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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 Strategic Plan Commission Agendas & Minutes C ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS` Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday,January 22, 2013 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Elgin Art Showcase 164 Division Street, 8th Floor A. 6:30 p.m. —7:00 Networking Reception B. Welcome- Mayor David J. Kaptain Expectations and goals of the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission rC. Sean Stegall- City Manager Overview of Strategic Plan process, and introduction of City Staff and other city commissions D. Dr. Gerald Gabris- Strategic Plan Consultant for City of Elgin Discussion of commission role and responsibilities and strategy for 2013 E. Question and Answer Period F. Adjournment C 11h ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS' Strategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday,January 22, 2013 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Elgin Art Showcase 164 Division Street, 8th Floor Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio, Armida Dominguez, Janel Gomez, Dustin Good, Matt Hafeli, Hidayat Khan, Todd Martin, Jeanette Mihalec, Carolyn O'Neal, Toya Randall, Sara Sabo, Bill Briska. Absent: none I. 6:30 p.m. —7:00 Networking Reception II. Call to Order- The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. Members of the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission were asked to introduce themselves to guests from other commissions and staff members present. r III. Welcome- Mayor David J. Kaptain Mayor Kaptain outlined the expectations and goals of the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission. The mayor was followed by a brief presentation by Planning and Zoning Commission member Bob Sijelstrom. IV. Sean Stegall- City Manager City Manager provided an overview of the Strategic Plan process, and described the history of the work that has been done over the last year by council and staff on the creation of the strategic plan. Manager Stegall also announced that SPAC member Bill Briska had been asked and had agreed to serve as the chairperson of the SPAC. V. Dr. Gerald Gabris- Strategic Plan Consultant for City of Elgin Dr. Gabris explained the role of the commission versus staff and city council and outlined the process he will take them through over the next few months to prepare them for their task ahead. He outlined that there will be a plan for the first year that he will begin to work on at their first meeting in February. r I VI. Question and Answer Period Several of the commission members asked questions pertaining to the role of the commission. Questions were asked as to the specific duties and the level of detail they will be involved in with decision making process and their role versus other commission's work. It was clarified that this commission will serve as an advisory body to the city council on pertinent issues and projects, and as such will not be involved in day to day decision making. VII. Adjournment r ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday,February 26,2013 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The Hemmens Cultural Center A. Call to Order (Bill Briska, Chairman) B. Roll Call (Cherie Murphy, Staff Liaison) C. Other persons present D. Approval of January 22 Minutes E. Staff Report F. Facilitator Dr. Gerald Gabris a. Role and Responsibilities of SPAC b. Goals for 2013 c. Questions and Answers G. New Business a. Review of Citizen Survey RFP H. Other Business I. Adjournment C ELGIN THE CRY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday, March 12,2013 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Hemmens Cultural Center A. Call to Order (Bill Briska, Chairman) B. Roll Call (Cherie Murphy, Staff Liaison) C. Other persons present D. Approval of February 12 Minutes E. Staff Report F. New Business a. Presentation of Strategic Plan/Update—Sean Stegall b. Review of Citizen Survey RFP G. Other Business H. Adjournment r r ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday,March 12, 2013 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Hemmens Cultural Center 45 Symphony Way,Elgin Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio, Armida Dominguez, Janel Gomez, Dustin Good, Matt Hafeli, Jeanette Mihalec, Toya Randall, Carolyn O'Neal, Sara Sabo, Bill Briska. Absent: Hidayat Khan, Todd Martin A. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Briska at 6:07p.m. B. Roll Call was read by staff liaison Murphy. C. There were no recognized persons present. r D. Minutes from the meeting of February 12 meeting were presented for approval. Commissioner Jeanette Mihalec moved to approve the minutes as written. Commissioner Sara Sabo seconded the motion. The motion passed 10-0. E. Commission members were reminded to submit their Open Meeting Act Training certificate if they have not already do so. F. New Business: a. City Manager Sean Stegall who was on the agenda to present information about the Strategic Plan was unable to attend. b. The Request for Proposal for the 2013 Citizen Survey was presented and reviewed. It was pointed out that the project description includes reference to including questions that could be helpful to performance measurements. It was also noted that the consulting firm will meet with the commission for input into questions to include in the survey. Commissioners were also given copies of survey questions from 2002, and the final report from the 2007 survey. Commission members were encouraged to study both documents to get a better idea of the type of r questions asked in the past, as well as the responses we received on our last survey of 2007. The commissioners were led in discussion by Chairman Briska about potential questions to include for one of the nine strategic goals. The goal chosen for discussion was Downtown, since that was the goal of most interest to commission members. Commissioners discussed several aspects of downtown: should the city continue supporting revitalization of downtown, should a separate survey be done just for people who work and live downtown, is it important to residents to shop locally, what would compel people to come downtown? Another point brought out by the commission was a sense that residents don't know about what is going on downtown. Commissioners expressed a desire to know how people get their information so we can judge how to improve communications. They also would like to find out if people attend the summer concerts, movies and special events. Improved presence of a special events calendar of events on our website was suggested. Several sub-survey subjects were discussed that could help with more specifically targeted groups, including: downtown residents and workers, neighborhoods surrounding downtown, and businesses who have received grants and incentives in the past. G. New Business: The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. Chairman Briska reminded commissioners that the last Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. will be the regularly scheduled day and time for future meetings. H. Adjournment: Armida Dominguez moved to adjourn at 7:35. Carolyn O'Neal seconded the motion, which carried 10-0. r SII ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday, March 26,2013 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Elgin City Hall,2"d Fl. South Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio, Armida Dominguez, Janel Gomez, Dustin Good, Matt Hafeli, Jeanette Mihalec, Hidayat Khan, Todd Martin, Carolyn O'Neal, Sara Sabo, Bill Briska. Absent: Toya Randall Guests: Sean Stegall, City Manager, Dr. Gerald Gabris, NIU A. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Briska at 6:03p.m. B. Roll Call was read by staff liaison Murphy. C. There were no recognized persons present. D. Minutes from the meeting of March 12 meeting were presented for approval. Commissioner Judy DiFulvio moved to approve the minutes as written. Commissioner Jeanette Mihalec seconded the motion. The motion passed 11-0. E. Commission members were reminded to submit their Open Meeting Act Training certificate if they have not already do so. Commissioners were asked to turn in their Citizen Survey exercise which will be compiled into one report for their information. F. New Business: a. City Manager Sean Stegall presented an overview of the Strategic Plan process and current status of staff working on finalizing performance measures. The City Council will be presented the final document later in April, after which the plan will be presented to the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission at the April 23 meeting. b. Facilitator Dr. Gerald Gabris reviewed the roles and responsibilities document provided previously to the commission members for their comments and questions. The group was asked to consider a mission C statement which was drafted in the Roles and Responsibilities document, item#1. Dr. Gabris also reviewed the work plans for the upcoming months, including work on the Citizen Survey, and the creation of work groups to focus on specific strategic goals. Dr. Gabris broke the group into three working groups as follows: Group I: Neighborhoods and Public Safety- Bill Briska, Matt Hafeli, Hidayat Khan, Jeanette Mihalec. Group II: Downtown, Economic Development and Financial Stewardship- Judy DiFulvio, Janel Gomez,Armida Dominguez, Todd Martin Group III: Image and Engagement, Diverse Workforce, Education and Workforce Development- Dustin Good, Carolyn O'Neal, Toya Randall and Sara Sabo. The three work groups broke out for general discussion. Upon reconvening,the group asked for clarification on immediate expectations and short term goals. It was explained that each work group will have the opportunity to meet with staff associated with their subject matter for detailed explanation of their strategic initiatives and performance measures. A rubric will be created for commissioners to use when reviewing the initiatives. The group was reminded that this is a five year rprocess and that the first year is going to be focused on laying the groundwork, getting familiar with staff and establishing the work groups. The group was assured that by the next meeting a calendar will be created outlining the work plan for the next 4-6 months. G. New Business: The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. H. Adjournment: Carolyn O'Neal moved to adjourn at 8:02. Dustin Good seconded the motion, which carried 11-0. r ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday,April 23,2013 6:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. City Hall,2"d Floor South A. Call to Order (Bill Briska, Chairman) B. Roll Call (Cherie Murphy, Staff Liaison) C. Other persons present D. Approval of March 26 Minutes E. Staff Report F. Sean Stegall, City Manager a. Update on election of new council members b. Update on Citizen Survey timeline G. Dr. Gerald Gabris- Group facilitator a. Break out three work groups i. presentations from Senior Staff members (20-30 minutes) ii. Discussion(20-30 minutes) b. Reconvene large group i. Work group reports ii. General discussion H. New Business a. Upcoming Calendar and goals b. Public input I. Other Business J. Adjournment r ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday, April 23,2013 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Elgin City Hall,2nd Fl. South Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio, Armida Dominguez, Dustin Good, Toya Randall, Jeanette Mihalec, Hidayat Khan, Todd Martin, Carolyn O'Neal, Sara Sabo, Bill Briska. Absent: Janel Gomez, Matt Hafeli Guests: Sean Stegall, City Manager, Dr. Gerald Gabris,NIU; Cherie Murphy, staff liaison; Colby Basham, Gail Cohen, Aaron Cosentino and Laura Valdez, city staff A. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Briska at 6:02p.m. B. Roll Call was read by staff liaison Murphy. C. Recognized persons present included staff members Colby Basham, Gail Cohen, Aaron Cosentino and Laura Vandez. D. Minutes from the meeting of April 23 meeting were presented for approval. It was noted that under item F,b there was an omission of the names of Commissioner on Group III. Judy DiFulvio moved to approve the minutes as amended. Commissioner Hidayat Khan seconded the motion. The motion passed 10-0. E. Commission members were reminded that the mayor would be hosting an Education Summit at the Centre on the morning of May 3. Commissioners were invited to attend. F. New Business: a. City Manager Sean Stegall presented an overview of the recent election results and what affect it may have on the work of the commission. He explained that the new councilmembers will need time to get up to speed on the strategic plan and should have the opportunity to give input before decisions are made. That would include delaying implementation of the Citizen Survey until such time the new council is in place. C b. Facilitator Dr. Gerald Gabris broke the commission into their three work groups to hear presentations from staff members regarding three business initiatives of city departments. The work groups were given a list of questions to consider and discuss after the presentation. Work Group I were led by staff member Colby Basham to tour the new 311 Center and hear the plans for the new initiative. Group II met with City Manager Sean Stegall to discuss the Code department changes. Group III met with Gail Cohen to hear about the city's new Diversity Plan. Upon reconvening at 7:20, each group shared their notes and comments with the entire commission. (Summaries attached) After in-depth discussion by the group,the manager indicated to the group that the Diversity Plan discussion should be continued at the next meeting. Several Commissioner asked for follow up information be sent to them prior to the next meeting, including demographic information. G. New Business: The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. H. Adjournment: Jeanette Mihalek moved to adjourn at 8:02. Judy DiFulvio seconded the motion,which carried 10-0. r MEMORANDUM Date: May 17, 2013 To: Members of the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission From: Laura Valdez, Management Intern Subject: Meeting Notes from Subcommittee Sessions on April 23, 2013 During the April 23, 2013 Strategic Plan Advisory Commission (SPAC) meeting, SPAC members divided into three subcommittees to discuss issues that are identified in the Strategic Plan, and are anticipated to bring about heavy discussion among council members over the next several years. Each subcommittee focused on one of the following areas: diversity, code enforcement, or 311. City staff presented to each subcommittee on their respective topic, taking time to answer questions and listen to feedback from SPAC members. Below offers an outline of the notes collected from each subcommittee, presented in the following order: diversity, code enforcement, and 311. DIVERSITY MEETING NOTES SPAC Members: Dustin Good, Carolyn O'Neal, Toya Randall, Sara Sabo Presenter: Gail Cohen, Human Resources Director Guests: Cherie Murphy, Assistant to the City Manager for Community Engagement and Laura Valdez, Management Intern Human Resources Director Gail Cohen described the city's efforts in diversity. The city has hired consultant Phil Reed from SNAP Consulting to assist the city in this initiative. A multidepartment team of city staff have met as a Diversity Committee, and along with Mr. Reed, have proposed a preliminary Diversity Strategic Plan. Gail presented a snapshot of the Strategic Plan to facilitate the subcommittee's discussion. Below is a summary of the subcommittee's discussion. Diversity Strategic Plan • SPAC members noted that the language in the highlighted section of the Diversity Strategic Plan was very clear. Members agreed that the document should be helpful to council. • This is an opportunity to enlighten the council as to what the rest of the population of Elgin looks like;the part of the population that did not vote. • The city should reflect the community and their different experiences; e.g., that of a single woman household. C Workforce • When trying to balance our values with the money that it will take to be successful in this initiative, it's important to look at what we truly need in our workforce; diversity isn't just a "look". Residency • The city currently only has a residency requirement for senior staff, or "A" level management. • The group had mixed feelings about residency requirement. • One proposal was to expand the boundaries beyond Elgin. Can we require residency on a case by case basis? Can we do a geographical radius? • Recommended that we do a study of employees; how many live in Elgin now? What is the return on investment(ROI) on people who don't live in Elgin? Community Talent Pool • Is the city getting qualified applicants from the community? If we don't have the necessary workforce in our community, the residency requirement will not work. • We should place a priority on local talent. It is important to "grow" people. In order for government to be efficient and effective it requires an investment; i.e., spending money to hire a Spanish speaking employee is worth it because that person brings extra value to the city. • Shouldn't Elgin be able to sustain our own workforce, given our population level? • Education of our residents is a huge barrier. There are big changes taking place in education with massive open online courses that are affordable and effective. • Internships and apprenticeships offer a great opportunity to grow local talent. Investing Money • How has disinvestment in our employees affected us today? We need to spend both money and time to fix these issues. • Need to consider what we value and how we plan to sustain those values. Need to be realistic about costs (tangible and intangible). o For example, if we hired a second Deputy Chief (as opposed to maintaining one position) and the person selected is Hispanic, the cost of the hire would be outweighed by the value this person would bring to the position. • Before we put new money on the table,the city should look at how current funds can be reallocated. Can money flow in a different manner? If the city has a budget, then the city can spend money on diversity. Money just might need to be reallocated. • Departments need to share resources and break down the silos so that money can flow/be allocated in a different manner (than specific to one department). • We need to invest in people and innovation, as well as those individuals who aren't at the level we expect. This requires us to look towards the future and decide how we should act now. C Investing Time • Must consider what we value as a community, first. This initiative will be long term and we will need to prioritize our resources to make it work. • This initiative will not happen quickly. We might be successful years down the road, but we should create the pipeline now. Short-Term Opportunities • Should be aware of anticipated retirements for opportunities to expand on diversity. • The group is supportive of internal promotions. However,these should be based on skills and not merely having been working for the city for a number of years. o Because the culture of Elgin has historically been to promote internally, any change to this practice should be carefully managed. • The city should talk to larger employers in the area and see what employee development tools they have. See if we can partner for free to take advantage of their development programs. CODE ENFORCEMENT MEETING NOTES SPAC Members: Bill Briska, Matt Hafeli, Hidayat Khan,11aneIGome4LV1],Jeanette Mihalec Presenter:Sean Stegall, City Manager Guests:Aaron Cosentino, Management Analyst C Code enforcement issues are complex, multi layered and involve a number of separate strategies to address. The summary below provides brief descriptions of several immediate problem areas. Data Collection • There is often insufficient data base of code violations by type, location, inspector, duration of open time, resolution, collateral issues involved. • The data cannot be easily cross tabulated within itself or other databases. • These factors make it difficult to measure performance, detect trends and look for correlations with other issues and areas of interest to management staff. Inspections • Inspection is too often complaint driven leading to vigilantism between neighbors and uneven enforcement between areas of the city. Sometimes the areas are as small as block to block, as well neighborhood to neighborhood. • Cultural and language barriers complicate administration efforts. • Better feedback and data on public perceptions is needed - both from those being subjected to enforcement activities and those who reside nearby. C Expectations for Position of Inspector • Inspectors tend to be violation and enforcement oriented rather than problem solving oriented. The resolution of larger property wide, or area-wide problems, is sometimes lost in the detail of enforcing smaller scale violations. • Inspectors often seen as mentors of solutions, but also as bearers of bad news for property owners. • Mid-level managers probably need to play a more active role in administering enforcement strategies for situations with complicating factors. Training • Salaries of inspectors may not be attracting the caliber of employees needed. On- the-job-training may need more emphasis on problem solving, human relations and negotiating skills. • Code inspection is often a judgment call and there is a natural variation between individual inspectors making the judgments. This leads to inter-rater reliability problems with the data, the follow up, the enforcement standards and public perceptions of the process. • Progressive enforcement, similar to progressive discipline in personnel matters, calls for seeking resolution with the lowest level of punishment first then using increasingly harsh measures. 311 MEETING NOTES SPAC Members:Judy Difulvio,Armeida Dominguez, Todd Martin Presenter: Colby Basham, 311 Director Guests: Dr.Jerry Gabris, Strategic Planning Facilitator Note taker: Dr. Jerry Gabris Director Colby Basham explained that the purpose of the new 311 system is to serve as a tool to consolidate all non-emergency information about city services, programs and general information in one central location. Citizens are able to easily access this information by calling 311, the city's new phone number for citizen inquiries and requests. Through 311, the city hopes to improve citizen customer service in Elgin, and to improve the city's image and level of citizen engagement. After Colby explained the purpose and process of 311, SPAC members asked clarifying questions, provided insight into what residents might expect of this system, and offered recommendations. 311 Overview • A 311 system takes pressure off the 911 system, where about 70 percent of calls are non- emergency in nature. • Like 911, residents will be able to call or contact the service via the internet. A 311 operator is able to answer most basic questions about services, status of events, code issues, permits, and other information that many residents would like to know about. All calls will be tracked. • The 311 system will use trained operators who are presently high performers in their respective units. Operators will be able to answer questions from Spanish speaking callers. • Having only one number to call along with highly trained staff in 311 eliminates the act of transferring callers from one unit to another, which has generally resulted in frustration and/or not having the question answered. • The system is almost ready to go on line within the next week, and will be announced to the general public in approximately 6 months, or early fall of 2013. Question and Answer Director Basham stated that 311 staff needs to know the level of service expected by residents. Below offers a summary of the questions from SPAC members and the answers from staff. Question: How can the city improve its level of service through 311 and not need more employees?Will not 311 generate more service requests? Answer: Yes, we anticipate an initial increase in requests. Other cities using 311 find that this plateaus and goes back to normal levels. We plan to use a highly trained professional staff, and through more sophisticated technology, do more with less. 311 is not intended to hire more people, but to raise customer expectations. This is one of our goals. Question: Will calls to 311 be tracked for record keeping purposes? Answer:Yes,they will, but a person can make an anonymous call. Question:Can you access 311 via internet and or smart phone? Answer:Yes, you can. Accessing 311 through the internet or smart phone will make even more 311 service options available. However, you do not need to have internet service or a smart phone to use 311. Question:Will the 311 operators have access to multiple city data bases? Answer: Yes and no. The city is upgrading its software in some departments and these will all integrate into the 311 system. Some departments operate their own software which creates a silo effect. We will have to work on integrating these systems over time. Question: How will 311 prioritize calls? Not all requests are the same. Answer: Operators will categorize calls into one of four priority designations, and this will influence the queue by which calls are handled. Higher priority calls will receive quicker action than lower priority calls. For example, if a caller sees a car accident happen, then a more immediate response is needed than say someone who calls in and says, "Yesterday, I noticed an abandoned vehicle on Chicago St." City staff will respond faster to more immediate needs. Our operators will be termed "customer advocates".They will be trained on how to categorize calls. r Question:Should we have a rapid response team? Answer: This is one option that is under consideration. Such a team would be formed from existing employees who would need to stop doing their normal work if a situation called for the rapid response team to activate. This is a cost. The idea is that the a rapid response team goes out to a site, say a water main break, and analyzes the situation. They provide precise information to public works that then sends out a repair team knowing exactly what they face. This should save time and make the response more efficient. Question: Some residents may see 311 as a high cost burden in the community. You will need to clearly educate residents to its benefits. The XX of service requests will increase. Answer: We will educate residents on its value. Most cities that have it like it. We will develop a post interaction survey to assess end-user attitudes toward service performance. This can serve as an ongoing data collection process for performance measurement. Question: When you call 311, will a machine voice answer or will you get a live person? To many Elgin residents, having a live person answer would be a great plus for customer service and image. Answer: Once you state whether you need Spanish or English an operator should come on line during normal business hours. You will not be bumped around or have to press nine different buttons. One limitation of the live response is the size of the queue waiting for an answer. If more people call in than we have operators, some persons may have to wait a bit. Recommendations The SPAC subcommittee found that the 311 initiative is clear and understandable, clearly linked to an important strategic priority, and the public good is greater than the costs of the initiative. The group offers several recommendations to make 311 effective. • Try to have a live person answer the call. • Have highly trained, customer friendly customer advocates. • Develop a plan for explaining this system effectively to residents. Not all will understand it, or based on past interaction with the city, believe it will work. • System should have access to multiple databases. • Make sure that the system costs are managed within expected projections. • Make available an anonymous call-in procedure. • Set performance service levels that are attainable and realistic. r ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday, May 28,2013 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. City Hall,2"d Floor South A. Call to Order (Bill Briska, Chairman) B. Roll Call (Cherie Murphy, Staff Liaison) C. Other persons present D. Approval of April 23 Minutes (Bill Briska, Chairman) E. Staff Report F. Dr. Gerald Gabris- Group facilitator a. Review of April break out groups discussions i. Adoption of resolution of SPAC recommendations from 311 discussion group b. Overview of meeting goals for workforce diversity initiative i. Definition of workforce diversity ii. Use of internal promotion iii. Modification of residency requirements iv. Supporting policies and procedures to support workforce diversity c. Adoption of resolutions of SPAC workforce diversity recommendations G. New Business a. Upcoming Calendar and Agenda Items b. Public input H. Other Business I. Adjournment C A r ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS- Strategic UBURBSStrategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday,May 28,2013 6:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. Elgin City Hall,2°d Fl. South Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio,Armida Dominguez,Dustin Good, , Janel Gomez, Matt Hafeli, Jeanette Mihalec,Hidayat Khan, Todd Martin, Carolyn O'Neal, Sara Sabo, Bill Briska. Present by conference call-in: Toya Randall Guests: Dr. Gerald Gabris,NIU; Cherie Murphy, staff liaison; Daina DeNye, Gail Cohen, and Laura Valdez, city staff A. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Briska at 6:00p.m. B. Roll Call was read by staff liaison Murphy. C. Recognized persons present included staff members Daina DeNye, Gail Cohen, and Laura Vandez. D. Minutes from the meeting of April 23 meeting were presented for approval. Move to approve as amended by Judy Difulvio, 2nd by Jeanette Mihalek. The motion passed unanimously. E. Commission members were reminded to complete the on-line training for the Open Meetings Act if they have not already done so. F. New Business: a. Dr. Gabris led the group in review regarding the 311 tour and focus group discussion that took place at the April meeting. The group was presented with a proposed resolution to vote on. The resolution in support of the 311 initiative also contained a list of recommendations to assure the 311 system is effective. Additional recommendations were added to the list, including 1.) assuring that 311 users will have the ability to upload pictures, and use other social media tools to communicate with 311 and 2.) Performance levels should reflect the stated goals included in the city's performance standards. Todd Martin moved to approve the resolution as r ramended. Judy DiFulvio seconded the motion. The commission voted to accept the resolution as amended 12-0. b. Dr. Gabris led the group in review of what would be covered during the meeting, beginning with review of some of the highlights from the recent Diversity Team presentation to council and discussion on the progress already made by that team. The evening agenda of discussion points was also reviewed, including: the definition of diversity; use of internal promotions; modification of the residency requirement; and supporting policies and procedures to support workforce diversity. c. Discussion Point- Supportive Policies and Initiatives: HR Director Gail Cohen gave an overview of current policies and procedures of the city in addressing diversity. She explained the changes to hiring processes as a result of doing away with Civil Service enabling the city to have much more flexibility in the hiring process to assure a more diverse workforce. Gail also described other changes that are helping support diversity in the workforce, including the Summer Youth Program. She also spoke to the fact that the city now uses Illinois Diversity.com to post job openings, which link to many minority websites. Toya Randall asked if we have information about the firms that are awarded bids, including the demographics of current employees and the positions they hold. Daina DeNye, purchasing agent for the city pointed out that there are many variables that are difficult to pinpoint. Gail commented that current bid forms need to be revised so we can better gauge the diversity of bidder's employees. Dr. Gabris reviewed and summarized to say that the most meaningful data would be from the 608 full time employees and that there needs to be tighter accountability so the city knows whether contractors are meeting city standards for diversity. d. Discussion Point-Internal Promotions: The group discussed the pros and cons of promoting from within versus going outside the organization in order to diversify. Gail explained the current process for internal promotions, including union rules that affect certain positions. It was noted that internal promotions will slow down the process for diversifying level A and B management, but will be less expensive. General consensus of the conversation resulted in agreement on the following points- i. Internal promotions should continue to be a priority ii. Hire a diverse group of level C employees iii. When possible,hire diverse employees for A and B jobs when no current employees are qualified iv. The city should consider implementing a career development program. C e. Discussion Point-Residency Requirement: Gail Cohen reviewed the current residency requirement that affects approximately 20 current employees. Discussion about the benefits of having residency requirements vs. the drawbacks took place. A suggestion was made to possible offer a one-time incentive for managers to move to Elgin,rather than making it mandatory. At the conclusion, a motion was made by Judy DiFulvio to keep the current residency requirements. The motion was seconded by Jeanette Mihalec. The motion passed 12-0. f. Discussion Point- Diversity Policies and Initiatives The group talked about initiatives and policies that could be used by the city to encourage and support diversity, including: • Mentoring, interns and career development program • research what other cities are doing • get more data and demographic information • employee survey • Spanish classes for management • Offer classes for students about local government job opportunities • Outreach to students through volunteer programs • Connect with minority colleges development offices g. Discussion Point—Definition of Diversity The group reviewed the definition created by the city's diversity team for consideration by the city council. The group felt that the statement was not as clear as it should be and did not reflect the uniqueness of Elgin and how diversity can improve the city's ability to serve residents. It was agreed that staff will prepare two new definition options for consideration at the June meeting. G. New Business: The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 25 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The discussion of diversity will continue and discussion on Code issues will be introduced at that meeting. H. Adjournment: Hidayat Khan moved to adjourn at 8:15. Carolyn O'Neal seconded the motion,which carried 10-0. r J, ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday,June 25,2013 6:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. City Hall,2°d Floor South A. Call to Order (Bill Briska, Chairman) B. Roll Call (Cherie Murphy, Staff Liaison) C. Other persons present D. Approval of May 28 Minutes(Bill Briska, Chairman) E. Staff Report F. Dr. Gerald Gabris- Group facilitator a. Review of May discussion i. Discussion and Adoption of resolution of SPAC recommendations for definition of diversity G. Sean Stegall, City Manager a. Overview of code enforcement issues and practices H. New Business a. Upcoming Calendar and Agenda Items b. Public input I. Other Business J. Adjournment C r ,,„ ► ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday,June 25,2013 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Elgin City Hall, 2"d Fl. South Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio, Armida Dominguez, Janel Gomez, Matt Hafeli, Jeanette Mihalec, Hidayat Khan, Todd Martin, Sara Sabo, Bill Briska, Toya Randall. Absent: Dustin Good, Carolyn O'Neal Guests: Dr. Gerald Gabris,NIU; Sean Stegall, City Manager; Marc Mylott, Director of Community Development; Gail Cohen, H. R. Director; and Cherie Murphy, staff liaison A. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Briska at 6:00p.m. B. Roll Call was read by staff liaison Murphy. C. Recognized persons present included City Manager Sean Stegall, Dr. Gerald Gabris, Marc Mylott, Gail Cohen, and Laura Vandez. D. Minutes from the meeting of May 28 meeting were presented for approval. A Motion to approve was made by Jeanette Mihalek, 2nd by Judy Difulvio. The motion passed unanimously, 10-0. E. Commission members were reminded to complete the on-line training for the Open Meetings Act if they have not already done so. F. Code Enforcement Discussion: City Manager Sean Stegall gave an overview of the history, as well as current challenges with the policies and procedures in the Elgin Code Department. Mr. Stegall introduced Marc Mylott, Community Development Director, who proceeded to give detailed information about the department. He explained that currently the department has only 4 code officers for over 30,000 properties in the city. Mr. Mylott outlined his plan for changes in the department that would help address many of the issues. The plan contains five areas of focus, highlighted below: Measure performance- It would be necessary to create a baseline of the current property conditions in order to measure effectiveness of the code department. Focus on compliance-this would include a public education campaign and a change of attitude to one of managed discretion rather than the current no-notice policy. Increase staff capacity—Staff capacity can be increased by not only adding to current staff,but cross training other employees who interact with homeowners, such as fire,police and public works. Enhance external communication and image- Much like the police department shift to "community policing"philosophies several years ago, the code department should work to improve their image, celebrate their successes and work in partnership with homeowners to help them understand and follow current code requirements. Deploy appropriate technology—Efficiency can be greatly enhanced by providing in-car computers and printers. In addition, the new 311 system will go live and will become a great tool for communicating with the public on code issues. G. Review of details from May meeting: Dr. Gabris led the group in discussion and adoption of three resolutions, discussed at the last meeting. a. Definition of Diversity- Commission members were presented with three alternatives from staff, as well as a fourth alternative provided by commission member Todd Martin. After much discussion, Matt Hafeli moved to accept the following definition of diversity: "The City of Elgin promotes diversity through inclusion,respect and acceptance of all cultures and beliefs within the community." Jeanette Mihalek seconded the motion. The motion passes unanimously, 10-0. b. Internal Promotions -A motion was made by Jeanette Mihalek to accept the discussion Point about Internal Promotions outlined in the May 28 meeting minutes in a formal resolution to be given to the city council. The motion was seconded by Judy DiFulvio. The resolution passed unanimously, 10-0. c. Diversity Policies- A motion was made by Jeanette Mihalek to accept the discussion Point about Diversity Policies and Initiatives outlined in the May 28 meeting minutes in a formal resolution to be given to the city council. The motion was seconded by Judy DiFulvio. The resolution passed unanimously, 10-0. H. New Business: The next meeting will take place on July 23 at 6:00 p.m. I. Adjournment: Janel Gomez moved to adjourn at 8:00. Hidayat Khan seconded the motion, which carried 10-0. ,nudes p cl 2e•c:2 ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS" Strategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday,July 23,2013 6:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. Elgin City Hall,2°d Fl. South Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio, Armida Dominguez, Dustin Good, Matt Hafeli, Jeanette Mihalec, Todd Martin, Bill Briska Absent:, Carolyn O'Neal Janel Gomez, Hidayat Khan, Sara Sabo, Toya Randall Guests: Laura Valdez, Intern with City of Elgin, and Cherie Murphy, staff liaison A. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Briska at 6:00p.m. B. Roll Call was read by staff liaison Murphy. C. Recognized persons present included Laura Vandez. D. Minutes from the meeting of June25 meeting were presented for approval. Commission member Jeanette Mihalec noted that her last name was misspelled in the minutes. A Motion to approve with that correction was made by Todd Martin, 2nd by Armida Dominguez. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0. E. Commission members were reminded to complete the on-line training for the Open Meetings Act if they have not already done so. F. Discussion on Community Survey- It was explained to the commission that the city council will have a contract for a community survey under consideration at the July 24 Committee of the Whole meeting. Should the council move forward with it the selected consultant, ETC Institute, will work with staff to design a survey that can be customized with questions specific to strategic planning goals. Commissioner Mihalec expressed concern about how the survey will reach non- English speaking residents. It was explained that ETC was selected in large part because of their vast experience conducting municipal surveys in some of the most diverse cities in the country. The commission was asked to come up with a list of questions that might be appropriate to add to the survey. Because several commission members were absent, the group met as a whole rather than breaking out into work groups. Commission members used the strategic plan document to guide discussion on C r what types of questions could be included on a community survey or in focus groups that would give the city baseline information to use as a guide for current decision making as well as provide benchmarks for future comparisons. This list of potential questions (attachment A)will be provided to the consultant selected to conduct the survey. G. New Business: The next meeting will take place on August 27 at 6:00 p.m. H. Adjournment: Judy DiFulvio moved to adjourn at 8:00. Jeanette Mihalec seconded the motion,which carried 7-0. r r i rk III ► ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Advisory Commission July 23 Meeting Notes List of Community Survey Questions Below are a list of potential subjects and/or questions that the Strategic Plan Advisory Commission is submitting for consideration in the 2013 Community Survey.We have categorized them under related Strategic Goals: PUBLIC SAFETY 1. Are you satisfied with the current level of public services, such as leaf pickup or snow removal? 2. Do you feel safe in your neighborhood? 3. Do you live in an area that has a Resident Police Officer? If so,what is your opinion of the ROPE Program? 4. Do you feel safe in the downtown area? 5. What innovations could we put in place that would make people feel safer? ie: lighting, more police presence, more community policing(ROPE), security cameras 6. Would you support funding to install security cameras at key locations in the community. 7. Code Dept.questions: do you feel the properties in your neighborhood have improved, stayed the same or declined over the last five years? Do you think the city needs more code inspectors? 8. Fire Department-general satisfaction question 9. Water-are you satisfied with the level of service and quality of the water? NEIGHBORHOODS 1. Does your neighborhood have an identity or name? Do you feel a sense of pride associated with your neighborhood? 2. Do you participate in any of the following community organizations: local Neighborhood Association; Homeowners Association; PTO or school organization; Neighborhood Watch; other C 9 ./ 3. Would you like to be more involved in the community? Do you know how to get involved in rk the community or where to find information? 4. Do you think the city should financially support neighborhood associations for projects, newsletters and block parties that might help build a sense of neighborhood? 5. FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP 1. Preferences for Buying locally—both personally and for city purchasing. Do you feel it is more important for the city to buy locally,even if it costs more, or to find the cheapest sources. 2. Do you feel the city is doing a good job of financial management? 3. As a percent of the total city budget,what do you feel is the appropriate level of spending to support quality of life items such as arts,culture and recreation? a. 1/10%of the city's budget b. 1/5%of the city's budget c. Etc. 4. Do you think there are any city departments that need additional funding? 5. If the city were to offer free educational classes on local government would you attend? rECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 1. Should the city expand TIF districts? 2. To what level should the city provide incentives to businesses? 3. What is more important—bringing manufacturing jobs to Elgin or retail establishments? 4. What is more important- large retail and major brands or small local retail establishments? 5. What is more important- neighborhood shopping areas or larger regional malls? DOWNTOWN 1. How often do you frequent the Grand Victoria Casino? Do you use the restaurants or non- gaming facilities at GVC? 2. How often do you visit downtown Elgin? For what purposes? 3. What would attract you to visit downtown more often? 4. Do you perceive downtown Elgin as a destination for arts related events? 5. Do you identify the Tower Building as a landmark in the downtown? EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT r Should the city work with local educational institutions to identify and address the educational challenges of the community. DIVERSE WORKFORCE r 1. How important is it to you to see diversity in the city's workforce? 2. Do you feel you are dealt with fairly and properly by city staff? 3. Do you encounter language barriers when working with the city? IMAGE AND ENGAGEMENT 1. If the city were to offer free educational classes on local government would you attend? 2. Hemmens Cultural Center-we need to find out the level of community support there is for either Hemmens or any type of public performance/exhibition space and if so,what type of uses would people prefer. 3. How do you prefer to get information from the city? Newletter,email, etc. 4. The city has branded itself"the City in the Suburbs". Do you like it or not-do you feel it is an accurate portrayal? 5. Elgin is a great place to live. Rate 1-5 6. Questions related to sustainability/environmental issues could perhaps we compiled into one or two questions. The issues of interest might include: i. Tree replacement ii. Natural areas-should the city continue to expand the"no mow" areas iii. Garbage pickup-should we add kitchen waste pickup iv. Bioswales and other water run-off controls v. Hydroelectric dam vi. Chickens ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday,August 27, 2013 6:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. City Hall,2nd Floor South A. Call to Order (Bill Briska, Chairman) B. Roll Call (Cherie Murphy, Staff Liaison) C. Other persons present D. Approval of July 23 Minutes (Bill Briska, Chairman) E. Staff Report F. Update on Council Issues and SPAC Direction- Sean Stegall, City Manager G. Continuation of Code Discussions- Marc Mylott, Community Development Director H. New Business a. Upcoming Calendar and Agenda Items b. Public input I. Other Business J. Adjournment r „„ ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Minutes Tuesday, August 27, 2013 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Elgin City Hall, 2nd Fl. South Commission Members present: Judith DiFulvio, Armida Dominguez, Jeanette Mihalec, Todd Martin, Bill Briska, Carolyn O'Neal Janel Gomez, Hidayat Khan, Sara Sabo, Toya Randall, Cherie Murphy, staff liaison Excused Absense: Dustin Good, Matt Hafeli Guests: Dr. Gerald Gabris, Northern Illinois University; Sean Stegall, City Manager; Marc Mylott, Community Development Director A. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Bill Briska at 6:01p.m. B. Roll Call was read by staff liaison Murphy. C. Recognized persons present included facilitator Dr. Gerald Gabris, Northern Illinois University; City Manager Sean Stegall and Community Development Director Marc Mylott. D. Minutes from the meeting of July 25 meeting were presented for approval. It was noted that there were typographical errors in the attachment to the minutes. A Motion to approve with that correction was made by Judy Difulvio, 2nd by Carolyn O'Neal. The motion passed unanimously, 10-0. E. Staff Report: Manager Stegall informed the commission of a new communication piece called "Horizons”that will be covering information and updates about Strategic Plan initiatives. The commissioners will begin receiving this information in the near future. F. Update from City Manager- Manager Stegall gave the commission an update on recent activities of the City Council and staff. He addressed the recent no vote on the community survey, which the commission had been working on. Although the survey will not move forward at this time, the manager outlined several other important issues the commission will be asked to work on in the coming months, including the Waste Management contract. Manager Stegall also suggested that the commission cut back on the number of meetings each year and start meeting every other month or 8 times a year as needed, as was the original plan for the commission. He also suggested that Chairman Briska make a brief presentation to council at a September meeting to provide an overview of the work of the commission in 2013. G. Discussion on Code Issues- Marc Mylott, Community Development Director- Director Mylott presented the commission with a copy of the current code violation flyer used by his department to inform residents about nuisance code violations which receive automatic $50 citations; these violations have traditionally been referred to as "no notice" violations. He told the commission that he hopes that this document will cease to be necessary in the near future. Chairman Briska suggested putting all historic districts under one code inspector to ensure the inspector is familiar with the unique requirements of the district. Director Mylott responded that only two inspectors have historic districts in their areas, and the Preservation Planner's office is immediately adjacent to the inspectors' desks. Commission member Toya Randall stated that there needs to be a transition from an "enforcer" mentality to one of problem solving. Dr. Gabris noted that the image of the code department should be expressed through the mission or vision statement of the department and inspectors need to be retrained to become more customer and service oriented. Director Mylott then presented an updated draft of the new Code Enforcement Plan, including an implementation timeline. Director Mylott said that he will work with the city manager to determine the best time regarding when it would be presented to the City Council for consideration. After reviewing the document, the commission had minor suggestions for him to consider adding or changing to the document. These included: • Consult with surrounding communities and consider standardizing some of the more common and visible property maintenance codes • Ensure that appropriate and meaningful workload indicators are considered when establishing performance measures • Integrate code enforcement data with other departments efforts such that the nuisance provisions of city code can work • Consider creative solutions to deter inappropriate behaviors, such as commissioning murals at specific graffiti "hot-spots" Commissioner Todd Martin made a motion to approve a resolution to recommend that the City Council adopt the Code Enforcement Plan, with the above mentioned modifications. It was seconded by Sara Sabo. The commission unanimously approved the motion. H. New Business: The next meeting will take place on October 22 at 6:00 p.m. I. Adjournment: Jeanette Mihalek moved to adjourn at 8:00. Carolyn O'Neal seconded the motion, which carried 7-0. r • „7, ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Agenda Tuesday, October 22,2013 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. City Hall, 2nd Floor South A. Call to Order (Bill Briska, Chairman) B. Roll Call (Cherie Murphy, Staff Liaison) C. Other persons present D. Approval of August 27 Minutes (Bill Briska, Chairman) E. Staff Report F. Council Presentation update- Chairman Briska G. Discussion of Waste Management Contract—Representative from Public Works H. New Business a. Upcoming Calendar and Agenda Items b. Public input I. Other Business J. Adjournment r ELGIN THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS Strategic Plan Commission Sub Committee Meeting For Community Outreach Agenda Wednesday, December 18, 2013 2:30-3:30 p.m. City Hall A subcommittee made up of Commission members Sara Sabo, Jeanette Mihalec, Judy DiFulvio, Carolyn O'Neal and chaired by Dustin Good will meet to discuss and plan community outreach meetings to discuss waste management. r r