Minutes TC 08/01/2010 and 08/02/2010 - Council RetreatMINUTES FROM SPECIAL WORKSESSION TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR
THE TOWN OF TROPHY CLUB
LOCATION: 100 MUNICIPAL DRIVE, TROPHY CLUB, TEXAS
Sunday, August 1, 2010
STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF DENTON
The Town Council of the Town of Trophy Club , Te xas , met in a Special Workshop Session on Sunday,
August 1, 2010 . The meeting was held at Robson Ranch , 9501 Robson Blvd . Denton , TX 7620 7 and was
open to the public .
TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
Connie White Mayor
Bill Rose Mayor Pro Tem
J.D . Stotts Council Member
Margi Cantrell Council Member
Larry Hoover Council Member
Glenn Strother Council Member arrived at 4.45 p .rn
STAFF AND GUEST(S) PRESENT:
Wendy Skinner President Wendy Skinner and Associates
Stephen Seidel Acting Town Manager
Lisa Hennek Town Secretary
Patricia Adams Town Attorney
Mayor White announced the date of August 1, 2010, called to order and announced a quorum at
12:12 p.m.
The Agendas for both Se ss ion s are a tt ached.
1. Review and refine the Town's strategy and identify opportunities for action regarding the
following related items:
A. Setting the Stage
B. Context for Strategic Planning
C . ViSion , Mission and Values
D. Strengths , Weaknesses , Opportun ities , & Threats Analysis
Mayor White welcomed everyone and introduced Wendy Skinner from Wendy Skinner and Associates .
Wendy Skinner gave a brief history of her experience and specialization in strategic management.
ADJOURN
Meeting adjourned at 6 :00 p .m .
MINUTES FROM SPECIAL WORKSESSION TOWN COUNCIL MEETING FOR
THE TOWN OF TROPHY CLUB
LOCATION: 100 MUNICIPAL DRIVE, TROPHY CLUB, TEXAS
Monday,August2,2010
STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF DENTON
The Town Council of the Town of Trophy Club, Texas , met in a Special Workshop Session on Monday,
August 2 , 2010 . The meeting was held at Robson Ranch, 9501 Robson Blvd . Denton, TX 76207 and was
open to the public.
TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
Connie White Mayor
Bill Rose Mayor Pro Tem
JO. Potts Council Member
Margi Cantrell Council Member
Larry Hoover Council Member
Glenn Strother Council Member
STAFF AND GUEST(S) PRESENT:
Wendy Skinner President Wendy Skinner and Associates
Stephen Seidel Acting Town Manager
Patricia Adams Town Attorney
Mayor White announced the date of August 2,2010, called to order and announced a quorum at
8:10 a.m.
Continue review and refinement of the Town's strategy and identify opportunities for action regarding the
following related items:
A Recap of work completed on Sunday, August 1, 2010
B. Town Council Goals and Objectives
C. Ideas for Action
D. Idea Prioritization
E . Session Wrap and Next Steps
A synopsis from both sessions is attached.
ADJOURN
Meeting adjourned at 2 :08 p .m .
Connie White, Mayor
Town of Trophy
2
to.:::. C 1
Agenda
Day 1
Setting the Stage
• Strategic Management Overview
Vision, Mission and Values
SWOT Review
Day 2
• Trophy Club Goals and Priorities
• Ideas for Action
• Prioritizing the Landscape
Next Steps
Setting the Stage -Why We're Here
Objectives for the Retreat
• Build awareness and understanding of Strategic
Management and its potential benefits for the Town
Develop a shared view and alignment on Town's strategy
and goals -clarify what they are and what they mean
Determine and agree on appropriate service levels for
Town services
Identify and prioritize the actions to achieve the goals
• Discuss roles and responsibilities for on-going
management activities
Agree on next steps
Strategic Management
What it is and Why it is Important
Strategic Management is a discipline . It is a set of key
processes integrated into an overall management system.
Strategic
Management
System
-The Council agreed the Town could benefit
from implementing a strategic management
approach
,> The Council self-assessment is on the next
slide
Focus thus far has been primarily on
Formulate/Review strategy
• Still requires work on customer insight which
will be achieved via a citizen survey
Next areas of focus:
8 Developing Operational Plans
Continue work on departmental business
plans
~ Develop key performance indicators to
measure performance against plan
" Build Alignment
Develop a communications strategy and plan
8 Monitor Perfonnance
, Establish a regular reporting schedule
A Great Strategy + Flawless Execution =Impressive Results
Strategic Management -Town Council Self-Assessment
Scores represent an average of the Town Council's individual assessments
Scores are typical for an organization in the early stage of implementation, with higher
scores in the Formulate/Review phase and progressively lower in the following
phases
Organizations usually see scores improve to the 4-5 range in all phases 24-36
months into implementation
Formulate I Review Strategy
DevelopMonitor Strategic OperationalManagementPerformance
System Plans
Rating Scale:
5 -We are great at this
4 -We are good at this
3 -We are okay at this
2 -We are not good at thisBuild Alignment
1 -We do not have this
Strategic Management High Level Timeline -Example
• •Strategic * *= Retreats
Planning
Workshop Develop Dept.
Plans and Budgets,
Prioritize Initiatives
Review Dept. Plans/ Adopt Plan Budgets, Finalize and Budget
Budget Projections
Begin execution
of annual plans )
Ongoing Performance Monitoring and Reporting -Monthly Meetings /
Performance Data Collection, Issue Resolution and Communications
1Q Report 2Q Report 3Q Report 4Q Report
to Council to Council to Council to Council
Vision, Mission and Values
Setting the Foundation
When done well, vision and mission statements give an
organization a compelling sense of purpose and direction
Mission
Focuses on the present and defines the fundamental
purpose of an organization, describing why it exists
and how it will achieve its desired vision.
Vision
Describes the desired future state of an organization
in terms of its strategic direction and what will be
achieved if the organization is successful.
V isit M issionStatements .com for a wide variety of examples.
The Town of Trophy Club's vision statement
remains unchanged
TROPHY CLUB
... A Great Place to Call
H ome!
The Town of Trophy Club's mission statement
was refine d s lightly to clarify purpose
Current. ..
Accomplish the Vision through dedicated innovative
leadership, while providing superior municipal services
and facilities in a highly effective, efficient manner.
Proposed...
Mission Statement
Through dedicated innovative leadership, provide
superior municipal services and facilities in a
highly effective, efficient manner to make the
Town of Trophy Club a great place to call home.
2(10 \·Venn.' ~~ It et a"o A~SOCtl1tes /-· lll1l .:~j· ~ <eser'\lec
Trophy Club -Town Council Values
Values
Core values and beliefs are shared among the people of an organization.
The values must align with the vision and nlission of the organization and
define the acceptable standards which govern individual behaviors.
After completing a team activity, the Town Council identified the
following list of common, shared values:
Integrity and Trust
Accountability
Teamwork
Innovation
Pride and Service Commitment
Note: The Council needs to decide on a definition for each value and may consider
adopting the definitions previously developed by the Town Staff in a similar activity.
Tips for Bringing Values to Life
Incorporate the values into the stated goals and priorities of
the organization
Communicate the values constantly -in various ways
internally and externally
Use the values in employee hire, promotion and
performance review processes
. Reward and recognize people whose actions and work
exemplify the values
• Ensure people are "walking the value talk" and when
behaviors are out of alignment -confront and correct
SWOT Analysis
Strengths and Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
The SWOT helps inform strategy development
and action plans
Strengths
What are our
strengths and how
do we build upon
them?
Opportunities
What are our
opportunities and
how do we take
advantage of them?
Weaknesses
What are our
weaknesses and how
do we reduce or
eliminate them?
Threats
What our threats and
how do we overcome
or minimize them?
Analysis of the Internal Environment
Current Performance
0: Services
Cost Structure
Employee Skills F=> Processes
Technology
Communications
Culture
Other
A nalysis of the External Environment
Citizens
• Town Council
• Economic Conditions F=> Regulation
• Uncertainties
Supply Chain
Partnerships
Other
Town Council SWOT -Updated from November 2009
Strengths
• Window of opportunity with new council
members
• Dedicated employees
• Staff event management capabilities
• Staff very responsive to issues
• Stable financial management
• Improving strategic management ,
business planning
• High standards for performance
• Improved Town I MUD relationship
Weaknesses
• Alignment on strategy, goals and direction
• Own worst enemy -don't see the big externa
picture
• Isolationist view - we don 't see that other
communities are in our same situation
instead we reinvent the wheel
• Aging infrastructure
• Communications
• Not creative or proactive in dealing with
financial issues
• Understanding cost of services
• Growth of operational costs associated with
Bond packages
• Poor decision making on land development
• Resist involvement I use of volunteers
• Lack of joint planning with MUD
Town Council SWOT -Updated from November 2009
--
Opportu n ities
• "Town" and "Club" emphasize nucleic value of community
(inclusive)
• People come here with a purpose (not just 'passing
through ')
• Residential stability, neighborhood feel -single family
Residents sports/fitness oriented
• Involved community -leverage for volunteer activity
• Location -central, convenient, yet on the fringe
• Solana: changes revenue picture ; people who work there
may be future Trophy Club residents
• 114 -reduce accidents, increase convenience
• Acquire development land , use of Village property
• Utilize progressive zoning
• Commercial growth
• Regionalization of services (ie ., Library, Parks , Police ,
Fire/EMS, Schools , other partnerships , etc.)
• PID: growth and amenities
• Trophy Club Park -big attraction for people outside too
• Popularity of Town events -expand to draw more visitors
• Byron Nelson HS , education for all grades now available
Threats
• Bedroom community -people go home and then don 't go
out again
• Not welcoming (differences of opinion on whether this is the
perception)
• Vocal opposition to almost anything
• Neighboring communities , becoming the "donut hole"
• How demographic changes will impact town ( aging
residents, newt younger residents/families)
• Tax threshold
• 114 -passing us by
• No through traffic -tucked away
• Congestion -here and beyond
• Limited commercial opportunities -constrained by size of
Town
• We don 't control the land
• PID : cost of growth and maintenance needs
• Cost of parks
• High School will tax police
Strategic Goals
Town Council Priorities
: 01 0 ~:V endv Sl(lllner 4Jt ..: ;'~s.(lLt3tes (.. II R lgh1S Re~t:rvE:U
Town Council FY 2010-11 Goals and Objectives
Current
The current goals and objectives were developed during the November
2009 Town Council planning session. After discussion, the Council
agreed that some of the objectives were similar and should be combined.
Goal 5: Community in which the Goal 1: Safe Secure Community
Infrastructure Support Its Residents
Combine Goal 8: Economically Diverse,
+-.--+-.Goal 2: Business-Friendly Community Prosperous Community
Combine Goal 6: Vibrant, Inclusive Community
Goal 3: Community With Shared Vis,ion .-~----~ with Involved, Caring Residents
Combine Goal 7: Environmentally Sound Goal 4 : Picturesque Town • • Community
See next slide for revised Goals and Objectives
2010 We'ldy Sklnnel ana AssocIates AI Q'9hls Reservec
Town Council FY 2010-11 Goals and Objectives
Proposed
The proposed strategic objectives reflect the combination of
several the prior goals and include one new objective to address
operations. This reduced the total number of objectives from
eight to six which is more manageable.
Goal 1: Safe and Secure
Goal 2: Business-Friendly Economic Development
Goal 3: Strong Partnerships and Community Involvement
Goal 4: Picturesque and Environmentally Sound
Goal 5: Infrastructure and Asset Management
Goal 6: Financial and Operational Stewardship
Ideas for Action
Town of Trophy Club Goals -Ideas for Action
Goal 1 : Safe and Secure
-Maintain Trophy Club's low crime
rate
Increase positive visibility through
community policing initiatives
Provide superior Emergency
Services
Increase citizen awareness of and
involvement in crime prevention
activities
Improve data security
Additional Council Ideas
r Continue to implement community policing
efforts
I " Increase disaster preparedness
• Planning
o Ensure escape route -complete the connector
• Emergency management training
Build sidewalks on main thoroughfare
Evaluate 25 MPH zones
Safety and security training programs for
citizens
9 Neighborhood watch programs
• Self-defense
Obtain funding from schools for security
patrols
• Share services regionally
Data secu rity
~ Re-evaluate back-up procedures
• Secure offsite data back-up
Town of Trophy Club Goals -Ideas for Action
Goal 2: Business-Friendly
Economic Development
Provide environment to retain/ develop
existing businesses
Promote new commercial
opportunities
Create effective working relationships
with developers and businesses
Enact progressive economic initiatives
Investigate Progressive Zoning
Concept
Additional Council Ideas
Investigate land acquisition
Develop a Town identity for development
Develop a long term master plan
Evaluate package sales
Look at possible incentives to retain
current businesses
• Identify lessons learned from previous
development activities (successes and
failures)
Rezone to priorities
I i) Continue pursuing Trophy Club Park
development opportunities
Town of Trophy Club Goals -Ideas for Action
Goal 3: Strong Partnerships
and Community Involvement
Forge collaborative relationships
with other governmental/public
entities
Create a positive regional identity
Foster a well informed community
Promote and support active lifestyle
Develop/expand citizen volunteer
involvement opportunities
Expand recreational opportunities
for all ages
Additional Council Ideas
r-.-o-e-ve-Io-p-Town I MU010 year plan ------------,
Identify I develop partnerships :
• Churc hes -partner for volunteer activit ies , use to get info out
• Schools (ie , trails, athletic fa c ilities)
• Associations (athletic field development and upkeep)
• Courts
• Other cities -inter-lo cal agreements
• Boards and Comm ittees
• TCCC developers
I
Provide public informationlTown Newsletter
Volunteer programs
Evaluate volunteer program opportunities (i .e , senior assistance)
" Train staff on volunteer use and management
Post volunteer opportunities on the website
Provide education and awareness programs for Real Estate
agents
Conduct neighborhood events -know your neighbor
e Implement Round Table communications with neighborhoods
and community groups
Create a citizen university
I ~ Provide event training
-Promote events better (i .e., July 4th parade , Easter Egg Hunt)
Look at regional theater concept
Research potential community "give back" opportunities (i.e"
food drive)
Town of Trophy Club Goals -Ideas for Action
Goal 4: Picturesque and
Environmentally Sound
~ Maintain neat and tidy
appearance
Review and improve property
maintenance standards and code
enforcement
Be recognized for our aesthetics
• Initiate Going Green Programs
0;> Promote recycling
'" Evaluate environmental health
• Promote environmentally
conscious building standards
Additional Council Ideas
Implement more recycling
• Push for park recycling program
Evaluate median maintenance
alternatives
• Native grasslands
• Native hardwoods
• Zero-scaping
Outsource median maintenance
Improve trails
.. Back to nature programs
Wildlife watch program
• Fit cities push
~ Neighborhood themes (i.e., at Christmas
time)
Town of Trophy Club Goals -Ideas for Action
Goal 5: Infrastructure and
Asset Management
Develop a realistic Capital
Improvement Plan
Complete long term plan for
addressing drainage study results
Provide necessary resources to
maintain all improvements, new and
existing
" Build a premier parks system
Attract visitors to park destinations
Additional Council Ideas
r· Improve drainage
• Conduct survey and action plan
$ Force new development to control drainage
~ Assess creek drainage problems
~ Evaluate storm drain fee to prepare for drainage
needs
, Evaluate costs / ongoing maintenance costs for
concrete vs. asphalt roads
Investigate Town facilities needs
• Buildings
• Analyze maintenance equipment storage needs
Develop road replacement plan -500-750
annually
Focus on trails improvement
• Plan upgrades to aging infrastructure
Build a community center / rec center
• Install UV system at community pool
Rename Trophy Club Park to regional name
Pursue "destination theme" concept for parks
Town of Trophy Club Goals -Ideas for Action
Goal 6: Financial and
Operational Stewardship
Implement strong financial
management practices
• Improve operational processes to
increase effectiveness and efficiency
Provide superior services
• Develop better understanding of cost
of services
Enhance business planning
~ Provide responsive customer service
• Hire, develop and retain quality staff
2C10 We-on\, s ~ Inner an d hsso:.;. ra tp.s An R~mls Reserved
Additional Council Ideas
• Identify service level needs / costs for all Town
services
" Develop long term goals and plans
• Establish key metrics and performance scorecards
• Report on performance against targets
Conduct organization design analysis
" Evaluate compensation and benefits
• Conduct a salary benchmark study -Not limited to TML
• Need better understanding on Impact of medical insurance
increases
• Pay vs time off
Create a finance advisory board
Conduct a citizen survey -ensure all demographics
covered
• Ensure budget for new O&M
Develop creative funding solutions for key projects
Identify revenue growth opportunities
e. Improve performance
.. Implement leadership program -future leaders
Make Town website more user friendly
Ideas Prioritization
Prioritization Grid
Low
High
Feasibility
Research alternative
solutions or other ways
to lower cost.
Act now -expedite
validation and
implementation.
Watch over time-
revisit if risk and cost
situation chan ges.
Identify ways to
miti gate or elim in ate
t h e ris k.
High ~(-----------------+) Low
Cost to Implement
Top Ideas Prioritized
Goal 2: Business Friendly Economic Development
A. Be proactive on business and development
opportunities
B. Evaluate land acquisitions
C. Concentrate funding for development -find
creative funding solutions
Goal 3: Strong Partnership and Community
Involvement
D. Evaluate volunteer programs -Cities of
Service*
E. Evaluate resource sharing options I
regionalization opportunities
F. Create Town newsletter
Goal 4: Picturesque and Environmentally Sound
G . Establish beautification committee
H. Implement zero-scape medians*
• Goal 5: Infrastructure and Asset Management
I. Create regional parks board
J Conduct drainage study*
Goal 6: Financial and Operational Stewardship
K. Establish citizen finance advisory board
L. Conduct citizen survey*
M. Conduct organization design analysis
* Currently planned or in-progress
Each Council member selected three ideas from the
total pool of ideas generated resulting in 13 ideas
placed on the grid (some ideas were duplicative and
combined into one idea). No ideas related to the Safe
and Secure Goal were selected for prioritization.
Low
II
Act now -expedite
validation and
implementation
High
~----------------~--------------~
High ~(~------------------------~) Low
Cost to Implement
Work Session Wrap and Next Steps
Session Feedback
t rke II. ..
Good participation and discussion
Open and honest communication
Creating more buy-in and alignment on
goals
Trust built
Positive atmosphere
Smooth mix of topics
Great location, no cost
Even Better f ..
Timing of retreat -conduct one in June
to bring new council members on board
prior to discussion of goals
Joint session with full staff at some
point in the future
MUD representation at working session
Ajoint Town Council and MUD working
session
Follow-up sessions conducted
• Commit to strategic management
process over long term
• More time
Parking Lot Topics
These items were identified by the team as needing attention,
but were not in the scope of this retreat. These will be
reviewed and appropriate action taken as needed.
Determine how to pay for key projects and maintain assets
Discussion on specific volunteer programs / opportunities
Town charter -timing of requirement to have strategic goals
defined in January precedes tinling of election in May
• Need new council member participation and buy-in of strategy
and goals
9
Next Steps
Document and review output of retreat -determine additional
follow-up actions needed
Use SWOT analysis and Ideas for Action to ensure staff business
plans are aligned, prioritized and gaps identified
Conduct a citizen survey:
Identify what programs and services are important
!) Determine satisfaction with how the Town is performing those
programs and services
• Determine other important citizen issues
• Develop a communications strategy and plan
Move on time sensitive and/or budget related ideas
• Follow-up with MUD to do sonle joint planning
• Develop a longer ternl master plan, focused on the big ideas