The Special Council Meeting / Council Retreat of April 21, 2007, was convened at 8:00 A.M.
by Mayor John Landwehr.
ATTENDANCE AND INTRODUCTIONS
The following Council Members were present when the meeting convened:
Present:Crane, Klindt, Koon, Layton, Medin, Penfold, and Smith
Absent: Brown, Ferguson, and Harvey
A quorum was present.
Mayor John Landwehr asked each person in the room to introduce him/herself. He stated
he would need to leave for a few minutes during part of this mornings session to attend
another event but would return for the rest of the retreat.
Participatory Decision-Making
Facilitator Stu Murphy explained the concept of participatory decision-making. He asked
each person in the room to tell the group their own personal ideas regarding one of the three
following:
Primary interests in serving on the Council or staff
How you see your primary role / responsibility as a member of the Council or staff
How you believe City government can better serve the citizens
Mayor John Landwehr left the meeting at 8:35.
Update on Current Issues and January Retreat
City Administrator Steve Rasmussen gave an update on the conference center issue.
City Counselor Nathan Nickolaus gave an update on neighborhood improvement.
Mayor John Landwehr returned at 9:30 A.M.
City Administrator Steve Rasmussen addressed alumni Council priorities
Assistant to the City Administrator Melva Fast reviewed the alumni Council parking lot
issues which were identified at the January retreat as follows:
Neighborhood Associations - Small & Simple grants, Code Enforcement Initiatives
Parking - key to downtown residential development - hang tag concept
Property maintenance code - ordinances passed
Landfill life span - 17.5 years
Strategic plan review - last addressed in 2002
Open Prison for tours NOW - CVB & OA have met to make arrangements
Elevator speech - develop short, focused responses to issues for Council
Lincoln University interns - Interviewed several individuals this week
Develop a Theme (HISTORY)for the City - CVB forming a Heritage Committee
Economic Development
Following a brief break, Mayor John Landwehr gave a presentation on economic
development in general, and explained the issue as specifically contained in the Market
Street Study.
Needs Assessment - Council Input
The following items were brought forward by the Council as their perception of their basic
needs that the Council exists to fulfill:
Integrity of neighborhoods
Quality of life
Point of communication to the citizens, but assuring communications are occurring
in a certain tone
Primary expectations of citizens that the Council serves:
Problems resolved quickly
Liaison
Leadership & guidance
Want someone to solve their problem
Policy to enhance quality of life
What do you want to do to identify, recognize, anticipate and respond to these needs and
expectations?
Meetings of the public just to air issues (neighborhood meetings?)
Business associations need a Council Member present every meeting, and plugging
into existing organizations to keep informed
Mayors coffees with Council Members
Cyber world - electronic input
Running polls on website
Ward updates - elevator speeches
Information Officer (public relations person)
Procedures
The one thingonly one thingthat tends to operationally diminish the Councils ability to
fulfill its responsibilities and meet expectations?
No operational budget for council
No office for city council
Infighting
Dont take disagreement personally
Committee structure:
Handle at 10-Council Member work session level more instead of in smaller
committees
The very best improvementonly one thingthat would enhance the Councils operational
ability to fulfill its responsibilities and better address citizens needs
Committees provide additional information
Allow Council members to participate better
Allows more council driven than staff driven
Move actions along regardless of quorum
How to get consistent quorums?
Lunch break was taken from 12:00 to 12:40 P.M.
Strategic Deliberations
When you look at the City today, what do you personally see, feel, sense, or hear from
others, that concerns you the most?
Downtown, quality of old central city - Old Town
Zero percent growth rate in city - demographics - 2010 population decline
Employment
Affordable housing
A negative reaction to annexation
Concerns identified in the Market Street Study
Technology as it relates to public safety and industries that would not have access
to technological amenities if they came to Jefferson City
Storm Water
Transportation system
Lincoln University
Why are they considered of high concerns? What are the main economic, political, cultural,
and social structures or considerations that directly contribute to these concerns?
Downtown, quality of old central city - Old Town:
A lengthy discussion was held regarding the staffs and Councils concerns
and potential solutions as well as perceptions vs. reality.
Demographics:
Sprawl is a big problem, a greater number of building permits are being issued
just outside the city
More aggression on code enforcement - could it cause sprawl?
Storm water:
A lengthy discussion was held regarding the issue of storm water; who is
affected the most, the best ways to distribute the responsibility for solving the
problems
Employment:
How do we attract people to live here who work here but reside elsewhere?
Transportation:
How could the bus system be set up to serve the needs of the citizens more
efficiently? Could some alternative public transportation systems be used to
attract ridership such as trolleys?
Affordable Housing:
If we attract more people to the city, where would they live?
Annexation:
How can you prevent the people from responding so negatively against the
city when a voter-approved annexation is proposed?
Lincoln University:
The city and LU needs to continue implementing ideas and communications
that have already begun. We have more LU professors sitting on boards and
commissions, LU President planning to move back to the Presidents mansion.
Market Street
Need to read and familiarize themselves with the study.
Technology
The citys I.T. Dept. needs to become adequate before becoming proficient
and proactive. Currently spend more time keeping inadequate hardware and
software functioning rather than developing new and better methods of doing
things
Within the next 3 to 5 years what will be the one most critical issue or problem facing the
City?
Storm water
Annexation
Money
Stagnant/flat growth in revenues and increased city operational costs
Old Town / Central City issues - redevelopment
Projecting a progressive image to outsiders
Seeing the city as not just a capital city but also a university town
Population growth
Identifying and eliminating barriers to economic development
Revenue enhancement
A five-minute recess was taken at this time.
Councilman Klindt left the meeting at this point.
Meeting reconvened at 2:35.
Present:Crane, Koon, Layton, Medin, Penfold, and Smith
Absent: Brown, Ferguson, Harvey, and Klindt
Appointments by the Mayor:
CAMPO Councilperson Cindy Layton nominated Councilmen Koon and Penfold,
seconded by Councilperson Jane A. Smith, and approved unanimously.
Mayor John Landwehr announced that Pursuant to Sec. 610.021 of the Revised Statutes
of Missouri, the Chair would entertain a motion to go into Closed Session to discuss the
following:
Legal Actions [Sec. 610.021.(1)]
Real Estate [Sec. 610.021.(2)]
Motion to go into closed session made by Councilperson Cindy Layton, seconded by
Councilman Brian Crane, and approved unanimously by the following roll-call vote at 2:45
P.M.
Aye: Crane, Koon, Layton, Medin, Penfold, and Smith
Nay: None
