HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 03-02-2010 WkshpCITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING
CAPE CANAVERAL LIBRARY MEETING ROOM
201 Polk Avenue
Tuesday
March 2, 2010
3:30 PM
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER: The Chair called the Meeting to Order at 3:34 P.M.
ROLL CALL:
Council Members Present:
Council Member Bob Hoog
Mayor Pro Tem Buzz Petsos (arrived 3:36 P.M.)
Mayor Rocky Randels
Council Member Shannon Roberts
Council Member Betty Walsh
Others Present:
Acting City Manager Angela Apperson
City Treasurer Andrea Bowers
Planning and Development Dir. Barry Brown
Building Official Todd Morley
Recreation Director Robert Lefever
Acting City Clerk Mia Goforth
1 . Opening Comments - Acting City Manager: Acting City Manager Angela
Apperson pointed out that when this meeting was scheduled, most people referred to it
as a "Goals and Objectives" meeting, but since that time it has become apparent the
City is not ready to set goals and objectives because the City has not yet identified
where it is going. Developing the overall Vision a/k/a the Strategic Plan will be one of
the hardest things the City Council will ever be asked to accomplish and the Citizens of
Cape Canaveral are asking Council to do just that. Ms. Apperson stated the overall
Vision of the City can only be established through collaboration of all City Council
Members with Staff present to answer questions and provide input where requested.
Ms. Apperson emphasized that to begin this journey, Council and Staff must review the
Strategic Planning Principles, as well as the City's Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
and the External Opportunities and Threats. Ms. Apperson stated that it is imperative
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March 2, 2010
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every Council Member is given time to share their vision of the City and then to have a
healthy debate to develop one cohesive overall Vision for the City. She said this may
take several meetings to accomplish. After the overall Vision is identified, we are then
ready to start setting the Goals.
2. Overview of Strategic Planning Principles — City Treasurer: City Treasurer Andrea
Bowers presented a PowerPoint presentation which suggested Council begin with the
end in mind and stated it is the responsibility of Council to formulate a Vision of the
community in ten to fifteen years, process a timeline and outline SWOT (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. Ms. Bowers noted the mission
statement, objectives and strategies may change, but the big goal will not change. She
explained that through the Strategic Planning Process, each Council Member must
identify their vision for the year 2025 and then that needs to be put in a Master Vision,
prioritized.
3. Outline Internal Strengths and Weaknesses as well as External Opportunities and
Threats: City Council Members and Staff proceeded to go through the PowerPoint
presentation listing Strengths and Weaknesses of the City. Discussion ensued and
included agreement that location, name recognition, climate, Port Canaveral, available
workforce, lots of waterfront location, easy access to State Road 528 and 1-95, airports,
natural resources, diversity and demographics, education system, tourism, readiness for
redevelopment, strong historical heritage, employees, strong residential character and
being close to the World's largest Space Center are all to be listed as City Strengths.
Discussion ensued and included agreement on the Weaknesses as being high
insurance costs including property and vehicle insurance costs, lack of sidewalks and
bike paths, pedestrian facilities, lack of available bus insurance (high rates and unable
to get) safe transport from one side of the City to another, lack of crosswalks, not a
business friendly community (costs, red tape and City Codes not friendly), lack of
modern business capability, insufficient Staff levels (tools and training, and right people
in the right job), current organizational structure realignment of Staff, condition of
building inventory. Council reached consensus to hear from the audience
throughout the meeting. Discussion continued regarding City Codes and how City
Staff is currently looking at those; aging infrastructure and lack of green infrastructure,
fiscal health of local government, code enforcement procedures, realignment of City
Advisory Boards; more weaknesses from the audience: population, drugs, stepped up
presence of the Sheriff's Department and the core of problems at night, public safety
and demographics, competing values, lack of pride in ownership, societal issues;
introducing Brevard County's resources; Sheriff's Office sitting down with Circles of
Care families; tax structure, redevelopment will help bring in clientele. Council reached
consensus to leave insurance where it is.
Discussion ensued regarding Opportunities: Jet Blue, relocation of a large company,
regional planning and expansion of the Port; volunteer Boards/Committees; new role for
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March 2, 2010
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KSC (Kennedy Space Center), research and development at UCF (University of Central
Florida), entrepreneurial opportunities, business incubator, cruise lines may be willing to
help create town center, upgrading look, partnership with Port/Cruise lines. Consensus
reached to make Weaknesses into Opportunities and to list them all out; and to
put New Vision under Opportunities and list all of Tools.
Discussion ensued regarding Threats: inaction, business as usual, election ballot item
Home Town Democracy, Comprehensive Plan, threat to Home Rule and Amendment 4
regarding unfunded mandates, global warming, water supply, loss of elementary school
and not having a Plan B if the school is shut down. Council reached consensus that
loss of school and not having a Plan B, loss of natural resources, and crime to be
listed as Threats. Discussion ensued amongst Council on the need for constructive
leadership and updating the City Manager, need to follow chain of command, politics;
Advisory Boards' authority, public forum, Council Practices as an Opportunity or Threat,
how Chain of Command is a Threat and causes detriment to attaining the overall goals,
new City Manager needs to be the one who gets information and disseminates,
direction of City Staff by Council, Draft Revised City Charter.
4. Open Discussion: Ms. Apperson read the Visioning Statement and discussion
ensued regarding such. Council reached consensus to keep Paragraph One as
written, keep Paragraph Two as written, change Paragraph Three to say
"Downtown and Other Areas," add "and visitors" to the end of Paragraph Four
and to keep Paragraph Five as written.
Ms. Bowers spoke about the Next Step and discussion ensued and included where the
plan is to go from here; lay out and itemization of areas, listing detailed goals,
prioritizing comes after planning and implementation, Council to submit to Staff clear
direction. Council reached consensus to task Staff with breaking down the Vision
Statement and bringing it back to City Council on April 6, 2010 for another
Workshop at 4:30 p.m.; and also to add the City's Recycling Program to the
Opportunities category and to add Poor Fiscal Planning to the Threats category.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the Meeting adjourned at 5:58 P.M.
Mia Goforth, Acting City Clerk