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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 07/23/03 Process MINUTES Eugene City Council Conference Room-Fire Training Center 2nd ^venue and Chambers Street July 23, 2003 5p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Gary Pap~, Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Nancy Nathanson, Betty Taylor, Bonny Bettman, George Poling. COUNCILORS ABSENT: Jennifer Solomon. Mayor James D. Torrey called the work session of the Eugene City Council to order. A.WORK SESSION: City Council Process Session City Manager Dennis Taylor introduced the process session and explained that the goal of the session was to improve the council process. He felt that holding a process session would be beneficial to current councilors and would serve to welcome and orient future new councilors. Mr. Taylor noted that most of the work done by the City Council came from important and immediate needs. He stressed the importance of working periodically toward long-term visions and goals. Mr. Taylor provided an outline of discussion topics for the session, as follows: v~ Relationship building v~ Council norms and expectations ,/ Council effectiveness ¢' Skills attainment (i.e., Roberts Rules of Order) ¢' Council goals ¢' Action plans ¢' Legacy Regarding the concept of a legacy, he explained that it would be beneficial to staff to determine if there was something to hold as a priority. He said he hoped to bring in an outside facilitator to aid in the process. Mr. Pap8 remarked that he had hoped to get to a higher level of process and goal setting. He encouraged the council to pursue the items that the outline suggested. He acknowledged that hiring a facilitator would cost money, but asserted that it would be worth the expense. Mr. Kelly said that he was not optimistic. He commented that this year's goal-setting process was not constructive enough, as the council had created a list of 60 to 70 items. He agreed that MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 1 Work Session- Process Session working on the process was a good idea, but expressed hesitancy at the potential cost of a facilitator. He recommended looking at the "price tag" first. Mr. Taylor agreed, stating that while he would like to hire a facilitator, he realized it was not always fiscally feasible. Mr. Kelly said, regarding the facilitator's article provided by Mr. Taylor, that language on how to put the principles into practice was lacking. Mr. Kelly wondered if the City Manager could act, not so much as a facilitator, but rather as a spark on the issues in the process work. He asked Mr. Taylor what his past experience with this sort of activity had been. Mr. Taylor remarked that the normal way to do this sort of work would be to hold a facilitated two- day retreat once a year. He shared a stow of a city council that had needed much process work and had successfully utilized a facilitator to achieve that end. He recommended hiring Julia Novak or John Nalbandian. Ms. Taylor felt that the public sometimes perceived the council as a factory bent on making a profit. She commented that the best that could be hoped for was for councilors to listen with courtesy. She stressed that the councilors represented different constituencies and had run for council because of different beliefs. Ms. Taylor objected to spending money and time on process work. She added that the process meeting was not accessible to the public, when it should be. Continuing, Ms. Taylor conveyed her opposition to time limits on the councilors' input at meetings as well as limiting the time allotted for meetings. Ms. Nathanson commended the City Manager for his report and proposal. She expressed some skepticism that, after spending time and money on the process work, the work might not yield a better product. She endorsed anything that would aid the council in formulating more focused goals, however, and conveyed her approval of the notion of conducting periodic process work. Mr. Poling approved of the recommended articles concerning council processes. He supported the idea of post-council break meetings. He stressed the importance of finding a way to work together to attain more public confidence in the City government process. Additionally, Mr. Poling reaffirmed his support for time limits. He noted that the City Council of Springfield had time limits and "got things done." He opined that the reason some meetings ran long was that the council dwelled on some points unnecessarily. Mr. Meisner liked the idea of continuous improvement whether facilitated or not. He felt that, unless the process was continuous, it would hinder ongoing improvement. Mr. Meisner said that the concept of council goals was unclear. He wondered if the goals were outside of what the council normally did. He shared Mr. Kelly's skepticism. He commented that it would be necessary to agree to the process in order to guarantee open, willing participation. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 2 Work Session- Process Session Ms. Bettman asserted that skills attainment was very important. She felt that it was beneficial to "bring new councilors up to speed." Ms. Bettman opined that this council worked hard and accomplished much and no one was obstructionist at this time. She questioned the applicability of team-building exercises and goal- setting. Mr. Taylor responded that, should the council focus on goals, it could arrive at an end product, such as a document of agreement on behavior or an agreement to have a periodic obligation to get back to the City Manager regarding the performance of council, staff, and the manager. He advocated for building a better trust and connection between council and staff and between the councilors. Ms. Bettman commented that it was an ideal to aim for, noting that the council did have goals but they were selectively implemented. She asserted that any money spent on team-building would be wasted as, in the setting of a City Council, everyone was their own team. She felt that the most important thing to do was to determine broad objectives. As an example, Ms. Bettman said that everyone agreed that a police station was needed, but when looking at how to implement the project, the councilors had different objectives. Mr. Taylor stressed that he had seen the team-building process work. He called it the "trick" behind governing, that of how to move forward while representing a wide array of people. He felt that the people had similar visions, but had different approaches in pursuing their visions. Mayor Torrey related that Ms. Solomon had indicated to him that she supported the concept of process work but had expressed hesitancy in hiring a facilitator. Mayor Torrey asked those present to consider if they wanted to leave a legacy of having been a "great team" or whether they wanted the legacy to be that they had "gotten something done." He said that everyone on the council had at least two goals. He felt uncertain that a facilitator was needed to move the process work forward. Additionally, Mayor Torrey remarked that the present City Council was not disruptive and carried out its responsibility for municipal government respectfully. In response to a question from Ms. Taylor, the City Manager said that two members of the council had requested that this sort of procedure be investigated. He recommended that the council and immediate staff spend time annually in a retreat environment on process work. Ms. Bettman expressed concern that the council would be pressured into pursuing the agenda of the majority, in which case the process session's process and outcomes would be indistinguishable from current council agenda setting, which was majority-dominated, and minority exclusionary. Ms. Bettman commented that the media should note that the council did behave with respect to one another. She felt the council got a "bad rap" in the eyes of the press and that the council and mayor should do what they could to refute this. She opined that hiring a facilitator would play into this misconception. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 3 Work Session- Process Session Mr. Kelly asserted that the goals process was in need of work. He felt that this year's process had left a gap. He shared the concern that ground rules were needed in advance of such a process, adding that he believed in the value of an annual retreat. Mr. Pap8 said that the council process had improved, but could use more work. He agreed with the City Manager that a facilitator would be useful, particularly for goal-setting. Ms. Nathanson related that the City Council had a facilitator come in and aid its process some years ago and she still had the materials she had been provided with at that session. Ms. Nathanson commented that there may be a perception on the part of the public that the council was divided, but councilors play into the perception when there is discussion on how divided the council is when the camera is on. Ms. Rose suggested that staff could write something on the council's notable achievements and then release it to the press. Mr. Taylor averred that improving the process was vital to the community and the council in the first years. He felt that the community wanted the council to be better and the process could help to determine what the different perceptions of how to improve would be. Mr. Taylor related that staff sometimes felt disrespected. He thought the council could work more effectively in communicating with staff, particularly at public meetings. Mr. Meisner responded that it was difficult to determine how to make the process better without a specific example of an area in need of improvement. Mr. Meisner opposed measurable outcomes. He disliked service profiles because of the cost involved. Continuing, Mr. Meisner stressed that political majorities act, whether one way or another. He felt that the council should speak with one voice once the vote has been cast, and that it was understood there was not unanimity in everything. Ms. Taylor wished to know how to communicate dissatisfaction with staff. She said she would like to examine the communication with regard to the hiring, firing, and retention of staff as well. Ms. Taylor related that the facilitator who had been utilized previously suggested that the political season was not a good time to accomplish anything. She noted that when she ran for office, some people were running on a platform of civility alone. Ms. Bettman commended the aspirational value of Mr. Taylor's proposal. She expressed her personal commitment to holding to the guidelines upon which the councilors had agreed. Ms. Bettman conveyed her frustration with the three-minute time limit, stating that there was only enough time to briefly make a point but not emphasize what was positive. She asserted that once the City Council had directed staff to pursue a work item, staff should address how the item could be accomplished. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 4 Work Session- Process Session Mr. Pap8 said that he heard feedback from the public that the camera dictated how the City Council was perceived. He said that he heard Mr. Taylor asking councilors not to vilify staff. Mr. Taylor agreed with this, stating that should councilors not be happy with a specific person, they should speak directly to him. Mr. Pap8 asserted that prior to a goal-setting session, the process needed to be determined. Mr. Pap8 moved to utilize the proposal set forth by City Manager Dennis Taylor for City Council process work. Ms. Nathanson provided the second. Mr. Kelly raised some points of contention. He reiterated a need to know the cost of a facilitator prior to making a decision on hiring one. He expressed that a retreat should build from common ground, rather than from the majority vote. Mr. Kelly offered the following friendly amendment to the motion, that it move forward with the proviso that goals and objectives set in such an activity be approved of by at least seven of the nine participants. Mr. Pap8 and Ms. Nathanson accepted the friendly amendment. Ms. Nathanson expressed skepticism that seven people would vote in unison. She suggested that the council adopt just the first part of Mr. Taylor's proposal and then, at the September meeting, the council could consider accepting the rest of the proposed schedule. She offered this as a substitute motion. Ms. Bettman said that she wanted the vote to be without the Mayor, as he did not routinely vote unless it was to break a tie. She reiterated her opposition to team-building exercises. Mr. Taylor summarized the discussion thus far, as follows: · the council had reservations regarding the hiring of a facilitator for the process; · should a facilitator be hired, staff should look locally first; and · a retreat held once a year after the break process was acceptable. Mr. Taylor asked the council how it would like to proceed. Mr. Kelly supported the motion, as modified by the friendly amendment. He surmised that the idea was to find what the council could agree on and move from there. Mr. Meisner registered his opposition to the motion. Ms. Taylor left the meeting. Ms. Bettman offered a friendly amendment to the motion to replace "team-building" with language referring to the formulation of mutual expectations. Mr. Pap8 and Ms. Nathanson accepted the friendly amendment. The motion carried, 5:1; Mr. Meisner voting in opposition. Mayor Torrey declared a break. The council reconvened, after eight minutes, at 7:34 p.m. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 5 Work Session- Process Session Mayor Torrey suggested that the council read through the Eugene City Council Operating Agreements a page at a time and provide feedback, as per a suggestion from Mr. Kelly. Ms. Bettman commented that the language in the Introduction needed cleaning up, as it was not clear. Mr. Kelly recommended that 1.02 Work Sessions, be clarified so that readers would understand that the 15-minute rule applied to both work sessions and regular meetings. Mr. Pap8 suggested that 1.01 Time of Meetings provide for the possibility of change in the schedule. Mayor Torrey, seeing that there were no further objections to the first page of the document, declared it to be accepted with the aforementioned adjustments. Regarding 1.04 Notice of Meetings, Special Meetings, Emergency Meetings, Ms. Bettman requested clarification. Ms. Walston explained that any councilor could call a meeting, but should less than five show up there would not be a quorum and the meeting could not be held. Ms. Bettman asked what the definition of an emergency was. Mr. Kelly suggested that the council request a memorandum from staff and the City Attorney on this. Mayor Torrey pulled 1.04 Notice of Meetings, Special Meetings, Emergency Meetings. Regarding 1.05 Public Forum, Ms. Nathanson advocated for holding a discussion on Public Forum testimony from people who were non-Eugene residents. She felt that this was time-consuming. Mr. Taylor commented that some parameters could be set. Ms. Walston suggested that the council consider how fine it wanted to "split hairs" as there was a considerable amount of County land in the River Road area. Mr. Pap8 noted that some business owners in Eugene have residences outside of the city limits. Regarding 1.07 Executive Session, Mr. Pap8 related that he had been unhappy with how The Register-Guard had handled the executive session. Mayor Torrey noted that the council could exclude a reporter as a penalty. Ms. Nathanson stressed the importance of not discussing the information shared at an executive session with the press. Mayor Torrey added that it was allowable to leave such a session and speak on it, but that peer pressure not to do so would likely deter a person. Mr. Kelly commented that the language in 2. Placing Items on CouncilAgenda had improved, but it did not reflect the actual process. He suggested that the word "or" be placed between the two sentences in 2.01 Contact the City Managerso that it would be clear there were two different ways of accessing the City Manager regarding agenda items. He commented that 2.02 Council Pofl was awkward. He recommended that language be added at the beginning in lieu of the word "alternatively" that read "sometimes as a result of 2.01 the City Manager, Council President, or Mayor would decide that an item may be placed..." Ms. Bettman called this a "majority controlled agenda." She asserted that this would provide the mayor with twice as much power over the agenda. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 6 Work Session- Process Session Mr. Poling noted that it used to take three councilors to request that something be placed on the agenda. He suggested that this be increased to four. Mr. Kelly suggested that the council provide direction to staff to bring this portion of the document back as a new draft. Ms. Nathanson, noting that it would take one year to adopt this, recommended that the council agree to adopt the document through 2.06 Routine Business Items on the City Council Agenda. Mr. Meisner left the meeting. Regarding 6.02 Standing Committees of the Council, Ms. Bettman commented that the language was confusing. Ms. Walston acknowledged that it was redundant. She clarified that the Citizen Involvement Committee was a committee to the council, as opposed to being a committee of the council, of which the Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (CCIGR) was the only one. Mr. Pap8 suggested that language be included regarding the rotation of councilors serving on committees. Mr. Kelly responded that some committees would be difficult to rotate through as the information garnered in the committee could be complex and difficult to jump into in the middle of the process. Ms. Bettman opposed having a discussion on this at the present and recommended that the issue of rotation be flagged and revisited at a future time. Regarding 9.01 Written Communications from City Councilors and Mayor, Ms. Bettman suggested that the mayor be included in the second paragraph, as follows: · "when writing as an individual, a councilor or the mayor is free..." Mayor Torrey commented, in response to concerns expressed by Ms. Bettman, that he clarified when speaking to groups of people that he was speaking on his own behalf, if that was the case. He felt that the councilors should not be required, as Ms. Bettman had suggested, to declare that they were speaking on behalf of the council every time they did so. Ms. Bettman responded that the item should be flagged for further discussion so that the council could determine if the intent should be made to differentiate the viewpoint from which one was speaking. Regarding 10.01 General Guidelines for Reimbursed Expenses, Ms. Bettman recommended including the mayor in the language. As per 12. Council Chamber and McNutt Room Seating Assignments, Ms. Bettman noted that she had not been rotated to the outside seats. She noted that she had been sitting with her back to the audience for three years at present and that it would be good to be able to see the people who were sitting in the audience in the McNutt Room. She requested that the existing matrix be corrected and implemented. Mr. Pap8 suggested that the council consider holding its Wednesday work sessions at the new conference room in the new public library. Members discussed the merits of the move. Mayor Torrey asked if the group cared to finish the reading of the document. Mr. Kelly suggested that the rest of the document be brought back to the next work session along with the new items. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 7 Work Session- Process Session Mayor Torrey requested that those present indicate with a nod of the head that this was acceptable. All those present affirmed their approval. Mayor Torrey adjourned the meeting at 8:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dennis Taylor City Manager (Recorded by Ruth Atcherson) MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2003 Page 8 Work Session- Process Session