HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - April 11, 2023 SMLODI CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CARNEGIE FORUM, 305 WEST PINE STREET
TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2023
The Lodi City Council Strategic Planning Session was called to order by Mayor Hothi at 8:06 a.m. at Hutchins
Street Square Pisano Room, 125 South Hutchins Street, Lodi.
Present: Council Member Bregman, Council Member Nakanishi, Council Member Yepez, Mayor Pro
Tempore Craig, and Mayor Hothi
Absent: None
Also Present: City Manager Schwabauer, City Attorney Magdich, and City Clerk Nashed
NOTE: There were no members of the public in attendance.
City Manager Schwabauer provided a brief presentation regarding the purpose of the Strategic Planning
Session and introduced Dr. Mike Mowery, President, Leadership Development and Strategic Foresight from
Strategic Resources, Inc., who would lead the session. Dr. Mowery explained his background and the
services provided by the company.
Dr. Mowery discussed cohesiveness in leadership and the need for the Council to have one voice with a
cohesive set of goals. He explained Tuckman's four stages of development that occur each time a team is
started or changed: Forming (honeymoon phase), Storming (conflict), Norming (beginning of a team vision
and success of projects), and Performing (stage of high performance). He stated that groups must remember
that each member needs to share his perspective, even if it brings conflict, or he robs the group of his
perspective, and that some groups confuse storming with norming, but fighting is not normal and the group
must find common ground.
Dr. Mowery provided a video by Simon Sinek on why great leaders make us feel safe.
Dr. Mowery discussed the Strategic Visioning Process. He stressed the importance of annual review of the
principles of good board governance. He presented the Strategic Visioning Loop developed to show the
development of the strategic vision. He explained the difference between a strategic vision and a strategic
plan. A strategic vision is about direction and priorities, and it is the responsibility of the Council to develop. A
strategic plan is about how to reach the vision and is developed by staff. In the Strategic Visioning Loop,
Council envisions a goal, staff develops a plan to reach the goal, Council affirms the plan, Council and staff
provide clarity through give-and-take, staff executes the plan, Council evaluates the progress, staff adjusts,
citizens provide input, and staff provides recommendations.
Dr. Mowery discussed effective Council governance and leadership; the benefits of effective governance and
leadership; challenges to effective teamwork and governance as a Council; and major governance
challenges.
Dr. Mowery discussed the top ten governance challenges identified by board chairs.
Council adjourned for a 15 minute break.
The meeting reconvened at 10:00 a.m.
Dr. Mowery discussed the roles and responsibilities of board members. He stated the five areas of
responsibility included formulating the organization's mission, vision, and goals; ensuring the financial health
of the organization; promoting efficient and effective management and systems; ensuring quality of services;
and monitoring board and organizational effectiveness in advancing the mission and in making the vision a
reality.
Dr. Mowery discussed Board Role 1 - external communicators; Role 2 - internal communicators; Role 3 -
fiduciary overseers; Role 4 - policy developers; Role 5 - information systems overseers; Role 6 - priority
enforcers; and Role 7 - strategic visionaries.
Dr. Mowery provided a video regarding filling the bucket with the large rocks (most important
responsibilities/goals) first and then fitting the small rocks (less important responsibilities/goals) around them.
Dr. Mowery discussed reputational drivers: what we want to be known for. Council Members and staff broke
into small groups and then reported back regarding their discussions.
Dr. Mowery provided instruction and divided City staff into five groups. Council rotated through the five groups
and listened to Department Directors discuss what they see on the horizon in their departments.
The meeting adjourned for a lunch break.
Mayor Hothi reconvened the meeting reconvened at 12:57 p.m.
NOTE: All Council Members were present and there were no members of the public in attendance.
Council Members reported back on what they had learned from meeting with the Department Directors.
Dr. Mowery introduced the topic of pressing needs of residents and stated that in developing strategic visions,
the needs of the residents must be considered.
Council Members broke into groups with City staff to discuss the pressing needs that should be considered
for the strategic visions.
Council Members reported back on their discussions. Needs included: affordable housing, downtown,
economic development, making redevelopment easier for property owners, infrastructure maintenance,
quality of life issues (public safety, parks, recreation programs, traffic enforcement, literacy, and Advanced
Life Support), homelessness, fentanyl crisis, and digitalization of City services.
Dr. Mower introduced the topic of opportunities, the threats to those opportunities, and ways to mitigate the
threats.
Council Members and City staff broke into groups to discuss future opportunities for the City, the threats to
those opportunities, and ways to mitigate the threats.
The groups reported back on their discussions. Future opportunities for the City included tourism and the
wine industry (threats - lack of housing and restaurants), city size (threat - lack of infrastructure), housing
(threat - lack of infrastructure), electricity and power supply. Other opportunities included quality amenities to
draw people to Lodi, opportunity to run departments like businesses/recouping costs and generating revenue,
opportunity to partner with County, and the opportunity to build out existing assets; threats to these
opportunities included staff time and investment, hiring of qualified employees, and community push
back. Additional opportunities included green power, work force development in the community, partnership
with agricultural community for economic development, and community assets such as Lodi Lake and
Hutchins Street Square; threats to these opportunities include generation drain as young people leave the
community to pursue careers, an aging population, and revenue based on sales tax income.
Dr. Mowery explained the Lodi Miracle exercise and asked attendees to dream about accomplishments for
2045. Council Members and City staff broke into groups.
Following the exercise, the meeting adjourned for a break.
Dr. Mowery explained the Strategic Pillars or Priorities exercise, asking Council Members to identify their top
five priorities and write them on index cards.
Council Members broke into groups of two to choose five priorities from the ten written on their cards. Mayor
Hothi sat out for the first round.
Group 1's five items were: invest in parks, promote data -driven culture, bring jobs, invest in infrastructure,
and invest in public safety.
Group 2's five items were: enhance park system, invest in economic future, revitalize downtown, ensure
public safety, and decrease homelessness.
Mayor Hothi presented his five items: build out downtown, public safety training, improve parks, employment
opportunities, and liven up the City.
Common goals included invest in parks, attract jobs/promote economic development, invest in public safety,
and revitalize downtown.
Dr. Mowery led discussion on finding a fifth common goal. Discussion ensued about the goal of promoting
housing, in conjunction with decreasing homelessness; homelessness also encompassing drug addiction and
mental health issues; infrastructure needs; homelessness' effect on economic development and on the
downtown area; and homelessness and the fentanyl crisis being part of public health. Dr. Mowery stated that
the City could have seven goals (invest in parks, attract jobs/promote economic development, invest in public
safety, revitalize downtown, invest in infrastructure, promote housing for all, and address public health),
although less progress will be made on some of the items due to lack of resources.
Discussion ensued regarding changing "public health" to "public well-being" and to include technology
infrastructure in the infrastructure goal.
Dr. Mowery recapped the day and gave a brief overview of items to be discussed tomorrow.
Council Members, City Manager Schwabauer, and Electric Utility Director Berkheimer shared their takeaways
from the day.
Mayor Hothi adjourned the meeting at 3:30 p.m.
ATTEST:
Olivia Nashed
City Clerk