MINUTES OF A WORK SESSION HELD BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1994 AT 5:3OPM

Mayor Broun called the meeting to order. Council Members in attendance were Joyce Brown, Joe Capowski, Mark Chilton, Pat Evans, Lee Pavão, Barbara Powell, Jim Protzman and Rosemary Waldorf. Also in attendance were Town Manager Cal Horton, Assistant Town Managers Sonna Loewenthal and Florentine Miller, Transportation Director Bob Godding, Public Works Director Bruce Heflin, Parks and Recreation Director Mike Loveman, Engineering Director George Small, Personnel Director Pat Thomas and Planning Director Roger Waldon.

Mr. Horton said there had been a great response by staff to make suggestions about possible improvements to Town services. He stated that over 900 staff ideas excluding duplications, items of a personal nature or items over which the Town had no control, had been forwarded to the Council. Mr. Horton noted that the ideas had been categorized into items which would require Council action and those which could be handled administratively. He also said the ideas had been categorized by department. Mr. Horton stated that a number of the ideas would cost money and would require the purchase of equipment. He briefly noted a few of the ideas on the list including the possibility of contracting out parking services or cemeteries. Mr. Horton stated that all ideas on the listing would be followed up in some manner. He noted that staff could concentrate its time and effort to produce more polished staff work prior to the Council's January planning retreat.

Mayor Broun opened the floor for discussion and suggestions by the Council. Council Member Pavão asked whether the ideas were submitted anonymously by employees. Mr. Horton stated that most of the ideas were submitted anonymously or in general brainstorming sessions.

Noting that she had circled the ideas which she thought had the most merit, Council Member Powell inquired whether staff was compensated for overtime relative to advisory board and commission meetings. Mr. Horton said this was dependent upon the employee's organizational standing. He noted that most employees received compensatory time off rather than monetary compensation. Mr. Horton stated that it was possible to calculate the total cost of

staffing for all boards and commissions.

Council Member Powell stated that idea number six on the Council list was a very good suggestion. Council Member Pavão said he concurred.

Council Member Protzman suggested that the Council consider categorizing ideas into those involving cost reductions, neutral costs and higher costs. Council Member Brown inquired how much staff time would be involved in this type of categorization. She suggested that the Council look at the most efficient way of doing things to achieve cost savings. Mr. Horton said he thought it was possible to categorize the ideas in the three categories suggested.

Council Member Waldorf suggested that Council Members examine administrative ideas on at least one more occasion. Council Member Brown said she favored having the Council examine all the ideas in the near future. Council Member Chilton said the demarcation between the two categories was not precise. Mr. Horton concurred, stating that there were some ideas on the administrative list which might contradict existing Council policies.

Council Member Capowski noted that the administrative list contained a number of highly technical matters such as those in Fire Department equipment operations. Mayor Broun noted that the administrative list also contained many ideas which the Manager could implement without input from the Council. Council Member Brown noted that the cost of installing a faster elevator in the Town Hall on the administrative list might involve significant expense. Mayor Broun suggested that the Council talk about specific ideas, prioritize ideas and devise a process for prioritization. He suggested that the Council continue to discuss ideas.

Council Member Chilton suggested that idea number nine,not cablecasting future Council meetings, be eliminated from further discussion. Noting that several ideas dealt with reducing paper usage, Council Member Pavão suggested that these items be categorized together. Council Member Capowski noted that although the Council received a lot of paper, the staff's written recommendations and related materials made for more efficient Council decision-making. Mayor Broun suggested that the staff focus on means to reduce paperwork as a high priority.

Council Member Chilton said the Council could consider "action-only" minutes for business meetings. Council Member Capowski said he opposed this possible change. He also suggested that the Town should focus on greater marketing efforts including clothing and other items. Mayor Broun suggested the possibility of focusing on privatization efforts. Council Member Brown asked how contracting in of recycling and contracting out of parking would be balanced. Mr. Horton noted that staff had made no formal evaluation of privatization possibilities. Council Member Evans suggested a category concerning consolidation of departments and boards and commissions. Council Member Protzman suggested the possible consolidation of Town maintenance components. Mayor Broun briefly reviewed the proposed general categories including paperwork reduction, privatization, contracting in and consolidation of departments and services.

Council Member Waldorf said there were a number of technical personnel related matters which the Council could not fully evaluate but needed to be taken seriously.

Noting that one suggestion was to have a Town-wide maintenance department, Council Member Powell asked whether this could be applied to other types of Town maintenance. Mr. Horton said yes.

Council Member Capowski stated that methods of disseminating Town information merited further investigation by staff. Council Member Brown noted that staff would be bringing a follow-up report on public notification procedures to the Council in the near future.

Council Member Evans suggested investigating the possibility of investigating some joint services with the Town of Carrboro and Orange County.

Council Member Powell suggested having a category concerning better working conditions for employees, including the hiring of additional staff. Mayor Broun stated that these items could be included in the personnel category.

Council Member Waldorf noted that the proposed list contained more service addition suggestions than reductions.

Council Member Capowski requested additional information about the possibility of selling surplus Town land. Mr. Horton stated that it would not take a great deal of effort to update an inventory of Town-owned land. He noted that the Town owned some unused land which might be marketable.

Council Member Capowski said converting to a "pay as you throw" refuse collection system, the Town would likely save money. He also noted that the Parks and Recreation Department was currently studying its user fees.

Mayor Broun inquired whether the Council wished to emphasize cost-cutting items as a major priority. He noted that if cost savings were achieved, the Council could make decisions about whether to add services or cut back. Council Member Protzman stated that the Council needed to discipline itself budgetarily and take on the hard task of looking for additional savings.

Mayor Broun stated that this morning the Town had received a grant for new police officers. Noting that the Town would have to pay a portion of the costs for these officers, Mayor Broun said it would be a nice idea to fund these positions from savings realized.

Council Member Brown suggested grouping together items which lent themselves to tax reductions. She urged the Council to seriously consider ways to reduce taxes so that the Town did not continue to become a more expensive place to reside.

Council Member Evans noted that eight out of ten ideas she had initially written on a personal brainstorming idea list were contained in the staff's list to the Council. She stated that the two ideas not noted were to review the Town's pavement resurfacing schedule and the encouragement of grant applications. Council Member Brown inquired whether staff was preparing a report on the pavement resurfacing schedule. Mr. Horton said this was correct. Council Member Powell asked whether the Town had a full-time grants coordinator position. Mr. Horton said no, noting that a few employees were involved in grants writing on an occasional basis.

Council Member Brown stated that the Citizens Energy Task Force would be interested in assisting with energy saving ideas on the list. Mayor Broun asked whether these ideas could be turned over to the Task Force. Council Member Brown stated that the Task Force could examine the ideas.

Noting the importance of keeping service levels to citizens, staff and the Council as high as possible, Council Member Capowski emphasized the correlation between good staff reports and good decision making by the Council. He said although paperwork reduction might achieve some short-term staff or paper savings, it was also important for the Council to continue to receive full information for decision making.

Council Member Powell stated that a number of interesting ideas had been submitted concerning Planning Department operations. Council Member Waldorf said that a number of items on the Planning Department list involved policy issues, especially idea number 212. Council Member Powell noted that in no way did she necessarily agree with all the Planning Department ideas.

Council Member Protzman said although new technologies such as voice mail and electronic mail offered some distinct advantages, it was also important to make a careful cost-benefit analysis relative to these items. Council Member Protzman also stated that he had mixed feelings about advocacy for non-automobile transit modes. He suggested that the Council keep open the question of advocacy since it appeared that the Council did not always get their money's worth from these types of programs.

Noting the importance of the Council having an ongoing level of contact with a variety of Town departments, Council Member Powell said she did not favor discontinuing the delivery of Council packets by Fire or Police Department personnel.

Mayor Broun asked whether there were any staff suggestions for the follow-up report. Mr. Horton suggested dealing with items in terms of higher priorities including reducing costs, privatizing services, contracting in services and reducing services. He also said staff could eliminate duplications in the list and organize the materials more consistently. Mr. Horton stated that the staff's report would focus in on specific reports and follow-up items.

Council Member Protzman encouraged the Council to highlight items on the list which were good ideas and could be implemented in the near term. He stated that implementation of some of these ideas would have a positive impact on staff morale. Mayor Broun suggested that the Council have a follow-up session, with staff preparing detailed reports by January or February. He added that the Council could have another brief session in the near future to discuss service-related ideas.

Council Member Pavão requested that the Manager's follow-up report include comments on administrative item cuts. Council Member Waldorf requested that the staff bring back "trial balloons" rather than completed staff work. She inquired what the Council should do until the staff prepared a follow-up report.

Mayor Broun suggested that Council Members go through the lists again to identify items which items made the most sense and those which did not. Council Member Waldorf inquired whether Council Members should develop "yes" and "no" lists. Mayor Broun said this was a good idea. Council Member Protzman suggested that the Council examine which items merited further study and which ones did not.

Council Member Powell said item #223, concerning the Police Department neighborhood services unit was an important item. Council Member Waldorf concurred. Council Member Capowski emphasized the importance of the Council focusing on the importance of providing good services to citizens while maintaining fair property tax rates.

Mr. Horton expressed his appreciation to the Council for their valuable role in the outpouring of ideas from Town employees. Stating that the document was a remarkable one, Mayor Broun thanked the staff for their excellent work. Council Member Waldorf said she liked the candor of the staff's suggestions.

Mr. Horton stated that staff would bring back a resolution at the October 24th meeting to schedule a follow-up session on Town services.

The session concluded at 6:59 p.m.