Minutes - Council Work Session - 06/06/2023 - Special Strategic Planning

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City Administrator Hagen reviewed the fourth action plan of reviewing efficiency and effectiveness of advisory boards. He noted that Staff will put together what these boards do. He stated that there was also consideration at the last meeting if they were missing anything. He noted that this discussion first came up leading into the appointment process this year. He noted that the EPB is generally short on advisory members and is now full due to a good applicant pool. Councilmember Musgrove stated that she looked at the City Charter under Boards and Commissions and shared that there is some guidance on the different types of boards. She stated that she does not fully understand this. She asked if there could be some better understanding of what this portion of the charter directs the Council on. She noted that she does not see the need for any new boards or commissions. City Administrator Hagen shared that he reads this as if it is listed in the Charter, they need to have them unless there is a Charter amendment. Councilmember Musgrove explained that the Charter says that there should be no separate administrative board of health, library or any other administrative board or commission. She stated that this just gives the Council direction on some of these boards. She stated that it would be good to have a more helpful understanding on this. Councilmember Woestehoff stated that the clarifying words are ‘administrative board’ as opposite to ‘advisory board’ which he understands that they can have all sorts of advisory boards but none can take action without the Council. City Administrator Hagen reviewed the fifth action plan of analyzing operations. He noted that this item was mostly proposed and discussed by Councilmember Howell. He stated that this identifies and creates a strategy to eliminate inefficiencies, streamline processes and procedures for improved customer service and use of Staff time, find best prices on equipment and materials and organizational Staffing growth needs. He reviewed the sixth strategy of promoting economic growth and development. He stated that this is a carryover from the previous plan but has been updated with the more recent projects that have been taking place in the City. He noted that the City has been doing business retention visits. He added that they are hoping to improve the quality and attendance of the EDA events, which can be gauged by the Ramsey business attendance. He noted that over the past years there has been a 60%-66% and 85% attendance rate at the business expo. Councilmember Woestehoff asked if the attendance rate is the number of businesses within the City that attended or if the expo contained that percentage of Ramsey businesses. City Administrator Hagen said it was the percentages of Ramsey businesses at the expo. He continued by discussing the business networking breakfast. He noted the goal of 5,000 square feet of retail space and 50,000 of industrial space added each year and noted that they have been surpassing this goal. City Council Special Work Session /June 6, 2023 Page 4 of 13