06/18/1996 (2)
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COMMISSION
City Commission Minutes
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CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING
Strategic Planning
CITY OF CLEARWATER
June 18, 1996
Present:
Rita Garvey
J. B. Johnson
Robert Clark
Ed Hooper
Karen Seal
Elizabeth M. Deptula
Kathy S. Rice
Pamela K. Akin
Pamela Skyrme
Cynthia E. Goudeau
Mayor/Commissioner
Vice.Mayor /Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
City Manager
Deputy City Manager
City Attorney
Organization & Employee Development Director
City Clerk
The meeting was held at the Solid Waste Complex Conference Room and called to
order at 9:03 a.m.
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The\ City Manager introduced Doctor Pam Skyrme, Director of Organization &
Employee Development. She stated the method being proposed is applied strategic
planning. She also recommended the Commission consider participating in a session called
"people mapping". She reported this process helps groups to really understand how to
approach and communicate with each other.
Deputy City Manager Rice referred to the Principles of Operation and indicated this
was adopted by the former Commission. She stated there needed to be value to it.
Commissioner Hooper agreed saying there is a perceived belief that if differing view points
are expressed, they are not heard. He stated there is a need to overcome that.
Doctor Skyrme indicated that today, the team will decide whether or not applied
strategic planning is a reasonable thing to do, She admitted she is a proponent of strategic
planning but she will try not to sell it to the team. She stated a vision of where the City is
going will help staff and the Commission in that we need to know where we are going in
order to know how to get there.
The City Manager emphasized this is a 9 person team, not Commissioners and staff.
Commissioner Hooper agreed stating he expected to have dialogue among the team
members and there may be some disagreement.
Doctor Skyrme emphasized the need to be focused as a team on planning for the
future. She stated this is an informal meeting and dialogue is meant to trigger thoughts
and there is nothing wrong with agreeing and disagreeing.
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She reviewed some definitions that indicated how strategic planning is different
from other types of planning. She stated stratgic planning is a way to envision the future
and' plan how to get there. Decisions being made should have an impact on what the
future will be. What values are wanted in the future needs to be determined. She stated
once this has been established, the departments use the vision as a framework for carrying
out their functions. Envisioning is not just predicting the future but being able to change
the future by the decisions and actions we take now.
Critical factors in understanding the concept of stratgic planning were reviewed.
Discussion ensued regarding the meaning of the City being in business. It was
clarified that this meant what functions (services) should it be concerned with. As an
example, the City Manager indicated that through the strategic planning process, it may be
decided the City does not want to be in any business that a private industry can' do.
Concerns were expressed regarding changes occuring on the Commission. It was
emphasized that with strategic planning, it is believed core values will remain and the
strategic plan will transcend these changes.
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Doctor Skyrme indicated there were four types of planning, reactive, inactive,
preactive and proactive. She stated that proactive is the best kind of planning as it designs
what is wanted to happen.
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Discussion ensued regarding who should be on the planning team. Doctor Skyrme
cautioned it would not be wise to go beyond twelve members but the entire organization
would be included throughout the process.
Doctor Skyrme distributed and reviewed an output checklist which included areas
for planning to plan, a values scan, mission formulation, strategic business modeling,
performance audit, gap analysis, integrating action plans, contingency planning, and
implementation.
The strategic planning team is currently in the planning to plan stage. Discussion
ensued regarding the values scan that had been pursued during the previous strategic
planning sessions. Consensus was the values scan should be revisited.
The previous process stopped at mission formulation. The City Manager indicated a
mission statement for the City had been written in 1993, however, it was felt it was not
inspiring. It needs to be a goal that people would work toward.
Doctor Skyrme indicated the step of strategic business modeling is time consuming
and is where the visioning process starts. A request was made that information previously
provided regarding Best Run Cities be recopied to the Commission.
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Doctor Skyrme stated strategic business modeling developes critical success
indicators. The next step is the performance audit which determines here is what we have
and here is what we need. Analysising that gap takes place to determine how to close it.
This has to be done prior to integrating action plans.
Doctor Skyrme indicated it is in development of the action plans when the
departments really get involved. Once the action plans are developed, then contingency
planning takes place. This considers those things most likely to derail the action plans and
how to deal with those contingencies. The plan is then implemented.
Environmental monitoring is an on-going activity throughout the entire process.
Doctor Skyrme indicated the recommendation of the designers of the applied strategic
planning process Is to have a 2 or 3 day retreat every 6 weeks or so. She stated this is not
possible in this organization but the process needs to be completed.
Discussion then turned to the development of the list of stakeholders of the City.
The City Manager indicated that quite a bit of time was spent during the last strategic
planning session in determining who those stakeholders are. Letters were sent to all of
them with questionaires. She did not remember if a good response to the questionaires
was received.
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She stated the former strategic planning team did try to predict what values the
stakeholders had but the process did not confirm or deny those assumptions. It did find
some data indicating people generally think the City is doing a good job.
A question was raised regarding whether or not resources in place are considered.
Doctor Skyrme indicated that is taken into consideration during the performance audit. It
was emphasized that the decision regarding what business we are really in needs to be
made prior to that taking place.
The meeting recessed from 10:31 a.m, to 10:43 a.m.
A strategic planning questionaire was handed out to the group and is attached as
Exhibit A to these minutes. Each individual filled out the questionaire on their own and the
responses were reviewed as a group.
In general, responses indicated the team expects strategic planning to provide
direction for the future through proactive planning with understanding and acceptance by
'all stakeholders. It was felt strategic planning was needed in order to develop that
direction and to define the future of Clearwater.
Key factors for success were felt to be commitment, cooperation, team building,
communication, and trust. It was felt this process would not be successful if there was no
follow up, if the appropriate data was not obtained, and if the organization got bogged
down in the process rather than obtaining the goal.
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It was also emphasized there needs to be constant environmental scanning. As
conditions and situations change adjustments need to be made to the plan. It was felt the
team currently in the room support the proposed strategic planning process as do many of
the department directors, some citizens, and employees, however, many are unaware of
the process. It was felt many of the stakeholders and employees could care less about the
process,
Most of the members of the strategic planning team were commited to the process,
however, some reservations were expressed regarding having enough time to complete the
process appropriately and the fear of getting bogged down in the process rather than
obtaining the goal.
Discussion ensued regarding the time commitment that would be needed. Doctor
Skyrme recommended the process finish in time for the fiscal year 1997-98 budget
process. She stated this would be approximately a six month process and there would
need to be a commitment to begin in August. This would allow plenty of time for the
1997-98 budget process. In response to a question, Doctor Skyrme recommended six
weeks in between meetings. This would allow time for information to be gathered and
processed.
Discussion ensued regarding whether or not the sessions should be whole days of
half days. It was felt it would depend on the topic c::s some topics would take an entire day
or more. As an example, strategic business modeling may require a three day session.
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Concerns were expressed regarding the ability of the Commissioners and staff to
commit the time needed. Discussion ensued regarding the team. It was indicated all the
Commissioners need to be involved and only in an emergency would they not attend one of
the sessions.
Discussion ensued regarding who else needed to be on the team with the current
team's strengths and weaknesses being listed. Strengths included such things as
commitment, the ability to disagree and still respect each other, diverse backgrounds,
innovativeness, good communicators, intellect, common sense. etc. Weaknesses included
such things as being new to the group, baggage inherited, personal missions, etc.
Questions were raised regarding what other talents were needed on the team. It
was suggested it would be logical to add the new Economic Development Person who is to
be hired in the near future. Also, whoever fills the vacancy in the Assistant City Manager
position.
Further discussion ensued regarding whether or not additional individuals should be
included on the team. Consensus was that the current 9 member team, plus Doctor
Skyrme as the facilitator, the new Economic Development individual and new Assistant
City Manager was appropriate. It was emphasized, as the process progresses, other
individuals would be brought in for input and involvement.
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It was agreed the applied strategic planning process would continue with the team
being as just outlined. The goal would be to be ready for the next budget process and the
strategic planning would begin in August.
A question was raised regarding whether or not the Commission wished to
participate ,in the people mapping session that was mentioned at the beginning of the
meeting. Doctor Skyrme stated she thought the team was becoming a cohesive group and
the process would be valuable. Consensus of the Commission was to have a people
mapping session on July 30, 1996, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the location to be
announced. The next strategic planning session would be on August 5, 1996, from 1 :00
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. with the location to be announced.
A question was raised regarding the discussion now taking place about a possible
beach community redevelopment agency and whether or not that would change the
direction regarding the reconstitution of the DDB. It was indicated this is something that
will need to be talked about.
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In response to a question, the City Manager indicated she has talked to County
Administrator Fred Marquis. There are some concerns regarding the budget and
condemnation powers for the reconstituted DDS which would serve as the CRA.
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A question was raised regarding condemnation powers and the City Attorney
indicated the CRA has broader powers in that the City can not condem property for public
use. The City Attorney emphasized the County controls the condemnation powers and
they would have to approve those powers for the new entity.
The meeting adjourned at 1 :00 p.m.
ATTEST:~ C /YJ.
City Clerk
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Strategic Planning Questionnaire
1. What do you expect to accomplish by doing strategic planning? (Please state two
or three specific goals. Record and clarify them before answering the next
question.)
2. Describe previous efforts by your organization to do strategic planning.
. What was your role in these efforts?
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. What worked well in these efforts?
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. What seemed not to work well?
3. Describe your previous involvement with doing strategIc planning in other
organizational settings.
4. Why is your organization considering doing strategic planing now?
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S. What factors could lead to success in this upcoming strategic planning process?
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6. What factors could lead to failure in the process?
7. Who strongly supports the proposed strategic planning process?
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8. Who could probably "care less. about the process?
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9. What Is your personal level at commitment?
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10. What else would you like to say about the proposed strategic planning effort?
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