CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC VISION WORKSHOP
FEBRUARY 10, 1997
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ABILENE, TEXAS
JOHNSON BUILDING, HARDIN-SIMMONS
UNIVERSITY
The City Council of the City
of Abilene, Texas, met in a City Council Workshop on February
10, 1997 at 12:00 noon, in the Johnson Building Conference Room
at Hardin-Simmons University. Mayor Gary D. McCaleb was present
and presiding with Councilman A. Don Drennan, Councilwoman Carol
Martinez, Councilmen Rob Beckham and Ray Ferguson, and Councilwoman
Kay Alexander. Also present were City Manager Lanny Lambert,
Assistant City Managers Roy L. McDaniel and Mike Morrison, Assistant
to the City Manager Debra Guerra, City Secretary Jo Moore, City
Attorney Harvey Cargill, Jr., and various members of the City
staff. Councilman Paul R. Vasquez was absent.
Mayor McCaleb called the meeting
to order. Invocation was given by Councilman Don Drennan.
Mayor McCaleb introduced Lori Thompson, ACU student, who assists him at ACU. The Mayor presented what he sees as seven essential elements for a city under the heading of "What we would like Abilene to be in the 21st century":
1. Health
2. Safety
3. Tangible Infrastructure
4. Commerce
5. Learning
6. Connectiveness
7. Intangible Infrastructure
Five delivery systems noted by the Mayor were:
1. Continuously improving service
2. Communication (sending and receiving)
3. Technology
4. Alliances
5. Design (economy, beauty).
and the five differentiates:
1. Geography (our location affects our decisions)
2. History (example: why doesn't Abilene have an underground flood system - it's because a long time ago the decision for an above-ground system was made)
3. Heritage (what the people did - what they left for us - affects our decisions)
4. Culture
5. Demographics
Councilman Drennan stated one
word for the Mayor's outline is "community". Access
(how we develop channels) and cost (to do or not to do
something) influences the design of our community.
The Council and staff took a
10 minute break at 1:20 p.m.
Mayor McCaleb asked for Council
and staff input in describing the 21st century.
Melvin Martin, Police Chief, began with Technology:
1. immediate and long term
2. specific to departments
3. technical task force in place
4. technology infrastructure
5. input - output to community
Councilman Drennan stressed
we need to balance our use of technology, and not let it remove
or take the place of human interaction.
Issues/Obstacles
The Council and staff discussed
the definitions of technology and noted a comprehensive technology
plan is needed, and the pros and cons to centralization vs.
departmentalization.
Workforce Development issues
discussed were training and diversity.
City Manager Lanny Lambert stated
we need to stay aware of demographics in relation to workforce
diversity.
Director of Water Utilities
Dwayne Hargesheimer asked for Council's perspective on how to
respond to requests regarding refuse separation and privatization.
Councilman Ferguson stressed
that privatization should always be reviewed, but the best service
provider is the primary concern.
Mayor McCaleb questioned whether
the City currently has any separation of refuse (glass from paper,
etc.). Director of Public Works Marva Pritchett stated that private
businesses are doing this, but not the City. Mayor McCaleb stated
we need to identify what is needed. Councilman Drennan informed
Council and staff that Durango, Colorado separates refuse into
three containers - glass, paper, and plastic.
City Attorney Harvey Cargill
indicated that in privatization, the desired level of service
should be evaluated.
Neighborhood plans were discussed
in relation to initiatives for revitalization; comprehensive master
development plan, and communication systems.
Under Regional Economy, Councilwoman
Alexander addressed economic development on a Regional basis -
what is good for the region is ultimately good for Abilene.
Success is achieved by opening up, not closing up.
Technology and alliances were
noted as primary future elements.
Assistant City Manager Roy McDaniel
indicated we are trying now to work region-wide, and should
be thinking long term. Mr. McDaniel stated a City should not
be viewed in relation to "life span"; cities should
be viewed as "no end", because life cycles never stop
for cities.
Mayor McCaleb referred to the
book, "Borderless Economy", where the old success factors
were noted as being size, role clarity, specialization, and control.
The new success factors are speed, flexibility, integration,
and innovation. Technology and alliances change the old to the
new. If we do things right, Abilene is in the best position to
implement new success factors. Distance is now measured in time.
The Mayor further stated we should refuse to accept mediocrity,
the biggest trap door to success is complacency.
Councilman Ferguson stated in
working with cooperation, some speed is given up.
Assistant City Manager Morrison
stated commitment is required to get where we want to be; and
that we need to relook at our philosophy.
The Council noted two major
alliances are the City Council and City Staff; and should be seamless
cooperation. Council has to expect the truth from staff - not
just what staff thinks the Council wants to hear.
Discussion on ways to improve
Communication was as follows:
Assistant City Manager McDaniel
stated this meeting is one excellent way. Councilwoman Alexander
stated the more we decentralize, the more training is needed.
Councilman Drennan suggested
we ask media what we could do: Karen Wilkerson, KTXS, stated
openness is needed whether good or bad; Anthony Wilson, ARN, stated
once trust was earned, staff has been open.
Mayor McCaleb questioned in
the area of commerce, how do we find better ways to allow people
to come visit Abilene? Getting Abilene to the media sources is
important. We have had a low profile in the State, and we need
to come up with ways to communicate - both Statewide and Nationwide.
One of our pluses in Abilene is good weather for outside recreation
for longer periods of time than other places.
In looking at Abilene history,
the Mayor noted the first generation was farm and ranch; second
generation was oil and gas; third generation (now) is open space
and natural resources with no pollution and good weather. Our
natural asset which is known throughout the country is the American
Cowboy, and we should capitalize on this.
Councilman Drennan stressed
continued communication with the military - Dyess Air Force Base
is important. In reviewing areas of division in Abilene, Councilman
Drennan noted such factors as: decrease in federal funds, divisiveness
in our community (neighborhoods - some problems from that), and
problems related to the library; creek cleaning, and air service
are important. Creating a neighborhood approach and atmosphere
(which is an intangible infrastructure) is important in striving
for a City/neighborhood alliance.
Council and staff took a break
at 2:55 p.m.
Councilman Beckham stated Abilene is one of the crossroads of the United States -
I-20 should be used to attract
commerce.
Mayor McCaleb compared Abilene's
potential to be an "Air" port to that of "Sea"
port communities.
Debra Guerra reviewed the need
to provide services to neighborhoods (children) as noted in the
ACT NOW report.
Mayor McCaleb stated 100%
inoculation/vaccination
of children delivered in each neighborhood may be possible in
the future.
Kathy Merrill, Director of Human
Resource Services, stated a succession plan for leadership is
needed; City Hall workforce is tenured and we need to prepare
for that.
Mayor McCaleb stated Crisis
planning is needed.
Chief Martin stated the perception
internally and externally is the Council and staff are not going
in the same direction.
Mayor McCaleb suggested Council
and staff attend Civic Organization meetings together, that perception
sometimes can be changed in small ways.
Downtown Revitalization was
noted as an ongoing important issue.
Chief Martin cited a low crime
rate due to connectiveness, alliances, and intangible infrastructure.
Mayor McCaleb listed six critical
issues of the past: Federal/State Mandates, workforce, fiscal
strength, community demands - provision of service; economic development,
communication. Are they still critical issues? The Mayor asked
each Councilmember to respond:
Councilman Ferguson indicated
Economic Development; communication still an issue to work on,
and always will be. Community demands - provision of services
is the core of what we do. We need to stay aware of Federal and
state mandates. Fiscal strength is good; workforce is good; economic
development is good.
Councilman Drennan noted Federal
and State mandates and Federal and State relationships with communication
and technology as critical issues.
Councilwoman Alexander indicated
strategic alliances need to be kept in the forefront, as this
is a tool of economic development.
Councilman Beckham indicated
fiscal strength as critical. We're in most control of other issues.
Councilwoman Martinez indicated
community demands/provision of services - neighborhoods; workforce,
add technology and communication.
Assistant City Manager Roy McDaniel
stated none of the critical issues are as critical as they were;
we have made progress.
For discussion purposes, Council
and staff ranked critical issues as follows:
Staff: Community Development
- focus on neighborhoods, communication/technology; workforce;
technology; economic development.
Council: Community Demands
- focus on neighborhoods; technology; communication; economic
development; fiscal strength.
Mayor McCaleb stated these issues
(Community Development; communication, technology, economic development)
are for discussion, and that no Council decision is being made.
Staff will compile information
for Council from today's meeting to be reviewed with the upcoming
budget.
Mayor McCaleb stated his appreciation
to Council and staff for their attendance and participation at
today's workshop.
There being no further business,
the meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.
______________________________ Jo Moore City Secretary | __________________________ Gary D. McCaleb Mayor |