HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft Minutes - Steering Committee - 05/08/2019Dra minutes for Steering Commi ee Mee ng, May 8, 2019
1. Communica ons and trust between the City and the School DistrictConsensus of three top priori es and ac on points iden fied and approved included:· redesign format and intent of Steering Commi ee Mee ngs· improve communica on with public· address communica on gaps and processesDiscussion of possible ac on steps followed.Generally there was agreement that clearer purpose and goals for Steering Commi ee mee ngs should aim for(1) understanding impact of decisions by each body, (2) understanding context and priori es for each body thatinfluence decisions, (3) earlier and more mely iden fica on of issues Sugges ons to improve Redesign of Steering Commi ee Mee ngs included:· Greater frequency, par cularly regarding big issues that impact both city and district, e.g. City Center andnew high school/middle school· Mee ngs become working sessions versus simple updates· Exchange of pre-mee ng materials so that everyone can come prepared and poten al no fica onregarding ques ons that might arise that may require addi onal prepara on by either party· Development of official minutes, to be approved by both bodies, that document key decisions and majorpoints of discussion of agenda items· Greater clarity of agenda items and priori es and equal opportunity for both par es to set agenda itemsand determine priori es· Inclusion of experts, when appropriate, to help facilitate understanding impacts· Transparency through open and public mee ngs, u lize execu ve session when appropriate
Sugges ons to Reduce Communica on Gaps and Improve Processes between mee ngs included:
· Request that City Manager and Superintendent meet regularly and share concerns, agreements,ques ons, issues etc. with one another and with council and board through some kind of documenta onthat is approved by both City Manager and Superintendent before it is shared with council and board· Assure that senior leadership/staff communicate sooner and perhaps more frequently[ME1] · Make sure that there is always appropriate and adequate representa on at working mee ngs betweencity and district· Avoid joining social media conversa ons and refrain from electronic communica ons between board andcouncil except for agenda prepara on and scheduling· Rely on improved website pos ngs by City and District to inform the public and limit social media use tosteering community members to official documents like minutes and agreements· Official minutes of joint mee ngs approved by both par es and posted quickly· Alert the other body of items on the agenda for regular public mee ngs that might impact the otherbody and send representa on from one body to the public mee ngs of the other body when relevanttopics are going to be discussed
Sugges ons to improve Communica on with Public included:
· Council should review District’s social media policy and develop one· Make available official documents and minutes in mely way· Communica ng poten al problems for parents and other public members ahead of me-sharedresponsibility for District through school outreach and City with school personnel
2. 180 Market Street- update and discussion of pending storm water issues
The Council Chair relayed a report made by Jus n Rabidoux to the council at its mee ng on Monday, May 6, regarding amee ng that took place on Friday, May 3 between two storm water engineers engaged by the City and the District as partof the defini ve agreement, two independent storm water engineers retained by the District, and Tom DiPietro,Stormwater Superintendent for SB. Jus n was not in a endance at the mee ng but relayed his understanding of itsoutcome to the city council. The 5 engineers discussed and concluded that a joint system addressing current and futurestate/local permit requirements located under the grass area to the southeast of the RMCS parking lot is a poten alsolu on for all par es. The Council believed this to be a bona fide op on.
The School Board Chair responded that their engineers were not authorized to conclude anything at this stage. TheDistrict’s engineers had been given a scope of work that included mee ng with the City to determine its stormwaterobliga ons and constraints at 180 Market Street, understanding more fully the needs of the RMCS property both now andin the future, and providing a range of possible solu ons including the advantages and disadvantages of each. The Chairalso expressed surprise that the engineer’s mee ng took place without anyone from District leadership in a endance and
that the mee ng was reported out at the city council mee ng even though the report was not on the agenda. The Chairlisted six requirements that need to be addressed before any ac on can occur. The District’s posi on is that any solu onmust address 6 components. 1- minimize land impact, 2-respond to all obliga ons from storm water regula ons, 3-include other ideas for mi ga on, 4-address both storage and treatment requirements, 5-address the drainage pipe and6-address the 25-year hydraulic standards. The School Board will take up the issue at its next mee ng, May 15.
Several Council members expressed the need for a quick turn around in order to avoid addi onal cost and disrup on tothe school and a mely comple on of the facility.
The mee ng adjourned at approximately 9 pm.
[ME1]I didn’t hear this.