Minutes of the Special (Strategic Plan) Meeting of the Oakley City Council held
March 10, 2022
1.Call to Order and Roll Call
Mayor Randy Pope called the meeting to order at 6:37 p.m. at the Oakley Recreation Center located at 1250 O'Hara Avenue Oakley, California 94561. Vice Mayor Aaron Meadows and Councilmembers Anissa Williams, George Fuller and Sue Higgins were also in attendance.
City executive staff members also joined the meeting.
The meeting was led by facilitator Ellen Cross with Strategy Driver, inc. and Maria Pascoal with GEI Consultants, Inc.
2.Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
Mayor Pope led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
3.Public Comments
None.
4.Strategic Plan
4.1 Strategic Plan Workshop Approach
Ellen Cross welcomed everyone and provided information how the new Mission, Vision and Values were created. The document was made available to everyone in attendance and it was made part of the meeting record. She explained the City Council will consider it tonight and vote on it.
Ms. Cross reviewed the schedule for the Strategic Plan workshops and shared that the goals for the Strategic Plan will be the focus of the meeting tonight and the objectives that accompany those goals will be discussed at the third Strategic Plan workshop to be held March 31, same place, same time.
4.2 Approve the Mission, Vision and Values as Amended During the Strategic Plan Meeting held February 15, 2022 (Joshua McMurray, City Manager) Ms. Cross reviewed the new Mission, Vision and Values.
Mayor Pope mentioned he will take questions from the Council, then allow time for public comment, and then the Council can deliberate before the vote is taken.
Mayor Pope called for questions from the Council. Being none, he called for public comment.
Angela Lowrey, Director of Ironhouse Sanitary District, congratulated the Council on its progress toward achieving a new Strategic Plan. She mentioned with the information provided, she and her colleagues are excited to work with the City.
There being no other public comment, Mayor Pope called for deliberation. There being none, he called for a vote.
Councilmember Fuller moved to approve the Mission, Vision and Values as amended during the Strategic Plan Meeting held February 15, 2022, with the Mission amended further to include at the end of the statement, “All people without regard to their race, color, religion, gender identity, national origin, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation.”
Ms. Cross of Strategy Driver, Inc. stated the mission statement stopped with the term “all people” to ensure brevity in the mission statement, thus any identifiers would not be allowed.
Councilmember Fuller commented that he was appalled that the City Council will be debating whether certain demographic marginalized groups will be denied proclamations from the City; the reason they would be denied proclamations is they make people uncomfortable and are controversial.
Councilmember Fuller gave the definition of white solidarity as a group of white people who refuse to acknowledge race, or other marginalized demographic groups because it makes some members of the group uncomfortable, and they are concerned they are controversial.
Mayor Pope announced the motion died for lack of a second.
It was moved by Councilmember Higgins and seconded by Vice Mayor Meadows to approve the Mission, Vision and Values as amended during the Strategic Plan Meeting held February 15, 2022, as written.
Councilmember Fuller expressed disappointment and sadness that certain people are still not being acknowledged, even though Oakley’s population is approximately 50% White, 35% Latinx, 7% African American and 8% Asian. He referred to the scholarly term “white solidarity.” He mentioned he will approve, but he still holds this position, he will address it again when this comes back the following year, and he plans to continue to engage in equitable stewardship for equality and inclusion in the community.
Councilmember Higgins offered to amend her motion to change “all people” to “all life” for the new Mission if it would help.
Mayor Pope announced the amended motion dies for lack of a second, but the original motion is still on the table to consider.
Mayor Pope mentioned they discussed the Mission, Vision and Values in detail during the previous meeting and the words “all people” were included in the Mission.
He mentioned if they include a list of classes, they risk missing a class or someone in the community.
Councilmember Fuller referred to the Civil Right Acts of 1964 and 1965 and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. He explained if the Council misses somebody, they can come back and include them, but to not identify people is not acknowledging them.
Councilmember Williams commented that she understands “all people” to include everyone. She expressed she wants the Mission and Vision to be something that people can understand, live by, relate to and recite.
Mary Roney (public) commented that everyone here understands “all people”, but years down the road it could be different and it is not adding that much more; it could be more clear. She added that “all life” is debatable and the Supreme Court might weigh in.
The Council unanimously approved the Mission, Vision and Values as amended during the Strategic Plan Meeting held February 15, 2022, as written.
Councilmember Fuller expressed although approving, he will not give up on equitable stewardship.
Ms. Cross commented that the spirit of the document is all inclusive.
4.3 Discussion Regarding the Strategic Plan-Defining Goals Maria Pascoal provided an overview regarding defining goals for the Strategic Plan.
She explained the survey and interview responses were translated to the goals and are in no order of priority. She explained goals of an organization are overarching direction or achievements the organization wants to accomplish that may be considered long-term outcomes and objectives are the measure of progress and what specific actions need to happen to achieve the long-term outcome. She reviewed the goals: (A) Community and Economic Development, (B) Community Health and Safety, (C) Parks and Open Space, (D) Community and Collaborative Partnerships, (E) Finance and Fiscal Responsibility, and (F) Sustainable Organization.
Ellen Cross led the discussion of defining the goals. A handout was available for everyone providing the draft goals and example objectives and it was made part of the meeting record. She explained when reviewing the goals everyone should be thinking about if any goals have been missed, if any goals need to be eliminated, and if any goals need to be modified. She further explained the focus is on the essence of goals and wordsmithing is discouraged. She mentioned input will be taken tonight and a refinement of the draft goals will occur back at the office, not here tonight. She also mentioned the refined goals will be brought back at the March 31 meeting, along with the objectives.
(A) Community and Economic Development
Councilmember Higgins commented that “jobs closer to home” suggests to her that Oakley will hire someone; Oakley does not have the economic development yet to support that and not everyone working in Oakley is from Oakley.
Ms. Cross reviewed the sub-goals that may support it.
Ravi Batth (public) suggested including to make Oakley a smart city with access to free internet.
Ms. Cross indicated this may be an objective and will be noted for the next workshop.
Planning Commissioner Shannon Shaw commented that “jobs closer to home” should somehow include other residents that may want to come to Oakley to work and would also apply to play and live in Oakley.
Community Development Director Brent Smith suggested “create local employment opportunities” in lieu of “jobs closer to home”. (B) Community Health and Safety
Councilmember Williams commented “healthy” is vague and should be defined.
Ms. Cross mentioned the objectives will help define it and every year the Council will have the opportunity to review it again and every year with the budget.
Councilmember Fuller commented regarding “with community resources.” He suggested they not endanger themselves and continue to remain stewards of the budget by staying within their resources.
Councilmember Higgins suggested removing “healthy”. She explained other cities regulate sugar with soda tax, for example, and she doesn’t want to control what people are doing.
Mary Roney (public) commented “healthy” could mean environmental, such as carbon emissions.
Ravi Batth (public) suggested “healthy environment” to focus not only on the individual.
Ms. Cross commented that “healthy” can be broader than taxes and regulations.
City Manager Joshua McMurray commented “healthy” suggests making opportunities available, i.e., parks, recreational opportunities, and connection to trails, not forcing anything.
Ms. Cross confirmed with Councilmembers Williams and Higgins it is okay to keep “healthy” in the goal as long as it is clearly defined in the objectives.
Angela Lowrey, Director of Ironhouse Sanitary District, inquired if green economy and environmental would be included with this goal.
Ms. Cross suggested that those items could be objectives under many of the goals or another goal category could be created.
Councilmember Williams suggested they be objectives under many of the goals to be more impactful.
Ms. Cross mentioned they would be more integrated that way. She shared she will revisit the surveys and interviews and work comments in. (C) Parks and Open Space
Councilmember Higgins commented she is unaware of anywhere in Oakley where you can pick your own fruit and wineries have been discussed but have never come to fruition.
Ms. Cross indicated she will take note for the objectives discussion. (D) Community and Collaborative Partnerships
Ms. Cross explained the City has good community and collaborative partnerships and this goal promotes continuing and strengthening them. (E) Finance and Fiscal Responsibility
Ms. Cross shared this is a standard goal in every Strategic Plan, Oakley is in good financial position, it will make sure it has revenues and will want flexibility in its objectives and resources as it may have to pivot due to outside factors, i.e., rise in gas prices.
(F) Sustainable Organization
Ms. Cross explained this goal speaks to City staff and the Council directing staff.
Councilmember Fuller suggested “create a vibrant municipal workforce” rather than “create a vibrant workforce” to provide clarity.
Ms. Cross commented the structure of a city is only functional as how it meets the day-to-day operations and meets the Strategic Plan. She mentioned strategy drives what a city is doing, not the organization.
Ms. Cross reviewed next steps. She shared that during the workshop to be held March 31, the City Council will vote on the goals, the objectives will be refined, and there will be an informal vote on the objectives. She explained thereafter, during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting, the City Council will vote on the entire content of the Strategic Plan document (content only).
Ms. Cross asked the Council if it will support these goals as re-written and the Council confirmed it would.
Ms. Cross suggested everyone set aside 90 minutes or possibly 2 hours of time to do their homework on the objectives. She mentioned if Planning Commission objectives need to be considered to signal to them what to consider for priorities.
Ms. Cross indicated the Strategic Plan will also include a timeline, milestones, a forward from the Mayor and City Manager, and participants in the Strategic Plan.
Mary Roney (public) inquired where it will be made available.
City Manager Joshua McMurray responded it will be available a couple of days before the meeting online.
Mayor Pope commented that the Council has requested to have agendas at least two business days in advance of the meeting, but he would recommend here having it a week before.
Mr. McMurray commented staff will make it available by March 25.
Mayor Pope thanked everyone for attending and participating.
5.Adjourn
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:47 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Libby Vreonis
City Clerk