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suggested staff ask itself what it was doing, what was missing, and what was working as an integral part of <br />the daily work. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling noted that it was his group's third priority. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly related that staff at Google was required to spend 20 percent of its time on work that was <br />unrelated to any current projects. He felt this helped increase creativity an individual would then utilize at <br />work. <br /> <br />Mr. Carlson supported having more chance to be creative in work. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner thought such time could be built into the calendar. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly left the meeting because of a commitment. <br /> <br />Ms. Hays thought staff should do this as a cultural shift. <br /> <br />Mr. Carlson asked councilors if they did not think that staff was using creativity. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner noted that Ms. Jones had, when looking at youth recreation, stepped back and looked at all <br />options and then developed an innovative plan. <br /> <br />Ms. Solomon asked if executive staff went to professional conferences. Mr. Taylor responded that all <br />executive staff members were very active in their appropriate professional organizations. He noted that time <br />constraints interfered with the ideal in which they spent more time thinking at a higher level and in reference <br />to longer-term goals. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman felt innovation tied into the range of options. She opined that within a universe of ideas, "we <br />do the same things." <br /> <br />Mr. Lehner said the top priority of the third group, which included Mr. Coyle and Mr. Taylor, was clear <br />policy direction from the council. He felt this cut across all of the other priority items. He commented that <br />sometimes there was more clarity regarding policy that drew a 5:4 vote accompanied by vigorous discussion <br />than there was from a unanimous vote with no discussion. He underscored that staff want its work plan to <br />be understandable at a "gut level." <br /> <br />Ms. Hays asked what other issues rose to the top. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling noted that his group had also called out the need for a list of specific descriptions of the services, <br />help or '~tasks" available to any, and therefore all, councilors. <br /> <br />Mr. Chouinard said he and Mr. Carlson had wanted council to identify strategic issues and goals. <br /> <br />Ms. Taylor remarked that her group had also expected staff to have good technical skills to get answers <br />resolved quickly and to be knowledgeable in their field. <br /> <br />Mr. Tallon conveyed that his group also wanted the council to focus on "ends" and practice policy <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 7, 2004 Page 4 <br /> Process Session <br /> <br /> <br />