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Home My WebLink About03-16-2009 - Agenda PacketMEDINA, WASHINGTON CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA ST. THOMAS CHURCH, CONFERENCE ROOM 8398 Northeast 121h Street, Medina MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2009 3:00 PM MAYOR MARK NELSON DEPUTY MAYOR JIM LAWRENCE COUNCIL MEMBERS LUCIUS BIGLOW DREW BLAZEY BRETJORDAN BOB RUDOLPH SHAWN WHITNEY CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. City Council Ground Rules 2.2008 Accomplishments 3. Five Year Strategic Plan and Short Term Priorities ADJOURNMENT Next regular meeting: Monday, April 13, 2009; 6:30 pm. CITY MANAGER DONNA HANSON CITY ATTORNEY WAYNE TANAKA CITY CLERK RACHELBAKER 3:00 PM Medina City Hall • 501 Evergreen Point Road • Medina WA 98039 425-233-6400 ph • 425-454-8490 fx • www.medina-wa-gov 1 100 Olive Way, Suite 1800 (206) 441-4144 phone I %"vw.waldronhr.com Seattle, N A 98101 I (206) 441-5213 fax To: Medina City Council Donna Hanson, City Manager From: Dick Cushing, Waldron & Company Subject: City Council Retreat Agenda Date: March 5, 2009 ♦ At a retreat on June 24, 2008 the City Council developed a list of Ground Rules to guide the conduct of business at Council meetings as well as Council/Staff interaction. At that time the Council agreed to continue its work at a future retreat after the new city manager was hired. That retreat is now scheduled for March 16, 2009. Attached is a proposed agenda for your review and consideration. There are two objectives of this agenda. The first is a review of the Ground Rules developed last year and the second is setting some long term (five years) strategic goals and some short term priorities to implement those goals. A lead in to this work is a retrospective look at 2008 Accomplishments. The following is a little more detail on each part. 1. Ground Rules: Councilmembers should review the Ground Rules prior to the retreat and be prepared to discuss in terms of, are they being used and followed, do some need to be modified or deleted and is there a need for additional Ground Rules. 2. 2008 Accomplishments: Because of the press of business many organizations don't take time to identify and celebrate their accomplishments. Doing so often reveals a longer and more impressive list than might have been thought and can be informative for not only the City Council but also the staff and the public. Such a retrospective look is also a good spring board to focusing on strategic goals for the future. 3. Strategic Goals and Priorities: This section is in two parts. The first will ask Councilmembers to think about Medina in five years. What does it look like, how is it different from now, where do you want to be and/or what do you want to have accomplished? This will result in a short list of Five Year Goals. The second part will ask Councilmembers and your City Manager/staff to identify what needs to be done in the next year or two to move the City toward achieving those five year goals. I understand you will be discussing the retreat agenda at your meeting on Monday March 9th and will provide your feedback to Donna Hanson at that time. In the meantime, I would be happy to discuss any of this with your directly. My office phone is 360-786-1893 and my cell phone is 206-931-1218. See you on March 16th. City of Medina City Council Ground Rules For City Council Meetings Council/Staff Interaction The following ground rules are established by the Medina City Council to guide how the City Council conducts its business at City Council meetings and interacts with the City staff. The goal is to provide direction in how Council Members are expected to treat one another, city staff, constituents and others they come into contact with in representing the City of Medina. It further clarifies the City Council's expectations of citizens and staff in the conduct of City business. 1. City Council Meetings: Are most effective when • Everyone on the Council participates in discussion and voting (unless an individual member has a conflict) • Meetings start on time and end on time (or early) • The goal for each agenda item is clear and results in a decision • The Council moves forward expeditiously without rehashing previously discussed information • The City Council conducts itself in a courteous, professional and respectful manner toward each other, the staff and the public. • Council Members maintain a balanced perspective, a sense of humor and have some fun in conducting the public's business • There is effective citizen participation/comment which is: - courteous - respectful - consistent with the appropriate time for comment - not interrupting a presentation or Council discussion - limited to three minutes - on target with the subject being discussed - a summary of more lengthy written material being submitted - Not simply a reading of an item into the record Page 1 of 3 • Items before the Council are addressed in the following order: - An introductory staff presentation including background, analysis, options and a recommendation. - City Council questions of staff - City Council discussion among itself - Public comment limited to three minutes each - Final City Council discussion - City Council decision • The staff (especially the City Manager and City Attorney) participates in Council discussions by offering guidance, advice, options and draws upon their professional experience • The Mayor uses the gavel to control the meeting and move it along including exercising the prerogative of the chair to call for timely breaks • Council Members do not surprise one another or staff with anything that could be discussed before hand so that Council Members and staff can be prepared to respond. • Council Members speak with one voice once a vote has been taken and do not work to undermine the decision of the Council. • Council Members read the agenda packet before hand and come to Council meetings well prepared. • Council Members contact the appropriate staff with questions before the meeting 2. Other City Council Ground Rules: • Council Member contact outside Council meetings: It is considered acceptable for Council Members to contact each other outside Council meetings for the purpose of obtaining information, answers to questions, etc. It is not appropriate to use such contact for the purpose "locking up" votes on an issue prior to a Council meeting to the exclusion of full debate, discussion and considered decision making among all members of the City Council. Page 2 of 3 • Attendance via speaker phone: Each member of the City Council is granted one meeting per year where he/she may be in attendance via speaker phone. 3. City Council/Staff Interaction Ground Rules: In addition to the ground rules above which apply to the staff, the following also apply to Council/staff interaction. • Council Members may ask for up to one hour of research on a City related topic or issue as long as the cumulative effect does not take staff away from accomplishing the Council's work plan or work authorized by the City Council. Anything requiring more staff time should be brought to the full City Council consideration. • Information generated by staff or addressed to the City Council will be sent to the City Council first and anything going to one Council Member will be sent to all Council Members. • City staff should not lobby individual Council Members on budget/financial matters but rather should work through the City Manager. • Council Members should not publicly criticize the City staff. If there are concerns it should be discussed with the City Manager privately. • Council Members should at all times be respectful of staff and treat them as professionals Page 3 of 3