HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 09-18 SpecialSeptember 14, 2007
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL MEETING September 1 S, 2007
APPLICANT
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ITEM N 0. 6 ~ ~1
Approve Minutes o~ April 11, 2007 City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
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Meridian City Council Strategic P~%,,,,,,n,g Worksho,,,p ,,,.,,_~,,,~11~~,
The Meridian City Council Strategic Workshop was called to order at ~ 1:0o A.M.
on Wednesday, April ~ 1, ~DOl by Mayor Tammy de weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird, David Zaremba, Charlie
Rountree and Joe Barton.
Staff Present: Bill Musser, Bill Nary, Anna Canning, Brad Watson, Doug Strong,
Ron Anderson, Ron Coulter, and will Berg.
ethers Present: Phi! Stiffler.
item ~. Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
X David Zaremba X Joe Borton
X Charlie Rountree X Keith Bird
X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda:
De Weerd: Let's get staved on this. Unfortunately, or maybe not, we have Phil
here to keep us on track. Sometimes we have to keep him on track so we'll all
try and inaudible} to stay focused. But to Council, our Senior Management
Team got together and drafted the agenda and wanted to fully utilize your time,
and seeing where we're aligned, maybe looking at some of #hose areas that we
need to realign and really focusing the discussion today on where we're going
and how we're going to get there and making sure that these records and their
respective departments are really going in the direction that we all envision us
going in and to engage you in being a part of getting there, And so that's the
objective of these meetings, We want to utilize yourtime to the best of our ability
to get the most out of your time, not out of you, but out of your time, and making
sure that if we move forward with our budget enhancements that they tie to the
focus areas and to the goals of where we all want to move together. So that's
the theme here and we appreciate - -. This is the first time we've had all four
Council people together in one of our sessions and we appreciate that. I add we
will try to make the best use of your time and not be inaudible}. Phil.
Stiffler: The two things, just to make sure, that are being handed out there are
the inaudible} laying alongside each other. The one that says Council Input.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page ~ of 58
The only one that's absent on that, I think, is Joe. I think he didn't want go home,
do this at 11:00 or 11:30 after Council meeting inaudible},
De Weerd: ~r 12:00 or 1:00.
Stiffler: I think you can all appreciate that. I just want to make sure it does
include the other Councilmember's input other than Joe's but I'm sure Joe can
verbally add anything that he - -. But on the other side is the one that Leadership
came up with. It doesn't have anything on the top. And I saw it as a way to kind
of kick off. Because if you look at the overall agenda, number two on there is
each one of the Directors is going to get a chance to kind of give you their update
and overview. But l think it would be very helpful, and I would absolutely engage
any discussion. When you get a chance, if you just look at them and you say
here's Council's input so far, and here's Leadership, just to see where you see
some connections and ask you are there areas that you look at there that you
think are synergistic or they're ones that do come up or you'd like to ask, you
know, where Council might come from and inaudible} because he can add his
input into it too.
De Weerd: ~h, well, that's cheating. Somebody already looked at it.
Inaudible}.
Stiffler: So you can see, looking at the one for Leadership, as you look down
fihose bullets looking at kind of what you envision for fihe City, related to the focus
areas, you can see that this is organizational excellence, proficiency,
stewardship, caring community, customer service. Obviously you can see
customer service on the Council side, employee satisfaction, qualified staff. You
see kind of the things that do cross over? And I think the other one is inaudible}
big government. f think it's the concept of really looking and I think there's a lot
of things that tie in there, in the business efficiency, productivity, and stewardship
of the public funds. So I guess what I would ask is, are there any commentsfrom
anybody? Either, who would like to share looking at those two?
Rountree: one of my comments is not necessarily inaudible}. It seems to me
that these focus areas, the question is, are these focus areas consistent
inaudible}? The other question is inaudible} on what? Inaudible} I believe
inaudible} Meridian is, could and should review in regard to these focus areas
and in fact, use these focus areas to achieve ~inaudib[e}.
Stiffler: Don't make it too complicated to figure out where you're going. You
know, it's interesting Charlie because actually Bill and inaudible} I were having a
discussion and it included the very top, the top of the previous page on there.
This citywide inaudible} that one sentence there was developed by the
Leadership in looking at saying how do they drill down a little bit? And I ask a
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2~O1
Page 3 of 58
question, you kind of like to go back to what is the City's mission? And I'm going
to read it and inaudible}think about in that context, "The Mission adopted by the
leaders of our premier city is to promote a safe and vibrant community by
implementing the principles and policies of the Comp Plan. The Mayor and
Council will provide effective and responsible leadership, positive staff
development, maximize available resources, and improve connectivity toward
community. As a caring City, we are committed to fiscal responsibility, public
involvement, strategic partnerships, and economic vitality." But that was the
vision that then broke down when the leadership inaudible}. So I guess that's
where it sits today. If that needs refinement, or looking at, I think that's the
question. Any comments?
Canning: Well, that's a big statement. Where do you want to go?
Borton: I thought the statement was satisfactory inaudible}. But the way this
question inaudible}.
Stiffler: The question is, do these focus areas resonate with the vision? Cr if
they don't, how do they inaudible}. And I could say that if you took the bullets
from Council and you take the bullets from Leadership, they are very supportive
of that. They do arkiculate. I think there's a confirmation. Are there any of those
inaudible} worthy of discussion or comment?
Inaudible} Wefl, I'd like to make one comment in terms of what we have on
Council inaudible} I saw was predominantly lacking on the Leadership
inaudible}. I'm very glad they brought it up Inaudible}.
De Weerd: Council, one of the things that Phil says is that the Director team
inaudible}. So inaudible}feel comfortable and I know I don't really inaudible}. I
want it to be more sent to the Directors. Not to the Director's back. We have the
ability to speakfrankly amongstourselves and don't have to inaudible},
Bird: And if I could relate a little more, inaudible} 100°/°. We're just - - ,we're
not your bosses, we're your partners, and we're all here inaudible}.
De Weerd: Well, we're a team. And I just want to remind everyone that they can
be (inaudible).
Canning: Inaudible} She pointed at me because I inaudible}. That's my job.
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Borton: Leadership will be slowing it down.
Meridian Ci#y Council S#ra#egic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 4 of 58
Stiffler: We've got inaudible}. i guess I would want to make one other comment.
I've had a chance to talk to Leadership inaudible}. But I will tell you this. It's
very interesting to observe other cities in comparable sizes in the Northwest and
think inaudible} but I think we should all kind of really celebrate the successes
and challenges inaudible}. Inaudible} support that vision. I think that's
something inaudible} really important. Something that I guess sometimes
doesn't get recognized. I'm not sure the average citizen sometimes recognizes
the significance of what you do. And I would say this, that it's been very
interesting when I know inaudible} the last month, month and a half, it's really
kind of nice to hear inaudible} better understanding, appreciate it. A lot of it's
going on inaudible}. I just thinkthat's a frame of reference.
Borton: Phil, inaudible} my comments inaudible}. I want to say what everybody
else says. There's a couple things that jump out at me, reviewing this. If I don't
see it, I guess inaudible}. one thing that I don't see. Maybe it's not necessary
inaudible} providing City services with available resources. I don't see any issue
inaudible}. Difficult choices being made. The only time that I see inaudible} is
sometimes a discussion inaudible}. So I don't know if you prioritize all of the
available inaudible}. And the second question i've got is you talk about
celebrating successes. I understand that from a private business perspective.
Inaudible} celebrate your staff. I'm not sure, I think one ofthe Council Members
inaudible} determine the success inaudible}. Is there difficulty in salvaging
those inaudible}.
Stiffler: I guess I'd like to respond to the first question on prioritizing and i know
it's tough but if you look at item four inaudible}, They agree with inaudible}
services and kind of overall strategic side, how do you prioritize? This is not just
the big picture but how do you even go down these services that are prioritized?
So I think there's a - -. I think the Directors would like to get a little more kind of
fieel for what Council inaudible}. The second piece and 1 refer to Brad
inaudible} is Benchmark. Brad has already been starting the work. Bill's looking
at it. What you see, right now, the State of Washington has an inaudible}. And
they're developing inaudible} for Benchmark, ~lnaudible}. And they're not
getting lost in it building a bureaucracy at Benchmark. It's not that. A good thing
about it is they're now saying wait a minute. Let's narrow those down. Let's
measure so we can say not only are we accountable to the citizens inaudible}
but we're going to set goals. And I will tell you the accountability system
inaudible} allows inaudible} benchmarks right in. And actually you're going to
be seeing some of their positioning plans and what they're doing inaudible}.
And so I would say that is the trend. And that's a direction. What I'd like to know
- -. We've had several inaudible}looking at Benchmark and he compared them
inaudible}. He looked inaudible} and asked us about it inaudible}, He got the
City of Boise's inaudible}.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 5 of 58
Bird: (Inaudible).
Stiffler: one of the problems that was happening in a lot of the cities of the
Northwest is now that Washington got pushed on that, but it was for the right
reasons, to look at saying budget-wise, prioritize, and how we do this. It takes
many people to inaudible}, I will tell you it starts with a fine tune. It's the
opening inaudible} so far, so long, maybe they got locked into inaudible}. They
went way to the extreme. The good part about it is you can pull back and I know
even grab a little bit like I talked to John at Wastewater, really trying to put ones
that are meaningful but it is, you know, like on water to looking at staff. What
does that relate to, to do that efficiency inaudible} and I think that, I think it's
probably inaudible}. It's time. That's kind of how the leadership inaudible}
starting talk'Ing about that, saying inaudible}. Are we getting what we thought we
would get? Inaudible}. But that's a positive.
Borton: Sa are there, I guess in each individual department, are there two
inaudible}?
Stiffler: Why don't we take a break?
Borton: Is there anything to celebrate? Other than these donuts? (Inaudible)
each department (inaudible) celebrate moments, successes.
Nary: I mean, I think, you know, we really encourage over in HR inaudible}very
supportive of doing that. We have small inaudible}. You know, five years ago
we had to put in the line item inaudible}, It was a gaol discretionary exercise on
haw to buy inaudible}. It doesn't mean that's what it's for. Really Finance has
been encouraging on those types of things inaudible} gift cards or little things.
And every department does something different. They use some way of
acknowledging their staff inaudible} good customer service, innovative ideas,
inaudible}. Something like that, And employees are very responsive to that.
You know, I think one inaudible}and you mention in this inaudible}. I think one
of the things this organization could do that I think maybe not was intended that
way but I think at least forme it works that way is the liaison relationships that we
have with Councilmen in our department. Because [know every time I sign on
whatever purchase we make, that it goes on a list, that inaudible} is going to see
it inaudible}. And that always reminds me to be inaudible} responsible with the
public's money, that we aren't reckless in how we spend money and how we use
it. And that connection that we have in council, you know, working in a larger
reorganization where they didn't have that and it did sort of inaudible}. I really
appreciate that here. Because I really think it does require us, each of us around
this table, to be cognizant of that. It isn't our money, it's the public's money,
And we have to be responsible for that. But I think we have, you know, taken the
last few years to inaudible} members to make sure the departments inaudible},
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning workshop
April 11, 2007
Page fi of 58
The acknowledgements that we've gotten have generally been pretty positive
reinforcement inaudible}, And that's also been a way to acknowledge the folks
that wentthrough the inaudible}.
Gorton: Inaudible} but now I'm beginning to wonder inaudible} like things to
sign.
Bird: Legal minds are different from inaudible}. They said who do you think got
inaudible} thrown out? Why do you think they read all those rules and
regulations?
Stiffler: And I think also, Joe, that other parts of inaudible} that I know
inaudible} any time inaudible} accountability-wise, this is just the feel-good soft
side but inaudible} this was our goal. Inaudible} this is your goal and you look
at it, celebrating successes inaudible}. Now it's a measurable thing which is
responsible for the citizens and say it's measurable for what you're really doing.
Inaudible}You know the kind of value. You've got some measure inaudible}.
De Weerd: And then after item two, we'll move into number two?
Stiffler: Yup.
De Weerd: So I think, Phil, your comments had a lot to do with reviewing
inaudible} initiatives and what is inaudible} and what needs to be updated. And
certainly prioritizing is going to be a huge one. And that's going to come a little
bit later into this inaudible}. What is Council's priority? And what are the
directions that we have been going and make sure that those are still a priority
and consistent with the vision inaudible}. But it is a inaudible} and how we can
stark inaudible}.
Bird: i agree with you. 1 think on prioritizing for us, or far me at least, you know
1'd like the department heads to say I really need this, it'll help us. I would like
this. You know, tell me what you really, really need. Not what you'd like.
Inaudible}. I don't work inaudible} department so I don't know what inaudible},
all think all four of us here or all five of us with the Mayor to help make sure that
you guys have the inaudible} to work with inaudible}. By the same token, we're
also wanting to keep the cost down. Inaudible}.
De Weerd: And Keith, l think that as I said earlier most measurements are
starting to inaudible}, And you guys have seen that as well. When Anna came
up about one of her Planning positions, you know, it was trying to nail down, what
are the trigger points? Where do some of these decisions have to be made or
where do they start needing those discussions? So that's all about this but
definite focus areas, how we can collectively? Because it's not just the
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Vllorkshop
April ~ ~, 2001
Page 7 of 58
departments. vlle are trying to challenge them to not just think parochial about
their departments. They have to also inaudible} to focus their ~inaudibie} what
goals inaudible} within them. And that we're achieving those benchmarks
together, not in a vision. So suggestions would be good.
Stiffler: And I guess I think that inaudible}. And I think that also, Keith, I think
that's why and I guess what I would ask inaudible} I think to move in to, you
have inaudible} and I think you get a chanceto look atthose, I thinkyou're going
to find out most of the rest of this is going to come out in other discussion.
Including item four so I guess I would not. I'd like to go from item one here
before we go through the details inaudible} actually get a chance. And you'll
come back, have a little more involvement and understanding priorities rather
than talking about those inaudible}. So I'll ask which director wants to go first?
De v`leerd: But have we clarified inaudible}. On a couple of things that the
directors have raised in their porkion of it is to have inaudible} clarification on the
economic inaudible} proporkion.
Stiffler: we can go through that too. I just thought it was going to come up again
but we can do it right now. Let's just make sure.
De Weerd: I just thought that was all part of --.
Stiffler: Let's look at number two. Comparing those two. It's interesting, I don't
know which, inaudible}. I just looked at the bottom of number two. One of the
other Councilmen inaudible}. vtilhat about the first one on the Comp Plan?
(Inaudible): supplies. (Inaudible).
De vUeerd: You know, I think that my observation is how when I first started
inaudible} City Council and then the Parks Commission and Planning and
Zoning, and we had a Comprehensive Plan, and I think it was in 1998 we started,
started the process of inaudible}. It took a while. But one thing I thinkthat Anna
and her staff have been good at in working with all the other directors, and
keeping it inaudible}, And it has to be updated. !t's updated almost every time
when inaudible}and they look at the north Meridian area and the south Meridian
area and then start looking at some of the tax that probably needs to be brought
current. I don't know if we necessarily need to do a new Comprehensive Plan
but we need to follow up on the inaudible}.
Canning: That's what I see, the first bullet on the Council inaudible} that da
have a lot of inaudible}. In the sense of do I want to revisit inaudible} for the
City as a whole for the Comprehensive Plan? Absolutely no way. !don't want
inaudible}, For those of you who weren't aware that prior to the X002
Meridian City Gouncil strategic Planning Workshop
Apri111, 2001
Page 8 of 58
Comprehensive Plan the City's inaudible} that this isn't urban and inaudible}
proposed. It was just provided that inaudible}. So that 2002 Comp Plan had a
huge major inaudible} and it was just a completely different kind of inaudible}.
Inaudible} quite a few years, And f've said this before, those semicircles
inaudible} oldest group inaudible} State of Idaho as far as inaudible}. It was
quite a inaudible}. So I don't want to go through that again. But I would love to
just disassemble the Comp Plan and put it back together so that - -. I mean, it
would be a new plan and inaudible} put it back together so that inaudible} much
better or much easier to use. That's what I would like to do. To most people,
inaudible} but really it would be just inaudible}. Disassemble everything and put
it back together. Inaudible},
Zaremba: Inaudible} 1've talked about this but all inaudible}. How huge a job it
was, how huge a job it is to keep inaudible}, That in the short period of time,
that process began inaudible} double the population. This is a reality check to
go back and say, you know, what has changed? In both our problems and our
opportunities that nobody could have envisioned inaudible}. And park of the
inaudible} behind that is my own personal philosophy inaudible}. Fifty years
ago inaudible} establish inaudible}. Because you can't totally envision what's
going to be here 100 years from now but you can make some targets and then
divide the 100 year plans into 50 year plans inaudible} and five-year reality
checks and one-year reality checks. Americans seem to want to have instant
gratification, you know, what do we do about that now? But the results of their
100 year plans inaudible} kicking our butts on a lot of stuff that we inaudible}.
Vvhat is inaudible} our eventual orders. At some point we're going to get
150,000 people before it's going to slow down. Inaudible}. Can we start
thinking about that now? We can actually make inaudible} plans now but
inaudible} realize something different. And I'm just saying be prepared for that
inaudible} Comprehensive Plan. How is it a tool that will inaudible}forward the
othertools that have come along? Inaudible} AGHD also has a inaudible}. Set
it up, maybe organizing.
De Weerd: I think one of the things inaudible} - - in the planning process and he
does and instead of just collecting it and waiting for everyone else to say okay.
Inaudible} the Gouncil and pertaining to what those all mean inaudible}. So
that's the difference.
Nary: So that's the opportunity to now to have those inaudible}. Trying to do
that. Two years ago inaudible} building permits. Inaudible}. I can't imagine
inaudible} your best. But you can't hardly keep up with inaudible}. VIlhereas
now it's a little different. It's slower but it's not slow. Inaudible}. Sort of look at
where we are. Inaudible}. A couple of years ago I moved to Meridian and we
did the Education Day and everybody inaudible}. Like Boise schools and all
that. I think quite frankly the response was, we don't have time for that. That
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, Zool
Page 9 of 58
sounds really nice. I don'tthink I'll work here. inaudible} 1 mean it's not even in
your vision at that point with the volume of kids inaudible}. Now inaudible}
school district feels the same thing that we're talking about. They're trying to
make inaudible}.
Borton: I think ~inaudibie} we're going to longer inaudible} which is fantastic.
Always tough to inaudible}. So if Meridian wants to participate in a regional
whim inaudible}. Make sure the State of Idaho inaudible}. So the goal is great
inaudible}, I understand the City of Meridian has its own conflict. Inaudible}
I'm not sure how inaudible}mutual efforts inaudible}.
Canning: Inaudible}, I think that that's something inaudible}.
Borkon: Inaudible}, Preserving a certain quality of life inaudible}.
Canning: And also inaudible}. You were shaking your head when I was talking
inaudible}.
Bird: I inaudible} world inaudible} told us what we could do. Vve planned to
have 5,00o people in a mile square. Ten years from now inaudible}. And I hate
that there's inaudible}. I get so sick and tired of this inaudible} crap, they
wouldn't be inaudible}. That's a sore subject.
Stiffler: Inaudible}, I just have to have a little bit of fun with you though, Keith,
inaudible},
Zaremba: And Anna's inaudible} when she talked about addendums to the
Comp Plan taking on development. I would say that also opens doors to other
potential things inaudible}, Some other things I will tell you, there's in our
discussion, there's a lot of potential of that, not in focus, on those particular
areas but I think comes back to ~inaudib[e} economic development Comp Plan.
~Illhat Joe was saying, we're still looking at where do we sit. There's another
comment that says yeah, we also sit in a big valley. And as Keith said, and he's
right, we're still saying if they want to locate a business here they want to know,
wait a minute, are we going to able to have employees drive from here to there?
Is there quality of life? Does it have parks? Does it have those other things?
And you're seeing more and more of that. And it allows you to, I guess I say, not
invent yourfuture but a little bit of controlling your destiny within inaudible}, And
they actually inaudible}. Just trying to do the best jab you can. But I would say
in any context, transportation is livelihood. It's like the word, how often does it
come up? It's just - -and yet, you know, it's kind of like we've heard the
comments of somebody saying I'm looking into locating here. Well, do you guys
have your act together? Are you really going to make sure that what you're
talking about, you're selling me? It's still going to be there?
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 1 ~, 2007
Page ~ 4 of 58
Nary: And the City still, I think, is at the forefront of that and I don't disagree with
what we're saying here but the market which we aren't necessarily in control of,
will control the inaudible}. But the City is the forefront of it. I mean, you know,
inaudible}talk about the north Meridian area, we talked about that and said, you
know, remember when inaudible} went in, in 2002, before that inaudible}.
That's it. Inaudible}. But if we hadn't put that inaudible} there, they wouldn't
have the opportunity. Inaudible} right underthe freeway inaudible}.
Berg: Inaudible}. Clash with Boise City inaudible}Vienna woods. Inaudible}.
Nary: vlJe didn't inaudible} that sewer pipe under the freeway for nothing. We
anticipate that as an opportunity for the market to be able to prosper. So we still
have a city, some role in that. It isn't just totally marketing. Not everyone's all for
us inaudible}. And that's what I think we're all talking about is having inaudible},
Does that plan make sense? Inaudible}.
De weerd: You know, a lot of that is that density. And the market is going to
respond. They'll market it out there and they're going to go where they feel one,
their investment is protected because there's a vision and some confidence that
their investment will be protected as well. And so you know it's not dictating and
as you plan you want it to be as inaudible} in reality as you can. Inaudible}. But
you have to have a vision. And a vision of where you're going inaudible}, vUith
City Hall, that has really spurred investment and some excitement that people
are stepping up and saying we want to be a part of that. But if there's no vision
for it, they'll just let it ga to decay and go where they have a strong vision
inaudible},
Borton: I was just going to ask, kind of listening to Bill, trying to get an idea of
where we want to go. I kind of look to four Council members to kind of provide
us that direction and you have the ability inaudible} Mayor I take this point of
view that you want this to be a city. That you want it to be a city that has its own
personality inaudible}and it has a legacy for the future.
(End of tape).
Gorton: Inaudible}. And I guess that's part of what we're looking for is how far
are we going to reach out to control our destiny in terms of what we want to do
that we can influence inaudible} set the stage for it now inaudible}. Because it
has an impact on how we police this community. I know there's been impact how
we protect the buyer. And it affects all our infrastructure inaudible}.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2DOl
Page 11 of 58
Nary: But in terms of the vision, some of that is of truly wanting to establish that
blueprint, becoming that, and a self~sustaining city that's aut there and I think the
time is now. We're at a crossroads, we really are. In terms of population and our
availability here forwhat we're going to do. And so that's kind of what I'm looking
for in terms of how do we want to do the Comprehensive Plan? I-low do we want
to do our long-term planning? Do we want to inaudible} control our destiny as
best we can? Because we're trying to get the job done foryou inaudible}.
Bird: Well, Bill, I think you hit it on the head there. Inaudible}. We made a big
step in becoming self~sufficient ~inaudibie}. We were a bedroom community.
mean, you had a grocery store, Paul's Market, and a little downtown. Double
park downtown inaudible}. If you wanted to go to a good restaurant or you
wanted maybe entertainment oranything at all, you went to Boise or Nampa. So
I think we have improved. We're never going to be a downtown Boise in a lot of
things. Because we don't have an airpork, we're not the capitol city where all the
financial people are going to go, inaudible} Farmer's and Merchant's. They were
going to bring theircorporate headquarters over here but we got asfar as
inaudible}. I have to be down at the capitol city inaudible} so we'll never be that
but we can cerkainly keep working towards making ourselves a more efficient
community. And I believe we are. I believe and I give all the credit. I firmly
believe, since 1995, inaudible} the boom was going, our employees stepped to
the plate inaudible}. I realize sometimes we were just swimming hard to keep
our head above water but every department has stepped forward. For the
growth we've had, I believe we've had very small problems. We have problems.
But we'd have had problems whether we had growth or not. That's just human
nature. I'm proud to say that I've served through this growth and I think we have
done one whale of a job as a city. I hope that as elected officials inaudible}.
Canning: Inaudible}.
Bird: You've got speak up inaudible}. I can't hear you.
Canning: I don't think it ever hurts to articulate the vision from the Council and
the Mayor because when the private project comes to talk to me, they can't get it
from the rest of my staff because they don't spend as much time inaudible}. AI!
they ever want to know is what is the vision? Is this inaudible}. They don't want
to waste their time if it's not. So I think it's always helpful for Council and the
Mayor to articulate inaudible}. Quality of life or whatever it is inaudible}. And it
tames up with staff too. Because I can tell my staff this is Council's vision and
they can pickup. They deal with it every day so it always helps inaudible}.
Bird: And we should do this on a yearly basis. I mean, we have been doing it on
basically a yearly basis. Inaudible}. I have no problem with that and if it goes
wrong, !'m willing and I know Joe, Charlie, and David stand here willing to take
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 12 of 58
the heat. Because we are the elected officials. You guys shouldn't have to take
the heat. And I'd do anything in my power to make sure you don't get any heat.
We need these kind of yearly deals where we do get out together and get our
priorities in line of what we're looking at for the next year because I feel with the
economy, we're based an economy. But you know I can't predict a year from
now that we'll be ~ -maybe we'll only be having ten residential permits per month
or we might be having 1000. So anyway, I agree with you that we should, it
should be a joint, for you guys to promote the City you've got to believe in what
we believe. And on the same token, we've got to listen to you guys because
you're the ones out there. Even though we need developers, everything else,
we're not dealing with them.
Canning: I just wanted to tell you #hat we are the responsible party. We're not
trying to change the inaudible}.
Boman: Inaudible}. And he was right. Inaudible}. That was our intent. First
major effort on that inaudible}, We at that time felt we were self-sufficient in
terms of services. Inaudible}. I think still inaudible}. And the last one
particularly inaudible}, So the historic vision inaudible}, What we anticipated
inaudible}. That's why we need these kinds of activities. Inaudible}.
Canning: That is number inaudible}. But I thinkthatthose are a lot of the things
that inaudible} as far as the inaudible}. Getting it tied to that confidence.
Stiffler: Inaudible}. Interesting thing and I say Keith you know what, you helped
create inaudible}. Is that city that's located inaudible} like Meridian? And I
could name cities around the country that we've looked at, talked to, and
everything else. The mare you see inaudible} and it's not going to be the
smokestacks. But it's going to be, we're seeing some of that stuff, you'll
appreciate this. You're seeing some of this stuff and you could talk to a couple of
companies right here. If you went to Western Electronics right now, they're doing
stuff right now that wasn't inaudible}. lt's pulling back. We're seeing some of
that but also inaudible} smokestack stuff is that otherthat inaudible}. What they
want is a quality community like Meridian. That's where they want to locate. And
that to me is that opportunity. And that opportunity does inaudible} making sure
that the management and leadership of that City Council and you are insuring. I
was asked in a magazine article when I was at that trade - -. I was asked by the
guys, well Phil, with all that growth up there what's going to keep you from
becoming California? I mean, that was kind of the comment. It was kind of like
they're looking at it. Well, part of it is who we are as an area. But it has to do
with leadership, responsibility, stewardship, making sure those things connect,
And I guess it's still, I guess some of it's, it is going to look at us. It's going to be
here inaudible} of being able to make sure that does help the community
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Vl~orkshop
April 11, 2007
Page 13 of 58
inaudible} the City Iong~term. But I think it's opportunity. And it does lead into
number three on aurthing before we go back to the chart.
~aremba: I just want to make one inaudible}. - -the ability to put it in writing
and inaudible}, That is our policy to businesses that we're trying to inaudible},
employers that we're trying to attract.
Stiffler: And ones that are here.
Zaremba: And ones that are already here, that there has been a lot of thought
put into this. It's not a whim that's going to change next year. if this is inaudible}
you can trust this City to inaudible}, And I think there is value in inaudible}, It
doesn't mean it couldn't be changed but inaudible}.
Rountree: ~lnaudible}, All our continuity inaudible} can change drastically
inaudible}. Because you, the staff, don't have inaudible}, You've been pretty
fortunate, i think, the past 14 or 16 years. There have been a iot of
disagreements but generally ~inaud'Ible}. That can change.
Canning: Inaudible}.
Rountree: And the reality is, staff has to face inaudible}.
Canning: And Councilmen (inaudible).
Nary: Having worked for a city and also like in discussions with her inaudible}
we are, you know, many cities are inaudible} that you could shake a stick at. I
mean, you can look at some of the other cities around the state and there's a few
that, some of you probably know, inaudible} Mayor or Councilmember
inaudible}. Because truly I think that recognition by the Council and the Mayor
over the last dozen years inaudible}. It's really what keeps good people here.
inaudible}. They recognise inaudible}that Council is doing everything they can
to make this a good place to work. Inaudible}. It's hard to compare us apples to
apples inaudible}. - -grow incrementally here because we da try to be fiscally
responsible inaudible}. We try to inaudible} how we grow and why. You know,
think most of the directors around this table don't just want to come to the folks
and say I need that. Inaudible}. ~Illhat're they going to do? Inaudible}. But
we've got some great people. It really is impressive, with the volume of work that
we have, the volume of land that we are sitting on, how big that map is, how
much growth inaudible}, that we've got X83 people inaudible}.
Bird: To go back, I think since 1've
administrations we've had inaudible}.
mayors and councilmen. And then
been here I've always inaudible}, The
~IIle've been run by good conservative
we were very fortunate to have one
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 14 of 58
gentleman in particular serve many years on Planning and Zoning that did a
great job there and inaudible}. But I've had the utmost respect for the mayor
and councilmen that have served in this city and I think we've gat the map work
from them and we have continued it on and I hope we will continue it on. I think
that sometimes inaudible} the other cities, the problems they get into, they get,
oh kind of overindulging inaudible}. And we have never - -, Thanks to the
employees inaudible}. Theysit on this sidewith us inaudible}.
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Stiffler: And I think these kinds of transitions move on because inaudible}.
would say this and I keep hearing this from the directors. one of the things the
directors said about item three, when they looked at cross departmental things is
the functionality of what they're doing and looking at making sure that if we're
planning on having this addition out here, what's the impact going to be on Fire,
what's the impact going to be on Police, and ail of a sudden Brad was ready to
go what downtown? inaudible} you know, kind of thing. And so I think that item
three, you'll see some cross references there. I won't go through inaudible}
public entity what it is where leadership needs to be strong. Inaudible} execute
on what really needs to be done for the City. So with that, I guess what I would
like to do is move into each one of the directors getting a chance #o kind of give
their presentation unless somebody would like to take a quick break first.
Inaudible} No? All right, let's go. Who wants to volunteer first?
Musser: As just a quick rundown in terms of the PD and how it relates here, I
think the Council for the most part has already looked at what we had in terms of
our contribution to the Annual Report and if you'd just like for me to sum things
up as what we already had included in there. First, outlining that we have 95
members in this department currently working out of 101 that we've been
authorized, l2 officers, which is now actually down to l1 because we had to let
one go on field training, 4 reserve officers still, and 19 inaudible} staff members.
And my calendar's already filling up for Friday and for next week with interviews
on inaudible} candidates for records, witness coordinator, and far a patrol
position. So hopefully we can get there or at least somewhat more of a match in
terms of people we can authorize but we won't fill out everything in terms of our
budget request this year. The simple reality is we're not seeing the qualified
candidates come through inaudible} goal that we continue to work hard
inaudible}. We'll getthe people inaudible},
(Inaudible): Excuse me, Bill.
Musser: Yes.
(Inaudible): Is that consistent (inaudible)?
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Worlcshap
April 11, 200?
Page 15 of 58
Musser: It's consistent nation-wide. It's anation-wide phenomenon right now,
My attendance in Boston at the International Association of chiefs of Police, a
good major focus that was there was on recruitment, retention. I have since sent
an officer out to a specific retention school inaudible}. In terms of our
accomplishments over 2006, we submitted in what we thought were important
items for the AIC award inaudible} canine facility, ~inaudibie} drug coalition,
which !think we've seen some results of how that's inaudible}, We have our
Public Safety Academy partnership with the Fire Department. Chief Anderson
went over it with the staff. And it's really brought a whole new perspective in
terms of our citizens inaudible} public safety programs. National Night Qut, for
those of you who participated this last time around, we had 22 this year
inaudible}. The prior year, we had none. So I think that speaks highly of
inaudible} communities help us vut with Neighborhood Watch programs and
speaks volumes of the person who we have hired as coordinator, which is
Melissa Delaney inaudible}. Those are some of our big things there and we did
get an online report established. That seems to be working well. I noticed we
get a lot of online reports inaudible}. It's another way folks can get information
to us without having to inaudible}. In terms of the crime, I'd like to tie this one in
to a recent Farmer's Insurance survey that went out. It was a nationwide survey
in which the Treasure Valley area received the top marks in the nation for one of
the safest metro areas in the United States inaudible} in terms of crime or lack
thereof. It just depends on the way you look at it. Even with the recent events
that we've had, Meridian isn't totally immune to having murders or robberies or
rapes or anything else here but we don't see them with the same frequency that
we see them over in Nampa ar we see them in Boise. And I think I have to knock
on wood that we continue that. This year is the first year we started to get there -
- to approach 3,000 crimes. We're told inaudible}. We're talking about 2006.
We ended up hitting 2,967 total so we still haven't hit the 3,000 mark, but it's
pushing. For the time that I've been here, we've always had pretty much
~inaudibfe}. The other one-third has inaudible}. So for the mast part where we
live in that Treasure Valley area inaudible} this community in and of itself is the
one with the lowest amount of crime per capita. inaudible} 64 reporting cities for
the past couple years. We've sat on the other side of the midpoint, which is 30,
so inaudible}, - -lower half. We aren't there with Nampa, we aren't there with
Boise, So I think that goes well with where we're at. In terms of where we're at
with the population as we move in. Right now that rate inaudible} projected off
the 2006 population. That's about 4.3°/n. grime with relation to the population is
69,000 with 2,967 reported crimes. Inaudible}. Back in 2001, we had 2,194
crimes with a population of roughly 46,118. That was 4.75. Inaudible}. - -That
helps keep us as a safe community. !think that helps put us in position where it
becomes one of those positive things that people want to settle here, make it
their residence or come here to open up a business. I think it helps us to
inaudible}.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 1 fi of 58
Borton: Bill, I have a question. It might sound inaudible}. You see the matrix
and we talk about inaudible}, Is there a strategic plan to identify inaudible}.
Musser; Well, if the city comes up number one inaudible}far the last six, seven
years inaudible}. They have the largest per capita on the ratio of the Hughes
audit and I don't really want to be going on latest set of statistics because it's
crime per 100,000 population inaudible}. And a lot of it has t0 da with the types
of felonies they have up there. inaudible}.
Borton; You say number one inaudible}. Whatever city's in Idaho that's got
inaudible}. Seriously inaudible}why Meridian? Inaudible}. Why is it Meridian?
Musser: To be honest, in the grand scheme of things, if you look at from a
criminology perspective, I am truly surprised we don't have more inaudible}. But
we don't have it. Part of that, I think, may have to do some with demographics
inaudible}. The reality is inaudible} in relation to per capita population's going to
be there. The big thing to me is as our downtown area evolves and rentals
inaudible} people who can't afford housing elsewhere, they're there. Inaudible}
our seniors are more vulnerable. We have the potential to see a bigger increase
in terms of personal crime against others just because of the dynamics that are
there now that allow it to work. So I guess, trying to answer your question,
there's no real set way because there's no magic inaudible}. It's only theories
you can look at to see where you're at. And I'd say right now we're inaudible}
high enough levels on socioeconomic status, education levels that it keeps us
relatively good. We don't have the inaudible} we have in Nampa or Boise.
Borton; And I don't mean to imply it's not. I'm just curious. Is this a situation
where we said inaudible}.
Nary: You said sometimes, part of the problem is inaudible}.
Musser: Inaudible}cities of inaudible} of the same size. We're number three in
the state in terms of the cities that we're looking at. In that regard, I think it's safe
to say we are number one in terms of that size city. Inaudible}. So that one's a
fairly inaudible},
De Weerd: ~lnaudible}. So one of the things that the Police Department is doing
is they are using their crime analysis and they are trained to filter down, what are
our highest problem areas and how can we start looking at it prevention-wise for
targeting our goals over in that area? So they're looking at area. They're looking
at types of crime. one of the examples is, one of the highest crimes, property
crimes has been in construction. So they've worked with a inaudible} in trying to
identify how can we start reducing the numbers of theft in the new construction
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
Apri[ 11, 2007
Page 17 of 58
area. So those are just one example of many that they're trying to start chipping
down to identify the real areas and how we can use prevention to lower those
numbers. And so, yes, we can always say inaudible}. one of the things that we
discussed yesterday at our director's meeting and it goes to back one of the
comments on question number one, is this organization inaudible}, Not all of our
departments can put their arms around that. Is being that model government
agency, that model, inaudible}. But they're using their numbers to evaluate what
are our issues and how can we start targeting and focusing on that to lower the
numbers?
Musser: The ultimate goal for us is to get to causation. Inaudible} And the
location or opportunities they have. So we get to that and work on it and move
right now. We're really working towards mare problem-solving inaudible}. At
one time in the City we had 34% inaudible}. Education and prevention
programs. Inaudible}.
De Weerd: Maybe we need to pass an ordinance that inaudible}. Lock your car.
Stiffler: I think also, Joe, you answered your question. Bill and I had a
discussion inaudible}, We're going to be in the top 1 o°/a inaudible} because
there's no differentiation but yet they take the ma#rix of their particular city and
they identify those benchmarks and those are the benchmarks that say these are
ones we have to improve by going down. inaudible}. But they're fine because
sometimes it's apples and oranges. Inaudible} They're not comparing the same
population base. Bu# they're saying we still want to be in this top ten, whatever
that target top 10°/0, inaudible} national or regional or those kind of statewide
statistics. But yet they're really going down in the matrix of the ones that say,
wait a minute, that's no# acceptable to us. This is an area we can do causation
and inaudible}. Address both.
Rountree: Inaudible} question in terms of how you approach it. And
appreciate inaudible}. You mentioned in inaudible} rentals and seniors.
Inaudible}. My question is, if we have those dynamics coming to the city
inaudible} whatever inaudible} need to know, nationally, this is a dynamic
inaudible}, But being proactive inaudible}. That's something that I'm always
thinking about. Increased inaudible},
Musser: And I think that's a real good thing to be thinking about because we do
have a potential, especially on the inaudible} high-density subsidized apartments
that are predominantly within that area and because the housing is older down in
that area, wiring issues, sewer and water issues inaudible}, We technically, in
terms of what we look at in social inaudible}. we're seeing the starts of a
concentric zone . We're starting to expand out from the core. That leaves the
core without a lot of focusing on. But I see the Council has already been focused
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 20D7
Page 18 of 58
because you're already looking at inaudible} revitalization inaudible}. But we're
there and I would be more concerned if 1 hadn't heard the Council already
addressing those issues. There is a dynamic inaudible}. Eventually we will
have density. Councilman Zaremba mentioned that, you know, there's that build
out. Build out only occurs inaudible}, What happens to the City once they reach
that? Then they start building up. The population still increases. New York now
has over inaudible} million people just because inaudible} so the reality is
inaudible} build out in terms of up and inaudible}.
De Weerd: Inaudible}. Another thing that the Police Department is doing is
training department coordinators or managers on things that they can be doing.
And one of those, one of the greatest things, the Police Department formed a
partnership with the manager at Hobart. I mean, the reduction and the problems
at Hobar# have been enormous because of their relationship that they have with
the manager there. So they are trying to inaudible}. They also are part of
Anna's comment team in pre-application so they are looking at community design
aspect. And bringing their safety perspective into how can we look into
community design. So there's a lot of things that are going in and trying to
inaudible} the very things inaudible} and be proactive in trying to look at it in
terms on this side of things before we build it and create that situation and then
on the other side where it's already been created, how can we work through a
Neighborhood Watch, through the Anti-Drug Coalition training that they have, to
educate and inaudible} programs to address that.
Rountree: And my mind goes back to inaudible} celebration. If in fact
inaudible} successfully with a given metric inaudible}. And it ought to be one of
the tools we have for MDC. Anybody else is inaudible}. Here's cone-page
article with a picture of the area and a little bit of history of what we did, what the
success was. Inaudible}.
Stiffler: Austin, Texas had that very item. Inaudible} where they were actually
sell and market inaudible} exactly that. I think it was like inaudible}. To me,
that's a celebration inaudible} and recognized within the community inaudible}.
Directors and the staff inaudible}very small things inaudible}.
Musser: Currently what we're in the process of because we can go back
inaudible} for a year. Look at how much participation activity we have. So one
of the things that we are inaudible} the Police Department inaudible} Drug
Coalition is our front line training program inaudible} and our community
program for landlord apartment managers so those are the only things I see
inaudible}. Inaudible} is still there, we have the potential to inaudible},
Canning: (Inaudible).
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April ~ 1, 20D1
Page 19 of 58
Musser: I can appreciate that. 1 think it goes inaudible},
De Weerd: Inaudible} hope for.
Bird: I don't know inaudible} but I'm telling you, I wish we had it before - -
picture. I'm sure there is one around. Whatever happened over there, that looks
like a newdevelopment. I mean, it looks decent.
Musser: Well, what we had, is we had another manager that was involved. I'd
say seven years ago we had the same thing. Inaudible}. We also had
inaudible}. We haven't had as much out of that area here as blatant inaudible}
initially set up. But we don't see as much active participation inaudible}. But I
will have to say it was probably about seven or eight years ago inaudible} and
since then we've been able to bring back a little bit more emphasis on getting
people that have a passion. That's the key. We need folks there that have a
passion to help us improve the situation.
Bird: And I also think that inaudible} because the Fire Department also has
been through there to make sure inaudible} set on fire. Probably helps the
manager get a little more active.
Musser: That's something inaudible}. I've been here 26 years inaudible} so
we're talking in excess of 34 years in that apartment complex. The same thing
with inaudible} Wllashington Square. Those places are getting a little old. They
don't have inaudible},
Zaremba: Inaudible} as Bill mentioned inaudible}. As we grow into a bigger city
that becomes more and more difficult to do. You and your staff inaudible}. I
would only throw one negative thought into that and inaudible}. one of the
difficulties of being a safe city inaudible} is that gangs develop in the region.
The safe city in the middle becomes the target of the turf wars. And I don't know
how you prevent that but from regional contacts saying what's going an around
us inaudible}. Can that not happen here?
Musser: To address that specifically we do have an officer assigned to the
Violent Crimes Task Force in Canyon County which partners in with Federal
agencies in Nampa, Caldwell, and Canyon County for focus on gangs
inaudible}. We're fully aware of the potential. We do have one hot spot
inaudible}. That's one we keep an eye on. If it becomes too hot of a spot
inaudible}, I'll be the first one inaudible}.
(End of tape).
Bird: Inaudible} shorts so we're in real trouble,
Meridian Gity Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, ~ao7
Page 20 of 58
Borton: ~h, just like the Council Meeting. 111Je'll still be wearing shorts.
Stiffler: Everything changes when I become involved. I know where to focus
now. (Inaudible).
Bird: We're ready, Anna.
Canning. You guys are painfully aware of what I do so truly inaudible} my
business to your plans. We have Ten Mile, we have south Meridian, we have
assistance to the Pathway Plan and Parks Department, we have an industrial
section. Those are really our big things. They're all nearing completion. South
Meridian, you'll hear about later. Inaudible}. But really that's what we were up
to this year. As far as current plans, Caleb did an excellent job keeping
applications timely with relatively few mis#akes while training a brand new staff.
So, you know, inaudible}.
Bird: Are you done?
Stiffler: See, she's going to get to it inaudible}.
Bird: But I have a question on it. In your opinion, and this has been brought to
me by different people. I know inaudible}. Da you feel that we, wanting to be in
complete unity, have got enough industrial and commercial area set aside? To
become the community that has, you know, you live, work, and play in. What's
your feeling on that? I have no take on it myself.
Canning: The commercial, I think we do. I think #hat as the Ten Mile comes in, I
think you'll see more of that. But I do think that inaudible} industrial. You know,
when you've got Van Auker asking inaudible} industrial, to me says that maybe
there's not a market for industrial in this area. However, that doesn't mean there
can't be other types of permits here but not the typical inaudible}. But to add it in
other places, people are just telling us it's not inaudible}, But I think it needs to
be tied into other inaudible}.
Bird: I did the fallow-up on that, Anna, inaudible} if we do the Ten Mile deal
there I've got some real concerns, putting residential in that first inaudible}
square. The Black Cat-Ten Mile-Franklin to the freeway area. Because I look at
that as being an industriallcommercialorea. You know how well it's going to go if
we let a bunch of residential get started in there. Inaudible} and have people
come in with tears in their eyes saying they assured us that nothing was coming
here like it. And so I really wander, it's something I'm thinking out loud. I just
wondered, if we go put residential out there before we get commercial or some
industrial going.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 21 of 58
Canning: UVell, my commitment to you on the Ten Mile was that it was going to
inaudible}. And it is, unlike Crossroads, where you've got low density
commercial and low density residential because if you're going to have a high
density inaudible}. I think that those will actually help. They are much closer in
use because they are inaudible} and I think that people, if they buy a house, not
having looked at that Ten Mile Specific Plan inaudible}that's just inaudible},
Bird: But the people that are selling, you want to remember, downplay this. 4h
yeah, they got a plan but that's not ever going to happen. That's how
Crossroads was built. I remember Charlie, one time inaudible} and asking
somebody. He said, you know, that picture of that storefront sat out for five
years. You drove by it every day and just believed it wasn't going to happen?
Canning: Well, sir, I thinkyou're stealing a little bit of mythunderforgoing on but
Bird: okay, then l'llwait.
Canning: Next year I want inaudible}this is one ofthe tools you need to develop
to implement that Ten Mile. You need to have someone inaudible} letting those
residential neighbors know inaudible}.
Bird: More crime.
Canning: Low density residential tends to be the worst inaudible}.
Nary: Inaudible}this is very short and will be driven by inaudible}. Cur update,
these are things that are really actually currently ongoing inaudible} that we're
looking at. Three things I guess I want to highlight, one of which is inaudible}.
one of the things that I have stressed inaudible} the biggest thing that our
department does is provide service to the other parts of the City. That's our goal
all the time, that's our mission all the time. We stress it constantly in our staff
meetings. That's what we're about. I mean, there're a lot of other things that we
do. But we don't provide this service in inaudible}. And we're not dealing with
that. That really is the number one mission for us. And in each of the sessions
inaudible} most talked about it is inaudible}. Cver the last year we have been
building a team with the Police Code Enforcement in our office, with the Building
Department, and Planning Department on all these various public issues and
they are constant, every day things that we deal with. And you need that
integration, that working relationship among all those different sections
inaudible}. You folks shouldn't have to deal with very much the offshoot of
Councilman Rountree saying, you know l've been driving down this Cherry Lane
and noticing all these signs around here ail the time that shouldn't be here. You
Meridian City Council Stra#egic Planning Workshop
April 11, 207
Page 22 of 58
know, we should be trying to address those now. And the proactiveness. And
we have been doing that a lot with our deparkment in understanding and
communicating, working together to figure out how to stay ahead of this. The
folks who build and develop this city are fast and creative in doing stuff. You
can't barely keep up with inaudible}. Trying to stay ahead of ~inaudibfe} signs,
fixed signs, pole signs, flags, black signs with bright fetters, bright signs with
black letters, you know, white signs - -.
Borton: ~inaudib[e}.
Nary: Sharp, creative people. That's something we've been really working
together with the other departments in trying to provide more service. ~n the HR
side, inaudible}. We have, one of the criticisms of HR when I got here was that
we didn't seem to be much of a partner with the departments on a lot of issues.
It seemed to be a department that just didn't know a lot and I don't like that. I
think it's important that we work together with departmentsto figure out hawto do
things, how to get things accomplished, what's the right thing to do, and how to
get it done. And we've worked really hard in the two-and-a-half years I've been
here to do that. And, you know, recruitment and retention for employees is a
huge deal. In a city of X83 employees currently but we probably hired, you know,
in the last year, we probably hired about 10o people for various things.
Inaudible}. But it's tough and I've got one person that does that fulltime and it's
a lot of work and yet, again, our objective is to try to get the best people, the best
bid, find the needs of the department and match those together, and you know,
we aren't 100°/o successful but I think we've done a pretty good job in trying to
keep up with the needs of the department and not only their needs, but the City's
needs, with a consistency of the process and making sure we are meeting those
goals to get the best people. Because that's how we keep good people here.
The last one, on the IT side. Same thing. When IT came to my department, one
of the criticisms I heard was that IT didn't inaudible}department very well. They
either dictated or appeared to dictate, this is how it is, this is what you get, this is
the way things work. And you know, we really tried to expand that. That first
bulletin, the internal IT committee, we reestablished that and the goal of that
committee is to look at the Iong~term needs of the City, make sure we are
addressing them. Not from IT's perspective but the department's perspective.
What they think they're going to need and how could IT help get the best people
or technology to meet those needs going forward. Not so that 1T has more toys
to play with, so the departments have the right tools to do the job inaudible}.
And these things are tough. They aren't inaudible} but those are the things we
stress a lot in ourdepartment inaudible}.
Bird: Bill, one question. In HR, what kind of percent turnover do we have in the
City?
Meridian Ci#y Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April ~ ~, 2001
Page 23 of 58
Nary: 0h ... .
De Weerd: The Planning Department inaudible}.
Nary: I don't have any exact numbers inaudible}but you know, we have - -.
Bird: I keep hearing everybody saying, you know, we have inaudible}, you look
through here, and I agree with it and I thought so too inaudible}. We don't have
the turnover. I guarantee one thing inaudible} you're talking about 50 to 60%
turnover in a year.
Nary: But it doesn't say, it doesn't operate like that. Because we don't have a lot
of turnover, But we don't have a lot of turnover because we do all the things
inaudible}, Some of the people stay here because they just like it. They live
here, inaudible}. The ones that we really work hard on retention are those ones
that are in that three to five year inaudible}. When we get employees that are
here about three to five years, we've invested a lot of time, we've invested a lot of
dollars in training, and salaries, and pay and they're really good, they're really
helpful and we're able to get things accomplished in the various departments.
Those are the ones that are important for us to keep. When they stay beyond
five years inaudible}. At that point, it's a challenge. In most of the departments,
that's the one they're most fearful of losing because they are generally the most
marketable. So, we don't have a big turnover but you know, we, the public sector
business today is tough. Around the state, County, and the other cities, it's a
tough business, you know, but we are competitive with those people. But if we
weren't, if we didn't have comparable pay, we'd lose those three to five people.
We're not that invested in them yet. You know, they have the ability to go work in
Nampa and be a Wastewater operator over there. They have the ability to go to
Boise and work in the police department over there. They're not super invested
inaudible} but because we are marketable ~inaudib[e}. We have stressed aver
the last four years very strongly about that communication, collaboration type of
environment. I think we should feel like it's one thing that matters but the vision
statement that we make, don't just say it in front inaudible} but we live it, we
actually do it. When we manage our staff, it makes it a better place to work.
Inaudible} If they feel like this is okay, I like it, inaudible}, I don't have to drive
very far, the people I work with I like. Yau know, you're going to get a inaudible}
for somebody who's making $30,000 and somebody inaudible}. That happens.
We can't always compete with every one of them. The dollar scale, But, you
know what, if you hate where you work and you make $40,000 and somebody
offers you $4,000 inaudible}.
Bird: Inaudible} private companies, their idea inaudible}, I think a lot of it's the
trend now days for young people. I mean, Charlie and I's age group, I mean we
went to work for a firm and we worked for it. That was our job for the rest of our
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 20Q7
Page 24 of 5~
lives as long as we were treated right. Now, some of these kids, if they turn 34
and haven't changed their jobs, and we're talking about professionals, four orfive
times, they haven't kept up with the training.
Nary: That's part of the recruitment challenge. You know, I agree with that. The
generation of people now, the 18 to 3o-year-old generation, don't have in general
the traditional work ethic that we're talking about. ~Inaudib[e} isn't as common
yet we still find in recruitment inaudible}. Idaho is a very old school, traditional
kind of state and lots of folks who apply to work here still have that. Those are
the ones we do try to get because they fit better in the department. They've been
in the culture of our employees. If they're going to last longer inaudible}. We
take longer to hire than a lot of inaudible}. vile don't want inaudible}six months
or a year. We really want people longer and sometimes it takes a little more
effort to get them.
Stiffler: The challenge inaudible}then you lose some of that concern inaudible}
replacement. Then you come back and some of those numbers you look at are
not just turnover for other reasons, they're turnover because then you're still
trying to have that next generation replaced. In a City where you have
inaudible} you're still going to see that. Look at different departments of
inaudible} compounds the challenge.
De Weerd: Well, I know how long it takes to get employees up and functional.
You know, I think that the Police Department, even the Sewer Treatmen# Plant,
you know, we're starting to see some of our long time employees getting into
retirement. We don't have a recruitment issue. over in the Wastewater
Treatment Plant, we're going to have a real challenge over there until we
inaudible} haw we can not only attract and then retain inaudible}. As we get
them up and trained, they start picking them off inaudible} because they pay
more. And we expect more out of our employees because we do inaudible}. So
we need to find that balance of how we can train, recruit, retain, build the loyalty,
and ge# that inaudible} generational thing inaudible}. You landed somewhere
and that was where inaudible}. Now if someone pays, Boise or Nampa, better
than us, we just trained their person. They're starting to pick them off. And when
you get into an area, whether it's Planning, whether it's our Treatment Plant
Engineers, inaudible} we have to find ways to build that loyalty and keep them
focused here. Inaudible}.
(Inaudible):
Bird: And you have that recruit going on inaudible} and I hope, and I know this
inaudible} but like a lot of private companies, once a guy gets up in years
making good money, a lot of companies hire somebody else inaudible}. 1 think
that we take care of our inaudible} but in the same token if a young person 'Is
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 200
Page 25 of 58
raising a family, if they can go out and make more money, more power to them.
Sure 1'd like to retain them and stuff butwe can't compete with inaudible},
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Bird: t realize that, Tammy, but - -.
Nary: You can't solve everything at once. And every time, I guess all we can do
is inaudible}. We have these issues to face and most everyone around this
table has had to address this in some fashion. You know, really, the first
question I ask is, is this person inaudible}? Do we need to go to some
extraordinary length to retain this person? What's the value of inaudible}? You
know 1 come to the Mayor if you folks, every month, inaudible}. That doesn't
work. The money's going to run out somewhere. We can't inaudible}. So we
do want to make those kinds of analyses inaudible} but we do, I guess what we
try to do, is evaluate what can we do? Are we that out of whack? Is this a
situation where we can't solve it or are we that out of whack so it's not this
person inaudible}? Qne of the things l usually tell Department Directors is
unless they see themselves outside the organization, you know, they've got the
new name plate, they've got the new jersey, whatever inaudible} mindset that
they can inaudible}and be okay with it. We may not be able to inaudible}. And
you may not want to. Sometimes you may not really want them to stay.
Sometimes it's worth it inaudible}. All wages upfront. Is there something else
we're not doing for this job that we should be looking at? Is it the way we
organize it? The department? Are we giving people enough opportunity to
challenge? I mean, that's the kind of, I guess, creative thinking that I think is
important to address that retention set. Because, again, I don't think it's always
money. Sometimes it's lots of other things. You know, if somebody offers
inaudible}. How do we make sure we don't inaudible}, And you know, we
inaudible} really good people, inaudible}people. But--
Bird: inaudible}.
Nary: We certainly haven't discouraged them leaving. But, you know, but I think
we're still in the ballgame in this valley. We aren't going to compete with
engineering and a lot of - -you know, if you want to hire IT people and Micron's
hiring, they're going to hire more inaudible}, But you know, we're still
competitive in the market and that's the best we can do. And that's where we
want to stay. We want to stay competitive. We want to make sure we're doing
the right thing.
Bird: I just wanted to get inaudible} to get across the point that we aren't losing
a inaudible}. And I can tell you right now, I don't know about the rest of you
people, but the exit reviews now compared to what they were six, seven, eight
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 2fi of 58
years ago is not even close. Very few are leaving here because of management
or the way they're treated today. If one says that, you know there's a sour grape
somewhere. And it's usually their fault. And that's all we got on the exit reviews
before. Man, I don't care what the pay is, I'm out of here. I'm not inaudible},
We've all read those exit reviews like that. So that's what I'm - -, Whatever
we're doing, I think we're doing a good job. We can improve upon it though but
let's keep inaudible},
Musser; If I could add one thing inaudible}. I just experienced inaudible}.
think we have this thing in terms of succession, inaudible} find two or three
qualified people inaudible}, When it comes time to fill those positions, I recently
ran inaudible} some of the people aren't willing to do well. They're qualified,
they're good, But because you have to take on the extra work ar because they
know that their peers in other places get a little bit more money, it's not worth it to
them. I was flabbergasted. I've never experienced that. But I guess my
generational perspective is a little bit on the inaudible}there, probably where I'm
at, but it wasn't a dynamic that I have to deal with. Inaudible}. But we're starting
to see it now too. Inaudible}.
Stiffler; Inaudible} good soldiers. The good soldiers are still there but it's
appreciating also inaudible} value them and appreciate them because they don't
want to inaudible}. They're still doing their job. How important inaudible}.
Bird: There're a lot of people that don'twantto take on responsibility. Inaudible}
you know. Great mechanics, but they don't want to run a jab. They want
somebody to tell them what to do and they do a great job.
Musser; If you have those that are like that, embrace those. But we have those
that do want to move up. They'd be happy to move up but we aren't making it
rewarding enough forthem. Inaudible}.
Canning: inaudible} generational thing. There used to be a inaudible}, I think
that's why Brad and i have such a hard time because, I mean you've gat to want
to be a planner, a City Planner, to do that job inaudible}. But if you enjoy
inaudible}get some satisfaction out of it. Inaudible}.
Zaremba: The other element is important and I realize inaudible} having a
workplace that they're happy with, having other incentives even if it's just movie
tickets once in a while, however small they might be. I've been on the receiving
end of that too. Inaudible} membership. The other thing, as I say, is having
people want to work with the other people that they work with. And I don't know
what City policy is on inaudible}. Rick will not hire someone who wasn't
recommended by a current employee. He will ask if they are good workers. Do
you know anybody? You know, before they go out in the public on this. And
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning UVorkshop
April 11, 2007
Page 2l of 58
inaudible}. Sometimes people know who will work and help support them and
inaudible}, Like f said, ~inaudibfe} rewards and recognition, pats on the back.
Inaudible}that's important.
De Weerd: Well, maybe the challenge that a Director inaudible}within the focus
area the employee gets trained inaudible}, ~lnaudible} for a planner inaudible},
for a police officer in recognizing new programs that, you know, reduce crime or -
Musser: Inaudible}. Wear the uniforms.
De Weerd: But you know, maybe that is the challenge as well, inaudible}
internal and say, you know, within your profession what are those - ~ you know
you've reached it when you've achieved this cerkain threshold for whatever it is,
But maybe those are the kind of things that need building as well. And it gets
back inaudible} Joes' thing as being the best and having that pride of working in
a community that's proactive and recognized for their innovation, that they are
the best practice of the model city. And maybe that's something too. So if we
started to look at whatever those achievements - -, Maybe that's enough to keep
inaudible},
Stiffler: I think inaudible} values for the City. Maybe mean it something
inaudible}. 0r working hard and telling their people they care about them. I
think that idea of actually walking the talk, you care about. If 1 don't think Anna
cares, I think I don't want to care. Inaudible}first thing this morning, but the rest
of the staff understood that and it has to do with the fact she really does care.
And I think that if you did a survey of all your employees today, I would tell you,
even though money and the other stuff comes up there, if they feel they're out of
touch with their Department Leader or their manager does, or ail the way up,
really don't care about them, all the way up to the Council, the whole culture of
the City that you taught, Bill, will go tank down real quick. They don't see that. I
think it's more stay the course of momentum inaudible}. They know that you are
engaging them. Inaudible}.
De Weerd: So if you guys have any ideas, the Council inaudible} how to do that.
Maybe Charlie inaudible}. If you find those things that are those recognition
points or inaudible}, let us know. Give us your ideas and we'll figure out how
those work. It is a balance,
Rountree: Inaudible} showing respect. inaudible}, It's the hardest job you'll
ever have. And you can't get everybody inaudible}. Work those situations out,
It's simple recognition. Inaudible}. Let them know. ~lnaudible},
Bird: (Inaudible).
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 28 of 58
Anderson: Sure, 1'd be glad to go next. As most of you know, the Fire
Department has been playing catch-up for several years and I was kind of
interested when I saw one of the Councilmen's comments about firefighting
operating from behind the growth curve because if you recall, at the time when
Keith and I got elected and Charlie was on the Council a# that time, Meridian was
pretty much an all-volunteer fire department at that time and that was only back
in 1998. So it wasn't that long ago. And we were a very small community and
growing very rapidly and we were kind of right in that phase where we were
transitianing from the volunteer department that had operated for years into
becoming a fulltime, more professional organization. l remember that I was a
volunteer firefighter here. And part of the reason I joined was because of the
social activity, because of all the things that they did - -the salmon barbecue and
the parade and maybe even some of that, the card games on Tuesday night and
those types of things. But the Department has changed and the times have
changed and that's not what the community demands of the Fire Department any
more and so we have tried to change that organization and it's been a struggle in
some cases but to look where we've come in a very short period of time has also
been very rewarding. We also decided that we were going to take that next step
in the process of improving the professionalism of the Fire Department, upgrade
our skills. And the Council made a bold statement here a few years ago and said
we want to go from the basic life support to advanced life support because it's
something that our citizens deserve, it's something that they demand as a higher
public service so we took that step also. So in the last year here, to kind of build
off of that, I passed around the department's Strategic Initiative and you see the
city-wide focus is above there but just t0 talk a little bit about the first one there,
to maintain and enhance the current service level. Part of that, being able to
maintain and enhance those current service levels, is continuing to build the fire
stations as the City's footprint grows. And as we get bigger, obviously the
response time increased and so every time we annex another piece of ground
and that happens almost on a weekly basis. At every Council meeting there's
another piece of property that's annexed, At some point they have to build that
next fire station. And so just staying up with that alone is a monumental task
when you look at the process of finding property, getting an architect, getting the
building drawn, getting it submitted through Planning, and going through the City
process just like all the other buildings, putting it out for bid, getting it built,
equipment and hiring the people, training the people, working out all the new
response areas. Most departments, they deal with that maybe once every 10,
~o years. We've built four fire stations since the year 2400. So that's a lot of
work in itself right there. Also to ga along with that enhanced service level in the
last year the Mayor and Council decided that once we got this EMS program up
and in place then we needed something there to sustain that and that means
training and that means somebody to oversee that, that program, And so we
appreciate the position of the Deputy Chief and EMS. We've also been working
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 29 of 58
hard with the Financial Department as well as the consultants that we did the
Public Safety impact fees - - to try to develop along-term strategic plan for
capital staffing and the operation and maintenance. So if you guys can get the
big picture and the snapshot of what it's like, what the needs are going to be for
the Fire Department, one year, three year, five years, and out so that we can
plan for the future path that we need there. And that is something that has
become very apparent to me here recently, that we really need to go in every
year and adjust because of inflation or cost differences. A lot of these things,
we're making best guesses at this time as far as what they're going to cost. They
may be substantially more. In some cases, they're less. Usually they're more.
So adjusting that Capital Improvement Plan f think is important. We also in the
last year have made a lot of effort in improving our training programs. Dne of the
problems was growing so rapidly. It was also having people ready to step into
those positions. But every time we open a new fire station we're creating new
opportunities for not only new firefighters to be hired but to promote people to
drivers and then promote drivers to Captain and so our training programs have
had to increase substantially to keep up with that demand to get those people
ready. So we have literally new Captains that were only hired in our department
four years ago and that's something in a typical fire department you don't achieve
until you've been there 10 or ~ 5 years. And so we're having to prep these people
and get them ready far that additional responsibility in much less time and more
compressed time. The new training tower that's being constructed right now will
go a long way in helping to keep their skills sharp once the guys get out of
recruiting class and go online, That training that they go through is very
repetitive in nature and it has to be to keep their skills sharp. So that's going to
go a long way. But it's also going to help with a lot of our public education
because there will be - -not only a burn room for the firefighters but there's a
room for public display so we'll be able to actually bring school classes or groups
that we're trying to educate about the dangers of fire and then we'll be able to
have them stand outside the training tower to see some of the actual fire as it
progresses. We have been working very hard at improving our public education
program too. if you recall, it was only two years ago that we hired our first public
education person and that was increased to a fulltime position last August and
the Department is involved in programs that we've just never been involved in in
the past, everything from child car seat safety. Cne of the requirements of ail the
hospitals around here is that before you can take your infant home you do have
to have a inaudible} that has been properly fitted to the car and to the child and
so they have to come by either the Police Department or Fire Department.
We've partnered with Central District health and we do those inspections for folks
to make sure they bring home their little ones from the hospital. We do al! kinds
of parfinering with different corporations in town from Wal-Mart to Lowe's to
senior centers. We're doing Fall Fit programs for seniors to keep them from
becoming injured inaudible}. All kinds of things. So we are really reaching out
and gaining a lot of ground in the public education programs. We've also
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 30 of 58
developed some great relationships with the schools as a result of that and we're
now going into the schools and going into school assemblies and doing skits
during Fire Prevention Month to educate the kids about different things that are
required. Improving the departmental communications, you guys have probably
seen the monthly newsletters that we email out. We also put out an annual
report every year that you should have a copy of. We have quarterly newsletters
that we send home to all of the Fire Department's members and their wives
because like any organization, typically the spouse never comes home and talks
much about work and what's going on so a lot of the wives, girlfriends, and
others find out about what's going on in the department through that quarterly
newsletter.
Inaudible}~
.
Anderson: Yeah, we have a couple of those. But they work in the office. We
also do monthly staff meetings with all the officers to make sure that everybody's
on the same plan and that we discuss upcoming events and fall season and
things like that. vUe have daily operational meetings. It all has been in an effort
to help with communications. And when we have these monthly staff meetings,
minutes are kept. They're put out to all members of the department within 48
hours of the actual meeting so that if there was any question or inaudible} about
what happened at the meetings. vlJe've also made a lot of improvements in the
last year at the Fire Prevention Bureau. Illlith you guys' assistance, we added a
fulltime Fire Inspector in actaber and that's made a world of difference. one of
the things that's different for the Fire Department and the Building Department
when it comes to the plan review part is typically the Building Department, once
they review a set of plans, if they're done with them when the building's built,
then those plans get destroyed or archived. In the Fire Department, we typically
have to go back in every year and ensure that that building is being maintained.
And so we have to make sure that the lifesaving features such as sprinkler
systems or fire alarms or the exiting or the housekeeping, all of those kind of
things, are being maintained. So it's an ongoing responsibility for us. Every new
business that comes into Meridian means additional work
(End of tape).
Anderson: And as rapidly as Meridian's growing, we were simply falling further
and further behind. We have, as near as we can tell, somewhere around ~ 100
businesses in our town right now and we were only hitting about 300 to 400 of
those a year and technically we should have been going in there in a fot of
businesses every year. So between hiring the fulltime inspector and we
inaudible} the work load considerably inaudible}, we expect to hit somewhere
around 900 and 1000 of those inspections this year. But we're still inaudible}
short in that area. And if something has a positive impact in the community
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
Apri111, 2001
Page 31 of 5S
inaudible}. They're glad to have the Fire Department come through and point
out some of those safety things. Some of them aren't so happy when they find
out there's some major things that need to be upgraded but we're working
through those and giving the idea that we provide a safe community for our
citizens. If we've got buildings out there that are unsafe and something can be
done about them inaudible}. We also have been working closely with our Public
Works department in trying to [ook at some of the trouble areas where we've had
problems in the past, haven't had adequate water supply, and those kind of
things. We're trying to address plans to remedy some of those inaudible}.
Which kind of moves us into some of the areas that we're going to be touching
on in the future. As Meridian grows and as we look at things like the Comp Plan
and we develop different areas where we tend to put commercial growth, it's
important that we all sit down together and talk about inaudible} because it
changes what these long-term goals are that we talked about and capital needs
because when we start changing the [ook of Meridian and start putting
commercial buildings where the Fire Department was originally thinking we were
going to have residential and that may change the need and it may be that we
need a little bit larger station because we have to inaudible} in that area. And
that is going to require additional staff, additional cost for those vehicles and
those types of things, We also talked recently about the 41d Town. And we
certainly, from the Fire Department standpoint, we'd love to see the 41d Town
redevelop and become the vision that everybody has for that area but by the
same token, there's some infrastructure needs that are not up to current codes
down there. We've got water lines that are inadequately sized for that area. So
when you come in and you start talking about building four-story City Halls and
six-story buildings and remodeling that, that's going to cause some issues in the
Fire Department when it comes to getting adequate flow. So those are some of
the things that we need to talk about inaudible}. With that, and the Mayor's sign
off, I' I I sig n aff.
Zaremba: Inaudible} was just so swamped that it was inaudible}. Not only
catching up but getting ahead and having a lot of inaudible}. But in my mind I
was extrapolating that into the o#her departments. In a city that's growing at the
pace that we're growing inaudible} go somewhere else inaudible}. And they
would say we're the ones who have to respond. We need to be included
inaudible}. I never saw the inspector again. And I'm assuming that inaudible},
1 would assume that if they actually saw something inaudible}. But in hindsight
I'm sure they were his eyes and ears and they saved him a fot of work
inaudible}. I think that's great.
Anderson: And we work kind of off the same kind of principle. I mean, we feel
like that it's really important for those firefighters to be out there and be in those
businesses because when a call comes in at 2:0o in the morning and black
smoke is rolling out of that building, that's the worst time to start becoming
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 32 of 58
familiar with the lights in that building, what's in there, and all those kind of things
so that's why we have been, I guess for the last several years, big advocates for
this company inspection program because it's the active firefighters that will be
responding when they are out there doing inspections. Typically what they have
done is they get in there and it's just a routine inspection and there are just a few
minor violations. They write them up, address them to the business owners to
take care of them. But when they get in there and they find major problems, this
needs a sprinkler system or these people are not wanting to comply, then they
turn those over to the Fire Marshall and then that's what the Fire Marshall does.
with the majority of his time, is deal with the more difficult inspections inaudible}.
Same thing as wha# you're used to.
Nary: Chief, I was just curious. Inaudible}. Is that something that would be
beneficial? If you're going into a lot of businesses inaudible}. I imagine there
may be inaudible}.
Anderson: Yeah, there probably is inaudible} there. A lot of the classes that
policemen attend, a lot of times the firemen are in the same classes and we have
to take, as we take our medical training, there's certain things that they teach us
about. We see these certain types of signs. If you go into a house on a medical
call there'd be signs of inaudible} in the case of child abuse or something like
that and so - -. You go through that type of stuff. Meth lab stuff is always being
trained in the firefighter training because you have to go in inaudible}. But I
know as far as Nampa, they have a Gang Unit teach classes to all the City
departments whether it's the Water or Public Works or Fire so that as we're out
and about in the community, if we see certain signs inaudible} Police
Department. ~lnaudible}. I'm sure there's probably same training like that
inaudible}.
De Weerd: We did participate in inaudible}. I don't know how many were there
but inaudible}.
UlJatson: I'll bounce around a little bit. ~lnaudible} Black Cat, the lift station,
Wastewater inaudible}, One of the things that we're looking to do inaudible}. I'll
be working with that department inaudible}. Gne of the big things that I have to
report back to you on ~inaudibie}. Three orfouryears ago inaudible}.
Bird: Don't be saying that. Inaudible}.
Watson: (Inaudible). Also kind of under the radar (inaudible).
Zaremba: lt's a scratch or sniff.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2vol
Page 33 of 58
Watson: There's so much that I could talk about. Inaudible}. And we're getting
faced with inaudible}, We've kind of came to the conclusion that inaudible}.
When I commented earlier on inaudible} quality of life inaudible}. What we
focus on inaudible}. Inaudible} probably in the last year that this Council has
supported us and put extra money in that inaudible}. Some of our focus-based
projects inaudible}. vile will have a splash pad. Inaudible}. It'll be the first time
we'll actually see the impact of inaudible}. Meridian Baseball Complex, I've not
been by it inaudible}.
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Bird: Inaudible}Charlie. It was '92.
Watson: Inaudible} continued to look at inaudible}. Irrigation going in. Grass
will be seeded. Soon afterwatercomes in inaudible}.
De Weerd: ~Inaudib[e}.
Watson: We don't have an official name for ityet.
De Weerd: That's the south, southeast Meridian community park, neighborhood
park.
Zaremba: Park number 42.
Watson: Inaudible}. We have a returning seasonal staff this year, with ahigh-
quality seasonal staff inaudible}. We're excited about that. We've had
significant growth in numbers of services inaudible}.
Zaremba: As Planning and Zoning Commissioner, I inaudible}. But those of us
who have been put in some of the decision-making positions have a visual of
what's going on with the parks. My feeling about Parks and Recreation is they're
not just amenities, they're a part of our inaudible}. The more kids that are
actively involved in recreational activities inaudible}, Cr maybe that's not true.
Inaudible} around City Hal[. I bring that up because maybe there are things that
some of the other directors are inaudible} their departments that you could
maybe inaudible} in order to base our decisions on things that are going on in
the City. A city that's growing this fast is hard to keep up inaudible}. You know,
if there is inaudible} or even if there isn't inaudible}. I'm just saying to keep us
better informed inaudible}. But I just feel it's a good connection.
Anderson: If you guys are interested, and I know Charlie inaudible} some of the
departments are taking elected officials and they're doing like a mini inaudible}
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning UlJorkshop
April 11, 2001
Page 34 of 58
like aone-day and they're teaching them how to put on a breathing appara#us
inaudible}.
Canning: They use night vision goggles.
Anderson: And if they don't give us what we want, we don't let you out.
Bird: we can't let Anderson, Chief Anderson, go in because we didn't care if he
got burnt when he was Chief of Nampa. vile don't want him getting burnt
inaudible}.
vvatson: Inaudible}.
Berg: If you wait long enough, it'll begone.
Stiffler: Keep it going, so, Stacy.
Kilchenmann: Who wants to (inaudible).
Berg: Just on a personal nate,l can't everget inaudible},
Kilchenmann: Inaudible}. I'm just going to talk about a couple things we've
done and some of them are really obvious and you know some of the obvious
things that you inaudible}. But since I was hired six years ago, we haven't
added any staff to the Accounting Department. This year we were able to
inaudible} and some changes that allowed us to do a lot more in the cutting
edge things that we've been wanting to do. We hired a professional accountant.
vve did some major changes in how we process paperwork inaudible}
departments that really saved us a lot of time in our Accounts Payable staff. vile
did electronic time cards which are saving us a lot of time in our payroll
processing inaudible}. In the Utility Billing Department I think the level of
professionalism there has really changed in the last few years. And work is
caught up. vve did one thing, online payments, which seemed really simple but
it's actually pretty complicated. Not so much the software part of it but the
reconciliation of those payments coming in and tracking them inaudible}. So
we've got inaudible} handle that better. And then we've actually found a
different schedule to do our processing that will allow us to save more money.
And at the same time inaudible}that people are asking for like having inaudible}
available online. vile can start updating accounts almost real time inaudible},
And then another big thing we did was implement the whole Purchasing
Department, which that was, the City never had that before. Inaudible} and I
think it's run successfully. Inaudible} or should we do that later?
Stiffler: Later.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April ~~, 2007
Page 35 of 5S
Kilchenmann: So that's all I have.
Stiffler: Any other comments right now?
Zaremba: I have a question. ~lnaudible}. I understand inaudible}.
Kilchenmann: (Inaudible) doing the things that we do now are appropriate for a
small city (inaudible) but as we get larger (inaudible).
Zaremba: I can understand it when we didn't have a person.
De weerd: Inaudible} thingy-bobber. Whose trained on it, Will?
Berg: Inaudible}.
De weerd: Just thought I'd ask before inaudible}.
Bird: You need to go read the ordinance on what a Councilman is inaudible}
and if you want to change it, inaudible}.
De weerd: The state doesn't inaudible},
Inaudible}: Can I be a fly, Uncle will?
Stiffler: Hey, move on.
Berg: I want to do just one sentence. We deal with quality of life issues on a
daily basis. When you deal with people, their dog and license them, it's a major
impact on their life. Being able to park theirtruck inaudible} is an impact on their
life. Installing a gate in a fence impacts their life. So we deal with quality of life
issues all the time.
(Inaudible).
Berg: Well, they don't. They come to our office.
De Weerd: They want to know what time it is. They need to have phone
numbers.
Berg: So anyway I think capitalizing on quality of life issues inaudible} part of
our department. Considering that last year we handled over 21,4oD calls. That
doesn't mean we dealt with every call or tried to handle it, but somewhere along
the line we got it to the right place. And I think that's it. inaudible}. But I think
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April ~ ~ , 2001
Page 3G of 58
that's important to know, that the City deals constantly with the public. And it's
probably a major, major part of my department, a major part of all departments,
we can have all the things we want to do but when that phone call comes in, we
have to answer it. Inaudible}. Getting back to my initiatives, sorry. one of the
initiatives that I had was inaudible}. The access of information. We've gone
from paper to email and now to web links. A lot of our inaudible}for the project
itself. They know that Friday night they can go to the web link, get all the packet
information inaudible}. I guess that's why we push to get that information so we
have it on the web link so they inaudible}, You know, Thursday at 5;00
inaudible}. Also in that realm the Planning and Zoning Commission is now
paperless. They use a web link to look at all the packets. And I think it's been
pretty good that we've gone and set up all the laptops inaudible}, We have it all
set up sa it's working out good.
De Weerd: Kind of like when they talk about computers inaudible},
Berg: I think you need to contact the IT Department.
Bird: I couldn't email them a request.
Berg: They already know you. Are you going to share?
Nary: We have a limited number of licenses to web link because of an automatic
timeout if the person takes inaudible} so they won't tie up a license if somebody
were to walk away from a link and leave it, that license would be tied up so it
would just stay open without it being active. So if it could open - -.
Bird: That's the first time I've seen it.
Nary: I have all sorts of trouble with technology. But it comes from the City.
Bird; Well, you know betterthan I.
Nary: But it's just to make sure because otherwise, we only have a limited
license amount so if you did do that, someone opened a web link and walked
away from it, inaudible}.
Berg; I think it was inaudible}. The other issue that we had was a relationship
with other agencies. We've been becoming more and more being able to
exchange some of the information from other agencies inaudible}. Inaudible} a
little bit better. Some of them now know they can email stuff rather than sending
us a letter in the mail. So we're trying to incorporate that a little bit faster
inaudible}, Another thing is dealing with, another customer service issue, is
something that you'll be seeing in inaudible} we have an Emergency
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 37 of 58
Management Team and we're looking beyond just some of the little issues but
the bigger ones that may have to deal with the City and inaudible} next budget
process. we may be thinking a little bit out of the box of what we have
inaudible}. The last thing, I think as far as processing and preparation of
information in my department. We will have ourfull staff back in on Thursday or
Friday 1 hope. And one of the goals of our department has been to delegate
more and more responsibility and cross-train to do that. And we work as a team
inaudible} it's not just one responsibility on the shoulders of one person
inaudible}. The accountability inaudible} cross-training. You'li see different
ones being responsible for different meetings as far as attending and making
sure proper order is taken care of. Inaudible} more rotation of people
inaudible}.
Stiffler: Any other comments? Moving on, if you go back to those two original
sheets, one from Council and one from Leadership. You see number four there,
you see the two lists of what were inaudible}top priorities or initiatives of 2008. I
would say that it's, you start to see some of the connected department
~inaudib[e}. And then you start seeing otherthings down there like inaudible}but
guess I would first ask you for finding inaudible}. Is there anything in those,
inaudible} as far as, would you see something there that somebody's got a
question about or they would see something that's not there or something you
might think, wait a minute inaudible}.
Zaremba: For as long as I've lived here, it's always been a pleasant place t0 live.
Inaudible}. There was a period where I felt that the City really had a grasp of
that growth as fast as it inaudible}. And in the last three years or so, inaudible}
think we're getting a handle inaudible}. The changes and accelerated changes,
the growth. And there's an excellent group of heads that are working on it. My
thought was this inaudible}. Positive response inaudible}.
Stiffler: Anybody else have any comments inaudible}. other elements were
there and some of the stuff has been brought up and I know that there will be
some other inaudible} as far as discussion inaudible}. So I need to give you a
chance to chime in. is there anything that you would have added?
(Inaudible):
Stiffler: Inaudible} This was all inaudible}. I'm going to kind of go with that.
You can see on the original agenda we have inaudible} X008 inaudible} but the
other one inaudible}everybody's kind of talked about - -
(End of tape).
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, ~OO7
Page 38 of 5S
Canning: So you're getting a map that kind of has all of our battlegrounds listed
on it. And these are where the pressure is, these are where the service line has
been extended and there's inaudible} activity, a lot of activity, or potentially a lot
of activity. I guess it would just help us to know where Council sees their
priorities. I'm going to use what I'm hoping Gouncil will say is the last priority as
an example. Inaudible}. If I have to talk to more people on that darn inaudible},
We tell them, it's going to be three years. Don't even talk to us for three years
and they still come back. But if we can say, we talked to Gouncil, these are their
core priorities for where we need to focus our efforts in developing inaudible} or
came up with staffing for Police, for Fire. Inaudible} Public Works. Whatever it
needs to be, each department really felt like they need to know inaudible},
Everybody felt like they needed to know really what is Council's priority hearing?
Where do we need to inaudible}? So the ones we have listed, Black Cat to
Chinden, that new growth area next to the Tree Farm and then the inaudible}
below that. Inaudible} makes it and I put that on there so inaudible} reiterate
once again that it is an absolute low-priority.
Stiffler: Can I just mention that Councilman Zaremba and I went over to that
transportation meeting they had at Idaho Center where they were asking
everybody what they'd like to see on this, connecting IS4 to inaudible}. And
there were several of the neighbors there from this McDermott area and they
weren't real happy, I guess, with the response they've been getting to call
Meridian and tell them that we're not even going to talk about this for three years
because to them, they may live there and that's their priority. They would like to
know whether that corridor is going to be four-lane or five-lane or limited access
highway. Is it going to have commercial on it?
Canning: That's not the people we say that ta. I think we're getting off track
here. It's not that we're not doing planning for that area. We participate in that.
We're planning for that area. But there's not sewer available far that area for
several years. These are realty the development ~inaudibie} where houses are
going to pop up. And houses are not going to pop up ~inaudibie}. That's what
this map is trying to capture. Where are those residents? Where are the
inaudible} going to be? Not that we're not planning for it. We're definitely
working on that. We want to answer that question too. It's just we're avoiding
the questions of, I turned in my preliminary plat. You say it comes inaudible} in
three years? I mean, it's just, that's the questions we're putting off. Not where
inaudible}, where should the highway inaudible}, things like that. That we're
very interested in inaudible}. All right, back to the circles. Next one, Ten Mile
Interchange. I think that's obvious, it's a special area plan going underway. old
Town also, equally obvious. Eagle and Pine, inaudible} medical or med tech
district, We're incorporating a lot of that Pine Street inaudible}. Your reaction. I
didn't getone from any of you. I couldn't believe it. Anyway, that area is - -
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, ~OD7
Page 39 of 58
Musser: (Inaudible).
De Weerd: That's where I need a defibrillator.
Canning: First time I met inaudible}.
De Weerd: No, I just inaudible}City Council.
Canning: That area does have services now. There's a lot of acreage there.
But it's tied up by inaudible}Group.
De Weerd: That's where we were told we were arbitrating inaudible}.
Canning: Locust Grove and Lake Hazel. That's the new area on our Comp Plan
that we added in our, what used to be our referral area so, thank you inaudible}.
But there's going to be. Well, given that Hubble got denied, there might not be
as much pressure for a while but that was inaudible}. Maybe the circle has
potential to be more of a development area inaudible}. But it is a future
battleground and I guess we're pointing them all out here.
Zaremba: Inaudible} potential out there.
Canning: And then we've gat one inaudible} at Black Gat and Amity in the
general vicinity of what was to have been the, well I guess there's still a sewer
treatment system out there but inaudible}. Brad is helping me out with that. But
that might have slowed down a little bit but those are what we see as the
battlegrounds and we just need to know from Council where you, what your
priorities are as far as accommodating doing whatever we can to make things
work or doing whatever we can to vote things down. Whatever your desires are.
inaudible}.
Watson: (Inaudible).
arming: About ten minutes.
Watson: For clarification, you should have probably gone inaudible}, If you
don't mind, inaudible}.
Canning: Maybe you could just inaudible}, Brad, just say inaudible} two dollar
signs inaudible}.
Watson: Inaudible}, I guess on a scale of maybe, what inaudible}?
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning workshop
April ~ 1, 20D7
Page 40 of 58
Canning; So what were the other ones? The one where it's now, is that no
dollar signs?
Watson: Right. ~lnaudible}.
Canning: Ten dollars inaudible} better not. How many dollar signs?
Watson: Inaudible}, Anything west on Cherry, anything probably west on
Cherry or Ustick. ~Inaudib[e}.
Bird: Some ofthat inaudible} go back into Black Cat. Inaudible}.
De Weerd: So I guess what I'd really like a sense of direction on, and that is that
the Directors Team start focusing on inaudible}. Right now it's kind of a
inaudible} this whole thing. So it's good to get an idea from Council on where
those priorities are and that are and then our inaudible} better direction
~inaudib[e} property owners inaudible}.
Zaremba: ['ll jump in ~inaudib[e}, everybody needs to know that they are
inaudible}, I think the three that jumped out at me as priorities would be Ten
Mile first, Eagle and Pine second, and 41d Town third. Inaudible} everything
else about inaudible}. That I guess is very high priority. Everything else
inaudible} I would say is low priority. Inaudible} Lake Hazel already has. 1 think
the pressure's going to change inaudible}.
Borton: I would think inaudible}. Has to be addressed with City Hall
construction inaudible}.
Bird: Well, I'd like to say 1 think Old Town has to be inaudible}. Can't go through
that. I think Ten Mile interchange inaudible} it's going to be a hot deal. [might
try. I think Black Cat and Chinden is probably going to go before. I guess I don't
have the faith in Eagle and Pine being done as fast as everybody thinks
inaudible}. Down the river, I can see that. Black Cat and Amity, Mc Dermott, [
don't know. Locust Grove inaudible}. I think Cld Town should be inaudible},
Ten Mile, and Black Cat-Chinden.
Canning: Well, just on my unofficial tally, the two or three priorities are Dld Town
inaudible}.
De Weerd: I would almost say Black Cat to Chinden. The interchange is still a
couple years out and we have commitments at Black Cat.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning 1Norkshop
April 11, 2001
Page 41 of 58
Bird: I have to agree with you. I think it's, you not only have commitments there,
Tammy, you've got people who are wanting to come all the way down
inaudible}.
Borton: The question was our priority inaudible}? Which might be vastly
different than inaudible}. We might have a priority in the area. Black Cat-
Chinden's coming. Whetheror not that's ourpriority. It might not,
Canning: The question is where do you want staff to focus their time inaudible}?
Musser: Can l ask one little question here? I know the interchange itself is
probably at least three or four years down inaudible}. But we've already seen
one development request within the circle. Is there potential for more inaudible}
coming over that time because I see people building, you know, getting a request
inaudible} of the interchange which I think we have to realize is going to occur
because inaudible}. A[l of a sudden we've got stuff inaudible} Black Cat and
Chinden. Qld Town, EagleWPine, then we have a problem because inaudible}
but I see a little bit of a line here inaudible}, And I'm just trying to get a feel from
the Council as to do you think we're going to have development stuff inaudible}
as well as out at Black Cat and Chinden? Having things come through. That's
going to put us in a building phase. Every time you build on those extremes, you
go back to the property tax. ~lnaudible} and so I'd like you to be aware of what
you potentially see or occurred or maybe working with actually inaudible}.
Bird: Bill, and another thing, inaudible}.
Musser: lllle're already exploring that. Inaudible} See what we can get, talk to
the developers over at Bridgetawer, see about getting an office in there. They do
have some space inaudible} it's going to take us a yearthere inaudible}.
Bird: Well, I think ~inaudib[e} right inaudible},
vUatson : ~lnaudible} construction costs inaudible}, Some developments south
inaudible}.
Borton: Let me raise one issue. Last year inaudible}. There's a possibility that
Kuna may decide, hey, it's mine, we're going to annex inaudible}. And if that's
still a concern of Council's or we inaudible}. Do we not worry about inaudible}
or do we hope that City Council can come to an agreement inaudible}. Because
that was a priority here last year.
Watson: (Inaudible) still see activity (inaudible).
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 42 of 58
Zaremba: Inaudible}what brings it to mind is inaudible}. Is there a chance that
some of us inaudible} to draw a natural line across the City. The terrain is such
that the number of inaudible}. There's a point at which inaudible}, Is there
anything down there that's inaudible}.
Canning: Inaudible}.
Zaremba: Is there any geographical element?
Anderson: inaudible} Fire District. Down there at Lake Hazel also, Those other
districts like a library district, it doesn't change anything, because Meridian
doesn't have its own library so can annex. It doesn't change from one library
district to the other but fire district, it does change and there's an exchange of
land if the City of Meridian inaudible}.
De vlleerd: You know, the concern is - -.
Canning: It's like you go all the way overto Cloverdale, yeah.
Nary: And it was like that all the way across, McDermott to Cloverdale, but
haven't they annexed this inaudible}?
Bird: Inaudible}.
Canning: Yeah.
De Uveerd: You know, I guess the challenge that we have is about, if we say
we're not going to focus down there, it's still going to draw our Police and Fire.
Because they're responding if Kuna comes up and they start annexing into an
area that we have planned for we still have to deal with the traffic and the
resulting accidents and the fire district has to change so they're still going to have
to provide services out there and those kind of things, So what we're trying to do
is focus our service area in a more comprehensive way. So if we're going to
have the inaudible} service there inaudible} by Public Safety, we really should
look at our sewer. I think right now the obvious is that McDermott Basin and the
Black Cat and Amity. Those are the obvious ones to say we're not ready. But
the other things, I don't know inaudible} because one way or another we're
going to have to have inaudible},
Canning: I get the feeling that Locust Grove inaudible}. But I don't get the
feeling inaudible}.
De Weerd: Inaudible},
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 43 of 58
Canning: They're not in a hurry. They just want to get it figured out. They want
to get, I think they want to get inaudible}Ten Mile. They don't seem inaudible}.
Brad has a really weird look on his face.
Watson: No, I'm hoping you're right.
Canning: ~lnaudible}. And since tilllright has kind of taken over leadership of it
inaudible}. He hasn't told me inaudible},
Bird: Is the partnership in place now?
.
arming: Yes.
Bird: (Inaudible). Even aPre-Council (inaudible).
Berg: We haven't had any meetings at all, have we?
Bird: I'm lost.
Canning: It's more than inaudible}, River Days, you know I always worked with
inaudible}, He was trying to get planned community inaudible} Ada County
inaudible}.
Bird: (Inaudible).
Canning: Yeah, there's other property as well.
Borton: Inaudible}.
Canning: The outrageous sum at that time was inaudible},
Bird: Inaudible} last year.
Canning: Right. Inaudible}was much more recent though. Inaudible}.
De Weerd: So what time is it?
Stiffler: I think ~iraudible} the thing is the challenges of Cld Town but I guess I
would share, you know, Anna and I talked inaudible}. I would tell you
inaudible}. Naw you look at old Town and you look at downtown, you're not
going to be able to ignore it inaudible}. It's interesting. Tammy and I inaudible}
downtown area. And we've had two people, I had one move out of Las Vegas a
week ago that's now part of the inaudible} property, another piece out on Ten
Mile. Eagle and Pine, actually the transmittal's going over inaudible}. I think
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 44 of 58
what you said as Council, some of those are reality and I just think what Brad's
saying inaudible} you go back out to inaudible} and Black Cat inaudible}
services and work inaudible} the City's doing. They are sort of what you said,
they're still there.
Watson: I think it helpsforusto hearyou talk, I don't know inaudible}.
Canning: But, Brad, to me it seems like inaudible} they're not going to take a lot
of push from staff inaudible} as compared to Ten Mile. Yeah, because they are
self-propelling, that's where the inaudible}.
Watson: Inaudible}.
Bird: Inaudible}cowboy.
Watson: Inaudible} I don't feel badly for inaudible}. Anna just mentioned we've
already got some flack.
Rountree: (Inaudible).
Watson: All we're waiting for is to finalize the plan inaudible}. Chances are they
are getting things done inaudible}. Once they do inaudible}.
Inaudible}:
Watson: I mean, if everything falls together, we have inaudible} potential of four
square miles inaudible} between Meridian and Ten Mile. If that stuff came
together, 1 think we could inaudible} fast. We give it about athree-year period.
So we inaudible}every potential inaudible} lined up so it's ready to go once they
meet all our requirements inaudible},
De Weerd: (Inaudible). Phil, that was the growth area. (Inaudible).
Stiffler: inaudible} first discussion. Inaudible} Charlie brought up earlier today
inaudible}opened up commercial inaudible}economic base of jobs and balance
out. I think the thing that Anna and I talked about this morning is if you look at
inaudible} so associated complimentary things. I think Anna's concept that she
mentioned earlier about more of an amendment to the Comp Plan which is
basically an economic development amendment that allows the focus of strategy
and focus toward that area like a med tech district. We already have four and
allow you to be able to do it in a way that you're not going through along-term
Comp Plan which really brings out inaudible} strategies for those areas. It isn't
limiting other things but it's in the focus of what's already here in court. What that
does, though when it comes back into design standards inaudible} priorities and
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2g07
Page 45 of 58
the things we're seeing on people's designs and zoning is complimentary things.
l will tell you from an economic development standpoint identifying these and
then allowing that to look at inaudible} so that when somebody in that business
inaudible} hybrid of commercial-industrial of the future. You can say to them,
this is the place you're going. This is what, the synergy of why you look at it.
What happens that makes sense. And I think that already even inaudible} a
week ago when I was talking to inaudible} and already just because of synergy
of the hospitals and stuff they're actually more inaudible} al[ the time. That's the
kind of thing. It's not an industrial smokestack. But it's that other kind of
commercial stuff. 1 think we're going to continue to see that. So I think the
methodology this allows with that focus, what I would say integrate, kind of
economic excellence plans which everything inaudible} in a meeting upcoming.
It's updating that and actually inaudible}. I will tell you that right now this is a
preliminary plat. If we got that inaudible} changed inaudible}. A target industry
following the same kind of thing that we're talking about here. So we can
change. So that's what we're trying to do is align that synergis#ically so where
economic excellence inaudible}. So guess my comment, Tammy, is I think that
particularly Anna's idea today and actually what came out of that, we were talking
about that economic development or amendment. As it comes to certain things
even with some of the other grants and other opportunities and things and right
even back into 41d Town and back into other areas as an entitlement city and
other things and other opportunities that we need to explore.
De Weerd: Well, and I think if you look at the growth area and look at it from a
balancing our opportunities for employment certain, certainly the Eagle, old
Town, Ten Mile, Black Cat, and Locust Grove and Lake Hazel are those areas
that inaudible}. Because it is more centered where there is a population base
inaudible}state highways or interchanges inaudible},
Stiffler: Moving on, item four. I know these inaudible} directors, you know, I
think, some of them have had a discussion inaudible} just kind of a inaudible}
but I think that kind of a inaudible} basis let them go around and have a little bit
of overviewtime. What's their plan going forward, meaning into '08 inaudible}.
(End of tape).
Watson: We'll have that information on applications inaudible}.
Canning: We'll start including that as part of our staff reports.
Zaremba: Is there a possibility inaudible}?
Kilchenmann: You know, I think if you can get the agency that you want #o add,
to review the numbers inaudible},
Meridian Gity Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April ~ ~ , 2007
Page 46 of 58
Zaremba: (Inaudible).
Kilchenmann: Inaudible} actually they gave her some numbers this week. The
other thing, one thing I would like to start doing is, it's called scenario planning
and we're starting it a little bit but it's like you're saying what's the worst case
inaudible} so that you have that when you make decisions like when we are in a
time like we have been where all of a sudden you just go bam and everything
goes down. ~lnaudible} this is the worst case, what's our priority? This is what
we probably expect and will probably do and if everything is like way up
inaudible}, So that's something inaudible} last year inaudible}. I emailed this
to everybody but the Mayor asked me to put it out and plus it's like a filuid
document, It keeps changing. But I'm hoping that we can actually update this
every year or two years. That we pick some time, you know, I don't know ifi we
want to do it in Fall before we do the budget cycle and we maybe prioritize the
lead capital projects before we get into the operating park of the budget. And that
would be good, especially if we get like best case situations and we can use
extra money to use in our capital budgets.
Borkon: Stacy, does the update of this correspond inaudible} revision?
Kilchenmann: Yes, it has to precede it because we need the Capital
Improvement Plan. And I think it's almost time inaudible}. But that one is not
prioritized so that would be something that would be goad to be input from the
Council because it's just inaudible} here and if you look at the total number
obviously, inaudible}.
Borkon: Question on inaudible}, come back, have to do it again,
Kilchenmann: Continuous. And this is a little different from inaudible}
everything like inaudible}, So it's all comprehensive. vllhereas impact fees
inaudible}, I'm done.
Berg: Inaudible} priorities to build City Hall inaudible}.
De vveerd: I don't think you'll have time fior anything but that inaudible}. which
was another priority.
Berg; That's what I wrote. vtilhich we are getting that. The new City Hall is going
to be more centralized. vile are inaudible} to all the departments in fact.
Inaudible} so that is a priority.
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, X007
Page 4l of 58
Berg: I know, I want inaudible}anything else. Inaudible} citywide and with the
help of Brad inaudible} already done it.
Watson : Yes .
Berg: Inaudible}. The Water Department inaudible} just Wastewater, citywide.
Borton: Inaudible}.
Berg: Inaudible} combat that.
Borton: Inaudible}.
Berg: It could but inaudible} broken water line would probably be more focused
on their manual with the Water Department inaudible}. But if we had an
emergency like an earthquake or fire or something inaudible}. I guess the
overall plan inaudible}training consultants to help us inaudible}.
De Weerd: I guess, too, if it has to do with more immediate things internally, your
fire drill, something happens at City Hall, meeting points, inaudible} mosquito
breeding coming up. We did not have a harsh winter inaudible}they talk about.
Berg: I'm going to tell you, Doug is pretty passive. He only speaks inaudible}.
He doesn'twantto try to inaudible}.
Anderson: I guess this Emergency Management inaudible} is one of those
things that everybody looks at it like, well, we spend a lot of time, do we waste a
lot of resources having all of these plans. But I tell you what, when some major
catastrophe does hit and you don't have a plan, you look like a bunch of idiots
and we have things that come up that we don't typically think of. Last year we
had a flood'[ng problem in the City of Eagle. If they had just sat on their hands
and didn't do any advance planning or preparation forthose kind of emergencies,
they would look really foolish. They found a lot of hurdles dealing with all the
different Federal and State agencies to deal with the flood management plan but
that's kind of what this group does. We look at anything from whether it's a
broken water line to even an overkurned tanker truck in the middle of Fairview
and Eagle to whatever type of disaster it is. The City needs to have a plan
available and resources they can use inaudible}.
Rountree: Inaudible} ask a question. How big a scope is it?
De Weerd: We're trying to focus it more in the community, Charlie, because
Doug has the large scale plan. You know, and even inaudible} it's kind of
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, ~ooT
Page 48 of 58
responding to something that happens during a parade and how do you move
through a parade inaudible}? We're tackling a pretty basic thing but- -
Rountree: You want recognition, I have inaudible} communications. We're all
working the same disaster. Inaudible},
Anderson: That's what we're doing. We're modeling ours basically on the
County plan. They have an all hazards type of a plan so you just turn to that
particulartab inaudible},
De Weerd: Inaudible}the emergency shelters inaudible}.
Musser: Inaudible} once a month and had a Civil Defense Plan for everybody
so inaudible}.
Zaremba: And the two things I would mention is, the one thing it has to cover is
that whateveryou currently use for yourcommunicatian system is probably going
to break or will not be available. Always have same other way to communicate
or some way to know that what everybody knows inaudible} somebody else is
doing inaudible}, And the otherthing I would offer, and this is from the Olympics
in Los Angeles in X984, we had scenarios for everything inaudible} but we
practiced what we called inaudible}, Get everybody together in one room and
say, okay, here's a scenario like a majorstadium hasfallen down.
De Weerd: We've done that.
Zaremba: And what happens is that somebody at the table says well, I need to
know about that. Somebody you never would have thought to include. And so
inaudible}the tabletop exercises discover inaudible}.
Musser: Well, for the Police Department, our focus really isn't ~DgB, our focus is
~4~ o, which is why I appreciate where we're at inaudible}. Currently our focus in
that regard is inaudible} as opposed to our residential. Recruitment retention,
the focus area, of course, now we're really working on that. Also we're working
on inaudible} session planning. And we're working on celebrating our current
employees and their successes, have quality enhancement inaudible}. one of
the things that came out of that as I talked to those folks is they would just
assume instead of us having an annual awards session inaudible} they want to
have it as it comes up. ~lnaudible} we can do that as opposed to doing an annual
rewards inaudible} so that's one thing we're working toward implementing this
year inaudible} to address those things in terms of ~inaudibie}. As far as
priorities go, with the X008 Budget, our enhancements are inaudible} such as
adjusting wages again, looking for an additional resource officer inaudible}
resources that we need to go in conjunction with that, an additional Task Force
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning ~Illorkshop
April ~ 1, 2007
Page 49 of 58
officer inaudible}. There's going to come a time where we're going to be
addressing things here in Meridian and inaudible}. Qur building was built with a
20-year plan. The patrol aspect downstairs is already full. We have overlaps
inaudible}. And then we have another one that's looming here. It's going to be
a bit of a surprise for all of you. Inaudible} patrol issue inaudible} patrol
expansion, shelter out on the current facility we have. So what I have already
done inaudible} Idaho Humane Society for options as opposed to potentially
building all new inaudible}. ~lnaudible} somewhere in the vicinity of $400,000 to
$500,000 as opposed to $250,000.
De Weerd: That was such a good idea.
Musser: You know, in this budget we had $40,000 that was set there to be able
to do an expansion out there but we had some inaudible} issues that came up
that nobody was really aware of until we really started looking at it. And I guess
we have some sewer and water lines that create problems inaudible}.
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Musser: Yellow page ad inaudible} those folks. But we might have to. But
anyway, those are always priorities and their focus is directed there so anybody
have any questions inaudible}?
Bird: Inaudible}.
Musser: Inaudible} a little bit closer inaudible}.
Bird: Inaudible}.
Musser: I can stack the kennels. I just want everyone to know though that as we
stack the kennels there is a significant sewer problem inaudible}.
De Weerd: You do have a sewer line issue.
Zaremba: But you can always take all of the animals out of the kennel and turn
them loose in the parks.
Canning: Inaudible} fiscal years in your plans. I'm with Keith. Blueprint for
good growth in all our own plans. I'm sick of planning. I'm ready for something
else.
Bird: Did you getthaton tape?
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
Apri I ~ ~ , 2007
Page 50 of 58
Canning: That's going to be your tool. And I mean you being the top tools as a
public facilities inaudible}. Ada County committed to making that inaudible}. I
think that that's a really important tool that we will be setting the model for the
whole City because I don't like inaudible}. Some otherones inaudible} we don't
have business parks with industrial building on them inaudible}. We put a lot of
our work online and make it much more available to the public inaudible} help
more inaudible} forfolks not having to come into view aurfiles inaudible}all our
files online, those applications. So those are some of the tools we're thinking
about. You might have noticed I haven't announced inaudible}, I've been
working with Nancy but I think it's time to give up inaudible}.
Nary: Inaudible} a lot of it is geared around the City Hall project inaudible},
We don't have a lot of inaudible}, Half time or part time, half of the year.
Inaudible} we have a couple of outsource projects that we've hired out
inaudible}. Most everything else in the budget in terms of things inaudible}our
top priority in HR. We currently have a software system that requires multiple
inaudible}, multiple data.
Kilchenman: (Inaudible).
Nary: Inaudible} data key punch inaudible}. So we're looking at an
enhancement for that that would allow a lot more efficiency in data entry.
Kilchenmann: It's part of our accounting.
Nary: We'll get #o the payroll systems. Inaudible} employee were to come in to
employment on their first day inaudible} process all their information and
paperwork and all that information will populate into the system so that the
Payroll Department inaudible}. Multiple changes (inaudible} HR and Payroll
inaudible}, Some of the arenas that we deal with, like HR for example, we can
contract out some services that are cheaper or at least no more expensive than
hiring personnel. But in the IT arena inaudible} it's way more expensive to
contract out for those types of services so it's always better for us to have at least
some idea inaudible}. Because the hourly rate for attorneys, the hourly rate for
IT people inaudible}.
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Nary: (Inaudible).
Kilchenmann: f think that they're paying for inaudible}. There's so much
inaudible}. And the reporting capabilities that inaudible}.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 51 of 58
Nary: Right now, far example, a lot of the data that you might think would be
easy to acquire inaudible}.
Kilchenmann: BasicallyAudi enters them inaudible}.
Watson: I think we're down to the forty-four inaudible}, The main two areas are
Waste Water Plant inaudible}. One of the enhancements that we submitted
inaudible}. The other main area of enhancement is personnel. Inaudible}. We
were talking about the sewer line earlier - -Ten Miie inaudible}which is directly
west of Eagle's park inaudible}, The reason I throw it out is inaudible} for the
next few years inaudible}.
De Weerd: Inaudible}.
Watson: Inaudible}. One of the things inaudible} that's popped up several
times is that possibly inaudible}. Inaudible} locating a maintenance facility.
De Weerd: That is (inaudible).
Watson: (Inaudible) agricultural (inaudible).
Anderson: I can tell Keith's fading over there so I'm going to be brief.
De Weerd: But he had to say that, Keith, so you'll look up when I talk. Now I
know why.
Anderson: Well, obviously to go along with out Strategic Initiative of maintaining
the response levels, Station Five is in the plans for next year, of the 2408 Budget
so we have put in an enhancement request forthat station, staffing for that and a
fire engine for that also. But keep in mind that that first year tab is inaudible}
and it would only be the operational portion of that budget inaudible} responsible
for 2005. In 2009, inaudible}. So that's the big thing for this year. And then in
addition to that I want to make you aware that in the 2009 Budget and in the
Capital Improvement Plan we still need to address the issue of inaudible}. I was
contacted a couple months ago by the inaudible} rating bureau. Meridian's due
to be rated again for insurance purposes and I stalled them off anotheryear until
we can get Station Five up and running. They're going to be rating us again. All
the buildings that have been built in Meridian that are over inaudible} that's
going to have an impact if we don't get in there before that next rating occurs.
And so I don't know what the answer is but the dollar figure is in here. But I can
tell you that we're putting up the capital much faster than the Impact Fees are
coming in. Look at the training tower inaudible}improvement plan as well as the
fire engine for the new station, and the new station. So, so far it's been Rural
District fronting that money. I don't see the Rural District inaudible} the money
Meridian City Council S#rategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 52 of 58
on an inaudible} because the Rural District has no inaudible} so I see that pad
for that aerial truck being paid far by the City. Now I think a couple times Anna
has mentioned it in there that there might be a possibility of maybe a special
overlay district or a special assessment or some#hing in some of these areas to
help pay for something like that inaudible}. But that might be something to
consider because I don't see at the current rate of inaudible} the City having the
money available in 2009 inaudible},
Canning: I don't inaudible}, But I think you could do that. Inaudible} ACRD
doesn't inaudible}.
Bird: Inaudible}.
Canning: vVell, ACHD does, but it's the only model inaudible}.
Bird: In cerkain circumstances I guess we could talk.
De Weerd: (Inaudible).
Bird: The problem is I don'tthink you could get it in place to get inaudible}.
Anderson: There's the ladder inaudible} but that might have been diminishing
each year and aerial trucks inaudible}. If we can come up with some specia[
packages or something inaudible} that would help us I think that would be the
way to go. But the Federal government is under the assumption and George
Bush's view is that local government should step forward and pay for adequate
fire and police protections and that's not a Federal government responsibility so
he's not real keen on putting more grant money out there for those types of
things. But I can tell you the truck company, where ever we position tha#, gets a
two-and-a-half mile radius around it so any building over 35 feet in height that's
two-and-a-half miles from the truck company would be covered. vtile've had
buildings outside of that two-and-a-half mile radius and those inaudible}. We
have so many buildings that are 35 feet or higher that are built right around the
City core and down Eagle Road and out here now. You know, the Ten Mile's
one thing, that might help with the development of Ten Mile but we still need an
aerial truck at Station One or Station Four because of all the buildings inaudible}
in this area inaudible}.
Canning: Then we also did Ten Mile area inaudible},
Bird: This was in place before that Cary Barton ~inaudibie},
Anderson: And it's not unheard of in large developments inaudible}, I certainly
ask foryour help inaudible}.
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, X007
Page 53 of 58
Bird: You say the two-and-a-half mile radius. 1ltilell, l would say about 75% of our
buildings would be covered inaudible} of Station one and Station Four
inaudible}. Is it built to the point inaudible}?
(End of tape).
Rountree: Inaudible} annexation inaudible}. Stacy, does the economic
planning model have something that says inaudible}?
Anderson: So far, their growth and their area have been keeping up inaudible}
but using the funding formula that we established in 1998, it was based off the
population of the City and the Rura! District and the assessed value of the City
and the Rural District and when we first started it in 1998, inaudible} somewhere
around 29, 30%. And when we ran the numbers last year it had diminished to
the point where they were only going to pay 1l°/° so at that point I went to the
Rural District and asked the commissioners if they would be willing to pay 140%
inaudible}funding formula that we originally established to support that and they
said yes, that they paid 20°/° of last year's budget. They have signed an
agreement that they will continue to pay 20°/° as long as they can but when their
funding starts to diminish then, at that point, the percent that's paid to the City will
be reduced also. But obviously, as the City expands its footprint l think
inaudible} so it's probably just within, I would say, the next five years that we're
going to start to see them having difficulties with theirfunding. So the City, if they
plan on keeping up with the same level of fire protection that they have, is going
to have to find other sources of revenue to make up the difference because the
Rural District will eventually go away at some point. There will be no funding at
all inaudible} Rural Fire District.
(Inaudible):
Anderson: Right.
Bird: But the problem is, is there a Mill Levy within eight of ours? They're like
18, 1 1, 18 and we were 25 or 26. And that's just strictly Fire. And what's kept it
up now, we know we're taking some of their ground. It's been the assessed
value that's stayed up out there and gone up. You know, Charlie's inaudible},
one of these days, and we've seen it in 1996 to 2000, 2002, they went broke
before they gat the inaudible}. They were brake, period.
Anderson: one long-term solution could be to separate the Fire Department out
of the City and we're no longer a City department and we have our own district
out there. And then the district can provide protection to the City. And that way
you can keep the Mill Levy intact. That maybe something that has inaudible},
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 54 of 58
Rountree: 1 think that's something we need to start looking at now. t guess one
of the problems, one of the questions inaudible} is there any possibility of a
larger communitythat's going to acquire a new ladder truck inaudible}?
Anderson: It is something that I'll consider. Aerial trucks are not as common to
find inaudible} as you do engines out there. So l certainly will keep my eyes
peeled inaudible} look at purchasing one of those that we might even buy but
again, we have to have the money because it's like a used car. When it comes
along, the first person there with the cash is going to buy it.
Borton: is there a department besides Boise inaudible}?
Anderson: Nampa has one, Caldwell has one, Middleton has one.
Nary: (Inaudible) model.
Stiffler: Inaudible} district or actually looking at that. What are the ramifications
and options that right now inaudible}?
Nary: Lave that idea.
Kilchenmann: How do you (inaudible)?
Bird: What it would do, we would reside in the City. It would be the same
package for the City. We would have another ~inaudibie}Mill Levy stuck onto us.
It's going to be hard to sell to 65,000 people. But if we believe in it, we can do it.
I'm serious. If we believe in it and have the plan right and show a need for it, the
citizenry won't run it down. But I'm like Charlie, we need to be thinking about it
right now.
Rountree: I'm not sure that's the solution.
Bird: I'm not either but it's something that needs to be looked into.
Anderson: Well, and maybe if folks understand that that one option is that if you
pay the additional Mill Levy to a Fire District or you can look at increasing the
City's Mill Levy and maybe by increasing the City's Mill Levy you would have the
increase a full ~8, you know.
Bird: (Inaudible) all at one time.
Stiffler: For Council, actually originally the Directors had put toge#her kind of
some questions ~inaudibie} discussions with you inaudible}dialog and I handed
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
Apri111, 2007
Page 55 of 5H
those back out to Directors with copies of questions we originally had. Anna just
sent that out and stuff, And I guess my question would be is that just to make
sure because I think the dialog you gave me inaudible} having that opportunity
to do things that way but I guess are there other ones that Council inaudible}?
Are there any other questions that you feel as Directors that maybe didn't get
touched on today or do you want to ask anything more? Inaudible} some of it's
already covered. This is the Director's question, but you don't have it. Their
question, they just kind of put together to say originally when you were talking
about it, is [want to make sure I ask Council this, and I'm just looking at one of
your total lists. Looks like you answered quite a few of them today.
Bird: I've got a question. Inaudible}. Pages three and four were on you.
Stiffler: They all have them, They all have them.
Bird: ~h, they do?
Stiffler: Yeah, they have them and actually though they gat those, Keith, along
with theirs to actually compare. So they do have them.
De Weerd: No they don't have three and four.
Bird: We don't have three and four.
Stiffler: ~h, okay, okay, I'm sorry.
Bird: That took me longer to figure tha# out so l could be politically correct.
Barton: I don'tthink itworked.
Berg: We would love to see your comment. We'd love to see your comment.
Bird: I'd be glad to read it to you.
Stiffler: Moving forward, I guess I'm going to ask a question - -
De Weerd: I'm giving Joe a chance to redeem himself and pull it out.
Stiffler: Moving on, moving on. I'm on item, on the agenda, time to move on,
items five and six. Inaudible} skip through this issue because I think when you
talk about actually inaudible} a division of where you're going, I think, just a
dialog. An interchange, I hope. I guess I'll turn to the directors. If he's feeling
like there's a good conversation, a communication has gone an. Number eight is
the next challenge of doing that regarding an issue inaudible} how do you apply
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2001
Page 56 of 58
that related to what's going inaudible} on the budge# side? And I think you've
got a pretty good reference for it.
De Weerd: Number eight?
Stiffler: Excuse me, number six. I should have taken inaudible}. Seven I put on
there, and I hope that Brad might take a deep breath, Because at least it was
saying that realizing there are some other things inaudible}. Number seven is
just saying that I think letting the Council know some things about future
workshops that, for example, they use downtown, was not going to be one. It
could be part of a dozen things. It would be part of just one topic of discussion in
and of itself that has impact on all the areas and everybody realizes. And
number eight was adjourn.
Kilchenmann: Inaudible},
Stiffler: That was part of the, what the leadership had talked about, is if you look
at a budget you talk about prioritizing. For you to be able to sit dawn and look at
what you're looking, the total budget. How do you look at that? Inaudible}
recommending the Council.
De Weerd: Well, we have a pretty growing inaudible}, Future planning copies
for our Directors inaudible} and once we carry them through, pull some ofthase
together, inaudible} workshop or Pre-Council inaudible}. Plus you got a little bit
more. That would be upcoming we'd have the fiscal analysis tool inaudible}
economic history downtown is of mare critical inaudible} right now. Road priority
areas inaudible}. I think that we do need to check out that mobility plan and how
we define some of the comprehensive planning tools, Communities in Motion,
and inaudible}. And then one thing for discussion with the Directors is the
retention plan and how we can create an environment that can recruit and retain
and some of those concepts. Those are the things I wrote down. Inaudible}.
Council, did you have anything?
Bird: I've just got a statement. I appreciate something like this and I think that I
truly, it's a pleasure coming into a meeting like this here because inaudible} and
I hope inaudible}. I appreciate inaudible}. I'm just very proud to be part of it
and you guys are inaudible}. We would not have survived the last eight or nine
years. Thank you.
Rountree; Inaudible}. But you are an excellent, professional group of folks to
work with. I enjoy these kinds of things because inaudible} as opposed to
somebody inaudible} to us. I feel personally inaudible} good issues or bad
issues. Inaudible} But I respect the time, the energy inaudible}. Inaudible}the
last, I'd say, probably three years, three-and-a-half years of bringing about
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
April 11, 2007
Page 5l of 58
changes inaudible} supervision, guidance, direction inaudible}. The problem
isn't for the right reason. Inaudible} Writing the lessons, willing to change. We
are about change in this community inaudible}.
De Weerd: Inaudible} politicallycarrect?
Rountree: Inaudible} doesn't believe that I did it, I typed it out on the damn
board, 1 inaudible} the form off the email, I saved the form on my desktop, I told
Ron by telephone I was going to send him my responses, I wrote him a
response, went to the desktop, got the attachment, put it in a memo. I always
check attachments before I send them. My note to Ron gets lost somewhere
inaudible}. But that's my point. The point was, on that evaluation it was hard for
me to say nine different ways how great I think you all are without sounding
inaudible} but I'll say that now. You all do a decent job inaudible} plus or minus
folks authorized to run and operate a city of some l4,ogo people inaudible}.
Borton: Speak to me inaudible}. Seriously, 1 didn't fill it out, but the two
comments inaudible}, When I talked inaudible} Department Director, you know,
I'd get guidance and advice and ideas. Every one of you, it was good
documentation. It'd say I thought of it this way and maybe look at this point,
which is awesome because it's very, very helpful inaudible} correct it and
inaudible}. Everybody speaks so highly inaudible}. That's impressive.
Zaremba: What 1 said earlier about our excellent leadership. l'm proud to be
associated with every one of you, individually and as a group. 1 consider you
guys to be professional inaudible}. Here's the end result of inaudible}. Sa, you
know, I appreciate working with all of you in the direction this city is going with all
of you and your staffs and I think it's an excellent direction. I'm proud to be
associated with you. Happy to be ~inaudibie}.
Berg: Group hug.
De Weerd: You know, the onlything we didn't do is make Bill give a inaudible}.
Nary: Inaudible}.
De Weerd: The Mayor isn't getting any budget enhancements.
Stiffler: I'd like to make one comment. That I know from the time that Tammy
said that all the Council was here and all the leadership was here, I guess my
comment from an overview and inaudible} what an opportunity to have a Gity
where you have the Council and the leadership sitting here inaudible}.
Bird: (Inaudible) I didn't know that was money or (inaudible).
Meridian City Council Strategic Planning Workshop
Aprii 11, 2007
Page 58 of 58
Musser: Mayor inaudible} given the fact that I've had well over 25 years now
with the City, having worked for a couple other directors that were here, some of
you spent time with them as well, will and Ron. one thing that I always noticed,
that I made a personal goal for myself was that it seemed like we were so
inaudible}and it was so territorial once the directors in terms of where they were
at with the Council members. And, you know, I have to applaud one of the last
things that Mayor Corrie did when he issued all of us coming together with Phil,
sitting down and saying this is a team and approaching it in a concept inaudible}
continue with it. And I think that's what leant us to where we're at right now.
We're coming in and continuing that philosophy with this encouragement I think
has produced what you have here today. And I know for me I don't want it to be
where I saw it years ago because we couldn't get anything done. We really
couldn't. And my take on it is you pay us to be able to initiate policies and help
carry out visions and my peers in here, I really appreciate working with, because
they embrace the same philosophy and I feel very confident of their abilities
inaudible} as opposed to inaudible}, So I appreciate the Council being part of
that inaudible}.
De Weerd: (Inaudible) marshmallow. Well, thanks.
MEETING ADJGURNED AT 4;19 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
APPRGVED:
l l
TAMM D wEERD, MAYGR DATE APPRGVED
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.~ ~~ ~ WILLIAM G. BERG, J ., CI YCLERK
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