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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Workshop_07/09/2012 MINUTES VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA PLANNING WORKSHOP Monday, July 9, 2012 5:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Mayor Tom Paterno at 5:00 p.m. A roll call was taken. Present were: Mayor Tom Paterno, Vice Mayor Vince Arena, Council Member Abby Brennan, Council Member Steve Okun, and Council Member Frank D'Ambra (arrived 5:32 p.m.) and Village Attorney Davis; Village Manager Couzzo and Clerk McWilliams were not in attendance. 1. Planning Discussion Paula Knight, Management Consultant, explained a strategic plan would provide consistency from year to year and noted it was an ongoing process. She stated Council needed to discuss what they wanted individually and as a whole. She reviewed the current mission statement and broke it down with Council's participation. Council agreed a good mission statement should encompass the overall mission of what the Village was about. The following were discussed in depth: Meaning of committed: • Promising • To accomplish • Determined Definition of professional: • Educated • Knowing your facts • Being a leader • Setting an example • Quality • Not an expert but very knowledgeable • Has morphed into things people do for a living • Not just competency — but proficiency What government should look like: • Effective • Responsive • Forward thinking • Proactive actions rather than reactive actions • Delivery of quality service • Beyond expectations • Results Village Council Workshop Meeting Minutes July 9, 2012 Page 2 Community priorities: • Levels of importance • Safe place • Healthy • Safety overrides everything • Caretaking • Listen and seek feedback • Maintain a balance • Each Council Member interprets the priorities differently — must listen • Break down to basic level - health and safety • Create atmosphere of comfort • Open • Positive • Best possible everything • Everybody's utopia • Atmosphere where everyone has a choice • Keep it TEQUESTA • Always find a better way to deliver services • Look at the bigger picture • Branding Council Member D'Ambra arrived at 5:32 p.m. Attorney Davis responded to Council questions regarding who was responsible for setting policy, directing staff and implementing Council directives. He explained Tequesta functioned under the Council /Manager form over government meaning Council makes policy (the big picture) and the Manager implements the policy. Council sets the budget and the Manager implements the budget and carries out the day -to -day business. Council discussed their role and responsibility in providing oversight and agreed the Manager has a sensitive understanding of this process and that he has the skills and authority to get things done. Attorney Davis explained that the Manager administers the Village based on the input he receives from Council during public meetings where at least three members agreed to take an issue in a certain direction. Council wants staff and the Manager to be way out ahead of issues and have a vision; they touched on the importance of saying "thank you ", providing non - monetary bonuses, incentive programs, and identifying synergy — and the Council's role in making all this come together. Council discussed staff input sessions and the Mayor noted he had met with the department heads and asked for one idea each a week on improving processes — it's Village Council Workshop Meeting Minutes July 9, 2012 Page 3 about putting residents first — catch an employee doing something right and make an example of it. It was agreed Council needed to make a unified decision on what they wanted — unity as a group. It was suggested that a Council workshop be held each month to casually discuss important on -going and general issues. Council generically discussed the budget and suggestions provided included using reserves, increasing taxes, cutting items that cost the most, develop policy for three year union contracts with a raise in two of the three years, overhaul the overtime component, look at benefits, cell phones, sick days, and personal days. Paula Knight stated she would provide Council with some mission statements from other municipalities and come back to Council with a newly drafted mission statement and asked Council to consider their strengths and what makes the Village different. Ms. Knight left at this point in the meeting. An Enterprise Initiative (annexation) was discussed in detail, generating revenue on a growth basis, the importance of a branding package and taking logical steps outside the Village borders to generate revenue. Council discussed the potential of annexation changes to the atmosphere and small Village feel and increased expenses associated with the undertaking. They noted the need to balance paying for the services provided if not annexed — Council could no longer subsidize the neighboring areas. Attorney Davis left the meeting at 7:53 p.m. Discussion ensued regarding placing a small firehouse on the opposite side of the bridge as well as controlling expenses and utilizing existing facilities. Conversation took place on the Village being special, partially due to the businesses, and the ability to be placed even higher with annexation — and still maintain the small but unique feel. Annexation interest involving Jupiter and the north side of the river was also discussed. Village feel and character was discussed in detail — not wanting to become a bar destination but maintaining the laid -back feel, creating a beautification program, volunteer program for youth, department heads should mentor the volunteers and the programs, and how the good interns in the fire department could be scooped up by another agency. Discussions took place on law enforcement assisting Coral Cove Park, giving out the Sheriff's Office phone number, when practical, Tequesta not going into the unincorporated area, and holding a friendly meeting with the County and condominiums to promote the Village's property value. Council discussed the Jupiter Inlet Colony agreement termination for dispatch services. Dialogue ensued on fostering local businesses and ease of process for special exceptions, permits, and the need for the police department to be more proactive in Village Council Workshop Meeting Minutes July 9, 2012 Page 4 monitoring the Village's lights (24 lights out on the bridge was not acceptable), and having department heads attend the council meetings when there was an item from their department on the agenda rather than the Manager addressing it. The Mayor reminded Council they would need to address the Manager's performance bonus soon and it was suggested frequent bonuses have proven more beneficial than annual bonuses in order to provide motivation. Succession planning was addressed due to the Manager, Russell White, Jim Weinand, and Roy Fallon's longevity and tenure. Discussion took place regarding the police and fire department needs for an administrative type person and having them potentially report to the Manager rather the Chiefs; and they noted the next negotiation session was the time to open up these issues. Recap of duties: • Council Member Brennan — annexation, next planning agenda • Council Member Okun — verify what actual staff requirements are for fire; branding • Mayor Paterno — talk with Manager about department heads attending council meeting, annexation and communication plan The next Planning Workshop was scheduled for July 30, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. in the Conference Room. Staff's presence at meetings in support of their agenda items was requested. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Vice -Mayor Arena moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Council Member Brennan; motion carried unanimously, therefore the meeting was adjourned at 9:19 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Lori McWilliams, MMC Village Clerk Note These summary minutes are prepared in compliance with 286.011 F.S. and are not verbatim transcripts of the meeting. A verbatim audio record is available from the Office of the Village Clerk. All referenced attachments are on file in the Village Clerk's office.