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Council MIN 01-29-2005 Special - RetreatCITY OF FEDERAL WAY The City Council’s Strategic Planning Retreat Saturday, 29 January 2005 Dumas Bay Centre REVISED SUMMARY of the Key Discussions, Decisions and Agreements Attendees: Mayor Dean McColgan, Council members Jeanne Burbidge, Jack Dovey, Eric Faison, Jim Ferrell, Linda Kochmar and Mike Park; City Manager David Moseley; Assistant City Manager Derek Matheson; Department Directors Donna Hanson, Anne Kirkpatrick, Kathy McClung, Mary McDougal, Cary Roe and Iwen Wang; City Attorney Pat Richardson; Economic Development Director Patrick Doherty; Executive Assistant to the City Manager Patrick Briggs; and Facilitator Jim Reid. This is a summary of key discussions, decisions and agreements of the seven Federal Way City Council members at their annual strategic planning retreat, which occurred this year on Saturday, 29 January at the Dumas Bay Centre. COUNCIL’S VISION AND FUTURE DIRECTION STILL VALID The Council members rather quickly reaffirmed the vision, mission and goals that are stated in the City’s budget, and the future direction they charted at their strategic planning retreat in January 2004. The Future Vision and Mission Statement that are in the budget address the full range of issues, services and programs the City is responsible for, and characterize the philosophy, culture and spirit with which the City approaches working with citizens and delivering services. In January 2004 the Council agreed that for the next three years, through the end of 2006, the Council’s highest priority is to “increase sales tax revenues to provide services that the citizens of Federal Way expect from their City government.” Council members also acknowledged that they share five mutual interests for economic development, and agreed on five goals and a number of strategies to achieve their priority. 2 This year the Council reaffirmed the direction reflected in all these documents, but adjusted some of the language to reflect the Council’s interest in economic revitalization throughout the City, not just in downtown. The Council agreed to these language changes: FUTURE VISION (Budget) Responsible growth: 4. “Preserve a primarily residential community and open natural areas with concentrated urban development in the City’s Center and in other business districts.” Mutual Interests (January 2004 retreat) 2. “A mix of jobs, housing, recreational and cultural amenities within downtown and neighborhood business districts, and more of them than exist today.” During this discussion some other important points were articulated that more precisely define the Councils’ direction regarding economic development. We need to expand our definition of economic development to include education. We should work closely with the School District and Highline Community College to address and help stimulate education as a tool for economic expansion and/or revitalization. We need to continually assess our policies, programs, rules, regulations and procedures to ensure that we are not inadvertently doing anything to undermine business growth and vitality. The City is not entirely responsible for the economic health of the community. Businesses make independent decisions that affect the economy, and, of course, the national and state economic climates play a factor. But the City should ensure that for those things it is responsible for, its actions help lead the “horse to the water.” The public may feel a bit more panicky about the current business climate because citizens are not privy to all the information we are given. The lesson learned is this: The City must constantly educate the public by providing facts that we can share, offering our perspectives, and engaging citizens in our economic development vision and goals. We need to be proactive in learning lessons from recent developments in our community. For example, we should look into the recent closures of businesses so that we have a better understanding of the causes. Such an understanding will enable us to identify actions we may be able to take to prevent similar situations in the future. It may also provide us with a body of evidence we can offer to companies that are considering locating in our City. While we are concerned about recent business closures and moves, we need to remember that the City has granted more business licenses than ever in recent years, and in just the past four years, that number has risen significantly. 3 The suggestion was made, and no voices were in opposition, that a City Council Goal should be revised to expand it beyond the needs and interests of “voters.” CITY COUNCIL GOALS (budget) Be Responsible and Responsive to the (Voters’) Citizens’ Message: “Make responsible program choices in balancing the budget such that the City does not penalize the (voters) citizens.” Finally, as the discussion wound down, the suggestion was made that at some date in the future, these documents from the budget and last year’s retreat should be combined and reconciled into a vision/mission/priorities/goals document that is a little more user friendly, and which provides staff with unequivocal direction from the Council. The process, including schedule, for doing this was not discussed. COUNCIL DISCUSSES DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION, CITY’S ROLE IN IT This retreat was focused primarily on downtown revitalization, and addressed the questions: “What is the Council’s vision for downtown?” and “What should the City do now (in the short- term) to respond to business closures and relocations?” Council members quickly agreed that the elements of the long-term vision for downtown that they articulated in January 2004 are still valid. They suggested that the challenge is to agree on the strategies or tactics the City will undertake to achieve it. Patrick Doherty reviewed for them the steps to be taken by the Leland Group as part of its work on behalf of the Council and the City to address the long-term focus of downtown. As a result of his presentation, the Council members provided further direction on key points and/or agreed on specific steps. Interview a broad range of stakeholders as part of the first step of the study (gather information and data). Communicate to the representatives of the Leland Group that Federal Way is a community with many stakeholders who are tremendously interested and engaged in, and willing to devote time and energy to, economic development, the revitalization of downtown and other related issues. Among the stakeholder groups that need to be involved in the study are the Chamber of Commerce, School District, Fire District, Utility District and medical community. Council members will provide Patrick with the names of and contact information for people and/or organizations that should be interviewed by the Leland Group. As the list of interviewees is being finalized, he will provide it to them so that they can suggest any additions. To solicit public input from those whose interest in downtown may not be known to the City, a solicitation notice will be placed in the newspaper, on the City’s website and on the government television station. 4 Once the study is finished, the City needs to conduct public outreach to explain its findings and solicit the reactions and responses of citizens. Based on the Council’s direction, Patrick commented that there are a variety of ways to capture public comment during the study, such as one-on-one interviews, “focus group” interviews in which groups of people are convened for a discussion of the key questions, and community forums. During their discussion about revitalizing downtown, the Council members articulated these outcomes: More citizens are involved in the discussions and decisions about downtown, including many who have not been traditionally involved in economic development issues. There is broader public knowledge about, understanding of and support for the City’s vision. The City’s actions and the actions of others do not contradict the City’s vision for downtown and the policies of the Comprehensive Plan. The City is helping businesses and others gain access to vital information that they need to make informed and wise decisions. The City more often thinks like a business and makes decisions or takes actions that reflect that perspective. City investments stimulate business activity. All options are on the table, such as assembling land, so that both the public and private sectors have more choices. There is a public square in downtown for community gatherings and activities. In terms of its role in achieving these outcomes, the Council members offered these directions: The City needs to be solicitous and proactive in engaging people and organizations in the process of defining the long-term future for downtown and agreeing on the short-term actions that will improve downtown vitality. Ensure that City policies, programs, rules, regulations and procedures are not obstacles to economic vitality. Share the economic development and downtown visions of the Council, and work to build public support for them. Be even more effective in getting our message out. Communicate realities to the key stakeholders, including business community, and the public. Make wise investments that stimulate business activity. In terms of what the City can do now, in this interim period before the Leland Group study is completed, Council members agreed that: The City needs to learn lessons from recent closures of several businesses. What has caused or is causing businesses to close or relocate? Is anything the City doing a cause of those closures and relocations? Might the City do more to convince businesses to invest in downtown? Use EDC/EVC members to help conduct this outreach to the business community, analyze the lessons learned and suggest long-term solutions. 5 Get people to more fully understand the City’s vision for downtown, and build public support for that vision. Help businesses recognize and understand that some of the agreements made among themselves may be contrary to the City’s vision; facilitate their discussions to explore different ways of achieving both their interests and those of the City. Work with the private sector to fund an effort to recruit businesses. To ensure that existing businesses do not feel ignored or threatened by this approach, gain their support for the effort and involve them in it. To launch this effort, the City will consult with the Chamber of Commerce and talk with Buxton about overseeing the recruiting effort. Make clear to the representatives of prospective new businesses that Federal Way welcomes them and has much to offer them and their employees. Put together teams of City Council members, Chamber of Commerce representatives and others to meet with the leaders of these companies to communicate this message. Continue to expand outreach to the business community and others who are interested in the future direction of downtown. Add to FEDRAC’s agenda a discussion of providing the services of an ombudsman. Determine what the interests are in this position, how those interests may or may not be achieved by current outreach to the business community, and the costs and benefits of the position. COUNCIL REVIEWS SELECTION OF MUNICIPAL JUDGE As a result of a brief discussion by the Council about the selection of the Municipal Judge, three key interests were articulated: 1) judicial independence, and the appearance of it; 2) direct accountability to the people (representative government); and 3) a high quality official. The City’s Municipal Judge, who is appointed by the City Manager and approved by the Council, works approximately thirty-three hours per week; a court commissioner is employed for thirty- two hours per week. To some this means that in essence the City has 1.5 judges. That fact, the interests listed above and a desire to comply with what they see as the spirit of State law prompted some Council members to express interest in changing the process from an appointed to an elected Municipal Judge. Others indicated that they are comfortable with the current system, likening it to the federal system in which judges are appointed and confirmed. While the Council members did not intend to make a decision on this possible change at the retreat, they did acknowledge that the decision needs to be made sometime this Spring. Council members agreed to work through the issue in the parks and public safety committee before bringing it to the full Council. They also identified key pieces of information that will be needed to make the decision: costs/budgetary impacts; the advantages and disadvantages of each selection method, including the ability and inability of each method to achieve the Council’s three interests; the opinions and perspectives of the State Court system; what has happened since the last time the Judge was appointed that warrants the change; and the process and timeline for making the change in the event it is agreed upon. 6 STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE THE COMMUNITY This half-day retreat concluded with a brief discussion of strategies to promote the City more effectively. The ideas included: Continue to promote our vision for the future and all the good things the community has to offer. Continue to reach out to the general public and key interest groups. Communicate our message through video, television, press releases, the website, newspapers, newsletters and tourism publications. Put high school sports events on the local government television station. Put other kinds of community events, such as excerpts from the Martin Luther King Day celebration and local arts performances, on television. As this discussion concluded, the suggestion was offered that we need to continue to try to do more with what we already have by using it more strategically. 7 CITY OF FEDERAL WAY The City’s Council’s Strategic Planning Retreat 2005 MANAGEMENT PLAN This is a summary of the meeting of the management team on Monday, 7 February 2005 from 10 a.m. until noon in which the team reviewed the summary of the City Council’s retreat and developed strategies to implement the Council’s direction. The summary was prepared by Jim Reid, facilitator of the Council’s retreat, who attended the management team meeting. UPDATING THE VISION, MISSION AND GOALS Council Retreat Summary p. 1-3 The Council made three changes to its vision, goals and mutual interests (see pages 2-3 of this summary and the revised language, which is an attachment to it). As their retreat wound down, Council members said that at a future date they would like to review, consolidate and/or update the various documents that constitute their overall vision and goals, and their economic development vision, priority and goals. The management team will work with the Council to determine when it would be appropriate to undertake this work and the process for completing it. CONDUCTING THE LELAND STUDY Council Retreat Summary p. 3-5 To implement the direction provided by the Council regarding the conduct of the Leland Study for downtown revitalization, the management team identified these actions: Patrick Doherty will email the Council members requesting they recommend individuals who should be interviewed by The Leland Group, either individually or as part of an open house. The City will host an open house for people interested in discussing the City Center with representatives of The Leland Group and City staff. Comments generated at this forum are intended to inform the study. Patrick will serve as a liaison between The Leland Group and the Council members to ensure that each member is interviewed as part of the information-gathering and context for the study. 8 The management team will work with The Leland Group and Council to finalize the list of people to be interviewed for the study, and, if needed, help schedule the interviews. To achieve the Council’s interest in reaching out to Federal Way residents who have not been part of past discussions about downtown revitalization or the community’s economic growth and development, the management team will use the City’s website, newspapers and television programming to solicit citizen involvement in the study. After the study is completed and released, City staff will work with the Council to specifically determine how to present and market its findings to the public, and stimulate public discussion about them. Patrick Doherty is already planning a City-hosted Economic Development Forum later this year, and that may be one way to present and gain feedback on the study’s findings and recommendations. RECRUITING NEW BUSINESSES NOW AND PROMOTING FEDERAL WAY Council Retreat Summary p. 5-6 To implement the Council’s direction regarding actions that could be taken to recruit new businesses to downtown while the Leland Study is underway, the management team agreed that: Staff will work with the Council, Chamber of Commerce and business owners to learn lessons from the recent closures and relocations of businesses in City Center and determine what those lessons indicate about City policies or actions. The City will work with the EDC/EVC and the Chamber of Commerce to see if there is an interest within the private sector to fund the effort to recruit new businesses. When the representatives of businesses or corporations that are thinking of locating in Federal Way express the interest in talking with a delegation of City and business officials, staff will informally pull together a team representing the Council, staff and existing businesses to meet with them and explain what the community has to offer and the benefits of locating here. To implement the Council’s interest in reaching out to the business community and general public regarding the revitalization of the City Center, the management team identified these actions: Staff will work with the FEDRAC and all Council members to determine how to continue to reach out to those with an interest in downtown revitalization, and to determine what role the Council members may wish to play in this effort. Staff will also work with the EDC/EVC to identify strategies and tactics for involving those who are interested in downtown revitalization. Planning staff will monitor private property covenants for their impact on the City’s vision and goals, and if helpful, will try to facilitate discussions among businesses to ensure the vision and goals are achieved through their decisions and actions. 9 The City will continue to work with the Planning Commission and business owners to monitor City policies, programs, rules, regulations and procedures to ensure that they are not obstacles to the expansion of existing businesses and the establishment of new ones. Staff will work with the FEDRAC members to pursue incorporating the functions of an ombudsman into the work of the City as it reaches out to and learns from the business community. Staff will work with the FEDRAC members to discuss the idea of bringing in speakers to periodically open Committee meetings with presentations about economic development issues, business activity in Federal Way and other topics that focus on downtown revitalization and economic growth. To implement the Councils’ direction regarding promoting Federal Way, the management team reported that: Staff is working with the School District to put high school sports events on the local government television station. The Martin Luther King Day program will be broadcast on the local government television station. Patrick Doherty is developing a distribution plan for dissemination of the video that will help communicate the City’s message to businesses. SELECTING THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE Council Retreat Summary p. 5 To implement the Council’s direction regarding reviewing and, possibly, changing the process for selecting the Municipal Judge, the staff is assisting the Parks Committee in preparing to discuss the issue at its 14 February 2005 meeting.