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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Meeting of the Ames City Council 01/10/2015MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL AMES, IOWA JANUARY 10, 2015 The Ames City Council Special Meeting was called to order by Mayor Ann Campbell at 8:38 a.m. on the 10th day of January, 2015, in Parks and Recreation Office, 1500 Gateway Hills Park Drive. City Council Members present were Gloria Betcher, Amber Corrieri, Tim Gartin, Matthew Goodman, Chris Nelson, and Peter Orazem. Ex officio Council Member Lissandra Villa was also present. City Manager Steve Schainker, Assistant City Manager Bob Kindred, Assistant City Manager Melissa Mundt, and Management Analyst Brian Phillips were also present. REVIEW WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE GOVERNING/DECISION-MAKING BODY: City Manager Schainker asked the City Council to review the list of characteristics that make an effective governing and decision-making body, an exercise which was conducted at the 2014 Council Goal-Setting Session. The council members took turns reading the characteristics and providing their interpretations of what each item means. The City Council was asked how they believe they had done in meeting those characteristics in the past year. Mr. Schainker asked if other characteristics should be added to the list. There were none. The meeting recessed at 9:45 a.m. and was called back to order at 9:55 a.m. REVIEW STATUS OF EXISTING GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND TASKS: Mr. Schainker discussed several components of the existing list of goals, objectives, and tasks. He asked whether the Tenant-Landlord objective is complete. Ex officio Villa stated that from the Government of the Student Body’s perspective, it is complete. There is nothing further required. Council Member Goodman asked whether there was interest in requiring landlords to participate in the Rent Smart Ames site. Following further discussion, Council Member Goodman withdrew his suggestion. Mr. Schainker asked whether there was interest in pursuing the objective to incorporate environmental practices in developing City policies. Council Member Betcher stated that upon researching the topic, she found information online, including a checklist developed for the state of Washington. Mr. Schainker said that City staff could provide a report back regarding that topic. Council Member Nelson mentioned that there was a state energy code. Mr. Schainker suggested that a report could be provided to the City Council outlining what is in this state code. The City Council discussed the “One Community” report. Moved by Goodman, seconded by Betcher, to hold a workshop in Spring 2015 to discuss this report. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion carried unanimously. The City Council discussed the topic of civility among Council Members. The Council Members agreed to adhere to the following concepts: - Responsibility of each Council Member to not let issues fester; address relationship issues with the other person - Commend actions and decisions of other Council Members that you appreciate - Keep body language and tone of voice respectful when others with whom we disagree are speaking - Look for opportunities to make small sacrifices to increase the perception of civility - Be selective in your words - Think the best of the other person - Recognize that we all have different areas of expertise and strengths. Appreciate and build on those strengths - Be careful not to say yes to something just because you know it will make someone feel better Upon reviewing the existing goals, objectives, and tasks, the City Council asked to hold a joint meeting with the Gilbert School District. It was moved by Goodman, seconded by Gartin to hold a workshop to discuss with local experts how to make the City more welcoming to entrepreneurs. Motion carried. Moved by Goodman, seconded by Corrieri, to receive a staff report of the cost estimate to develop a brand communication plan. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion carried unanimously. The City Council discussed the third task for the objective to develop a brand communication plan, which was to incorporate the sesquicentennial message in all marketing endeavors. The Council agreed to drop that task from the list. The meeting recessed for lunch at 12:05 p.m. and was called back to order at 12:25 p.m. DISCUSS OTHER ISSUES: The Council Members discussed the City Council’s objectives related to developing a youth master plan. Mayor Campbell described how she had met with staff from United Way of Story County and the Ames Community School District to identify youth programming opportunities in Story County. It was moved by Goodman, seconded by Gartin, to direct City staff to set up a workshop to hear from 1) at least one organization that has assisted communities in implementing collaborative planning based on evidence-based programming for youth, and 2) a community of similar scale/demographics that has gone through a similar process. Those invited to this workshop will include ASSET funders, the faith community, Mary Greeley, ISU, police, the school districts, and other agencies that work with youth. Motion carried. Discussion turned to the topic of Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) planning. Council Member Orazem asked how the City can be preparing for long-term CIP projects when we know these items must be addressed. He noted that many of these items seem stuck in the fifth year of the CIP, waiting for a plan to fund them. Mr. Schainker stated that it is his role to tell the City Council about things that have to be replaced, and the Council Members must identify the items that they are “dreaming about.” REVIEW CITY COUNCIL REFERRAL PROCESS: The City Council reviewed a report outlining the number and type of referrals the City Council had made during 2014. A graph showing the total quantity of referrals each year for the past ten years was also reviewed. The City Council discussed ways to manage the number of referrals and to consider restraint in referring some items to staff. Moved by Goodman, seconded by Corrieri, to create a policy where code, LUPP, and zoning change requests are discussed only four times per year, with this policy taking effect for referrals received beginning July 1, and first evaluated in September. Vote on Motion: 3-3. Mayor Campbell voted nay to break the tie. Motion failed. The Mayor distributed copies of the seating arrangements for the Council Members around the dais for the upcoming year. CONFIRM NEXT STEPS: City Manager Schainker read aloud the list of tasks the City Council had developed at the meeting. These tasks were: 1. Declare complete the objective to explore creation of tenant and landlord services - including education, complaint and conflict resolution - with GSB, ISU, Ames Rental Association, etc. 2. Add a task for City staff to provide a report on environmental practices in development policies, looking to the Washington state checklist as an example 3. Add a task for City staff to provide a report describing what is required in the State Energy Code 4. Add a task to hold a workshop in spring 2015 to discuss the One Community report 5. Add a task to host the Gilbert School District at a City Council workshop 6. Add a task to host a workshop to discuss with local experts how the City may be more welcoming to entrepreneurs 7. Add a task for City staff to provide a report outlining cost estimates to develop a brand communication plan 8. Remove the task for the communications team to incorporate the sesquicentennial message (Ames: A Smart Choice for 150 Years) and connect community history in all marketing endeavors. This was a task under the objective to develop a brand communication plan 9. Add a task to host a workshop to hear from 1) at least one organization that has assisted communities in implementing collaborative planning based on evidence- based programming for youth, and 2) a community of similar scale/demographics that has gone through a similar process. Those invited to this workshop will include ASSET funders, the faith community, Mary Greeley, ISU, police, the school districts, and other agencies that work with youth. Moved by Goodman, seconded by Nelson, to confirm the list of tasks as stated by Mr. Schainker. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion carried unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting concluded at 2:30 p.m. ______________________________________ ___________________________________ Ann H. Campbell, Mayor Diane R. Voss, City Clerk ______________________________________ Brian Phillips, Scribe