APPROVED MINUTES BY CITY COUNCIL 6/27/2023
1 Tracy, CA Council Retreat Report
Fe
bruary 13, 2023
The City Council of Tracy, California, held a retreat on Saturday, February 4, and Sunday, February 5, 2023. The purpose of the retreat was to review the Council’s strategic vision for the future. The retreat was attended by each member of the Council and the Mayor, the City Attorney, and the CMO. The Department Heads joined the retreat for Day 2. The retreat was facilitated by Dr. Mike Mowery, of SGR.
Below is a summary of the main discussion of the retreat.
Day 1
Day 1 was focused on the principles of governance and some of the specific policies and procedures of the Council as well as how some of the California State Laws apply to the work of the City Council.
Day 2
Day 2 was focused on strategic visioning. The Council discussed some of their dreams and aspirations for the future. The Department Heads gave some updates on the progress that has been made on the current set of strategic priorities. Below is a summary of their discussion.
Reputational Drivers
The Council had open discussion about what kind of reputation they wanted the City to have. This was not a discussion about what kind of reputation the City
2 currently has nor about whether or not it is accurate. Instead, this was an aspirational discussion focused on what they would like for the City to be known for as it moves into the future. Below is a list of some of the main things the Council identified as reputational drivers.
o P
ublic safety
o Good hospital
o Higher education
o Amenity-rich city
o Good roads
o Place where you can achieve success
o Customer service and business friendly
o Good stewards of money
o Good quality of life
o Live, work, play
o Career jobs
o Inclusive for everyone
o Trusted government
o Leaders put community first
o Prepared for the future
o Connected community
o Informed community
o Innovation
o Clean city
o Arts/culture
o Care about needs of everyone
o Provides resources
o Environmentally sustainable
o Housing that is affordable
o Balanced
Pressing City Needs
The Council was asked to identify what they believed to be some of the most pressing needs of the city as they considered the future. Below are some of the main things that the Council identified.
o Reducing traffic
3 o Workforce development-as a city
o Homelessness
o Mental health resources
o Affordability of housing
o Reduce violent crime
o Trauma ready hospital
o Celebrating diversity of community
o Landscaping and roads
o Stop the commute problems
Transitioning to more jobs in the community
o Amenities
o Reduce retail leakage
o Recreational opportunities
o Infrastructure investments
Mobility
Connectivity
o ADA compliance
o Ease of access to services
Finding info easily
o Public safety
o Be prepared for the future
Dreaming about Tracy 2040
The Council spent some time sharing in open dialogue about their dreams for the future as it related to some of the important components of city services. There was a lot of agreement within the Council about the things they wanted to characterize the City of Tracy as they move toward the future. Below is a summary of some of the key things that they discussed.
• Fiscal
Health
o Continued balanced Budget
o Wealthiest City in the valley
o Healthy reserves
o Multiple/Div. streams of income
o Diversified economic industry
o Strategic investment portfolio
4 • Public Safety
o Low crime
o Tech-rich
o Fully staffed-all over the community
o Trust in public safety
• I nfrastructure
o 100% grade A roads
o ADA crosswalks
o Rail and airport connectivity
o Transit development-mixed use development
o Electric charge stations in city everywhere
o Accessible to pedestrians and bicycles
o Broadband
o Sustainable water programs
o Renewable energy
o Alternative mobility choices
Micro-mobility
o Balanced zoning
o Municipal airport developed and leverage it for increased economic growth
Connect to jobs/careers
• E conomic
o Diverse economy
o No empty community buildings
o Innovative manufacturing
o New innovative sectors
o Career jobs here
Companies relocate
More retail-strengthened
Robust downtown
o Reputation for streamlined business development
o Educated workforce-trained for job needs
o Partnerships to connect job training and private sector • Co mmunity Eng agement
o Informed
o Keeping on with outreach efforts such as workshops, etc.
5 o Citizen workshops
o Ease of technology for senior adults
o Everyone has accessibility
• Environmental Sustainability
o Community that is educated
Long-term planning
o Long-term environmental resilience
o Update climate action plan
o Renewable infrastructure and jobs
o Carbon footprint significantly reduced
o Zoning walkable community
o Minimal waste
o Recycle/exchange center
• Arts
o Representative of community
o More diverse use of Grand Theatre
o Expand venue options
o Expressions-throughout city
o Art at gateways
o Emphasis on local artists
o Celebration of arts
o Integrated into parks and public buildings
• Governance
o Accessible
o Diverse representative
o Transparent
o Civil
o Efficient
o Forward thinking
o Responsive
o Fiscal balanced
o Effective
o Meets needs of community
6 • Innovation
o Attracting industry that fits Tracy’s workforce
o Repurposed land for retail and recreation
o Activated alleys
o Underground tunnels
o What does post covid workforce look like?
o Railroad and agricultural opportunities
o Man made lake and other activities around it
Strategic Priorities Update
The Council reviewed its 4 Strategic Priorities and the Objectives under each one of them. After hearing reports from the staff and discussing the progress that has been made they decided that all 4 Strategic Priorities would continue as the top priorities for their strategic vision. The Objectives for each Strategic Priority are listed below.
Strategic Priority One: Governance
1. Investing in Tech & Staffing to equip the team to provide full services.
2. Complete districting process under initiatives.
3. Focus on public awareness and engagement.
Strategic Priority Two: Economic Development
1. Business retention.
2. Seek to get a Valley Link Stop in Tracy.
3. Improve focus and clarify Transit Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities.
4. Increase the availability of a wide variety of jobs, including career jobs.
Strategic Priority Three: Quality of Life
1. Review & continue to implement homelessness strategic plan.
2. Review Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies and initiatives.
3. Roadway infrastructure implementation plan.
4. Support environment sustainability projects & connectivity.
5. Create a comprehensive Deferred Maintenance Plan for city services.
6. Facilitate the completion of Measure V amenities.
7 7. Provide Parks & Rec programing and community events to bolster quality of life.
8. Implement affordable housing initiatives.
Strategic Priority Four: Public Safety
1. Continue to support Public Health Needs.
2. Continue to strengthen citywide emergency operations, preparedness, management response, and recovery.
3. Continue to strengthen community safety through crime prevention, intervention, and enforcement.