08/29/1996 City CouncilMini Retreat
Concerning The Comprehensive Human Resources Plan
Thursday, August 29,1996
The Edmonds City Council Special Meeting was called to order at 5:35 p.m. in the Library Plaza Room,
650 Main Street by David O. Earling, Council President describing the agenda item was a workshop
concerning the comprehensive human resources effort now in progress. He also informed those in
attendance that the meeting was being taped and a recorder present. The meeting was then turned over to
the Human Resources Consultants, Suzanne Elshult and Phil Kushlan. Mayor Fahey arrived at
approximately 5:45 p.m.
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT
Barbara Fahey, Mayor
Dave Earling, City Council President
Gary Haakenson, Councilmember
Roger Myers, Councilmember
John Nordquist, Councilmember
Tom Petruzzi, Councilmember
Dick Van Hollebeke, Councilmember
Jim White, Councilmember
STAFF PRESENT
Jana Spellman, Recorder
ALSO PRESENT
Suzanne Elshult, Consultant
Phil Kushlan, Consultant .
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Phil Kushlan explained that the meeting was an attempt to bring the Council up to date and involved in -
what has transpired since the last time the consultants met with Councilmembers. He clarified the
information gathered from the City Managers and Directors at their retreat was used to formulate the
Draft Strategic Plan 1996-2006 and this meeting would be used to funnel the information to the Council.
Mr. Kushlan then stated the objective for the evening was to review the Strategic Draft Plan in detail and
make amendments and changes the Council saw as most appropriate. Mr. Kushlan then asked the
Council to take a critical look at the draft and mold it to suit the Council's vision of the future due to the
fact that the Council would be the decision -making body which would then enable the consultants to
continue with the process.
Suzanne Elshult explained the City of Edmonds Planning Model and wanted to ensure that the Council
agreed with and understood the document. She further explained her objective was to have the Council
examine the Draft Strategic Plan and during this process she would give . the Council more
comprehensive definitions to make sure that the Council understood what the consultants were trying to
accomplish and that agreement needed to be reached regarding the framework with which the consultants
worked enabling them to proceed with a clear understanding.
Phil then explained that the evolved objectives would come back to the Council in the form of budget
decisions the Council would have to make and that this would ultimately tie in with the Mayor's budget
requests as pertains to the determinations that are made during this study.
Edmonds City Council Summary Minutes
City Council Mini -Retreat -Thursday, August 29, 1996
page 1
Suzanne explained that by comparing notes from the interviews they tried to draft what they thought
were the external trends that Councilmembers, Directors and Managers perceive are impacting the City
of Edmonds at the current time in terms of social, economic and political trends. They then developed an
internal capabilities document which identifies current strengths and current challenges or weaknesses
that the organization now has.
Mr. Kushlan elucidated for the Council that included in the document were a number of items that may
not be, in fact, the way it is but it was stated to the consultants as large enough perceptions that the
consultants felt the items were worth recording.
Suzanne Elshult inquired of the Council if they all had received a copy of the Draft Strategic Plan for
review and the Council stated that they were ready to thoroughly examine the document at this meeting.
With the above explanations and clarifications of the Draft Strategic Plan in mind, the Council proceeded
with a page -by -page walk through of the entire document asking for explanations, rewording of some
bulleted items, having some wording substituted for more definitive wording and some wording deleted.
Deadline dates were discussed as being feasible with general agreement that the task at hand was very
aggressive.
Section 2: Strategic Plan, Vision was agreed upon amongst the Council as correctly stated.
The meeting was brought to a close by all stating that this document was a work in progress and that the
Consultants would take into consideration and make amendments to the Strategic Draft Plan 1996 - 2006
as suggested by the Council and come back with another draft which would include these suggestions
and. amendments.
Dave Earling asked when Council would next be involved at which time Tom Petruzzi inquired when
another Draft Strategic Plan could be expected.
Suzanne explained, due to the employee interview. process now in progress, that it would be late
September before another draft plan and Council involvement could be anticipated.
Taped minutes of.this meeting'are available for review in the City Clerk's office.
Dave Earling adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m.
BARBARA S. FAHE , MAYOR `SANDRA S. CHASE, CITY CLERK
Edmonds City Council Summary Minutes
City Council Mini -Retreat -Thursday, August 29, 1996
page 2