Board Retreat Goals

Paonia Town Board of Trustees

Goal Setting Work Session

Friday, October 2, 2020

• Board Participants:    Mary Bachran, Bill Bear, Karen Budinger, Tamie Meck, Michelle Pattison, Mick Johnson, Dave Knudson

  Staff Participants:  Neil Ferguson, Travis Loberg, CIndy Jones, Amanda Mojarro, Corinne  Ferguson. 

  Facilitator: Sally Kane

  Scribe:  Elaine Brett

  PURPOSE: To position the town council to work effectively towards the betterment of the town. This includes financial solvency, public health and safety concerns, and the general quality of civic life for the people who live here.

  GOAL 1 

  Administration: Review & update the Town’s Master Plan.

       Objective 1 - Create action steps to finish master plan

• • Using data already collected and Parks and Trails Plan Project, produce a draft by year end for the Planning Commission to review and complete.
  • Include existing Vision, Mission statements.
  • Monitor progress and if needed bring in outside expertise to complete the plan.

•      Objective 2 - Implement the finished master plan

• • Create implementation plan that is mindful of staff and other resources.
  • Create communication plan which will promote competency and instill confidence in the Town.

•            

  GOAL 2

  Development: Diversify and expand revenue streams to support improved services and amenities.

       Objective 1 - Identify and prioritize revenue needs

• • Align with Goal 3 and 4

•      Objective 2 - Explore and identify sources of revenue

• • Create retail marijuana sales rules and ordinances and implement (If Issues 2C and 2D pass in November).
  • Prioritize Back the Badge revenues (if Issue passes in November).
  • Use a targeted approach to grant seeking to most effectively use staff and board time and revenue generation.
  • Expand town boundaries (annexations) to add population and property tax
  • Be mindful and respectful of the opinions of those who do not want to annex.
  • Assess the increased workload on Town staff in the process.
  • Ensure the revenue will cover additional costs.
    • Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
      1. Explore required zoning changes
      2. Consider modified rates for water taps and factor in increased water usage.
      3. Investigate other possible fees.
    • Develop an economic development and small business promotion stimulation plan with One Delta County.
    • Investigate permitting food trucks.
    • Investigate registration and fees for short term lodging.
    • Pursue bigger revenue sources, e.g. grants, versus many smaller sources.
  • Objective 3 - Build reserves for future infrastructure improvements and maintenance.
  • Examine current fee structures and increase to build reserves.
  • GOAL 3

• Operations: Evaluate and address infrastructure and maintenance needs for reliably providing safe clean water, safe roads, trash and sewer for town residents

       Objective 1 - Immediate needs (early quick wins)

• • • Inform the community and celebrate work that has been already done.
    • Work to change the culture and demonstrate that things really get accomplished in Town.
    • Share the regular routine schedule for maintenance staff.
    • Complete water analysis study.
    • Implement a neighborhood clean up  and neighborhood pride projects
    • Communicate the sidewalk and street improvement plan.
    • Investigate a regular High Country Shopper section for Town accomplishments
  •      Objective 2 - Create a strategic 5 and 10 year plan
  • • Create Downtown Corridor Plan
    • Explore creative ideas to increase reserves other than raising utility rates
    • Define infrastructure needs/timelines
  • Water plan
  • Safe routes to schools plan
  • House restoration project with incentives
  • Drought management plan
  • GOAL 4

• Services/Amenities: Invest in improving the quality of town core services and amenities and insure adequate human resources to accomplish this.

  Objective 1 - Define the Town as the area to which we provide services, not just Town limits

• • Objective 2 - Define Town services:
  • Police
  • Trash
  • Water
  • Sewer
  • Roads
  • Parks
  • Interface with public. Communication
  • Event support
  • Objective 3 – Prioritize issues
  • Use Covey 4-Box to prioritize Urgent/Important and Non-urgent/Important tasks
  • Resist temptation to be distracted by Non-urgent/Non-important issues
  • Be respectful of staff time and allocate by importance and urgency of issue
  • OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS:
  • Staff has been around a long time. As such, Trustees need to value and respect their input: what will work, why something will not. Trustees also need to understand that staff have a lot of balls in the air at any given time and respect their time and opinions.
  • Look at ways to inspire community pride: Historic designations for old buildings/homes, awards for best landscaping, neighborhood beautification.
  • The Board needs to stay at the 30,000 foot level and let the staff be in the weeds.
  • PARKING LOT (To be addressed at a later time.)

• What is the Paonia culture and its importance to the community? 

  Small town sense of community

  What makes this a place you want to be?

  There is a renaissance of small towns and ex-pats returning home.

  Friendly, connected, clean, safe

  Is there a Welcome packet? Whose responsibility is this?

• • Continue to build trust between staff and Board and citizens. When trust goes up, drama goes down.
  • Start planning now if we want things to happen.
  • Build confidence in the Town. Get most people to believe it.
  • Strive for continuous improvement in competence.
  • The board needs to hear more from staff if issues arise; if we don’t know issues, we can’t address them.