SUMMARY MINUTES OF DINNER MEETING

Monday, June 14, 2004

Shoreline Conference Center

6:00 p.m. Highlander Room

PRESENT: Mayor Hansen, Deputy Mayor Jepsen, Councilmembers Chang, Fimia, Grace, Gustafson, and Ransom

ABSENT: none

STAFF: Steve Burkett, City Manager; Bob Olander, Deputy City Manager; Julie Modrzejewski, Assistant City Manager; Joyce Nichols, Communications and Intergovernmental Affairs Director; and Sharon Mattioli, City Clerk

The meeting convened at 6:25 p.m.

Councilmember Grace reviewed that a subcommittee of the Council had proposed a series of changes to the City’s public participation process. These and other ideas were discussed at the City Council retreat. Councilmember Grace subsequently summarized this discussion in an e-mail. Staff responded to the e-mail with further information and an analysis of the potential outcomes and impacts of each proposal.

Councilmember Fimia felt that most of this discussion should occur in a more public session and that tonight Council should determine which items to move forward in the short term and which are more long-term changes. She said the Council should establish goals, a timeline and a process for consideration.

Robert Olander, Deputy City Manager, added that Council should consider how these proposals fit into the broader Council goal of enhanced public participation. He said staff can propose a work plan for implementation of this goal based on direction provided by Council.

Councilmember Grace suggested that Councilmembers comment on the items in the memo, starting with the proposal for quarterly Town Hall meetings. He said a number of speakers at the community forums asked for meetings focusing on specific subjects.

Councilmember Fimia shared the manner in which she had conducted Town Hall meetings while she was a King County Councilmember. She recommended that the Town Hall meetings could take up various issues, such as amendment of the Comprehensive Plan, and allow the public to provide their issues and solutions.

Deputy Mayor Jepsen wondered what would be the difference between this approach and the open houses currently held. Councilmember Gustafson suggested that the topics not include capital projects.

There was brief discussion of former Mayor Connie King’s drop-in sessions. Councilmember Ransom commented that the attendance at these was poor.

Mr. Olander suggested that staff from various departments could attend the Town Hall meetings and be available informally to answer questions.

Steve Burkett, City Manager, suggested the meetings could possibly be held in conjunction with other community events.

Councilmember Grace felt the focus should be the interaction between the Councilmembers and the attendees. Having specific topics could best attain this. He advised these meetings could be scheduled when Council does not have a Monday night meeting. He felt that by looking at the calendar, the subjects would fall out naturally.

Councilmember Fimia agreed and said the meetings should be scheduled for the year in the four quadrants of the City. ~~People~~ The meetings would have a general focus, but ~~they~~ people could speak about whatever they chose.

Councilmember Gustafson liked the idea of having ~~other~~ staff ~~at the meeting~~attend but he did not support taping ~~them~~meetings.

Responding to Mayor Hansen, Ms. Fimia said the idea would be to have as many Councilmembers as possible in attendance.

Councilmember Chang commented that when people speak, they like to see some response or action taken as a result of their comments. He did not want the meetings to become simply a forum for complaints and requests that individual problems be solved. He said the meetings should have two parts. First, the staff could present all the positive things the city is doing and explain our objectives in the doing them. Then the Council could ask for questions or suggestions about future projects.

Mr. Burkett did not feel a major staff presence would accomplish the interaction between residents and the Council that is the goal of the Town Hall. Councilmember Gustafson felt staff should be available but not make presentations.

Mr. Olander added that the goal is to get away from the formal public hearing format. He said there could even be small group discussions as a way to allow for more dialogue among participants.

Councilmember Fimia suggested topics such as the Capital Improvement Plan, the budget, human services, and transportation. She said the issues could be phrased so people could comment on “How do you want your city to look?” or “How do you want your money spent?” She felt there would be a value in videotaping these meetings.

Councilmember Gustafson summarized that it appeared there was consensus to have staff information tables at meetings that would focus on specific issues.

Turning to the use of the website and the cable channel, Councilmember Grace said the community survey showed the City is underutilizing its high tech assets. He felt the City should consult others in the community, such as the school district, the community college, and the water district, about how to better use these. He supported getting a group of individuals together from various organizations to discuss how to work together.

Councilmember Gustafson commented on student videotaping of activities and said using these resources could enhance the television programming.

Councilmember Fimia proposed that staff develop a proposed list of categories from which the members of an advisory committee could be recruited. She suggested a group of 10 to 14 people, making sure that certain groups are represented. She said the City could call for volunteers from the community and then let them organize themselves. She said the group could be given specific outcomes and a timeline in which to make recommendations.

Deputy Mayor Jepsen feared this could be a “huge financial sinkhole.” He said Council is considering these items before establishing priorities. He said everyone wants to see the website and television channel enhanced, but at this point not even the most motivated citizens seem to be using the web as a resource.

Councilmember Grace said a charge to the committee could be to explain why the website is underutilized. He said the committee would only make recommendations about enhancements, timelines and costs.

Deputy Mayor Jepsen felt the best investment of City dollars is in Currents. He felt an informal, inexpensive method should be used to find out why the website is under-utilized.

Councilmember Gustafson supported the idea of expanding Currents to ten issues per year plus a special budget issue.

Councilmember Grace asked for any undefined costs of increasing Currents publication, i.e., what will not get done or how much will it cost to backfill staff for other activities?

Mayor Hansen suggested that increasing the frequency may result in a diminished return. Given that, he said this item is his first priority as well.

Joyce Nichols, Communications and Intergovernmental Affairs Director, suggested a monthly publication except for January and August. She said there are certain items that simply cannot get into the Currents because of timeliness. Mr. Olander added that the City is now including other items in Currents, such as recreation programming information.

Councilmember Fimia commented on the increased costs. Going to ten issues would add $27,600 to the budget; twelve issues would add $38,000. She also commented on her belief that the contents should be more “balanced.”

Ms. Nichols said the budget issue of Currrents is a model for other municipalities and for the Association of Washington Cities.

Moving on to non-televised public comment and the other public comment suggestions, Councilmember Grace said it would be important if comment is allowed on agenda items to solicit input from all recognized stakeholders. He said the suggestions could be tried and monitored for effectiveness. He also described the idea behind the “community agenda,” which would allow members of the community, with the support of two Councilmembers, to present an item for 30 minutes. He said this could happen once a month.

Councilmember Gustafson felt Council meetings are too long already and suggested that the community agenda idea be integrated with the Town Halls. This would provide an opportunity to try this four times a year.

Councilmember Fimia felt that the community already is trying to bring forward agenda items during public comment. She felt that, in the end, the same amount of time will be spent whether the community can make longer presentations or many shorter ones.

Councilmember Gustafson was reluctant to pursue this idea.

Councilmember Grace noted the time and said the discussion would have to be continued at another meeting. At 7:30 p.m. the meeting was adjourned.

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Sharon Mattioli, City Clerk