2014.05.30 CC Special Meeting Agenda Packet
REVISED AGENDA
EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL
Plaza Room - Edmonds Library
650 Main Street, Edmonds
SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 30, 2014
8:45 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
City Council Workshop
facilitated by Jim Reid, The Falconer Group
1.AM-6894 8:45 Welcome, Review Meeting's Goals, Agenda, Ground Rules
2.8:50 Finalize the Cultural Statement and Ground Rules
3.9:45 What Will You Commit to Do to Improve the Situation?
9:55 Break
4.Removed
5.10:00 Discussion of Culture, Ground Rules, Roles, Relationships
6.11:40 What Should Be the Next Steps in the Process?
7.11:50 What are We Taking Away from Today's Workshop?
8.12:00 Adjourn
AM-6894 1.
City Council Special Meeting
Meeting Date:05/30/2014
Time:
Submitted By:Scott Passey
Department:City Clerk's Office
Review Committee: Committee Action:
Type:
Information
Subject Title
8:45 Welcome, Review Meeting's Goals, Agenda, Ground Rules
Recommendation
Previous Council Action
Narrative
Attachments
05-30-14 Draft Agenda
05-30-14 Revised Agenda
05-26-14 Draft Cultural Statement
05-26-14 Draft Ground Rules
04-23-14 Interests
Form Review
Form Started By: Scott Passey Started On: 05/28/2014 09:05 AM
Final Approval Date: 05/28/2014
CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
REVISED
WORKSHOP AGENDA
Friday, 30 May 2014 8:45 a.m. – Noon
Library Plaza Room, 650 Main Street, Edmonds
THE MEETING’S GOALS:
1. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Council and the Mayor and his staff.
2. Discuss the qualities and characteristics of the team we want to be and ground rules to
get us there. Determine if we’re comfortable moving ahead with these tools.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NOTE: Refreshments will be served beginning at 8:30. Please come early to enjoy them and be ready to
convene the workshop promptly at 8:45. Thank you!
8:45 Meeting Convenes
Only the Council will attend the first hour of today’s meeting to allow the
members to finish work they began last week.
9:55 Break
I. 10:00 Review Agenda and Ground Rules Jim Reid, facilitator
At this time the Mayor and department directors will join
the Council for the duration of the meeting.
II. 10:02 Review Materials from Last Week’s Meeting Jim/Everyone
At last week’s workshop, Council members defined a “high
performing City Council” and described what theirs could
look like a year from now. They also brainstormed potential
ground rules to guide how they work together—protocols
that could help them become a high performing Council.
We’ll quickly review these items so that everyone is “up to
speed,” and then focus on them in Session V.
III. 10:05 Identify and Discuss Roles and Responsibilities Everyone
A goal of this process is to clarify roles and responsibilities of the
Council and Mayor. To initiate this discussion, we’ll go around
the table to solicit the perspectives of each Council member and
Mayor Earling. We’ll take one question at a time, allowing each
person to speak before moving to the next question.
(NOTE: This is a brainstorming session, so please no interruptions
or discussion until the first six questions have been answered and
we are ready to move onto a deeper discussion.)
Council members: What do you expect of yourself?
Council members: What do you expect and need from your
fellow Council members?
Council members: What do you expect and need from the Mayor?
Mayor Earling: What are your impressions of what the Council
members said they expect and need from you?
Mayor Earling: What do you expect of and need from the Council?
Council members: What are your impressions of what the Mayor
said he expects of and needs from you?
After the Council and Mayor have answered the above questions,
we’ll highlight what the responses indicate about the duties of the
Council and Mayor, and if there is clarity.
From this discussion, are there key roles and responsibilities of
the Council and Mayor that everyone understands and supports?
V. 11:10 A High Performing Team and the Ground Rules to Support it Everyone
Could the cultural characteristics (how the Council will work
together) be extended to include the Administration so that
all of us, working together, could be a high performing team?
Could the ground rules also include the Mayor and staff?
VI. 11:45 What should be the Next Steps in the Process? Everyone
VII. 11:50 What Will You Do to Help Advance This Process? Everyone
What can you commit to in terms of advancing this work
to improve respect, communication, decision-making,
and teamwork?
Noon Adjourn
CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
REVISED
WORKSHOP AGENDA
Friday, 30 May 2014 8:45 – 9:55 a.m.
Library Plaza Room, 650 Main Street, Edmonds
THE MEETING’S GOALS:
1. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Council and the Mayor and his staff.
2. Discuss the qualities and characteristics of the team we want to be and ground rules to
get us there. Determine if we’re comfortable moving ahead with these tools.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NOTE: Refreshments will be served beginning at 8:30. Please come early to enjoy them and be ready to
convene the workshop promptly at 8:45. Thank you!
I. 8:45 Welcome! Review Meeting’s Goals, Agenda, Ground Rules Jim Reid
Only the Council will attend the first hour of today’s meeting
to allow the members to finish work they began last week.
II. 8:50 Finalize the Cultural Statement and Ground Rules Council
After a week to reflect on the cultural statement and ground
rules, do you feel comfortable that they will help improve
communication among you? Will they enable you to have
more open, honest, and productive conversations?
Will they help the Council provide stronger leadership?
Will they help you move forward together as a team?
If not, what is needed to make you comfortable that
these tools will improve communications, leadership, and
teamwork?
III. 9:45 What will You Commit to Do to Improve the Situation? Council
What will you commit to do to improve relations among
the Council and make the dynamic among you more
positive, collaborative, and productive?
9:55 Break
CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL
D R A F T
CULTURAL STATEMENT
MAY 2014
WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL, ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO BE A HIGH
PERFORMING CITY COUNCIL. OUR DEFINITION OF A “HIGH PERFORMING COUNCIL” INCLUDES THESE
QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS. TOGETHER THEY CONSTITUTE THE CULTURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL THAT
WE ARE CONSCIOUSLY AND ARDENTLY WORKING TO ACHIEVE.
WE ARE WORKING TO CREATE THIS CULTURE PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE SEEK TO BE THE KIND OF ELECTED
OFFICIALS THE CITIZENS OF EDMONDS DESERVE, AN ELECTED BODY THAT WILL LEAD THE COMMUNITY TO AN
EVEN BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
We are working to keep the relationships among us positive and fresh. We are
moving forward as a team.
We act more often in concert. Our team is more important than any individual.
We know each other better and respect one another more. We call each other and
take each other out for coffee, lunch, or a drink.
Our collaboration is guided by agreement on a set of goals that constitute our
highest priorities for the year. They reflect the few “big” things of greatest
importance and urgency to the City, the things that will benefit the 40,000 residents
of Edmonds rather than a handful of constituents. Our goals and priorities are clear
and understandable, and define the outcomes we seek. This allows us to provide
clear direction to the Mayor and his staff so that they can accurately understand the
our vision and what we intend and expect.
2
The citizens of Edmonds are influential in our decision-making. Their views are
reflected in the direction that we are leading the City and our policy decisions.
The Council’s discussions are open and transparent. Everyone who wants to be
heard is included, and diverse ideas and opinions are voiced.
We do not make decisions behind closed doors. Some decisions we make and then
communicate to the Administration as policy direction or a recommendation.
Others are made in conjunction with the Mayor and staff following collaborative
deliberation.
We demonstrate respect for our colleagues and those with whom we work and
engage by remaining civil to each other, even when disagreeing with one another.
We do not lecture each other or posture to make ourselves look better at the
expense of colleagues. We do not question the motives and interests of others.
We also demonstrate respect for one another by listening to each other more
carefully and hearing each other more accurately.
We use email to communicate only to share factual information or schedule
meetings. We do not use it to explain positions or to persuade, cajole, or criticize.
We do not talk about each other with members of the public. When anyone tries to
entice us into conversation about a colleague, we decline because we do not need
to be drawn into discussions about personalities.
We take the time needed to discuss issues in formats or settings that are conducive
to learning, exploring, understanding, and exchanging ideas and concepts.
We employ a variety of techniques to inform our citizens and solicit their views and
opinions.
CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL
DRAFT
GROUND RULES
MAY 2014
These ground rules are intended to guide us to: a) make higher quality decisions; b) employ
processes that are understandable to and supported by everyone; 3) work with each other
more effectively as a team; and 4) signal to the Mayor, staff, and public our approach to
fulfilling our duties as an elected body with responsibility for making policy and leading the
City of Edmonds.
1. We are all equal participants on the City Council. We accept equal responsibility for
the Council’s success. We have equitable opportunities to voice perspectives,
opinions, and ideas.
2. We will focus our time and efforts on our agreed upon goals and priorities for
advancing our vision for Edmonds. In working together to adopt a policy initiative,
our common interests will be the foundation of agreement. We will identify the
positions we agree on before identifying areas of disagreement. If we cannot
resolve our differences, we won’t necessarily declare an impasse. We may choose
to adopt a policy that contains the positions we agree on, and leave for a future time
further discussions on the areas where agreement was not reached.
3. There are no surprises among us. Give each other a “heads up” about what we are
hearing in the community or around City Hall, and about what we are going to say or
do.
4. Assume the best intentions of everyone. If you find yourself making assumptions
about what people are saying or why they’re saying it, ask if your assumptions are
correct. Don’t become captive to faulty assumptions. Get the accurate information
we need to be able to understand and agree with each other.
5. Speak clearly and concisely to ensure an accurate understanding of what is said and
to enable others who have comments to speak.
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6. Periodically ask yourself “Who’s talking the most?” If the answer is “Me!”, let others
speak first.
7. Listen to each other carefully and consciously to ensure that we hear accurately
what was said. To improve listening, we may ask each other questions of
clarification. We may also engage in “active listening” by summarizing what we
believe was said by our colleagues.
8. Do not lecture or posture to make yourself look good at the expense of others.
9. Don’t use or try to reduce the use of hyperbole or exaggeration.
10. In making a proposal, provide sufficient context and rationale so that everyone has a
better understanding of why you are making it. Context may contain information
such as historical background, your previous experience addressing the issue or
similar issues, or what you have heard from the community about the topic.
11. Conflict is expected because of our different backgrounds, philosophies, and styles.
We’ll use it constructively to produce more creative solutions than any of us could
come up with on our own. We acknowledge conflict can only be constructive if it’s
focused on substantive issues, not on personalities. Therefore, we will not shy away
from disagreeing, but we will not tolerate personal attacks.
12. If the Council is moving toward a decision and you find you cannot support it, let
everyone know that and the reasons why. This may lead to changes that reflect
your interests and allow you to support the decision.
13. Restrict the use of email to the exchange of factual information or to schedule
meetings. Don’t use it to influence or persuade, to argue or criticize.
14. When you have a disagreement with a colleague or anticipate that colleagues may
not support something for which you are advocating, call them, or, better yet, meet
face-to-face to see if you can resolve your differences or at least understand each
other better.
15. If the Council’s processes, agendas or facilitation techniques are not working for you,
say so, and we’ll work to change them.
Notes from the interviews of early April
An Image of a well-functioning team: “The Council and Mayor should be like an eight-
person crew team with its oars in the water simultaneously.”
Interests and ideas:
1. Have a positive impact on the City’s future. Be a source for good. Lead a good city to
the next level.
2. Serve as role models in the community.
3. Strengthen trust and faith in government.
4. Strengthen communication and understanding within the Council, between the Council
and Mayor, and between the elected officials and the management team. No surprises.
5. Increase respect, trust, professionalism, teamwork, courtesy, and civility among the
City’s leadership—elected and appointed.
6. Strengthen the city’s position in the region.
7. Robust, meaningful dialogue and policy discussions among the Council.
8. Robust, meaningful citizen input.
9. Be willing to try new things and not be too beholden to traditional ways of doing things
if they are not working.
10. Make decisions more efficiently.
11. More unanimous votes, fewer 4-3 votes.
12. Have a more open, inclusive, and understandable or accessible decision-making process.
13. Make decisions based on facts.
14. Provide comprehensive information that the Council needs to be able to make quality
decisions, and provide it earlier.
15. Once a decision is made, stand behind it and don’t revisit it.
16. Mayor could step back to give the Council space and time to discuss issues and
proposals. Don’t focus on four votes but instead let the entire Council weigh in. Even if
some disagree with a proposal, the contributions of all seven Council members could
strengthen it.
17. Assume the best of intentions on the part of others.
18. Recognize people make mistakes. Be forgiving. Don’t kill them because of a mistake.
19. Overcome us vs. them thinking and acting.
20. More frequently ask the Council for its vision and then develop goals and strategies to
help achieve that.
21. No campaigning for each other’s opponents at election time.
22. Even if you don’t like the fact I am on the Council, respect the will of the voters.
23. Listen carefully and accurately and respectfully to citizens’ opinions, but don’t be overly
influenced by just one or two or a small handful. Find balance among the competing
interests of the community.
24. Reach consensus on a few big things for the City.
25. Designate a meeting each month as a study session. Don’t film or record. Create an
atmosphere of exploration and learning and trying on new ideas to see if they fit.
26. Reduce the size of the Council packet. The fact that they have been in the area of 1000
pages illustrates that the Council is getting too much into the weeds.
27. What do you need to know to make a good decision? When does information become
an obstacle because it is too overwhelming?
28. Run stuff more through the Council president
29. Give the Council president a two-year term, not just one term.
30. Stop communicating through email; the emails are embarrassing and will be kept for at
least ten years. Do you want them to be your legacy? The historical record of what and
who you are?
31. No bad-mouthing a Council decision in public.
32. No bath-mouthing each other and the Mayor in public or to individuals, including each
other and constituents.
33. Vote and move on.
34. No surprises.
35. Approach decisions by first identifying different and common interests.
Exercises for future meetings:
Define what a well-functioning City Council would look like
Acknowledge each of us is part of the problem and now needs to be part of the solution
Define roles and responsibilities of Council vis-à-vis the Mayor
What is your learning, leadership, and decision-making style?
What is your personal vision for the City?
What ground rules would be helpful to you in working together?
Training on what it means to be an elected official
What do you see as your greatest strength? Greatest weakness?