HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 05/07/2001 - RetreatI HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the City
Council Retreat Meeting of the City of Corpus Christi of May 7, 2001, which were approved by the
City Council on June 12, 2001.
WITNESSETH MY HAND AND SEAL, this 12th day of June, 2001.
Armando Chapa
City Secretary
SEAL
MINUTES
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
City Council Retreat Meeting
May 7, 2001
8:40 a.m.
PRESENT
Mayor Samuel L. Neal Jr.
Mayor Pro Tem Henry Garrett
Council Members:
Brent Chesney*
Javier D. Colmenero
Bill Kelly
Rex A. Kinnison
John Longoria
Jesse Noyola
Mark Scott
City Staff:
City Manager David R. Garcia
Deputy City Manager George Noe
City Attorney James R. Bray Jr.
City Secretary Armando Chapa
Recording Secretary Rachelle P. Ramon
Mayor Neal called the retreat meeting to order in the Watergarden Room of the Museum of
Science and History. City Secretary Chapa checked the roll and verified that the necessary quorum
of the Council and the required charter officers were present to conduct the meeting.
The Mayor said the purpose of the annual planning retreat meeting is to give the Council the
opportunity to discuss their priorities for the coming year. Mr. Scott Elliff, of Capstone Solutions,
served as meeting facilitator. He explained that prior to the meeting, he had sent the Council
members a questionnaire asking what they felt were ongoing key initiatives, critical issues to be
addressed, and procedural issues to be addressed. (A copy of Mr. Elliffs report is attached)
Mr Elliff listed what the Council indicated were continuing priority issues: airport/seawall/
convention center/arena projects; 1986 bond issue improvements; privatization/re-engineering;
finance; crime control and prevention; employee health care; economic development sales tax;
stormwater utility; Packery Channel; landfill; intend; Community Development Block Grant
program; Frost Bank building; annexation plan; ADA transition plan; redistricting; industrial district
contracts; Council action items; city/county health issues; and marketing of the Corpus Christi
Museum and the Columbus ships. The Council then discussed those issues at length and city staff
responded to Council members' questions.
Mr. Elliff then asked the Council to discuss new priority initiatives and issues. He said city
staff will develop and present to the Council action/implementation plans for the following priority
areas• desalination pilot project; code enforcement in trashy neighborhoods; employee classification
study; master drainage plan; Garwood water; new golf course; Charter revision with specific charges;
more funding for economic development; fire and police contracts; new funding sources and plan
for inner city improvements; improvements to the permitting process (online and customer service);
Padre Island development plan; downtown/south central development plan (marina, T -Heads,
breakwater); housing emphasis/process; road projects and southside traffic plan.
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Minutes - City Council Retreat Meeting
May 7, 2001
Page 2
Other priority issues that were listed were: relationships with other governments;
development initiative packages; park rehabilitation; Leopard Street curbs and gutters; economic
development summit; Agnes -Laredo corridor market; solid waste/pick-up; base closures; Northwest
Library; northside development plan; traffic controls; Five Points ambulance; effluent plan for
Leopard medians; Regional Transportation Authority public improvements; and Arts and Sciences
Park plan.
Mayor Neal, a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, also discussed several
road projects that are planned, including the SPID/Crosstown interchange, JFK Causeway, and the
southside traffic plan, among others.
*Council Member Chesney arrived at 11:20 a.m.
Council members and Mr. Elliff proceeded to further discuss the new priority initiatives.
Police Chief Alvarez gave a report on the status of the community policing program and Mr. Michael
Gunning, Director of Planning and Development, discussed annexation and area development plans.
The Council also discussed their operating procedures and consensus was reached on the
following items (listed in the attached report): moving the public comment time; responding to
inaccurate statements made by the public; rearranging the order of the agenda; setting the dates for
budget workshops and setting the Council's 2001 meeting calendar; revising the Council's car
allowance amounts (which will brought to the Council during the budget process); retaining the
Municipal Court Committee; finding office space for the Council; facilitating the handling of
concerns; and publicizing the city's web site address during Council meetings.
There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Neal adjourned the
meeting at 3:10 p.m. on May 7, 2001.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Corpus Christi City Council
2001 Annual Planning Retreat
SUMMARY REPORT
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
CITY COUNCIL RETREAT
MAY 7, 2001
The Corpus Christi City Council conducted their annual planning retreat on
May 7, 2001. The meeting was held at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science
and History, with Scott Elliff of Capstone Solutions serving as retreat facilitator.
A pre -retreat questionnaire was completed the Mayor and each council member.
The questionnaire asked the participants to focus on these three questions:
1. What ongoing key initiatives should be maintained over the next 12-24
months?
2. What do you feel are the critical issues that should be addressed by the City
Council over the next 12-24 months? Be specific.
3. Are there any procedural questions or issues you would like to see
addressed?
The compilation of responses was then used as a starting point for discussion
during the planning retreat.
During the retreat, the Council identified continuing initiatives or issues that will
remain priority items over the next 12-24 months. Thirty-one new priority items
were also identified. Through a multi -voting process, the Council identified the
highest priority items for action planning by the staff. The remainder of the items
will be addressed through discussion over the next 12-24 months.
The Council also identified operating procedures to be revised or revisited.
2001-2002
CITY COUNCIL GOALS
AND
PRIORITY ISSUES
CONTINUING PRIORITY ISSUES
Airport / Seawall / Convention Center / Arena
• Continue quarterly reporting process for these initiatives.
'86 Bond Issue Improvements
• Update status on Senior Centers.
• Provide communication on completion of these projects (e.g. "Report to the Community").
• Continue community involvement on issues such as Leopard Street improvements.
Privatization / Re-Eneineering
• Clearly define "privatization" and "re-engineering."
• Make decisions regarding privatization and re-engineering in the next 12-24 months, with
discussions within 90 days.
• Establish process to identify what services can and cannot be privatized.
• Continue focus on park maintenance.
Finance
• Maintain the 5 -year forecast model.
• Review the August 1 budget adoption deadline.
Crime Control and Prevention
• Continue implementation of the Community Policing initiative.
• Establish date for Crime Control and Prevention District election.
• Continue City participation in Youth Opportunities United and other youth crime initiatives.
Emalovee Health Care
• Address concerns related to employee compensation and benefits, including health insurance.
• Work to coordinate Police and Fire health benefits with those of other City employees
Economic Development Sales Tax
• Establish election date.
Storm Water Utility
• Reconsider implementation plan for a Storm Water Utility.
Packery Channel
• Continue quarterly reports on the progress of the TIF and Beach Restoration Project.
Landfill
• Continue to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
• Examine alternatives for solid waste management system, including privatization.
Internet
• Continue regular updates and expansion of the City's web site, including individual council
member web pages.
• Establish target date for online permitting process.
• Communicate brush pickup via e-mail.
CDBG
• Continue active role.
Frost Bank Building
• Lease and complete renovation
Annexation Plan
• Implement current island annexation plan
ADA Transition Plan
• Develop and approve ADA Transition Plan within 90 days.
Redistricting
• Develop Council -approved redistricting plan for the City of Corpus Christi
Industrial District Contract
• Review Industrial District contracts and determine date for approval
Council Action Items
• Staff completes action requests in a timely manner.
City / County Heakh Issues
• Continue discussions with County to determine structure and process for the most effective
and efficient delivery of health services
Marketing of CC Museum and Columbus Ships
• Continue to develop marketing plans for the Museum of Science and History and the
Columbus Fleet
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NEW PRIORITY INITIATIVES AND ISSUES
City staff will develop and present to City Council action/implementation plans for the following
priority areas:
1. Desalination Piot Project
2. *Code Enforcement in Trashy Neighborhoods
3. *Employee Classification Study
4. Master Drainage Plan
5. Garwood Water
6. *New Golf Course
7. *Charter Revision with Specific Charge(s)
8. *More Funding for Economic Development
9. *Fire and Police Contracts
10. New Funding Sources / Plan for Inner City Improvements
11. Improve Permitting Process (online / customer service)
12. Padre Island Development Plan
13. Downtown / South Central Development Plan (marina, t -heads, breakwater)
14. Housing Emphasis / Process (older neighborhoods, working class neighborhoods
15. **Road Projects
16. Southside Traffic Plan
17. Relationships with Other Governments
18. Development Initiative Packages
19. *Park Rehabilitation
20. *Leopard Street Curbs and Gutters
21. Economic Development Summit and Post -Summit Meetings
22. Agnes -Laredo Corridor Market (studies, plans)
23. *Solid waste / Pickup
24. Base Closures
25. **Northwest Library
26. Northside Development Plan
27. Traffic Controls (channeling, studying on/offramps on SPID)
28. *Five Points Ambulance
29. Effluent Plan for Leopard Medians
30. RTA -Public Improvements
31. Arts and Sciences Park Plan
* Budget Item
** Capital Improvement Program Item
Corpus Christi City Council
2001 Annual Planning Retreat
Council Operating Procedures
1. Move public comment on non -agenda items to 5:30 p.m. or end of
meeting, whichever comes first.
2. Respond appropriately when a member of the public says something
totally inaccurate at a meeting.
3. Arrange agenda as follows:
• Consent agenda items
• Zoning cases
• Presentations
• Regular agenda
• Public comment on non -agenda items
4. First Tuesdays in June and July will be budget workshops
5. Retain Municipal Court Committee.
6. Continue to work on finding office space for Council.
7. Facilitate handling of concerns using speedy means of communication,
such as e-mail, rather than bringing them up at the end of a meeting.
8. Show the City of Corpus Christi web site URL on screen during
broadcasts of Council meetings. Also, indicate agenda item being
discussed.