February 2023
City of Salinas
City Council Workshop
Held January 28, 2023
City Council Workshop
Table of Contents Baker Tilly
i
Table of Contents
Workshop Report ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Workshop Overview ......................................................................................................................... 1 Opening Comments ........................................................................................................................... 2 Icebreaker Exercise ............................................................................................................................ 3 Progress on the Strategic Plan .......................................................................................................... 4 Priorities Discussion .......................................................................................................................... 4 Good Governance and Roles and Responsibilities ....................................................................... 7 Wrap Up and Next Steps .................................................................................................................. 8
City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
1 Workshop Report
The City of Salinas’ City Council held a workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 28, 2023 in the community room at the El Gabilan Library. The workshop provided an opportunity for Council members to learn more about each other, identify priorities for the coming fiscal year, reflect on effective governance practices, and strengthen teamwork. This report contains a summary of the results of the workshop.
Nancy Hetrick and Magda Gonzalez with Baker Tilly facilitated the workshop.
Workshop Overview
Objectives
• Establish Council priorities for next year
• Review effective governance practices
Agenda
• Welcome and Public Comment
• Review Agenda
• Icebreaker exercise
• Review Progress on Strategic Plan
City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
2 • Discuss Priorities
• Discuss Good Governance and Effective Practices for Elected Officials
• Wrap-up and next steps
Participants
Council
Executive Staff
• City Manager Steven Carrigan
• City Attorney Christopher Callihan
• City Clerk Patricia Barajas
Workshop Preparation
In preparation for the workshop, the facilitators conducted individual interviews with Councilmembers, prepared an agenda and other materials, and reviewed the workshop plan with the City Manager.
Opening Comments
The workshop began with a welcome by Mayor Kimbley Craig who offered remarks about the importance of the day’s discussions and what she hoped the group would get out of the workshop.
Mayor
Kimbley Craig
Councilmember
Carla González
District 1
Councilmember
Tony Barrera
District 2
Councilmember
Steve McShane
District 3
Councilmember
Orlando Osornio
District 4
Councilmember
Andrew Sandoval
District 5
Councilmember
Anthony Rocha
District 6
City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
3 Nancy reviewed the workshop agenda, objectives, suggested ground rules, and explained the “bike rack” time management tool. The following items were added to the bike rack during the workshop:
• Collaboration with nonprofit organizations,
• Use of City facilities, and
• Communication with each other and with the community.
Interview Themes
To begin the workshop, Nancy reviewed the themes from the Council interviews. They reflected the hopes Councilmembers have for both Council as a team and for Salinas as a community. The themes from the interviews are summarized below.
• Make opportunities for teambuilding and getting to know each other better,
• Have respect for fellow Councilmembers and a desire to work collaboratively,
• Importance of communication, and
• Desire to build greater trust in the community and improve relationships and communication.
Icebreaker Exercise
The workshop included an icebreaker activity that invited Council members to create posters showcasing someone they admire. This activity allowed the morning to get started informally and to highlight common values among Councilmembers.
Participants identified the following overarching themes and commonalities in each other’s posters:
• Appreciation for tenacity, courage, and strength;
• Recognition that we are all human;
• We operate from a place of love and from the heart;
• We see ourselves in those we admire, and that is why we are here;
City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
4 • We value integrity;
• There are varying perspectives and ideas about advocacy; and • Love for community and family.
Progress on the Strategic Plan
The group spent some time reviewing the adopted mission, vision, values, and strategic goals. Following this review, the City Manager provided an update on the progress that has been made on the Strategic Plan, including recent key accomplishments within each strategic goal area.
Priorities Discussion
Following a brief stretch break, the group participated in a discussion about each of the six goal areas. This included a review of the adopted strategies and revisions desired by Council. All changes to the strategies are shown in bold font with a note indicating if it was a revision or addition.
After reviewing each goal area in detail, Councilmembers participated in a dot voting exercise to identify their highest priorities for the Strategic Plan.
Councilmembers were each provided with six dots to select their highest priorities. They were instructed to not place more than one dot on a single item. Councilmember Carla Gonzalez had to leave prior to the dot voting process. The dots represent the following Council votes.
Kimbley Orlando
Tony Andrew
Steve Anthony
Table 1. Dot Voting Results
Focus Area Priority Votes
Housing/
Affordable
Housing
Pursue housing development opportunities that align with the City’s adopted specific plans
Preserve affordable housing
Evaluate updates to the inclusionary housing ordinance
Partner with public and nonprofit agencies to offer housing to the unsheltered Pursue and educate about a Rent Stabilization Plan – REVISED Implement the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) plan (complete!) Explore options for Tiny Homes communities
City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
5 Focus Area Priority Votes
Identify opportunities for workforce, low-income, and farm worker housing Increase funding to programs to allow seniors to live independently Encourage transit-oriented housing development
Continue practice of joint sessions with partners on homelessness – NEW Establish homelessness committee – NEW
Implement rental registry program – NEW
Economic
Development
Implement the Alisal Vibrancy Plan
Develop an Agriculture Technology plan, engaging community to manage impacts to housing, community, and jobs
Partner with the school districts, community and local colleges, workforce development board, and other key partners to ensure training for farm workers to compete for agriculture technology jobs
Support and engage small, large, and entrepreneurial business Support implementation of the Arts ordinance
Create and maintain attractive gateways at City entry points Promote Salinas as a desired destination for business
Develop mural program to combat graffiti (moved from infrastructure) Build economic development team – NEW
Infrastructure
Improve the condition of local streets
Invest in and communicate a more effective sidewalk repair program – REVISED Beautify the City with regular AMOR Salinas clean-ups that engage residents Improve city facilities, including lighting
Improve the urban canopy
Explore opportunities for electrification
Adopt a Climate Action Plan
Employ modern techniques to build climate resiliency
Public safety
Emphasize community policing strategies and crime prevention through regular interaction with residents and business owners
Engage neighborhoods
Expand prevention and intervention programs – REVISED
Enhance the abandoned vehicle abatement program
Consider environmental design factors for improved public safety City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
6 Focus Area Priority Votes
Invest in recreational programs and public facilities
Evaluate staffing levels of public safety personnel (police and fire) and identify creative solutions – REVISED
Hire locally and retain public safety positions (police and fire) – REVISED Maintain effective code enforcement practices
Empower residents to be part of an emergency preparedness program – NEW Youth and
Senior
Services
Ensure diverse opportunities for youth and senior recreational and supportive programs
Strengthen the relationships with local school districts and work to develop joint - use facility agreements
Expand the City’s volunteer program
Improve and develop youth and senior facilities
Establish a youth commission
Evaluate possibility of building a community/multi-use facility Conduct intentional outreach for seniors – NEW
Effective and
Culturally
Responsive
Government
Begin the General Plan update
Establish an Equity Plan
Address staffing capacity and succession planning concerns Apply data-driven management to decision making
Address technology gaps – REVISED
Hire locally for city positions
Invest in training and development opportunities to build skills and capacity Uphold Council norms – REVISED
Provide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training for policy makers Support and recognize service for effective governance for City commissions –
REVISED
Improve employee wellness, recruitment, and retention
Make government services more accessible and culturally responsive for non - English speaking residents
Offer more literature and the SalinasConnect App in Spanish
City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
7 Top Council Priorities
After Councilmembers had the opportunity to place dots on their top priorities, the group reflected on the results. The items with the most votes are shown in Table 2. (Note that Councilmember Gonzalez was absent for the dot-voting exercise.)
Table 2. Top Council Priorities
Focus Area Priority Votes
Infrastructure Improve the condition of local streets 5 votes Economic Development Support and engage small, large, and entrepreneurial business 4 votes Economic Development Build economic development team – NEW 3 votes Public Safety Empower residents to be part of an emergency preparedness program – NEW
3 votes
Effective and Culturally
Responsive Government
Make government services more accessible and culturally responsive for non-English speaking residents
3 votes
Good Governance and Roles and Responsibilities
Following the voting exercise, the group engaged in a discussion about good governance, roles, and responsibilities. The purpose of the discussion was to gain consensus and commitments about what the Council will do to ensure their effectiveness. It served as a short refresh on roles, responsibilities, and good governance practices.
In advance of the workshop, Councilmembers received an article on high performance governance from the Institute for Local Government (ILG). The facilitators referred to the article, along with a sample set of Council norms, as resources Councilmembers may wish to revisit and consider in the future.
Magda provided a high-level overview; however, based on limited time, the group was unable to engage in deep discussion at this workshop.
The Mayor suggested the idea of reconvening in six months to focus on teamwork and governance. Councilmembers were supportive of the idea.
Suggested follow up: Schedule and convene a mid-year Council teambuilding retreat to build on the success of this workshop with a focus on Council norms and governing together.
City Council Workshop
Workshop Report Baker Tilly
8 Wrap Up and Next Steps
To wrap up, Nancy summarized key agreements from the day. She explained that Baker Tilly would prepare this summary report. The City Manager will work with his staff to incorporate updates to the Strategic Plan.
Closing Comments
To conclude the workshop, each workshop participant offered an observation or key takeaway from the session. The comments that were shared are listed below.
• I appreciate staff and ask that they recognize my role in service when I ask questions or raise issues.
• Staff makes the plan happen; thank you for creative solutions. • We are on the right track with the Strategic Plan.
• The Strategic Plan has only minor tweaks.
• I appreciate the collaboration today.
• I would like a mid-year teambuilding retreat.
• I noticed how much revolves around communication/information flow.
• I would like more updates on actions (timing, etc.).
• I love the ideas that come from this group.
• I especially appreciated discussion about norms and working together.
• Love – we all love Salinas.