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<br />rei ~\.( <br />( II <br />.ity of ~ <br />Ell{ River <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />Item #2 <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Mayor & City Council <br />Pat Klaers, City Ad~ittor <br />October 19, 1999 <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Priorities <br /> <br />At the September 27, 1999, City Council meeting, a special worksession of the <br />council was called for Monday, October 25, 1999, at 5 p.m. in the Training Room. <br />Since this worksession was called, I have not received any City Council comments <br />or input related to agenda topics. What the City Council desires to discuss and how <br />various topics are presented/debated/discussed is completely up to the discretion of <br />the Mayor and City Council. <br /> <br />No suggestions are offered in this memo for City Council topics. The City Council <br />establishes policy and staff is given the authority and has the responsibility to <br />implement this city policy. City staff does not set City Council priorities, but <br />follows the most recent council direction on issues and programs plus manages the <br />day-to-day and long-term affairs of the city. Long-term thinking is an important <br />factor in staffs recommendations to the council and in the management of all <br />municipal affairs and business. Unlike some communities that you may have heard <br />about, the Elk River City Council accepted plans are actually followed and <br />implemented. This is true with the city budget, capital improvement program, <br />economic development strategic plan, and the comprehensive plan (which includes <br />zoning, land use, park and transportation). <br /> <br />City staff and the City Council are both very busy dealing with a wide range of <br />municipal issues and there is always a concern about "being stretched to thin" and <br />having sufficient time and manpower to do the task at hand. Staff is often <br />concerned about being so busy that we can't pay enough attention or do justice to <br />the project at hand. We usually live with the feeling that we have to hurry up and <br />get done with our work so we can move on to the next assignment. These last few <br />comments are nothing new to the City Council, as councilmembers have brought <br />these issues to my attention in the past, and the comments are simply offered in <br />order to help keep the current and ongoing assignments in balance with the desire <br />to do more. <br /> <br />Attached for your information is an interesting article from the May/June 1999 <br />Minnesota Cities magazine regarding the value of time. <br /> <br />13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 '. Fax: (612) 441-7425 <br />