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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-10 Council minutest,r Date: April 2, 2020 CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM To: Mayor and City Council From: Kellie K. Fruehling, City Clerk Re: Council Work Session, March 10, 2020, 1:00 PM, Eastside Recycling Center Council: Bergus, Mims, Salih, Taylor, Teague, Thomas, Weiner UISG: None Staff: Fruin, Monroe, Dilkes, Fruehling A transcription and power points are available in the City Clerk's Office and the City website. STRATEGIC PLANNING DISCUSSION City Manager Fruin gave introductory comments and summarized the memo from the 3/5/20 Information packet (IP3) and noted Assistant City Manager Monroe would be making live updates on the projector that would be reported back to Council and refined as needed. Council members started with an exercise of listing what the most common concerns or opportunities that they have heard from the public. City Council members reviewed the previous strategic plan goal statement from 2018-19 and discussed whether to keep the all seven goals, if they needed to be refined, or if the scope needed narrowed or expanded. Members then discussed if any additional guidance was needed to supplement the stated goal. 1. Promote a Strong and Resilient Local Economy a. Undertake a comprehensive assessment of the current public transit system and implement changes to assure that the service best meets the needs of the entire community b. Effectively market and grow the local food economy c. Through cooperation with the Iowa City School District, Iowa Workforce Development, Kirkwood Community College, Iowa Works, and others, increase opportunities for marginalized populations and low-income individuals to obtain access to skills training and good jobs d. Work with Procter & Gamble and impacted supply chain companies, local economic development organizations, and labor unions to respond effectively to the company's decision to terminate its local production of beauty care products 2. Encourage a Vibrant and Walkable Urban Core a. Collaborate with the University of Iowa on its redevelopment of University owned property located in the Riverfront Crossings District, and on improving the quality, accessibility, and use of the Iowa River Corridor Council Work Session March 10, 2020 Page 2 b. Preserve important parts of Iowa City's history by considering the designation of additional buildings as historic landmarks, and, by considering the creation of an historic preservation district for part of the downtown after consulting with stakeholders c. Evaluate existing strategies and consider additional actions to address the need for reinvestment in the city's existing private housing stock 3. Foster Healthy Neighborhoods throughout the City a. Modify the existing Affordable Housing Action Plan to include new strategies to improve the availability and affordability of housing in Iowa City b. Embed the "Missing Middle" concept into the City's land development practices by adopting a Form Based Code for at least one (preferably two) of our neighborhoods c. Ensure the next two budgets contain sufficient funds to make meaningful progress toward achieving the goals of the Bicycle Master Plan and Parks Master Plan d. Complete an analysis of traffic accident data and identify actions to improve the safety of our roadways for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians 4. Maintain a Solid Financial Foundation a. Continue to monitor the impact of the 2013 property tax reform and evaluate alternative revenue sources as determined necessary b. Continue to build the City's Emergency Fund c. Monitor potential changes to Moody's rating criteria and maintain the City's Aaa bond rating d. Continue to reduce the City's property tax levy e. Maintain healthy fund balances throughout the City's diverse operations 5. Enhance Community Engagement and Intergovernmental Relations a. Experiment with innovative ways of engaging with diverse populations in person and on social media b. Improve collaborative problem -solving with governmental entities in the region on topics of shared interest c. Improve relationships with the executive branch and legislature by reaching out to legislators and other elected officials and working with City lobbyists 6. Promote Environmental Sustainability a. Adopt an effective Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and ensure the next two budgets contain sufficient funds to facilitate achieving its goal b. Support efforts to increase the reach of the Parks and Recreation Foundation 7. Advance Social Justice and Racial Equity a. Support organizations and efforts that provide services to people experiencing and recovering from trauma and crisis related to mental health and substance abuse Council Work Session March 10, 2020 Page 3 b. Consider a policy to limit city business to vendors that pay all employees a wage of $10.10 or higher c. Explore expanded use of a racial equity toolkit within City government, embedding it within city department and Council levels d. Consider elevating hourly staff wages to $15/hour or more within two years The City Manager's office will make updates to the Strategic Planning Process memo with the changes noted during discussion and redistribute for the next Strategic Plan discussion at a future City Council work session. Meeting adjourned at 3:40 PM.