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CITY OF CARLISLE  
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
 
Monday, November 03, 2007, 6:00 P.M.
Carlisle City Hall Council Chamber


Officials present were: Mayor Ruth Randleman, Council Members Douglas Hammerand and Drew Merrifield, Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Kay Black and City Administrator Neil Ruddy.  Council Members Frank Shultz, Eric Mahnke and Blair Dewey were absent.  Also present were Council Members-elect Alma Reed and Robert Van Ryswyk, Planning and Goal-setting facilitator Gary Olney of American Management Resources, Michelle Walker and Jeff Means.  Due to the lack of a quorum, the meeting was conducted as a discussion.

Mayor Randleman presided and called the discussion to order at 6:00 P.M.

Definitions of mission, values, vision, goals, objectives and strategies were explained and the Carlisle mission statement was discussed.  The mission is the purpose of the organization and the reason the organization exists.  Carlisle’s purposes include preserving small town values, providing a safe and sustainable environment and promoting citizen involvement. 

Council Member Eric Mahnke arrived at 6:08 P.M. and provided a quorum. 

The group worked on organizing and visualizing a random thought process in order to identify MAJOR AREAS OF CONCERN which were then organized into SHORT TERM GOALS with action steps, measurement points and achievement dates.  The time frame for achievement was 2 years.  The Des Moines Iowa Highway 5 corridor conceptual development plan, the Action Plans from the Carlisle Master Plan 2001 and the 2007-08 capital improvement plan formed the basis for the discussion.  It was the consensus of the group that the major areas of concern for Carlisle are: COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY IDENTITY, OPERATIONS AND SERVICES AND COMMUNICATIONS. 

Short-term goals for Community Improvement include STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, A BALL FIELD COMPLEX, COMPLETION OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM AND A SKATE PARK. 

ACTION STEPS for streets and sidewalks include the COUNTY LINE ROAD INTERSECTION REALIGNMENT, with the first measurement point to complete the design, the REPAIR AND COMPLETION OF THE EXISTING SIDEWALK SYSTEM, with the first measurement point to identify and notify property owners, and PAVING MAIN STREET AND ITS SIDE STREETS between 1st St. and 8th St., with the first measurement point to complete the design utilizing low-impact principles.      

ACTION STEPS for a ball field complex include IDENTIFYING AND ACQUIRING LAND, with the first measurement point to negotiate a price, COMPLETING A DESIGN, and ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.

ACTION STEPS for completion of the trail system include COMPLETING A DESIGN, ACQUIRING EASEMENTS and ACQUIRING MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATION.

ACTION STEPS for completion of a skate park include IDENTIFYING AND ACQUIRING LAND, with the first measurement point to negotiate a price, COMPLETING A DESIGN, and ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.

Short-term goals for Economic Development include COMPLETION OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UPDATING TAX INCENTIVES, COMPLETION OF A MARKETING PLAN and COMPLETION OF AN ANNEXATION PLAN.

ACTION STEPS for completion of a comprehensive plan include BUDGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, RETAINING A CONSULTANT and REVISING ORDINANCES.

ACTION STEPS for updating tax incentives include IDENTIFYING AND DESIGNATING ADDITIONAL URBAN RENEWAL AREAS, IDENTIFYING AND DESIGNATING ADDITIONAL TAX INCREMENT DISTRICTS and RENEWING THE URBAN REVITALIZATION (TAX ABATEMENT) PLAN.

ACTION STEPS for completion of a Marketing Plan include OBTAINING A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, RETAINING A CONSULTANT and IMPLEMENTATION.

ACTION STEPS for completion of an annexation plan include BUDGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, RETAINING A CONSULTANT and IMPLEMENTATION.

Short-term goals for community identity include SIGNAGE, COMPLETION OF A BRANDING PLAN and COMPLETION OF THE HISTORICAL HOUSE.

ACTION STEPS for signage include REPLACEMENT OF THE EAST AND WEST WELCOME SIGNS AND CONSTRUCTION OF A DOWNTOWN WELCOME SIGN, with the first measurement point to obtain a financial commitment from the Chamber of Commerce, and CONSTRUCTION OF A DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IDENTIFICATION SIGN, with the first measurement point to identify and acquire a location.

ACTION STEPS for completion of a branding plan include BUDGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, RETAINING A CONSULTANT and IMPLEMENTATION.  

ACTION STEPS for completion of the Historical House include COMPLETION OF ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AND SITE PLAN, COMPLETION OF INTERIOR RESTORATION and COMPLETION OF EXTERIOR RESTORATION with the first measurement point to organize and conduct a capital campaign.

Short term goals for Operations and Services include MAINTAINING THE RELIABILITY OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, IMPROVING THE CAPABILITY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT and IMPROVING THE CAPABILITY OF THE WATER AND WASTEWATER DIVISION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

ACTION STEPS for maintaining the reliability of Emergency Medical Services include ANALYZING DELIVERY OPTIONS, with the first measurement point a cost-benefit analysis of part-time on call, full-time and outsourcing options and SELECTING AND IMPLEMENTING THE BEST DELIVERY OPTION.

ACTION STEPS for improving the capability of the Police Department include BUDGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, NEGOTIATING A SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE CARLISLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, and SELECTING AND HIRING A POLICE LIAISON OFFICER.

ACTION STEPS for improving the capability of the Water and Wastewater Division of the Public Works Department include SELECTING AND HIRING A CERTIFIED OR APPRENTICE WATER/WASTEWATER OPERATOR.

Short term goals for Communications include IMPROVING THE CITY WEBSITE, REESTABLISHING THE CITY NEWSLETTER, ESTABLISHING A CITIZENS ACADEMY and IMPROVING THE LOCAL ACCESS CABLE CHANNEL.

ACTION STEPS for improving the City Website include MORE TIMELY POSTING OF NEWS AND INFORMATION, with the first measurement point assignment of responsibility, MORE TIMELY POSTING OF AGENDAS AND MINUTES, with the first measurement point assignment of responsibility, and INCREASING INTERACTIVE SERVICES, with the first measurement point a survey of what types of interactive services the community would prefer.

ACTION STEPS for reestablishing the City Newsletter include BUDGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, and ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR NEWS-GATHERING AND LAYOUT.

ACTION STEPS for establishing a Citizens Academy include BUDGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR COORDINATING THE PROGRAM, DEVELOPMENT OF A CURRICULUM and RECRUITMENT OF CLASS MEMBERS.

ACTION STEPS for improving the local access cable channel include BUDGETING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR COORDINATING THE PROGRAM and NEGOTIATING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CARLISLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR USE OF THE CHANNEL.

Council Member Drew Merrifield left at 8:30 P.M. and ended the quorum.

The need to establish a strategy for responding to the Des Moines Iowa Highway 5 corridor conceptual development plan and the need for Carlisle to make a commitment to community planning were discussed.

Due to the lack of a quorum, the discussion ended at 9:00 P.M.

Attest:

                                                                        ___________________________________

            Ruth Randleman, Mayor

Attest:

___________________________

Neil Ruddy, Administrator/Clerk

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