Mayor Landry called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.

ROLL CALL: Mayor Landry, Mayor Pro Tem Capello, Council Members Crawford, Gatt, Margolis, Mutch, Staudt

ALSO PRESENT: Clay Pearson, City Manager

Pamela Antil, Assistant City Manager

The four disciplines of execution were discussed. Four things are needed in a culture if we are to become a great organization. We have sustained superior performance, intensely loyal customers, local, committed and engaged employees and great organization that makes a distinctive contribution. Great leaders inspire trust, clarify purpose, align systems, unleash talent. Effective individuals are proactive, focused, disciplined, trustworthy, business savvy, work well with others and are good listeners and great communicators. The focus will be on the execution culture. A video was displayed that demonstrated what happens after a strategic plan is distributed. The focus was to fill the gap between what people do and the way that the strategic plan needs to be carried out. This includes objectives, realistic outcomes, motivation, the buy-in or educating people or the way people are involved to do the work to create the vision.

Discipline 1 – focus on the wildly important

Discipline 2 – act on the lead measure

Discipline 3 – keep a compelling scoreboard

Discipline 4 – create a cadence of accountability

Discussion was held about what the most important things are in connection with the big picture in terms of what you do to focus on the big picture with only a few things that really matter. If we focus on the wildly important goal and act on the lead measures, they are key indicators of reaching the goal. Scoreboards are necessary in this instance much the same as in sports. Employees are looking for some type of indicators as to where they can find out the score. Individual cadence and team cadence of accountability make up the final discipline.

Until behavior starts to change on all levels, it will be difficult to achieve the wildly important goals also known as WIGs. The goals discussed last January are now at a place where the Council has a progress report of what was stated, where it’s at currently and to see if there are any others they wish to add to their goals.

Mayor Landry explained the importance of understanding what each individual role is or each person’s role. Member Mutch explained that after the brain storming session in January, this was given to the Administration. Council hadn’t gone back and asked how or will you be able to accomplish this. The structure fits but he asked what Council can do to encourage the culture at the level where people feel empowered and give them the tools to execute this plan

as in more training money or resources. Discussion was held that mechanisms will need to be put in place in order to keep on completing the strategies and clearly state the expectations. It was also suggest to use the score boarding method. By making a public commitment, that is the one thing that individuals will do and complete. We are trying to institutionalize a culture of execution.

Organizations with more than 3 priorities seem to have a problem where goals drop off. That would be the most you would want for now. Council discussed that it might be prudent to look at 2 year goals as they plan to be together for a minimum of two. Member Gatt noted that the idea of 2 year budget had already been discussed. Member Margolis stated lots of what we do is focused on maintaining what we do. She gave the example of sewer and water and while it wasn’t the most important, once it is neglected, that could be highly significant.

A time matrix was displayed with regard to things needing the highest priority are those that are 1) urgent and important first, then 2) urgent but not important 3) not urgent but important and 4) not urgent and not important. Maximize the time spent on vision, WIGs growth, and strategy. For efficiency and delegation, the focus is on the mission, whirlwind, doing your job, maintenance and operations, and production. Eliminate the low levels of the time matrix of things that are not urgent/important and urgent/not important.

Member Margolis stated long term goals are to assist staff with the budget and also to maintain things on a day to day basis.

The focus of the discussion was to review the main seven of the five year goals adopted earlier this year by City Council. City Manager Pearson noted this was a purposeful list of goals and stated it was important to prioritize out of the seven. Council suggested an additional 98 ideas for targeting the 5 year goals. Council consensus was that the 5-year goals adopted in January 2007 reversed in priority with the first priority on enhancing Parks, Recreation and Cultural services.

Council discussed their rankings and the reasoning behind each such as the variability factors. Member Mutch rated fiscal responsibility highly in order to reduce long term obligations. Also in terms of priorities, looking at citizen’s survey, the citizens responded that government services were important and that while tonight’s poll had recreation and cultural services as the new priority, it wasn’t reflective of what citizens want.

Member Margolis also placed fiscal responsibility first because that was the reason we are where we are. Most of the budget is for public safety and since Parks and Recreation doesn’t get the funds budgeted, this should now be the time for that department. A balanced approach to all these items is what is necessary.

Member Gatt stated the purpose of government is to protect the people. Every goal is important but none more important than safety.

Mayor Pro Tem Capello looked at this as how we want to give direction and spend money in the next budget as money was allocated for police, fire, staffing, etc and they don’t need anyone new and he ranked it differently as that wasn’t needed this year. We have been top dog in the county and need to go out and capture the new business and stay in front with the business and economic development.

Member Crawford agreed that the police, fire and roads are all top goals but worried that for a long time, parks and recreation hasn’t been the priority. Safety is a high priority in the parks, and economic development will help us. It doesn’t mean that she doesn’t care about safety, but for just one year, parks, recreation and the senior center deserved the attention.

Member Staudt noted this isn’t prioritizing public safety in general but where it will be in the budget process and the fiscal responsibility will be important as well. We value natural areas and features but didn’t feel staff should be considering this as a primary focus. He echoed the comments of Mayor Pro Tem Capello. His understanding of this was what was most important to them while deliberating on the budget.

Mayor Landry stated Council agreed that while talking about the next 6 months, consideration must be given to the items already accomplished in the first 6 months of the budget. Encourage economic development and staff skills will take care of the fiscal responsibility. Council agreed what they were good at was giving ideas about what their expectations are for the upcoming budget. By ranking these past 7 goals in this format, this resulted in the current ranking. Mayor Landry would like to see what the staff’s suggestions were and the Council’s input for the 98 additional suggestions as he felt it was input for the next 6 months of budget.

City Manager Pearson noted that this was a compilation of the discussion that happens every budget cycle and that another meeting will be held in January.

AUDIENCE COMMENTS – None

There being no further business to come before Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 P.M.

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David Landry, Mayor                                        Maryanne Cornelius, City Clerk