3.0. SR 02-17-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Figure 3. Arenas for Governing Body and Staff Performance Exploration and Disposition/ Arena Goal Setting Analysis Legislation Community Relations Purposes · Establish vision · Understanding the · Taking official action · Explore potentials issue(s) · Voting on items · Set goals · Problem -Resolutions · Set direction/ identification -Ordinances priorities · Selecting "best · Gathering public -Community. options" input -Services · Building · Mobilizing support -Staff action commitment -Budgets · Interacting with constituents/citizens · Building alliances · Doing outreach and liaison · Coordinating with other entities Typical Setting Retreat or advance-- informal off-site workshop Study session~ conference room Public--formal council meeting in chambers Numerous-- diverse formats Focuses · Future of community · Evaluation of -Needs -Trends -Strategic issues · Community desires and values · Leadership · Developing knowl- edge for decision making · Sorting of options · Examining consequences · Setting strategies · Making competent and informed decisions · Going through the agenda (formality) · Showing authority · Ratifiying/adopting · Dealing with political pressures · Identifying psychological needs · Communicating · Problem solving · Collaborating and coordinating · Forming partnership(s) · Acting as a community Key Characteristics · Informality · Sharing of options · Open dialogue · Creative thinking · Humor and adventure · Face-to-face/group interaction · Starting council-staff dialogue · Questioning and test- ing ideas · Exchanging information · Negotiating and consensus building · No voting · Face-to-face/group interaction · Meeting formally · Setting and following rules and procedures · Encouraging public input and involvement · Gaining high visibility · Dealing with pressure/advocacy from groups · Voting · Interacting as groups · Being "outside" city hall · Responding to requests · Starting joint ventures · Facilitating interagency activity · Using multiple inter- action modes and communication techniques Many councils, however, drift from these rules and procedures in pursuit of informality, collegiality, and "just being nice." They let their meetings drone on with a lack of focus, redundant com- ments, and endless discussion. Rules and procedures do not pre- clude citizen input, courtesy, or sensi- tivity to public concerns and view- points. They respect all these elements and the necessity to conduct business in an orderly, disciplined, and productive manner. Get a Valid Assessment of the Public's Concerns and an Evaluation of the Council's Performance Elections are contests among individuals vying to become members of the coun- cil. They are not valid, objective assess- ments of the public's feeling about the quality of the council's performance as a governing body and about whether or not it is addressing issues effectively. Highly effective councils seek feedback through a number of market research tools such as focus groups, surveys, and questionnaires. Typically, the phone calls a councilmember receives or the com- ments made in public hearings are not valid or accurate reflections of the entire community's sentiments about issues and about the council's performance. "Market research feedback" should be ongoing and should be included in the annual goal-setting retreat or advance. 8 NOVEMBER 1997