HomeMy WebLinkAboutID-3002-Council-Priorities
City of Palo Alto (ID # 3002)
Policy and Services Committee Staff Report
Report Type: Meeting Date: 7/10/2012
July 10, 2012 Page 1 of 2
(ID # 3002)
Summary Title: Council Priority Setting Process
Title: Council Priority Setting Process
From: City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Recommendation
Review the definition of a Council priority and the changes to the Council priority setting
process and consider recommending approval to the City Council.
Background
At the City Council’s Annual Retreat on January 21, 2012, the City Council referred to the Policy
and Services Committee the task of reviewing the definition of a Council priority and
recommending any changes to the priority setting process. On April 10, 2012 the Policy &
Services Committee discussed the priority setting process and directed staff to (a) prepare the
Council priority setting procedures based on the Committee’s recommendations and (b) return
to the Committee prior to returning to Council for approval.
Discussion
At its meeting on April 10, 2012, the Policy & Services Committee reviewed background
information provided by staff on the City Council’s priority setting process, past practice and
key assumptions, and the City Council’s discussion at the Annual Retreat on the priority setting
process. The staff report that supported this discussion is included as Attachment A. The Policy
& Services Committee directed staff to prepare the Council Priority Setting Process that
includes the following:
1. A context statement prior to the definition of a priority.
2. A definition of a priority as an issue or topic which will receive particular, unusual, and
significant attention during the year.
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July 10, 2012 Page 2 of 2
(ID # 3002)
3. A goal of no more than three priorities per year.
4. A three year time limit on any one priority.
5. A fixed list of topics to consider at the Retreat.
In addition, the Policy and Services Committee is to establish the process of soliciting and
integrating input from all Council Members on an equal basis, beginning three months before
the January Retreat. To ensure compliance with the Brown Act, the Policy & Services
Committee may request Council members’ input on the priorities to be considered at the
Annual Retreat. However, the review and the discussion of input should take place by all
Council members at a full Council meeting. The Policy and Services Committee may also make
recommendations to the City Council about the design of the process and the Council review of
priorities that is conducted each year at the Retreat.
Attachment B provides the draft action minutes from the April 10, 2012 Policy & Services
Committee meeting. Attachment C provides the draft Council Priority Setting Process for the
Committee’s review and to consider recommending approval to Council.
Attachments:
-: Attachment A. 4-10-2012 Policy and Services Staff Report (PDF)
-: Attachment A. 4-10-2012 Staff Report (PDF)
-: Attachment B. 4-10-2012 Policy and Services Action Minutes (PDF)
-: Attachment B. Policy and Services Action Minutes 4-10-2012 (DOC)
-: Attachment C. Council Priority Setting Process (DOCX)
-: Attachment C. Council Priority Setting Process (PDF)
Prepared By: Sheila Tucker, Assistant to the City Manager
Department Head: James Keene, City Manager
City Manager Approval: ____________________________________
James Keene, City Manager
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City of Palo Alto (ID # 2735)
Policy and Services Committee Staff Report
Report Type: Meeting Date: 4/10/2012
April 10, 2012 Page 1 of 4
(ID # 2735)
Summary Title: Council Priority Setting Process
Title: Discussion and Recommendation on Council Priority Setting Process
From: City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Staff has prepared this report as background in support of the Policy and Services
Committee discussion and recommendation on the City Council’s priority setting
process.
Background
On January 21, 2012, the City Council held its Annual Council Retreat and
reviewed its top priorities for 2012-13. After some discussion, the Council
decided to carryover the following five Council Priorities from 2011-12:
1. City Finances
2. Land Use and Transportation
3. Emergency Preparedness
4. Environmental Sustainability
5. Community Collaboration for Youth Well Being
In addition, the City Council referred to the Policy and Services Committee to
review the definition of Council priorities and recommend to the Council any
changes to the priority setting process. This report provides background
information on the City Council’s establishment of the priority setting process,
past practice and key assumptions, and summarizes the City Council’s discussion
at the Annual Retreat on the priority setting process.
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April 10, 2012 Page 2 of 4
(ID # 2735)
Discussion
The City Council adopted its first Council priorities in 1986. The establishment of
Council priorities originated from Council’s desire to better utilize time available
for discussion and decision making. It was envisioned that Council priorities
should denote issues that are important matters to the community and that
warrant an intensified effort during the fiscal year. It was further believed by
designating a priority, Council sends a message to the organization and the
community that heightened attention and resources are to be directed toward
the issue.
Each year the City Council reviews the priorities at its Annual Retreat. The
process for establishing the priorities has ranged from more formal processes of
Council submitting priorities and scoring proposals to more informal reviews and
discussions at Council Retreats. In past years, the objectives and milestones that
reflect the work necessary to fullfill the priorities have also been reviewed and
established by the City Council either at their Annual Retreat, by recommendation
of the Policy and Services Committee or proposed by staff for Council
consideration.
Staff also found in its review of prior year’s priority setting processes that from
2002-2007 several staff reports indicate that the City Manager and the City
Council agreed on the following assumptions regarding the Council’s priorities:
1. If everything is a priority, nothing is.
2. Major priorities require multi-years to achieve efforts.
3. The City’s budget must reflect the Council’s priorities.
4. Staff will provide Council with reports on success factors/milestones to ensure
accountability.
5. Council and staff must communicate on a regular basis through a variety of
means, and let the community know the status of the top Priorities.
6. Council and staff need to avoid adding new projects and activities to the “full
plate.” This is a joint responsibility of Council and top management to keep
from having attention diverted from priorities. It is important to recognize that
90 percent of the departments’ work is not on the list of priorities.
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April 10, 2012 Page 3 of 4
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7. If the Council adds new projects and activities during the year, it is the
responsibility of the City Manager to clearly indicate the impact on the top
priorities and the ongoing workload.
Additional policy direction in past years has included: 1) focus on a limited
number of priorities, 2) align review of Council priorities to the two-year budget
cycle, and 3) include primarily multi-year initiatives.
January 21, 2012 Annual Council Retreat
During the Annual Retreat held on January 21, 2012, the City Council discussed a
number of issues related to the definition and process for establishing priorities.
Below is a summary of the Council comments on these topics. At the time the
staff report was prepared, the transcript from the Council Retreat was not
available.
1. Establish a process by which the Council develops priorities.
2. Rethink what the Council is trying to accomplish with the priorities.
3. Establish a clear definition of priorities, goals, and focus so the community can
clearly understand where the City is trying to accomplish throughout the year.
4. Recommend a structure for bringing forward priorities.
5. Propose a definition of what Council means by Council priorities.
6. The goals do not represent everything staff is working on or everything that is
important. It is a way to communicate to the community some of the things of
real importance.
7. Some goals fall under more than one category.
8. Establish what Council calls a priority and a goal.
9. The definition of a priority is an issue or topic which will receive particular,
unusual, and significant attention during the year.
10. There should be no more than 3 priorities within a year.
11. Priorities should be prepared ahead of time with two colleagues signing off so
staff can be prepared to discuss them at the beginning of the year in this type
of retreat setting.
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April 10, 2012 Page 4 of 4
(ID # 2735)
12. A broader conversation is needed about goals verses values verses priorities
verses initiatives and what they really mean.
13. Develop focused workplan under each topic area.
14. Set forth, clean up and redefine the current goals; define what a goal is.
15. Refresh goals under each priority.
16. Council should not establish goals at retreat; only establish what priorities are.
17. Review goals for 2012, define the definition of a priority, and the process for
selecting the Council priorities and establishing goals, and determine process
for next retreat.
Prepared By: Sheila Tucker, Assistant to the City Manager
Department Head: James Keene, City Manager
City Manager Approval: ____________________________________
James Keene, City Manager
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Policy and Services Committee
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
Page 1 of 2
Regular Meeting
April 10, 2011
1. Review and Recommend Council Approval of Proposed Updated Massage
Ordinance.
MOTION: Council Member Klien moved, seconded by Council Member Espinosa,
that the Policy and Services Committee refer the Massage Ordinance back to Staff
to a) eliminate the records requirement, b) include an exemption for non‐certified
massage practitioners, and c) review the remaining language to draft an
ordinance with as light a hand as possible.
MOTION PASSED 4‐0.
2. Discussion and Recommendation of Council Priority Setting Process
MOTION: Council Member Klein moved, seconded by Council Member Schmid to
place a context statement prior to the definition of a priority, to define a priority
as an issue or topic which will receive particular, unusual, and significant attention
during the year, and to have a three year time limit on priorities. There will be
fixed list of priorities to consider at the retreat. The only items to be considered
for priorities shall be those proposed in writing by Staff a week prior to the annual
Council Retreat, or by one Council Member in time for inclusion in the packet for
the annual Council Retreat.
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND
SECONDER the Policy and Services Committee will be the focus of establishing the
process of integrating input from all Council Members on an equal basis and will
start the process three months before the January session.
AMENDMENT TO MOTION: Council Member Espinosa moved, seconded by Chair
Holman to include a goal of no more than three priorities in a year.
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DRAFT MINUTES
Page 2 of 2
Policy and Services Committee Special Meeting
Draft Action Minutes 4/10/12
AMENDMENT PASSED: 3‐1, Klein no
MOTION RESTATED: Council Member Klein moved, seconded by Council Member
Schmid to place a context statement prior to the definition of a priority, to define
a priority as an issue or topic which will receive particular, unusual, and significant
attention during the year. The Policy and Services Committee will be the focus of
establishing the process of integrating input from all Council Members on an
equal basis and will start the process three months before the January Retreat.
There will be a fixed list of topics to consider at the Retreat. There will be a goal
of no more than three priorities per year and there will be a three year time limit
on priorities. Staff will prepare this procedure and return to the Committee prior
to returning to the Council.
MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED: 4‐0
3. Discussion on Policy and Services Committee Workplan Prioritization and
Process for Handling New Business
No Action
ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 9:43 p.m.
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Attachment C
City of Palo Alto
City Council Priority Setting Process
Last Revised: 7/2/2012
Last revised:
Background
The City Council adopted its first Council priorities in 1986. Each year the City Council reviews
and approves its priorities at its Annual Council Retreat, typically held in January. On ______the
City Council formally adopted the definition of a council priority, and the Council’s process and
criteria to guide its annual review.
Definition
The establishment of Council priorities will assist the Council to better utilize time available for
discussion and decision making. Priorities are issues that are important matters to the
community that warrant an intensified effort during the fiscal year. By designating a priority,
Council sends a message to the organization and the community to direct heightened attention
and resources toward the issue.
A Council priority is defined as a topic that will receive particular, unusual and significant
attention during the year.
Criteria
The following criteria will guide Council’s review and adoption of its annual priorities:
1. There is a goal of no more than three priorities per year.
2. Priorities have a three year time limit.
Process
1. Three months in advance of the City Council’s Annual Retreat, the Policy & Services
Committee will initiate Council input on the priorities to be reviewed and considered at the
Council Retreat.
a. All Council members will have the opportunity for equal input on the priorities for
consideration.
b. Staff will collect and organize Council Members’ input into a fixed list of priorities and
will provide to the Council no less than a week in advance of the Council Retreat.
2. The Policy & Services Committee may make recommendations about the design of the
process and the Council’s review of priorities conducted at the annual Retreat.
a. Recommendations about the prioritization process will be forwarded to Council for
adoption in advance of the Council Retreat.
b. Staff will evaluate the process each year, with input from Council members, and provide
recommendations on changes to the process and/or criteria as necessary.
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CITY OF PALO ALTO OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR
July 10, 2012
The Honorable City Council
Attention: Policy & Services Committee
Palo Alto, California
City Auditor’s Office Fiscal Year 2013 Proposed Workplan and Risk
Assessment
RECOMMENDATION
The Office of the City Auditor (OCA) recommends that the Policy & Services Committee review and
recommend to the City Council approval of the OCA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Citywide Risk
Assessment and Work Plan.
BACKGROUND
The mission of the Auditor’s Office is to promote honest, efficient, effective and fully
accountable City government. To fulfill this mission, the Auditor’s Office conducts audits of City
departments, programs, and services. The purpose of these audits is to provide the City Council
and City management with information and evaluations regarding the effectiveness and
efficiency with which City resources are employed, the adequacy of systems of internal
controls, and compliance with City policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.
The Palo Alto Municipal Code requires the City Auditor to submit an annual Work Plan to the
City Council for review and approval. The Work Plan is based upon a Citywide Risk Assessment
that is conducted annually with the cooperation of City management. The attached report
presents an overview and the results of the Citywide Risk Assessment and the proposed Work
Plan for FY 2013.
NEXT STEPS
As audit work proceeds, we will issue quarterly reports summarizing the status and progress of
each of the approved assignments. The quarterly reports will be issued to the City Council and
discussed with the Policy & Services or Finance Committee as defined in the Work Plan.
Respectfully submitted,
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