Bronwyn's Council Preview

The Ames City Council meets on Saturday at 8:30am for its annual Goal Update Session at Homewood Municipal Golf Course . The public is invited to attend, but there are no opportunities for public input at this meeting. The agenda is outlined below, followed by some supporting documents, including a memo on how to prep for the meeting, last year's goals, current Council referrals that staff are working on, and a few documents about Council can best work together as a decision-making body.
 

Goal-Setting Session Working Agenda:

8:30 a.m. Call to Order, Breakfast

8:30 – 8:35 a.m. Welcome (Mayor)

8:35 – 8:40 a.m. Review Agenda (Mayor)

8:40 – 9:15 a.m. Sharing: Apprehensions Council Members Had When First Elected, How These were Overcome, and Lessons Learned (Mayor)

9:15 – 9:30 a.m.  Effective Decision-Making Body (Steve)
- How have we done at this?

9:30 – 10:20 a.m. Different Roles of the City Council/City Staff:

• a. What is the role of Council?: (Mayor)
  • i. Policy Maker vs. Manager
  • ii. Representative Democracy vs. Direct Democracy
  • iii. Respecting the Roles of our Partners
• b. Interactions with the Public (Mayor)
• c. Council Member Interactions with Each Other (Mayor)
• d. Interactions with the Staff (Steve, Deb, and Brian)
• e. What Can the Staff Do to Help the Council Become a More Effective Governing Body? (Steve)
• How have we done in each area? (Mayor)

10:20 – 10:30 a.m. BREAK

10:30 – 11:20 a.m. Review Previous Values, Goals, and Tasks and Planning Program of Work (Deb and Brian)

11:20 – Noon Review the critical needs of the community submitted by Council Members; answer questions (Steve, Deb, and Brian)

Noon – 12:30 p.m. LUNCH

12:30 – 2:45 p.m. Identify and agree on values and goals (and tasks if time allows) that
respond to these critical needs (tasks may need staff follow-up after the
session) (Steve, Deb, and Brian)

Final 15 minutes Wrap Up and Discuss Next Steps (Mayor) (adjourn by 3:00)

Supporting Documents:
 

• 1 CC Goal Setting Preparation Memo.
• 2 Council Goals Jan2020-Dec2021
• 3 Council Report On Referrals
• 4 2022 PH Workplan Status 
• 5 Effective Decision Making Body 2020
• 6 What the saff can do to help the council become a more effective governing body
• 7-Mayor and City Council interaction policy

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, At Large