04/19/2011 MinutesCITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA
MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
April 19, 2011
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Study Session of the City Council of the City of Grand
Island, Nebraska was conducted in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 100 East First Street, on
April 19, 2011. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island Independent on April 13,
2011.
Mayor Jay Vavricek called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The following Councilmember's
were present: Chuck Haase, Bob Niemann, Kirk Ramsey, Peg Gilbert, Mitch Nickerson, Linna
Dee Donaldson and Randy Gard. Councilmember's Larry Carney, Scott Dugan, and John
Gericke were absent. The following City Officials were present: City Administrator Mary Lou
Brown, City Clerk RaNae Edwards, Interim City Attorney Jason Eley, and Public Works
Director John Collins.
INVOCATION was given by Mayor Vavricek followed by the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
MAYOR COMMUNICATION: Mayor Vavricek introduced Community Youth Council
members Lauren Cantrell and Sarah Ronne.
OTHER ITEMS:
Presentation of Program Prioritization. City Administrator Mary Lou Brown reported that the
City of Grand Island adopted a budget development methodology known as "Program
Prioritization" for FY 2010/2011 budget.
Introduced were John Johnson and Chris Fabian from the Center for Priority Based Budgeting
who gave a PowerPoint presentation titled "Achieving Fiscal Health & Wellness ". Reviewed
were the "Result Maps" and "Sub- Results /Definitions" approved for the FY 2010/2011 budget.
The following Fiscal Health & Wellness achievements were presented.
• Fiscal Health
❑ "Spend Within Our Means"
❑ Establish and Maintain Reserves
❑ Understand Variances (Budget vs. Actual)
❑ Transparent About the "True Cost of Doing Business"
❑ Incorporate Economic Analysis and Long -term Planning into Decision - Making
• Long -term Fiscal Wellness
❑ Support Resource Allocation Decision Making with Prioritization of Programs
❑ Achieve Fiscal Health
❑ Value Programs Based on Evidence of their Influence on Results
❑ Identify Programs and Services
❑ Identify, Define and Value the Results of Government
Page 2, City Council Study Session, April 19, 2011
Ongoing and One -time expenses and revenues chart was shown. Questions were answered
concerning how the financial figures from the City could be used in the chart "picture ". Mr.
Johnson stated this tool was based on an excel worksheet.
Across the board cuts versus prioritization was mentioned with targeted cuts demonstrating a
more strategic approach to managing the fiscal crisis.
The following Key Objectives of Prioritization were presented:
• Evaluate the services we provide, one versus another.
• Better understand our services in the context of the cause -and- effect relationship they
have on the organization's priorities.
• Provide a higher degree of understanding among decision - makers as they engage in a
process to rank services based on priorities.
• Articulate to people in the organization and to the public how we value our services, how
we invest in our priorities, and how we divest ourselves of lower - priority services.
Steps to Successful Prioritization were:
1. Determine Results
2. Clarify Result Definitions
3. Identify Programs and Services
4. Value Programs Based on Results
5. Allocate Resources Based on Priorities
The following Result Maps and definitions were presented for Grand Island as prioritized by
Council through last years budget:
• Stewardship of the Environment
❑ Provides for the renewal of the environment through recycling and reuse
❑ Manages and mitigates factors that impact environmental quality and
sustainability
❑ Promotes and regulates a clean, orderly and ecologically balanced community
❑ Controls and abates threats to the environment caused by nature
❑ Encourages energy conservation and efficiency through education, incentives and
the provision of alternative solutions
• Quality of Life
❑ Develops and maintains safe, reliable and efficient roadway, storm water and
public transit infrastructure
❑ Provides opportunities and access to services that promote the health, safety,
wellbeing and basic needs of its citizens
❑ Supports and encourages access to quality employment and educational
opportunities to sustain the community
❑ Promotes and maintains an attractive place to live
❑ Provides opportunities and facilities for safe, inclusive and diverse recreational
activities
Page 3, City Council Study Session, April 19, 2011
❑ Promotes cultural enrichment and diversity, supports the arts, and encourages
events and activities that stimulate the community
• Safe Community
❑ Protects its citizens, proactively prevents crime and enforces the law
❑ Encourages a community that feels safe, accepting and connected
❑ Proactively prepares, promptly alerts and swiftly responds to emergencies
❑ Protects the physical and environmental health of the community
❑ Facilitates and enhances safe transportation and mobility options
• Strategic, Sustainable and Maintained Development
❑ Enhances its identity as a regional trade center and encourages tourism
opportunities
❑ Recruits, retains and revitalizes a business community that provides opportunities
for a skilled, quality workforce
❑ Encourages sustainable and affordable development supported by sufficient city
services and infrastructure
❑ Promotes well - regulated, strategically planned and future- focused development
❑ Leverages regional and community partnerships
• Governance
❑ Supports decision making with timely and accurate short term and long -range
analysis
❑ Provides stewardship and manages sustainability over financial, human and
physical resources
❑ Enhances and facilitates accountability, efficiencies, best practices and trust
❑ Provides assurance of regulatory and policy compliance
❑ Responds to the needs of internal and external stakeholders
Mr. Johnson stated that tomorrow they would meet with the Department Directors to review the
programs and services. Explained was the Individual Department Program Scorecard. Weighting
factors were discussed compared to last year. Mr. Johnson stated they were almost identical.
A new resource allocation tool was presented to answer the following questions:
• What programs are truly "mandated" and how much does it cost to fulfill the mandate?
• Are mandated programs being "over- delivered "?
• What programs are citizens and businesses truly dependent on the government to
provide? Are there other available service providers?
• What programs are most appropriate to be funded by direct user fees?
• What programs are experiencing a "change" in demand?
City Administrator Mary Lou Brown commented that department director's would meet
tomorrow to continue with the program prioritization. Governance and scoring would be
reviewed along with the size of programs.
Page 4, City Council Study Session, April 19, 2011
Mr. Fabian answered questions concerning who would use these program tools. He stated
department directors, administration, and council. Mr. Johnson stated the start of the budget
process would be to identify the available revenues.
Mentioned as an important part of this process was the peer review.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
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RaNae Edwards
City Clerk