Goal Setting Session

February 2006
March 2008

January 2010 - Goal Setting Session

Communication:

1. Promote customer feedback system on continuous basis
   Immediate action – City Commission
2. Develop centralized public relations message
   8/1/2010 – City Manager
3. Explore live streaming of meetings
   8/1/2010 - Information Services

Community:

1. Community show - “Insight on Video” establish commercials to advertise downtown.
   6/1/2010 – City Manager, WROK Manager directs Cable report to City Commission
2. Promote Neighborhood Associations and utilize Mobile community meetings to increase community – two per calendar year (March/September).
   9/1/2010 – City Manager
3. Promote Art Incubator
   9/1/2010 – City Manager and Planning Department

Economic/Tax Base:

1. Streamline permit process
   6/10/2010 – City Manager/Department Heads
2. Create process reducing time and cost
   4/1/2010 – City Manager/Department Heads
3. Incentives to assist homesteaders to purchase homes
   6/1/2010 - Administration
4. Actively contact national, regional and local brokers to promote Royal Oak and available properties
   3/1/2010 – City Manager/DDA
5. DDA/Chamber to promote commercial aspect of City.
   4/1/2010 – City Manager/DDA

Fiscal Management:

1. Strategic plan memorialized
   2/1/2010 City Commission meeting
2. Adoption of 2 year Budget
   6/30/2010 – City Commission/City Manager/Department Heads
3. Prioritize services
   6/30/2010 – City Commission/City Manager/Department Heads
4. Define labor strategy
   7/1/2010 – City Commission/City Manager & City Attorney
5. Contract strategy/negotiations, staffing numbers and staff allocation
   Immediate action – City Commission/City Manager & City Attorney
6. Revenue Strategy
   7/1/2010 – City Commission/City Manager/Finance Department
7. Lobby State of Michigan for relief:
   
   1. Act 57
   2. Act 312
   3. Proposal “A”
   4. Headlee Amendment
   5. Local Drink Tax

   Immediate action – City Commission

Infrastructure:

1. Enact City Hall modification plan
   4/1/2010 – City Commission/City Manager
2. Review and enhance inter-City/County/Governmental cooperation plan
   7/1/2010 = City Manager/Department Heads
3. Identify and analyze non-productive assets
   7/1/2010 – City Commission/City Manager/Department Heads
4. Prepare a new capital improvement plan
   7/1/2010 – City Commission/City Manager/Plan Commission/Department Heads

Public Safety:

1. Identify additional revenue sources
   1. Lobby legislature for enhanced revenue opportunities
      8/1/2010 –City Commission
   2. Identify and increase grand funding opportunities
      Immediate – Department Heads
   3. Explore the feasibility of a pubic safety millage
      8/1/2010 – City Commission
2. Explore Costs Savings through:
   1. Comprehensive review of public safety staffing levels and allocations to minimize the impact of projected budget constraints.
      4/1/2010 – City Manager
   2. Explore consolidation of dispatch and lock-up facilities
      2/1/2011 – City Manager/Police Chief
   3. Explore privatization, consolidation and reorganization of services including the use of part-time employees
      8/1/2010 – Department Heads
   4. Explore rebid of outside vendors and services where savings may be gained
      8/1/2010 – City Commission/City Manager

March 2008 Goal Setting Meeting - Action Item Segment Only
(This meeting was not televised or recorded)

The Commission discussed goals and actions to be considered. The
Commission then identified which goals they would like to see moved
forward. Each elected official had a limited number of ballots to cast
across the various goals. The number, in (), indicates the number of
Commissioners who identified that item with the limited ballots they
had been given. The following items are the issues that the
Commissioners and staff identified and the timelines associated with
each action item.

Consensus Items

(5) Order Department audit to recommend services to deliver in
constraints of current situation. (Reinvent ourselves – no
constraints.) (To be completed by May 2008)

(3) Be willing to look at all solutions despite blow back from
employees, residents and unions. (Do not operate from a sense of
entitlement.) (On-going.)

(3) Meet to determine the essential services and non-essential
services. Initial report to be provided by Manager Hoover and City
Commission to review and finalize. (May 1, 2008 report of essential and
non-essential service due to Commission. Commission to meet during
budget season to finalize the list.)

(3) Mandatory city employee meeting to educate employees about the current financial situation. (By May 15, 2008.)

(2) Continue pursuit of securing benefit contributions from current employees. (On-going.)

February 2006

Overview
On Saturday, February 18, 2006, Mayor Jim Ellison called the Goal Setting and Planning Session to order at 8:40 am; the session concluded at 2:11 pm. In attendance were the following elected officials: Mayor Jim Ellison; Mayor Protem, Michael Andrzejak; Commissioner Pat Capello; Commissioner Terry Drinkwine; Commissioner Carlo Ginotti; Commissioner Gary Lelito and Commissioner Stephen Miller. Also in attendance was City Manager, Tom Hoover; Director of Finance, Don Johnson; and Planning Director, Tim Thwing. Several other department heads, including Police Chief Ted Quisenberry and Fire Chief Wil White, and additional staff were in attendance as well.

Meeting facillitator and report by Brett Tillander

Mayor Ellison, following the opportunity for Public Comment, turned the session over to Facilitator, Brett Tillander.

The following report details the accomplishments of the day and the direction established by the Mayor & the City Commissioners.

Accomplishments

The Commission identified the following accomplishments that have occurred within the last 24 months.

• Library Renovation
• Balanced Budget without Layoffs or increased taxes
• Defeat of City Millage Increase
• Implementation of General Fund Policy
• Restoring Accountability
• Administrative Reorganization
• Delivery of Quality Services
• Passage of School Millage

2011 Desired Outcomes

The Commission looked to the year 2011 and identified various headlines they would like to see published about the City of Royal Oak within the next five
years.

• Royal Oak Continues To Lead South Oakland County In Many Areas
• Families Return To Royal Oak
• Royal Oak Population Grows
• Royal Oak Services A Model For The Country
• Fiscal Health Strong Due To Planning By Previous Commissions
• City Continues To Be Destination For Visiting/Living
• Downtown Condo Downtown Condo’s Complete & 100% Occupied
• Royal Oak Has Need For More Schools
• Royal Oak Voted In The Top Ten Cities In Which To Live
• Royal Oak Voted Model City Government
• Royal Oak Builds New Animal Shelter
• City Balances Budget For The 6th Without Transfers From Non-General Fund Accounts
• Royal Oak Leads The State In Growth of Young Families

Vision Statement

The City of Royal Oak is a safe, healthy, sustainable community and a great place in which to work, live and play, that offers, residents and businesses,
growth and opportunity.

Mission Statement

To work together to create and implement strategies necessary to ensure that Royal Oak remains a safe, healthy and sustainable community.

Values & Guiding Principles

Value #1- Fiscal Accountability
To increase the efficiency of our City government through fiscal responsibility and prudence.

Value #2 - Leadership
Demonstrating our values in our words and our actions, encouraging others to participate and excel, and advocating what we beleive.

Value #3 - Innovation
To think broadly short and long term to balance city wide, business and neighborhood specific responsibilities, to do better with limited resources.

Value #4 - Integrity
To demonstrate honesty and sincerity in all of our dealings, upholding only the highest ethical principles, to provide open and transparent communications to create informed opinion and results.

Value #5 – Respect
To respect the needs of all residents, businesses and visitors, all viewpoints, and the diverse needs of our
community.

Value #6 – Commitment
To fulfilling the vision and goals for the City.

Value #7 – Teamwork
By working with respect and in full cooperation for the benefit of the community.

Value #8 – Sustainability
To contribute to a safe, healthy community and dynamic economy, to ensure that the City’s actions maintain or improve the quality of life in our community.

Value #9 – Excellence
Demonstrated in governing and in all we do to maintain the highest possible quality of life.

Critical Issues

• Upcoming contract negotiations.
• Funding City services not deemed vital.
• Maintenance of existing City services with current revenue streams Loss of families if Hold Harmless Millage fails.
• Relationships between City Commission, Administration & Employee Groups.
• The need for successful results with all labor contracts.
• To learn to reduce expenditures to match revenue sources.
• To learn to balance the General Fund budget without transfers from Enterprise Funds.
• Strategy for the future of the City Attorney’s office.
• Identifying and prioritizing City services.
• Identifying existing and potential revenue sources.
• Revenue enhancements - develop a mechanism to handle increased costs to the City.
• Identify City assets for redevelopment opportunities.

Goals & Actions

The Commission discussed goals and actions to be considered within the next 12 months. The Commission then identified which goals they would like to see moved forward. Each elected official had a limited number of ballots to cast across the various goals. The number, in (), indicates the number of
Commissioners who identified that item with the limited ballots they had been given. These are not ranked in order of importance, rather they are ranked based
upon consensus.

Strongest Consensus:

• Provide resolution and determine direction related to the City Attorney's office. (5)
  Responsibility: City Commission
• Reach decision regarding redevelopment of City assets (4)
  Responsibility: City Commission
• Settle Labor Contracts (4)
  Responsibility: City Commission
• Conduct departmental audits and evaluations (4)
  Responsibility: Staff

Good Consensus:

• To balance the budget without transfers from enterprise funds. (3)
  Responsibility: City Commission & Staff

Consensus:

• Prioritize City services and the staffing needs for each department (2)
  Responsibility: Staff & City Commission
• Improve Relationships With Employees (2)
  Responsibility: City Commission, Staff, Bargaining Units

Additional Goals & Actions

• Actual costs are reflected in actual City fees.
• Look at current City services to generate additional revenue as demonstrated in other cities.
• Reduce arbitration costs to the City by better communication between management and staff.
• Improve staffing levels within the Royal Oak Police Department.
• Secure modest concessions for low-service, non-vested and future employees.
• Redraw DDA boundaries to reflect today’s needs while delivering some revenue to the City.
• Establish better communication between Administration and City Commission.

The City Commission also focused on several additional areas for attention.

Additional Specific Actions

• Quicken decision making efforts and improve implementation processes. (3)
  Responsibility: City Commission & Staff
• Deliver customer-oriented service especially in the area of inspections while honoring professional standards and statutes. (3)
  Responsibility: Staff
• To eliminate the "We have tried that before…" and the "We can’t do that…" mentality and culture. (3)
  Responsibility: City Commission & Staff
• To review the current direction of the DDA and focus efforts on meeting today’s needs. (2)
  Responsibility: City Commission
• To address the growing concern of "big foot" developments within neighborhoods. (2)
  Responsibility: City Commission

Employment Culture

The City Commission identified some work place attributes they would like to see established to create a world-class employment environment.

Attributes

• Employees efforts are appreciated and recognized. Employees are given the best tools to do their job.
• Praise is freely and openly given and criticism is specific and private.
• We foster a progressive environment with room for professional growth and minimum stress.
• Administration, employees, residents and elected officials work in partnership.
• The environment is identified by the three C’s
  Cooperation, Communication and Coordination.

Personal Agenda Items

The City Commissioners and Mayor identified some goals for the future when time and resources permit.

• The development of architectural appearance standards for all new and renovated buildings.
• Balancing annual General Fund budgets without transfers from Enterprise funds.
• Development of a new Police Station.
• Expanded Parks & Recreation Programs.
• New City Hall including Police Department.
• Rebuild City Hall and Police Department where the City owns the building and where the project includes a central park.

Each idea was captured within the report.
There were redundancies but nuances that required the ideas to be listed separately.

Recommendations

The following recommendations are offered based on this experience:

• The City Commission should officialy adopt their Vision Statement, Mission Statement and Value.
• The Vision, Mission, Values and Goals should be posted and available on the City’s Web Site.
• This should be an annual process and the following might be a suggested approach. First, key department heads should present specific strategic issues
  and data to the City Commission six to eight weeks prior to the Goal Setting & Planning Session. The City Commission should then hold its Annual Goal
  Setting & Planning Session prior to the beginning of the annual budget process.