2014.04.23 CC Special Meeting Agenda Packet
AGENDA
EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL
City Hall ~ 3rd Floor, Brackett Room
121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds
SPECIAL MEETING
APRIL 23, 2014
8:30-11:30 AM
Edmonds City Council, Mayor, and Leadership Team
Workshop on Communications and Collaboration
facilitated by Jim Reid, The Falconer Group
1.AM-6820 8:30 Welcome! Review Meeting's Goals, Agenda, Ground Rules
2.8:40 Introductions
3.9:15 Our Individual and Mutual Values
4.10:00 Our Individual and Mutual Interests
5.11:20 What are We Taking Away from Today's Discussions?
11:30 ADJOURN
AM-6820 1.
City Council Special Meeting
Meeting Date:04/23/2014
Time:
Submitted For:Council Submitted By:Jana
Spellman
Department:City Council
Review Committee: Committee Action:
Type: Information
Information
Subject Title
8:30 Welcome! Review Meeting's Goals, Agenda, Ground Rules
Recommendation
Previous Council Action
3/11/14 Council Meeting: Excerpt from minutes:
"COUNCILMEMBER FRALEY-MONILLAS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER
PETERSON, TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH JIM REID, FUNDED VIA THE COUNCIL CONTINGENCY FUND. MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY."
2014 Council Retreat: Mr. Reid made a presentation at the 2014 Council Retreat. See attached minutes.
Narrative
Mr. Reid will hold a workshop for the Council, Mayor, and Leadership Team on Communications and
Collaboration.
Attachments
Attach 1: Minutes from 2014 Council Retreat re Jim Reid's Presentation
Attach 2: Agenda for 4/23 Workshop w/Groundrules
Form Review
Inbox Reviewed By Date
City Clerk Scott Passey 04/18/2014 09:22 AM
Mayor Dave Earling 04/18/2014 10:15 AM
Finalize for Agenda Scott Passey 04/18/2014 11:21 AM
Form Started By: Jana Spellman Started On: 04/18/2014 09:00 AM
Final Approval Date: 04/18/2014
Edmonds City Council Retreat Draft Minutes
March 14-15, 2014
Page 6
• Not interested in reallocating REET
• Do not support reestablishing Transportation Committee because they wanted to establish
priorities when much of that is grant dependent or dependent on other issues
• Transportation Committee could discuss funding sources
• Transportation Committee could address citizen complaints/concerns regarding crosswalks,
sidewalks, etc.
• The Transportation Committee’s charge will not be selecting what streets are paved; paving
priorities must be staff/consultant-driven
• Need to identify funding for entire transportation network, not just overlays
Councilmember Johnson read the purpose of the Transportation Committee: 1) monitor and make
recommendations relative to motorized/non-motorized transportation issues, systems and funding; 2)
contribute input to the City’s Transportation Comprehensive Plan and updates to this plan and monitor
efforts to implement improvements detailed in the Plan; and 3) to enhance communication with public in
regards to transportation needs.
Summary:
• It was the consensus of the Council to establish a new Transportation Committee, no
Councilmember on the committee and to use the existing purpose.
• Finance Committee to discuss an annual set aside for pavement overlay.
• Funding for Transportation Committee to include support for minute taking.
The retreat was recessed for lunch from 12:15 p.m. to 1:03 pm.
9. DISCUSSION REGARDING CITY COUNCIL CONSULTANT SERVICES TO IMPROVE
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND
ADMINISTRATION
Councilmember Peterson reported he, Councilmember Fraley-Monillas and Ms. Hite interviewed a few
consultants and determined Mr. Reid would be the best fit. He briefly described Mr. Reid’s background.
Mr. Reid relayed three things he wanted the group to know about him:
1. He enjoys working with elected officials and he loves government, public policy and politics. His
approach is respectfully and understands the pressures elected officials are under.
2. He loves this work. His business’ three areas of expertise/focus are strategic planning, mediating
public policy and workplace disputes, and coaching/leadership development.
3. He is fun to work with, respectful, good at keeping confidences, and a good listener, synthesizer
and sounding board.
Mr. Reid responded to Council questions regarding his leadership style, the process he envisioned,
confidential interviews, and workshops. Mr. Reid reviewed his proposed scope of work:
• Confidential interviews of Council, Mayor and Directors
• Workshop to discuss/explore individual and collective leadership style
• Two more workshops 2-4 weeks apart
• Produce five work products:
1. Cultural statement
2. Clarification of roles and responsibilities
3. Ground rules/protocols regarding how to work together and make decisions
4. Communication protocols
5. Better understanding of interests, learning/decision/leadership style
Edmonds City Council Retreat Draft Minutes
March 14-15, 2014
Page 7
Discussion followed regarding whether to interview the Councilmember who recently retired, venting
versus moving forward, interrelationship between administration and the legislative body, discussing
progress every 3 months and scheduling 1-3 hours at an annual retreat to discuss progress. Mr. Reid
invited Councilmembers and Directors to identify outcomes they were hoping for:
• Communication is an important part, how and why people communicate, building trust, clarifying
roles and responsibilities for staff and Council
• Build level of trust so work more effectively as a team. Suggest interview director who resigned
recently
• Distrust by citizens in processes and how the Council makes decisions, information the public
receives
• Look at issue of public process, open government, how making decisions that affect citizens, how
incorporating their input and how communicating their input. Keep citizens in mind at all times
• Need to look backward in order to do things better
• Stay get away from negativity, move forward, resolve lack of trust
• Concern with seeking input from past Councilmember, Director
• History/back story the past Councilmember and Director can provide
• Need good understanding of the roles of administration and Council, staff provides honest answer
but a Councilmember may not agree with it
• Maintain sense of professional decorum, current image of government in Edmonds is not healthy
• After interviews completed, rely on Mr. Reid’s professional opinion regarding who else needs to
be interviewed
• Create trust, communication. Deliverables allow future Directors and Councilmembers to
determine direction
• Consider how to be more effective and efficient
• Traditional way of conducting meetings – open to new ideas
• Learn how to work with fellow Councilmembers, Mayor and Staff.
• Enjoy working with Council, aware Councilmembers have a difficult job. Want to help, requires
trustful relationship, ability to speak honestly
• See job as making Council’s job easier, make informed decisions. Need tools and procedures to
do that
• Staff’s role is to accomplish goals in plans, bring policy decision points to Council and take
direction from the Mayor
• Develop trust to make better decisions
• Build trust; trust earned via conduct
• United we stand, divided we fall. Trust affects voters’ approval of levies
• Determine priorities
• A lot of tension due to divergent interests. Identify what want to work together on
• Should have more frequent retreats
• Optimistic there is common interest
• Trust and respect lacking. Need rebuild trust and respect between ourselves and citizens
• Want citizens to view city as team working for common good rather than divergent personalities
• Miss discussion about big questions, too much focus on small things, easy to get conflicting
opinions. Talk about and get agreement big issues; if do that, small issues go away
Summary: Ms. Hite will work with Mr. Reid to schedule 1-2 days for him to conduct interviews at City
Hall.
(Councilmember Petso left the retreat at 2:20 p.m.)
10. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
WORKSHOP AGENDA
Wednesday, 23 April 2014 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. *
Brackett Room, City Hall, 3rd Floor
THE MEETING’S GOALS:
1. Get to know each other better as individuals and public servants.
2. Identify our common values and interests to lay the foundation
for improving our working relationships.
* NOTE: Breakfast will be served beginning at 8 o’clock. Please come early to enjoy the refreshments and
be ready to convene the workshop promptly at 8:30. Thank you!
* * * * * * * * *
I. 8:30 Welcome! Review Meeting’s Goals, Agenda, Ground Rules Jim Reid
II. 8:40 Introductions Everyone
III. 9:15 Our Individual and Mutual Values Everyone
What 4-7 values most define who you are?
What values do we have in common?
IV. 10:00 Our Individual and Mutual Interests Everyone
What are your interests in serving the people of Edmonds?
What are your interests in this process (your goals and/or
outcomes you seek)?
V. 11:20 What are We Taking Away from Today’s Discussions? Everyone
What was most meaningful to you about today’s
conversation?
What are the next steps in our process?
11:30 Adjourn
CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
WORKSHOP
PROPOSED GROUND RULES
Proposed by Consultant Jim Reid
1. We are all equal participants in this process. We accept equal
responsibility for its success. We’ll have equitable opportunities to
voice perspectives, opinions, and ideas.
2. 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.
3. We 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.
4. When we make decisions, we will make them by consensus. We will
not vote, which is a process that produces winners and losers.
Consensus is defined as agreement by everyone.
5. Speak clearly and concisely to ensure an accurate understanding of
what is said and to enable everyone who has a comment to say it.
6. Periodically ask yourself “Who’s talking the most?” If the answer is
“Me!”, let others speak first.
7. If the agenda or facilitation techniques are not working for you, say so,
and we’ll work to change them.