the cooperation and input of Yakima County, Selah, Union Gap, the Greenway Foundation, and Arboretum. Praising his staff, he said they are doing the work of twice the • • staff in•most•other cities. Police•Department • • Police Chief Green reviewed his - strategic management plan and stated the -City Manager already highlighted a 'number of issues facing the Police 'Department. He said the City must .continue the pursuitof legislation -which will enable the City to construct a new poiice including a minimum security jail. •He.said his department is looking at in -car computers within .the.next couple of years to eliminate the need for data entry by clerical staff. He-further. stated the War on Drugs Program needs to be continued. • Fire. Department Fire- Chief Beeson - reviewed his strategic management_ :plan, emphasizing the need- to educate the public regarding -the fire station closure /relocation proposal. He said' there are three major critical issues facing the Fire Department within the next year: 1) how to facilitate and fund the relocation of one fire station ;•2) quickly can-the current department professionalism be improved; and 3•) how to reduce ..operational costs ':or increase General Fund revenue. :flow. There was discussion. regarding emergency medical services (EMS) and the timing for placing it on the ballot. He spoke about the assistance given. to other . departments,.. such as safety training, wellness program, and community mapping system. .1 . Department-of Engineering and Utilities L • Dennis - Covell reviewed his- strategic management plan..He advised Council about.several- issues which will need to. be addressed in the near future, i.e. irrigation system'and water rights. He also spoke about several capital be constructed as a result. of the adoption of the. Water. and.Sewer,Comprehensive Plans. He said Fire Department and Department- of Community and Economic Development are assisting: with data entry for the GINS system. He stated this..is a vital tool, however, he. doesn't have the manpower to complete it. He suggested a mini - division, similar to word processing, be established to complete and update the GDMS system. He outlined..a couple of. new Federal .regulations. which will impact the City, relating.-to storm drainage, and the sewer system, including sludge management. He told Council there. is a lack of adequate support staff in other divisions, such as Legal and Community Development, because of limited resources. Public.Works Department • Jerry Copeland reviewed his strategic management plan. He referred to the proposed Urban Area Parks Plan, stating future annexations will affect.the parks system. He said we need. to know where we are going with those annexations and if the parks systems will need to be expanded. Plus, there are .several agencies. in the area involved in •parks ; - Yakima County, Greenway. Foundation, YMCA,. Allied Arts, etc.; and we need to make sure we aren't duplicating efforts. He stated he wanted to.expand uponnhis strategic management objectives and 'issues. One issue he. would like to see. .improved is worker 'attitude and morale. He said. he_ would also_like to complete the Parks and Recreation Division reorganization. He commented that our regulations cane. from four sources; collective bargaining, Charter Civil.Service, administrative guidelines and.City Code and if any statement in the the other three conflicts with the collective. bargaining, that statement is determined. invalid. He said this leads to confusion and personnel conflicts. He. commented that he has never worked with a group that can get so. much done with so few resources.. (Council member Foy present after /3 157 MAY 9 :I98 • 4:45 P.M.) He said the annexation schedule will be important to our community because that would be the basis for Public Work's staff expansion. • Mayor Berndt thanked the department directors for the time and effort put into this project. City Manager Zais commented the balance of the agenda may have to be discussed at another time. He commented that Council briefly talked about item 6, discussion of other City Council initiated strategic issues, such as the Charter Civil Service. Council member Sims commented the next stage he sees is that Council does some prioritizing so staff understands•Council's priorities and try to relay that information to anyone they come in contact with. Council member Foy said before Council prioritizes these issues and projects, he would like to see what the next level of management sees as priorities. Following further discussion, it was the general consensus of the Council that the next step would be to obtain input from the division managers. It was MOVED BY BARNETT ::; SECONDED.: BY .BUCHANAN,;• . THAT . .:THIS : :MEETING. BE . ADJOURNED AT THE.HOUR" OF. 5103 P..M. .- nanimously .c. Tied by voice vote. Carmichael absent. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: UNC IL M a{ BER TE .COUNCIL MEMB"' 71/17 11 ATE MAYOR ATTEST: • • CITY CLERK • • • • • • 1 • /4