October 30, 2017 Council Meeting
City of Oronoco
Special LMC / City Council Workshop
October 30, 2017
5:00PM
I.Call to Order: Mayor Ryland Eichhorst called the workshop to order at5:01pm
II.Roll Call: Mayor Ryland Eichhorst, Councilor Trish Shields, Councilor Beau Hanenberger, Councilor Carl Krause, Councilor Nancy Quimby, Clerk Sandy Jessen, Assistant Clerk Rebecca McGuire, and LMC Staff Attorneys Pamela Whitmore and Dan Greensweig.
Resident Dick Nelson attended as well.
III.LMC Workshop:
Pam Whitmore introduced herself to Mr. Nelson. She went over what LMC does and explained the reasons for the meeting today. Dan Greensweig went over the difference between the Minnesota Cities league side and the trust side. He appreciates being here at the meeting. Mr. Nelson stated that he is considering running for office and wants to know what is going on.
Pam handed out a packet with Council tips for communications and guidelines regarding social media. The packet also had the agenda and the printed off powerpoint outlining the meeting. Pam started off reading what was in the packet about communication. Mayor Ryland Eichhorst addressed the article about the school board that was received at the last meeting. He stated it was very good and hopes everyone else read it. Pam suggested not using “you” statements and respect who is talking during communication.
Council exercise: Everyone went around saying why they ran for office /employment and what their frustrations are with Council/staff. The reasons why council members ranfor office were: love of the community, giving back, making a better future. Some of the issues the council is having as a whole arecommunication, professionalism, respect, response, and followingcity policy. Pam suggested being more open to understanding someone else, to think about your mindset during conversations. Mr. Nelson brought up there being a lack of communication between the west and east side of the city. (Discussion on getting the word out there for community involvement and getting out public knowledge. Rebecca stated that a lot of information goes out to the website, out in newsletters, and posted on Facebook, at City Hall, and at the post office. This City does not have a lack of information going out. It’s all about if residents have the time and want to go over it. Community involvement is hard to come by. A lot of Oronoco has children or retirees. People are busy or not interested.)
Council moved into the discussion on, going over frustrations and how it can be fixed. What can be done differently?
1. Working as a team and not as an individual. Not one council member can make any decision outside of council. Not one member speaks for all of the council. Decisions are made as a team and respected as a team. When decisions are made, respect that and not take it outside the meeting to make your disagreement know all over our town.
2. The council agenda and how to make it flow better so the meetings aren’t as long. Suggestions on not going over the committee meeting minutes. If everyone starts reading their packets beforehand, committee discussion shouldn’t need to take place during the council meeting unless it is something that needs council directive.
3. What is appropriate during the meeting and in public forum and public hearings. Agreement to let the Mayor run the meeting, not over talking each other, and having the Mayor sum up what was said so everyone feels heard and that their opinion was respected.
5. The relationship between council and staff.Suggested that communication and respect are better needed between both parties to have an efficiently running city. A lot of communication is done by email and only that council member is allowed to be on and responding to their city email. Staff agreed to call more often for communication and members agreed to check into city hall and ask questions.
6. City ordinance violations.How they are handled. What is the policy? Council members would like updated on where ordinance violations are at and when they are completed.
7. Civic engagement sessions to give the public a talking session about policies.Suggestion to help residents understand City procedures on topics.
8.Touched base on open meeting laws to clarify a few points.
IV.Adjournment: theworkshop was adjourned at7:23pm
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