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HomeMy WebLinkAbout071326 Special Session City Council Retreat Meeting MinutesCITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SESSION OF JULY 13, 2026 The Port Townsend City Council met in a Special Session on the 13th of July 2026 at the Point Hudson Port Pavilion, 355 Hudson St, Port Townsend, WA 98368 and Bishop Bottle Shop located at 714 Washington Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Howard called the meeting to order at 9:05am.. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present at roll call were David Faber, Amy Howard, Monica MickHager, Neil Nelson, Owen Rowe, Fred Obee, and Libby Wennstrom. Staff members present were City Manager John Mauro, Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin, Public Works Director Steve King, People and Performance Director Cynthia Shaffer, Community Services Director Melody Sky Weaver, Finance and Technology Services Director Jodi Adams, City Attorney Austin Watkins, Chief of Police Tom Olson and City Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues. WELCOME AND HOUSEKEEPING City Manager John Mauro provided the 2027 Strategic Work Plan Summit: Welcome! Presentation which included Agenda Overview and Welcome and Housekeeping. Discussion ensued around purpose of workplan. Staff and Council participated in a real-time feedback Menti meter regarding mindset and one -word outlook for 2027. John Mauro continued the presentation which included Workshop Principles. Staff and Council participated in a real-time feedback Menti meter regarding workshop principles and principles & values. POSITIVE REFLECTIONS Staff and Council participated in a Fishbowl Exercise regarding Positive Reflections, Discussion ensued around cooperation, progress on streets, long term budgeting, financial situation better, grant funding, investing in the future, collaborating with partners, ICG, economic development, discontent, reaction, transparency, people speaking up, accurate information, perception, relationship with media, light heartedness, grant, workload, Comprehensive Plan, resources, litigation, previous work done, complete staff, engagement, skills development, statutorily required work, Olympic Peninsula challenges, base principles, department successes, and gratitude. CORE "MUST DO" REQUIREMENTS Staff and Council participated in the "Song of the Unsung Services" exercise. Discussion ensued around staff learning about other parts of City, Wastewater Treatment Plant record, resourcefulness, hard working staff, trustworthy staff, seeing staff in public, housing, proactive stance, mowing trade off, priorities, gaps, water system permits, HR, Finance, internal facing services, and language access. Council and staff took a break at 10:23am. Council and staff came back from break at 10:40am. THE LANDSCAPE Staff and Council participated in "The Landscape" exercise. Discussion ensued around Community Services Department, City Attorney Office, Public Works Department, People and Performance Department, Police Department, Finance and Technology Service Department, Planning and Community Development Department, and City Manager's Office. Council took a break at 11:48am. Council came back from break at 11:53am. Staff and Council reported out on where we are in our 2026 workplan, what's happening externally that impacts us- or may impact us, what are current opportunities and what are potential threats. (Flip Chart pictures attached) TECHNICAL EXPERT CONSULTS John Mauro explained the Technical Expert Consults exercise. Discussion ensued around including Advisory Board letters, process, and upcoming exercises, Council and staff participated in the Technical Expert Consults,. LUNCH Council took a break for lunch at 12:30pm, Council came break from lunch at 1:OOpm, PRIORITY PITCHES John Mauro presented Priority Pitches: Background, Clearing the Table & Refining Our Focus, and Priority Pitches: Step 1. John Mauro explained the Priority Pitches exercise. Staff and Council participated in the Priority Pitches exercise. (Flip Chart pictures attached) Discussion ensued around wanting a yellow sticker, limited number of top priority dots, Advisory Body letters, and feeling bad putting a red dot. John Mauro continued Priority Pitches: Background presentation which included Priority Pitches: Step 2. John Mauro explained the 35/10 Crowdsourcing exercise. Staff and Council participated in the 35/10 Crowdsourcing exercise. BREAK Council went on a break at 2:OOpm Council came back from break at 2:08pm. PRIORITY PITCHES CONTINUED John Mauro and Public Works Director Steve King explained Forced Pairs exercise. Staff and Council continued participation in the 35/10 Crowdsourcing and Forced Pairs exercise by reviewing, discussing, comparing, and ranking priority pitches. (Spreadsheet attached) Council took a break at 2:47pm. Council came out of break at 2:52pm, Council went back into break at 2:54pm. Council came out of break at 3:04pm. Discussion continued around the Forced Pairs exercise results which included reflections, project time frames, effort vs. output, fiscal impact, work impact, urgency vs. importance, modernizing mobile vending, and Agriculture Comp Plan request. Discussion continued around the Agriculture Comp Plan request which included not being a clear request, water rights, Council involvement and initiative, saving space for item, water storage study, water rates, commercial agriculture, managing urban agriculture system, Department of Ecology, specific/direct asks, grant, policies affecting Growers in negative ways, request consideration, managing deer priority, problem statement, suggested amendment process, subdivision code reform, setting time aside to look at issues, other policy options, Council member Obee work with them, and "why" is strong but need the "what". Discussion continued around encampment concerns, a lot of unknown, "Yetis", workplan sizing, Inclusionary Zoning market analysis, Housing and Economic Development, Permitting Modernization, Housing Grants, MFTE, Infrastructure to Infill and Housing, items rely on each other, Modernizing Food Trucks and Mobile Vendors, Updating Permit Fees, affordable housing incentive programs, Infill Surplus Properties, Waiver of Vesting, level of efforts, Downtown Refuse Management, Noise Ordinance, Managing Deer, Council Chambers, Science of Hope in Public Engagement, and Creative District - Art Marker Relocation. WRAP AND NEXT STEPS Staff and Council participated in a real-time feedback Menti meter regarding what themes emerged and word describing mindset leaving retreat. Mayor Howard and John Mauro provided closing remarks and next steps. Discussion ensued around strategic pillars, agenda bill template, fit in what we can, encampments, name items where other organizations are driving process, state budget, community engagement, and group photo. Council went into a break at 4:38pm to travel and gather at the Bishop Hotel Bottleshop. Mala •" �•« , • Council came back from break at 5:00pm. City Council members and leadership gathered at the Bishop Hotel Bottleshop, 714 Washington St, Port Townsend at 5:00pm for a Social Get Together. The meeting adjourned at 7:21 pm. Attest: Aly a I o&fgues City Clerk