SEQUIM — A City Council retreat this weekend will be an occasion to lay out objectives for the year and reflect on progress made in 2010.
The annual retreat will be Friday and Saturday at The Lodge at Sherwood Village, 660 Evergreen Farm Way.
The council will identify priorities to focus on this year and discuss how it wants to conduct business.
“I was hoping we could consider the annexation process and how to work it out with the urban growth area,” Mayor Ken Hays said.
“In my opinion, the city should have a program for how it fills out the UGA.”
The retreat, which will run from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, will be conducted by a professional facilitator, Julia Novak, and City Manager Steve Burkett.
Objectives to be discussed:
• Strengthening working relationships among council members
• Strengthening the partnership between the council and city staff.
• Reflecting on the progress of the existing council work plan.
• Identifying priorities for 2011.
‘Beliefs’ to be shared
On Friday, council members will be given an opportunity to share their “beliefs” about the future of the city.
According to the agenda, the council will “develop an understanding of the various perspectives of individual members of the governing body.”
Council meeting decorum and meeting management performance are also on the agenda.
In 2010, the council members discussed their desire that council meetings be conducted in a professional way.
They identified as important that meetings be business-like; that members stay on task concerning the order of the meeting; that everyone speaks once before others speak again; that members speak only speak when they have been recognized; and that they practice courtesy, come prepared and listen to one another and the public; that they practice a relaxed formality, balance meeting management with public input at direction of the mayor, feel free to be candid, don’t be afraid to show a sense of humor and complete fact-finding before discussion among council members.
Council members will be asked to self-evaluate their performance in these areas and identify issues where the council performed well and could have done better.
Feedback wanted
During Saturday’s session, the council will discuss what went well, what could have gone better and consider adjusting its meeting agenda to better serve the council.
Hays said he wants feedback from the staff.
“I want to hear how we are doing to help them accomplish their goals,” Hays said.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
