V.4. Approve Minutes of the January 23, 2015 Goal Setting MeetingCity of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
January 23, 2015
Attendance:
City Staff: Kersten Elverum, Jim Genellie, Christine Harkess, Dave Johnson, Mike Mornson, Mike Reynolds,
Dale Specken, Steve Stadler
City Council Members: Molly Cummings, Jason Gadd, Kristi Halverson, Aaron Kuznia, Gene Maxwell
Mayor Maxwell welcomed everyone as the Departments and Council work together on a vision for 2015.
Mr. Mornson gave an overview of the day's agenda and session goals of creating a roadmap and laying some
groundwork as we move forward into 2015. Mr. Mornson asked the group to think about "where we are today,"
and "Where do we want to go." Mr. Mornson discussed setting realistic expectations, how uncomfortable are
we to move the organization forward and do not be afraid to make some changes.
There was group discussion on chapter one from the book, Decisive by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
• Important to think through decisions
• Take time to sit back before making a decision
• It is natural to make instant decisions
• We need to be intentional about decision making
• That it is human nature to be in control and have a narrow focus
• It is important to make broader picture decisions
• It is a balancing act to involve everybody in the decision
• Opportunity to open up a whole new decision making process
• Importance in looking at all points of view
• We invest time and research as staff in a decision but it is valuable to have fresh eyes looking at an issue
• Better outcome to have other ideas
• Emotional involvement into an idea
• Important to have another perspective, sit back and relook at idea
• Quick decisions that sometimes do not need to be made quickly
There was discussion regarding the "Tripwire" analogy. Mr. Mornson discussed the idea that the "Parklet" idea
was a "tripwire" to get feedback from the public and businesses. Mr. Mornson summarized the WRAP Process
to help make better decisions:
• Best thing to do is to WIDEN your options
• REALITY test your assumptions
• ATTAIN distance before making decisions
• PREPARE to be wrong
What did we accomplish in 2014?
(See attached)
City of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
January 23, 2015
Department Updates: Three things to think about for 2014 and beyond
Planning & Economic Development
Ms. Elverum reviewed the year with photos:
• Artstreet program needs a sustainable funding source to maintain program
• "Parklet" program
• Hopkins welcomed many new businesses
• Gallery Flats opened increasing the tax base and number of people living in the Downtown area
• PED intern and the Award for Cottageville Park, a collaborative approach to accomplish a vision
• Pecha Kucha, Visioning of the Hopkins Mainstreet event
• National Night Out kick-off at Dow Towers
• Support of HBCA events
• Crossroads Plaza Image Award
• Artery Open House community engagement event
• Investment by businesses in the downtown area and others cities are reaching out to Hopkins how to
create or revitalize a downtown
• Blake Road redesign process
Ms. Elverum explained that the PED intern is a paid position funded by a grant and excess tax increment
funding. A paid position attracts quality applicants.
Community Services
• Back to back elections with two different City Clerks
• Hiring of new employees
• Arts Center had many concert sell-outs
• IT Dept. is working on a new city department wide computer system
• Incoming new franchise for Cable TV
• Three Union Contracts were settled before year end
• Inspections Dept. inspected all rental properties at least once
• Positive feedback from the public towards employees
• Election process revisions
• Reviewing of the City Code
Mr. Genellie explained that it is a good time to be hiring and that Hopkins has a reputation as a progressive,
good city to work for.
Fire Department
• Review of the 2014 call statistics. Calls continue to increase each year and response time is 4.2 minutes.
• Two firefighters have left the Dept. and they have hired six new firefighters
• Patient Home Visits pilot program: program goal is to prevent hospital readmission, looking at possible
funding for the program
• Safety Camp
• Home Inspections Program
• Successful grant funding to purchase new breathing apparatus
• The Dept. continues to collaborate with other area Fire Departments for mutual aid
• Duty crew continues to respond to medicals that allows the Police Dept. to respond to other calls
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City of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
January 23, 2015
Chief Specken explained that the SBCA grant will pay for the breathing apparatus which is scheduled to be
delivered in February and that the old equipment will be traded in. There was discussion regarding recreational
fire complaints. Chief Specken explained that educating neighbors regarding the complaints usually solve the
problem. Chief Specken explained the Dept. cost to train a Firefighter is approximately $6-8,000 with a 5 year
payback period. Chief Specken discussed the Patient Home Visit Program for post hospitalization visits. Most
of the visits are to senior citizens. The visits allow for risk of falls assessment, evaluation of current living
situation and the ability to connect them to needed services. The Dept. will continue to monitor a legislative bill
to secure funding for the program.
Public Works
• Mainstreet Improvement Project has the support from businesses
• Clock Tower Plaza will be refreshed and rehabbed
• Final design work for 81' Avenue will be reviewed for aesthetics and maintainability
• SW LRT and its impact on the CIP
• Park System Reinvestment Plan and survey — only have received 120 responses and are looking at ways
to get more feedback
• Partnering with Hennepin County on transitioning Blake Road to a city street
• Curb side organic collection
• Transitioning to paperless work orders via mobile devices to Public Works employees in the field
• Cottageville Park transformation
There was discussion regarding how to get more public input and surveys for the Park Reinvestment Plan. The
survey will be announced at the State of the City event. There was discussion regarding the Mainstreet
Improvement Project and the need to address business signage. The Signage Ordinance will be addressed on a
future Work Session agenda.
Finance Department
• AEM process evaluation for the Finance Dept. is an opportunity to look at how finance is operating with
input from other departments
• Recent retirements has given the Finance Dept. an opportunity to reevaluate the staff positions and
broadening the duties.
• New Finance software has been a team approach and will be able to encompass options for the web,
inspections, online employee portal and online time management.
• The Financial Management Plan will be updated
• Utility Rate Study will be done by an outside firm
There was discussion regarding the good use of an opportunity to step back and reevaluate the structure of the
Finance Dept. and the future bond sale.
Police Department
• Annual Police Dept. Planning Retreat on April 30 will feature a leadership theme
• New cameras and computers in the squad cars can be upgraded as needed
• Body worn cameras are still being evaluated
City of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
January 23, 2015
• Traffic Safety Grant was awarded to fully fund a patrol officer and squad car for 4 years for DWI
enforcement and education. The department is currently in the hiring process for the position
• Update on the Cadet transition to Patrol Officer
• The Dept. is actively seeking candidates for a new Cadet and Patrol Officer
• Exploring new staff scheduling software
There was discussion regarding the Traffic Safety Grant. There are no requirements after 4 year grant is
completed. The Officer will be scheduled a variety of hours in order to do DWI enforcement as well as daytime
education. Chief Reynolds discussed current issues that Police Depts. are dealing with including data privacy
issues with license plates readers and the image of Police Departments throughout the country. Hopkins Police
continue to be a positive image in the community and utilize the media to highlight positive stories.
Hopkins -Minnetonka Recreation Services
• Transitioning to new RecTrac software, customer service friendly software with online registration.
LOGIS paid for software installation with less costly ongoing maintenance.
• Discussion of eliminating resident vs. nonresident recreation registration. The registration process will
be addressed on a future Work Session agenda.
• Depot Coffee House development of the grounds west of the building for an outdoor recreation area.
Staff, Depot partners and the Three Rivers Park District are investigating concepts with possible funding
through the Hennepin County Youth Sports Grant.
• Outdoor Ice Rinks hours of operation for warming houses and number of rinks in operation. There was
discussion about reducing the number of rinks or increasing the staffing of warming houses. Staff will
evaluate the attendance numbers at the rinks and the possibility of automatic light timers and update the
staff and Council.
• Impacts of the minimum wage increase on the Recreation budget and the difficulty attracting quality
candidates current wage rate.
There was discussion regarding the resident vs. nonresident registrations. Currently 95% of recreation
registrations are from the immediate area. Mr. Johnson commented that the price structure would remain the
same and that Shady Oak Beach is the exception as the beach attracts people from 50 different cities. There was
also discussion about the need to be aware of SW LRT impacts on the Depot before investing in a project.
Group Exercises
Mr. Stadler introduced the "Windfall" group exercise:
The Staff and Council divided into three groups, each group had the scenario that the City of Hopkins receives
$5 million from a benefactor that has to be spent within 12 months and up to 5 items or projects can be
purchased/funded as long as each improves quality of life in Hopkins. The City cannot save the money and they
must be new projects not already included in CIP or other replacement plans.
Group 1:
$2 million for a pedestrian overpass on Blake Road by Pizza Luce
$3 million revolving fund for business improvement
Group 2:
$�/z million for Cottageville Community Building
$1/z million for Central Business District Facade Fund
$1 million for Central Park rehabilitation
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City of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
January 23, 2015
$100,000 for a Pedi cab fleet
$2.9 million for Block 64 funding gap
Group 3:
$1 million for City wide trolley
$1 million for Business Reinvestment program
$1 million tax break in "Hopkins Dollars" to city tax payers
$1 million to upgrade LRT Stations with Hopkins themes
$1 million to subsidize concerts at HCA
Ms. Elverum introduced the second group exercise, "Don't Go Changing." Each group needs to identify
favorite places in Hopkins and then the top five will be chosen.
Group 1:
Core downtown buildings
Depot
Clock Tower Plaza
Large Employers
Hopkins Historical Society
Raspberry Ridge
Shady Oak Park
Katherine Curren/Ubah
Housing Stock variety
Group 2:
Community Gardens
Raspberry Festival
Hopkins Center for the Arts
Blake Road no suburbia
Neighborhoods
Ice Rinks
Small Town feel
Group 3:
Downtown Park
Alice Smith/Blake and other schools
Maetzold Field
Trail system
City Hall
No bus hub
No low rent motels
Top 5 selections per votes:
Core downtown buildings — 11 votes
Downtown Park — 9 votes
Hopkins Center for the Arts — 7 votes
Raspberry Festival — 6 votes
Depot — 6 votes
There was discussion that the group exercises produced ideas that were representative of why people come to
Hopkins. Hopkins has a defined downtown and livability. All the lists represent the great assets that Hopkins
City of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
January 23, 2015
offers. There was further discussion about expanding the "Parklet" concept to bring more people to the streets
as well as expanding the seating capacity of local restaurants to a parking area on the street. Hopkins is in a
great position to take what we already have and make it better as well as preserve it.
Review of Page One of Goals (Whole Group)
Review of Back Page of Goals (Small Groups)
Everyone was asked to review the City of Hopkins Mission, Vision and Goals and then each small group
reviewed the Action Steps.
Group 1: Preserve the Small Town Feel of Hopkins Action Steps
Group 2: Urban Design Action Steps
Group 3: Take it to them Action Steps
(See attached — Kristi will be making the final updates to the Mission Statement and Goals for 2015)
Review of 2014 Opportunities
Mr. Mornson reviewed the past list of opportunities and staff & Council revised the opportunities for 2015.
(See Attached)
There was discussion of possible future Work Session topics to include:
• Review of Mainstreet Design Standards
• Exploration of Historical Designation
Top 3 Things for 2015
The Staff and Council listed their Top 3 Things for 2015 and then had the opportunity to vote:
• Successful 2015 Mainstreet reconstruction project
• Secure Blake Rd funding
• Improved/streamlined/effective/efficient processes
• Marketing the city and individual departments
• Successful Hennepin County Grant for Depot
• Blake Road Corridor plan established
• Movement on Block 64 development
• Develop policy and capitalize on "Parklet" project
• Redevelop East End: Blake/169
• Final design for OMF
• Approve redevelopment of Johnson Building
• Location for Hotel
• New improved Clock Tower Plaza
• Advance SW LRT plans
• Park system improvement plan
• Visual progress along 8'h Avenue
• Secure Grant fund for Full time Firefighters
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City of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
January 23, 2015
• Transition to new Recreation Software
• Work with neighbors for SW LRT zoning
• Businesses engaged in City image
• Cottageville Park
• Advance on trolley/pedi-bike plan
• Find developers to look at Blake "superblock"
• Approve housing policy
• Facade program
• Greater public presence for Historical Society
• Rate study
The Top 3 Things for 2015 per votes:
• Approve redevelopment of Johnson Building — 11 votes
• Successful 2015 Mainstreet reconstruction project — 9 votes
• Cottageville Park — 6 votes
• Blake Road Corridor plan established — 6 votes
Other Business:
The staff and Council commented:
• It is important do this each year without a tight agenda
• Assures we are working toward the same vision and the ability to look ahead
• Very productive, a lot of ideas exchanged
• Operational ideas
• Opportunity to share and create a new energy
• Good to come together as a group to look at City as a whole
• Opportunity to make our Mission Statement cleaner
• Chance to look at City as a whole together
• Great opportunity to look back, the efforts behind it all and what is ahead of us
• Good chance for the new Council member to become part of the team,
• Great opportunity to look back at what was accomplished
• Look at what we accomplished and the direction we are heading
• Confirmation that what we are focusing on is important to everybody
• A chance for feedback
Mayor Maxwell thanked the City Staff and Council for all their hard work throughout the year. This is a good
opportunity look at big picture.
Goal Setting Meeting was adjourned at 3:42 pm.
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City of Hopkins Goal Setting 2015
201'4 Accomplishments
1. Increase in Bond Rating
2. GFOA Budget & CAFR Awards
3. More Engaged & Welcoming Ribbon
Cuttings
4. Depot Coordinator/Budget
5. Fire Safety Business Classes
6. Active Living/Bicycle Grant
7. Seven Great New Hires in Public
Works
8, Shady Oak Road Businesses
Moving to Downtown Hopkins
9. Adopt Financial Management Plan
10. Municipal Approval of SW LRT
111, Innovative Award from U of M
12. Hobby Acres Project at City Expense
13.Al1 New Hires
14. "Railvolution" Mobile Tour
15. Gallery Flats
16. $4.4 mil Mainstreet Improvements
17.CottageviUe Park Efforts
18. Cadet to Police Officer Promotion
19. Patient Home Visits
29.1 't Triathlon at Shady Oak Beach
21. Modify Ordinance for Brewery Tap
Room
22. New Sign at City Hall
23.5t' & 6 1h Ave Demolitions
24. Begin Masonic Lodge Purchase
25. Intern in P.E.D.
26. Parklet
27. Expanded Recreation Partnership
with SLP & HSD
28.Active Shooter Training with Other
Cities
29. Police Dept. & Fire Dept. Vehicle
Leasing Program
30. Zion & Burnes Park Parking Lot
31. Social Media Expansion
32. Police Dept. Technology
33. White Listing Software
34. Pecha Mucha
35.Architect in Snyder Building
36. Grants and More Grants!
37. Businesses Expanding
38. Revenue from Underutilized Parking
Lot
39. Raise Educational Level
40. SOBA Grant
41. Public Engagement in New Venues
42. Appointed a New Council Member
43, Move City Council to City Email'
44. Security Cameras in Ramp
45. Safety Camp
46. Support for M,ainstreet Project
47. PACE Program
48. Agenda Packet
49. Great Press
50, HBCA New Approach
51, Three, Rivers Cycle Track
52.O,akes Park Improvements
53, Blake Rd Corridor Study
54, Home Fire Inspections
55.Award CISM
56. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
57.Vaping/Liquor Store Ordinance
58. Flood Assistance
59, New Waiting List Process for Dow
Towers
60. Downtown Hopkins Station Video