VII.3. Resolution Approving the 2019 Goals and Strategic Plan; MornsonFebruary 19, 2019 Council Report 2019-011
Resolution Approving the 2019 Goals and Strategic Plan
Proposed Action.
Staff recommends that the Council approve the following motion: Move to adopt Resolution
2019-008, Affirming the City of Hopkins Mission Statement and Adopting the 2019 Goals and
Strategic Plan for the City of Hopkins.
Adoption of this motion will publicly state the goals and strategic plan for 2019.
Overview:
The City Council held a meeting on January 11 to revise the 2018 goals and create new goals and
the strategic plan. On a regular basis, it is critical to create and assess the goals and objectives of
the community. The goals and strategic plan publicly state those items the City Council wishes
to accomplish above and beyond the normal operations and everyday services provided by the
City.
Staff recommends approval of Resolution 2019-008 approving the 2019 goals and strategic plan.
Primary Issues to Consider:
• How were the 2019 Goals and Action Plan arrived at?
The City Council and City staff discussed various issues affecting the City of Hopkins. They
held an all-day goal setting meeting on Friday, January 11 at Oak Ridge Country Club.
Supporting Information:
• Resolution 2019-008
• Summary of Goals
• Goals and Strategic Plan Presentation
______________________________
Michael. J. Mornson
City Manager
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 2019-008
AFFIRMING THE CITY OF HOPKINS MISSION STATEMENT AND ADOPTING
THE 2019 GOALS AND STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CITY OF HOPKINS
WHEREAS, the Hopkins City Council believes it is necessary for an effective local
government to clearly establish its overall mission and to prescribe the goals and objectives
necessary to accomplish that mission; and
WHEREAS, the Hopkins City Council has reviewed and will be following its mission to:
• Inspire
• Educate
• Involve
• Communicate
WHEREAS, the Hopkins City Council has previously adopted the following goals:
• Goal I: Preserve the Home Town Feel of Hopkins
• Goal II: Urban Design – Do It Right
• Goal III: Take It To Them
WHEREAS, the Hopkins City Council has identified certain goals, objectives and action steps
for the year 2019.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Hopkins does
hereby adopt the mission statement and formally adopts the listed goals, and that the City
Council, City Manager and staff are hereby committed to the accomplishment of these goals and
its action plan.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins this 19th day of February, 2019.
By:___________________________
Molly Cummings, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
Inspire. Educate. Involve. Communicate.
All people feel safe and
respected, and diversity
is celebrated.
Business growth is
supported and a
vibrant downtown is
maintained.
People enjoy exceptional
government services,
neighborhoods and
outstanding schools.
Support a vibrant business
community
Promote and enhance city
events
Provide accessible, friendly
and efficient city services
Embrace and strengthen
partnerships
Improve walking and biking
infrastructure in the city
Practice environmental
responsibility
Support a range of housing
options
Support transit-oriented
development
Involve diverse
populations
Engage the rental
community of
Hopkins
Inspire community
and citizen
engagement
Take It
To Them
Urban Design:
Do It Right
Preserve the Home
Town Feel of Hopkins
Creating a spirit of community where...
MISSION
City of
STRATEGIES2019
VISION
GOALS
GOAL SETTING 2019
»Implement the sidewalk and
trail master plan and partner
with other agencies to improve
and update paths, trails and
crossings in the community,
supporting “Complete Streets”
initiatives
»Explore local transportation
opportunities
»Develop a schedule for rezoning
properties to conform to
Comprehensive Plan guidance
»Partner with Hennepin County
and SWLRT cities to maximize
benefit and minimize disruption
during construction
»Work with Minnetonka and
Hennepin County to implement
the vision for the Shady Oak
LRT Station
»Work with all stakeholders
to implement and build on
recommendations of the Blake
Road Corridor plans
»Continue to explore and
promote sustainability initiatives
in our community
»Explore ways to strengthen the
edges of downtown
»Continue to explore ways
to enhance the Mainstreet
experience
»Strengthen image of Hopkins
as an arts community
»Promote shopping local
»Promote business assistance
programs
»Work through “Think
Hopkins” on business
recruitment efforts
»Promote city events large
and small (Raspberry
Festival, Mainstreet Days,
Old Fashioned Holiday,
Summerfest, etc.) and have
a city booth at events when
possible
»Improve service delivery
through e-commerce
»Promote interactive park,
trails, and facilities directory
on website
»Support History Center
transition to Mainstreet
»Grow partnerships with:
»Joint Recreation with
Minnetonka
»Hennepin County
»Hopkins School District
»Watershed Districts
»Met Council
»Three Rivers Park District
»Surrounding cities
»Faith and community-based
organizations
»Business community
»Promote cultural
celebrations
»Explore methods to
involve Multicultural
Advisory Committee in
community building
»Continue to seek out
diversity on boards and
commissions
»Intentionally engage rental
communities
»Encourage volunteerism
and expand volunteer
opportunities
»Conduct community
meetings at alternative
locations
»Educate the community
in the area of emergency
preparedness
»Identify opportunities
to partner with youth,
schools, businesses and
faith-based organizations
»Promote opportunities
to raise awareness and
understanding of race,
equity and diversity
»Creatively engage and
market the community
using technology and
unique platforms
GOAL SETTING 2019
GOALS: ACTION STEPS
Preserve the Home
Town Feel of Hopkins
Urban Design:
Do It Right
Take It
To Them
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mike Mornson, City Manager, City of Hopkins
FROM: Chad Weinstein, Ethical Leaders in Action
DATE: January 20, 2019
RE: Facilitator’s Notes from Council/Staff Working Session
This memorandum is respectfully submitted as a final deliverable for this phase of our work together.
Our objective was to present a valuable day-long working session for City Council and Staff. The
objectives and plan for that workshop were articulated in an Agenda document, which is attached to
this memorandum. In addition, Debbie Vold of the City of Hopkins compiled thorough minutes taken
throughout the day. The intent of this document is not to duplicate those notes, but to capture themes
and perspectives shared by retreat participants.
The morning consisted primarily of an introductory exercise followed by presentations from City
Engineer Nate Stanley and Municipal Advisor Stacie Kvilvang of Ehlers, Inc. These are well-documented
in the session minutes submitted by Ms. Vold.
The afternoon sessions began with a debriefing from the morning’s presentations and discussions,
followed by an exercise based on the four strategic themes defined in the January 2018 retreat. The
following notes capture learning and insights from those two sessions.
Notes from Debriefing Discussions
Surprises and other observations:
• Participants noted that the City has accomplished a great deal, measured in terms of tangible
accomplishments as well as in dollar values of the projects. Comments included the following:
o “Our pavement plan seems aggressive, but that’s a good thing from an overall
perspective. It protects our investments over time and improves quality of life.”
o “We’re doing what needs to be done regarding our streets and related infrastructure.”
o “There is leverage in our investment. We invested $36M – Moline alone brought in
$54M in total investment.”
• There may be an opportunity to update policy 8.02, which currently describes a petition process
concerning the installation of curbs and gutters. Participants also discussed the importance of
policy 8.03, which defines minimum roadway widths.
• Participants discussed ways to communicate about taxes to members of the public,
constructively and candidly. The goal is to clearly articulate the level of investment that
municipal taxes represent, and the impact of those investments.
o Looking at per-household, per-day tax costs in light of the benefits the City provides was
enlightening. This data will help us talk to taxpayers constructively.
o One driver of tax increases is the increasing property value.
Final Memorandum Page 2
City of Hopkins 2019 Council and Staff Retreat
• An interesting question was discussed: what would the implications of a profound economic
downturn be on the City’s plan? What if housing values decreased by 30%? The municipal
consultant noted that the assumptions used in the planning process are conservative, but do not
fully consider scenarios such as these.
• The Bell Grove street reconstruction project will be very technically complex, and assessments
will be challenging given the small number of lots on those streets.
• Fund balance is a critical metric for good governance and for bonding. The City will have to fund
this to a greater extent as overall expenses rise. This has not been a problem; Council and staff
will continue to be attentive to this aspect of maintaining a balanced budget.
• The cost of the Art Center is set to increase; this issue arises in large part due to decisions made
over the past 20 years. While Art Center operations remain fiscally sound and operationally
excellent, but it is unrealistic to expect the Art Center to operate without a funding deficit,
especially given the current funding status. The Art Center is a public amenity, but is not a direct
driver of net income for the City.
Notes from the Strategic Theme Discussion
In the January 2018 retreat, Council and staff worked together to identify the following four strategic
themes for the City, consistent with its Mission and Values:
Strategic Themes from 2018 Retreat
1. Strategic investment in infrastructure and staff, governed by a high-level, comprehensive,
budget –sensitive plan. Infrastructure includes roads and utilities, City workplaces, as well as
parks and amenities. The people of Hopkins also benefit when the City is an employer of choice.
2. Economic and Community Development. To support independent businesses and expand a
vibrant Mainstreet district.
3. True inclusion. Inclusion that respects the diversity of the sub-communities that comprise
Hopkins. “E pluribus unum” means “from many, one”. It is applicable to Hopkins, insofar as you
want to build both unity and the diversity of your community. You want diverse voices to inform
and support policymaking.
4. Affordable Housing must promote conditions that allow the people of Hopkins to stay in their
homes, without squelching renewal, economic development, and the positive tax base
consequences of new development.
In this retreat, participants worked in small teams consisting of both elected and appointed officials to
consider each theme in greater depth. For each theme, teams were asked to consider:
• Whether any changes or updates should be proposed.
• What are the key words in the theme, and what are some synonyms or related terms?
• One story of where this theme has been advanced in the last 1-2 years.
• What would fantastic success look like, with respect to this theme?
• Any recommended action items?
Participants then reconvened, each team shared their findings, and this led to a broader discussion with
the entire group about each theme. Summary of the final discussions are as follows.
Final Memorandum Page 3
City of Hopkins 2019 Council and Staff Retreat
Theme 1:
Strategic investment in infrastructure and staff, governed by a high-level, comprehensive,
budget –sensitive plan. Infrastructure includes roads and utilities, City workplaces, as well as
parks and amenities. The people of Hopkins also benefit when the City is an employer of choice.
Proposed Change:
Add “sustainable” to “strategic investment.”
Key words:
Strategic, sustainable investment
(Other words: forward thinking, maintainable, prudent, efficient, effective, stewardship)
Stories:
Park system reinvestment plan, now implemented. Compensation study to aid recruitment and
staff retention, and to allocate resources appropriately (consistent with good stewardship).
Pavement plan is another success – the City has been proactive. The FMP also reflects good
government. The capital equipment plan. The police strategic plan.
The Look of Success:
Residents, staff, and Council stay the course. Staff not afraid to take risks, based on a clear and
common understanding of strategic direction, plans, and parameters.
Action items:
Stay the course.
Theme 2:
Economic and Community Development. To support independent businesses and expand a
vibrant Mainstreet district.
Proposed Changes:
Update the supporting statement to include:
“support independent businesses within our neighborhood centers (Blake and Excelsior and
Shady Oak stations) and expand the vibrant Main Street District.”
Other thoughts: we can also talk about community, and not just business and geographic
districts.
Key words:
Community development. This is about more than businesses – it’s about building community.
Walkable, pedestrian-seductive, spaces, also friendly to bicyclists.
Stories:
The façade improvement program for businesses. Watching businesses put more of their own
funds into their facilities. Street cafes expanding on a vibrant Main Street.
Final Memorandum Page 4
City of Hopkins 2019 Council and Staff Retreat
The Look of Success:
“We may have already succeeded – consider the abundance of positive press and media around
Hopkins.” A new home run would be three mutually supportive, vibrant districts around the
Light Rail Stations and the Main Street. Increased tax base.
Action items:
Continue to define vision of what those home runs would be. What does “vibrancy” mean with
respect to those areas? Should the City expand Main Street? If so, how far? (E.g., to 17th? To
Shady Oak Road?)
Theme 3:
True inclusion. Inclusion that respects the diversity of the sub-communities that comprise
Hopkins. “E pluribus unum” means “from many, one.” It is applicable to Hopkins, insofar as you
want to build both unity and the diversity of your community. You want diverse voices to
inform and support policymaking.
Key words:
True and Inclusion. These words are reminders to respect diversity in its many forms – not just
race or culture: e.g., age, economic status, home renters versus homeowners,
Stories:
The City has engaged some members of under-represented groups in civic roles (boards and
commissions). Hopkins Race and Equity Initiatives (won an Innovation Award), GARE
participation. 5-city leadership seminar. “We have normalized a conversation on race with our
staff and in the community. We are really having conversations about these topics, and
employees are seeking more.” YWCA involvement. Hopkins and Brooklyn Park presented to
representatives of 100 cities on work they had done.
“We have members of the communities of color and other underrepresented groups that call
us to help identify and solve problems.”
The multicultural advisory committees are a strong starting point for getting the City’s
messages out there, and there is a need to keep connecting.
Redirecting resources – participants stated a desire to focus more on the South side of the City.
This should include setting meetings in South Hopkins, bringing staff and council members
there to create stronger connections with members of those communities.
The Look of Success:
Every meeting would look like the overall community. This will involve lots of direct
conversations and connections at an individual level – City leaders all using their networks to
draw in a more inclusive and diverse group of people. Ideally, the City’s leaders will get input
from all those who are affected by its policies.
Final Memorandum Page 5
City of Hopkins 2019 Council and Staff Retreat
Action items:
The school district does community events in parks with food trucks, etc. Could City staff and
elected officials participate in these events, and meet community members?
On an individual basis, reach out to members of underrepresented communities who live
outside of Hopkins, to facilitate connections with Hopkins residents.
These action items are complex and challenging. There are members of each of Hopkins’s
communities who do not want to engage. City leaders must respect and honor that choice.
Leaders must also recognize the complexities of these issues – and keep thinking about
different ways to connect with different people.
Theme 4:
Affordable Housing must promote conditions that allow the people of Hopkins to stay in their
homes, without squelching renewal, economic development, and the positive tax base
consequences of new development.
Definition (in lieu of recommended changes):
In this case, the definition is starting point. “Until we can answer the question of what we are
really seeking, we can’t set specific policies or establish goals.”
This is a topic of great interest to some members of our community – their concerns include the
risk of loss of lower-cost housing options to redevelopment. (One driver of that redevelopment
could be light rail.)
Action Items:
Fair housing policy and a tenant protection ordinance are topics that Council will consider in the
coming months. This is where City leaders will continue this discussion.
Additional Action Items
The following are suggested topics for discussion arising from this retreat, most arising from the
debriefing of the morning presentations.
The following items do not reflect any official action (the retreat is a working session and no actions are
taken), but these topics will be reviewed in future working sessions to consider next steps.
• Discussion of the financial plan included a discussion about how the City could improve public
education regarding taxes and benefits to individuals and to the City.
o Clarity is key – present the right level of detail and be intellectually honesty as
information is summarized.
o Use multiple media (note that budget is a factor for some media production).
o Council members can lead with consistent messages to the public.
When an elected official is asked a question, they are not comfortable
answering, they are invited to engage (or refer the individual to) City Manager
Final Memorandum Page 6
City of Hopkins 2019 Council and Staff Retreat
Mike Mornson. He will get the answer and/or connect the person with the right
people or resources.
o When crafting messages about costs and benefits, leaders are encouraged to remember
the “unsung heroic” aspects of the City, such as internal functions that do not have as
much public contact as public safety, recreation and parks, etc. These teams likewise
play a critical role in maintaining civic effectiveness and the value of community assets.
o Include City employees in future discussions of what is funded and why. Share some of
the content of this retreat with staff teams.
• Participants also discussed opportunities to increase public input into taxing and investment
decisions. (This includes both increasing the number and kinds of opportunity for input, and
informing members of the public to help them provide the most thoughtful input possible).
o Input gathering processes must be guided by a discussion and must be executed
strategically.
o The City must inform those providing input, so the input is thoughtful and therefore
useful.
• Council members want to see realistic projections for future staffing needs, several years into
the future.
o The need to hire in the future is real. The current plan reflects 6 FTEs, but the real need
is likely higher.
o In particular, the future need for fire and all-hazard response is a very real challenge; the
Paid-on-call model will not serve the City well forever. Council and staff must work
together to plan for this, at a high level, by discussing how the imperative to keep the
community vibrant and protected will affect Fire Department staffing and resources in
the future.
• The current limit of $100 property tax increase (on the median value home) may be too
restrictive for good policy-making. This may be a topic for discussion.
• Staff will present Council with recommendations for changing policies 8.02 (regarding petitions
and curb and gutter for areas that do not currently have them) and 8.03 (regarding street
width).
2019 Mission and Goals
Hopkins City Council
Mike Mornson, City Manager
City Council and Staff
Mission
Inspire
Educate
Involve
Communicate
Vision
All people feel safe and respected, and
diversity is celebrated.
Business growth is supported and a vibrant
downtown is maintained.
People enjoy exceptional government
services, neighborhoods, and outstanding
schools.
Goals
Goal I: Preserve the Hometown Feel of
Hopkins
Goal II: Urban Design –Do it Right
Goal III: Take it to Them
Goal I: Preserve the
Hometown Feel of
Hopkins
Four Strategies
•Support a vibrant business
community
•Promote and enhance city
events
•Provide accessible, friendly,
and efficient city services
•Embrace and strengthen
partnerships
Goal II: Urban Design
–Do it Right
Four Strategies
•Improve walking and biking
infrastructure in the city
•Practice environmental
responsibility
•Support a range of housing
options
•Support transit-oriented
development
Goal III: Take it to
Them
Three Strategies
•Involve diverse populations
•Engage the rental
community of Hopkins
•Inspire community and
citizen engagement
Four Themes for Discussion in
2019
Strategic, Sustainable Investment in
Infrastructure, Staff, and Financial
Management Plan
Economic and Community Development
True Inclusion
Affordable Housing
Some Accomplishments in 2018
Completion of the award winning Artery
Burnes Park Splash Pad/Park Improvements
Blake Road Improvement Project
A Larger, Renovated Hopkins Pavilion
Cultivate Hopkins Comprehensive Plan
Community Engagement and Outreach
Southwest Light Rail contract for construction
Looking Ahead to 2019
City Hall Renovation
325 Blake Road (Cold Storage site)
Blake Road Improvement Project
Recreation Services: Rec on the Go program
Park Improvements
Community Engagement and Outreach
Southwest Light Rail construction