Town Seal

Town of Chapel Hill

Town Council and Manager Interviews

February 5-6, 2009

THEMATIC SUMMARY

 

 

 

Town Council & Manager Interviews: Thematic Summary

 

In February, 2009, The Lee Institute conducted interviews with all members of the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Town Manager in order to prepare for the upcoming annual Town Council Retreat. The interviews explored components of a successful retreat as well as issues Chapel Hill is facing. Questions asked include:

  1. What does a successful retreat look like for you?  For the council?
  2. Based on the past retreats are there any changes that you would suggest for this retreat, for example, staff roles and participation, time and schedule?
  3. As a council member, where are you been most successful working together? Where are the tensions?
  4. Over the next 12 to 24 months, what should be the focus for the town?
  5. What do you think is the impact of the current economy on the town's budget? And the growth plans?
  6. What should I know to successfully facilitate the retreat?

 

Council members expressed a wide and diverse range of opinions concerning these questions.  However, there were a few dominant themes that surfaced throughout the conversations.

 

First, most interviewees expressed a desire for clear outcomes for the day and that clearly defined roles for staff, Council members and the facilitator. Council members believe the Council can be more productive and have stronger working relationships.  Establishing Ground Rules and being prompt were recommended to aid in meeting productivity.

 

Next, several issues were identified by the interviewees as contentious among the council members– Transit, Land Use, Planning, Carolina North, Downtown and Panhandling. Interviewees were forthright in identifying political differences that are causing stress to the group around these topics as well as the general working relationships.

 

Potential focuses for the next one to two years identified during the interviews include:

 

Almost all of the interviewees agreed that the Council needs to take another look at the comprehensive plan; however, there is not a common definition for the “what” or the “how”.  When discussing the plan some specifically referenced land use, density, and corridors as components for discussion. Others cited the need for the plan to contain details such as action items and measurements to evaluate progress.

 

In response to the question concerning the impact of the current economy on the budget, the growth and development were mentioned the most. Several interviewees felt it important for staff to provide a more in depth picture of the impact of the economy on Chapel Hill - through forecasts, discussions of funding streams, and an explanation of the Manager’s actions in response to the economic impact.

 

Interviewees also expressed interest in having staff provide the background information for topics due to their expertise, but a desire for decision making to be left to the Council. A clear outcome of the retreat should be the identification of clearly defined goals that are attainable, measurable and within budget – especially considering the current economic environment. Council members expressed a desire for the goals to be crafted with staff input.  And Council expressed the desire to see action - to see progress in visible, meaningful ways in the next year.