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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEconomic Advisory Commission - Minutes - 08/19/2015MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS ECONOMIC ADVISORY COMMISSION Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2015 Location: CIC Room, City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave. Time: 11:00am–1:30pm For Reference Wade Troxell, Mayor & Council Liaison Josh Birks, Staff Liaison 221-6324 Dianne Tjalkens, Minutes 221-6734 Commission Members Present Commission Members Absent Sam Solt, Chair Linda Stanley Denny Otsuga Ann Hutchison Kim Dale Ted Settle Glen Colton Kristin Owens Staff Present Staff Absent Josh Birks, Economic Health Director Dianne Tjalkens, Admin/Board Support Beth Sowder, Social Sustainability Director Lucinda Smith, Environmental Services Director Guests Dale Adamy, citizen Meeting called to order at 11:04am Review and Approval of Minutes Ted moved and Kim seconded a motion to approve the July minutes as presented. Motion passed, 4-0-2. Denny and Glen abstained as they were not present. Ann arrived after vote. Agenda Review—Move vice-chair appointment earlier in agenda. Public Comment—Dale Adamy: He has created a website with intention of promoting a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) analysis for new ideas/projects. Evolved to compliment the mission of City’s CPIO department. Communicated with offices on TBL and vetting ideas before coming to public. Site is kabuski.com. TBL discussion could be incorporated into agenda in regard to spraying for West Nile Virus: social issue related to disease control, but economic issues that could be elevated. Kabuski will send ideas in to City. CPIO said process has not been vetted and follow other standard AIP2. Kabuski is a member of AIP2 also. He desires an elevated dialogue between City and public discourse. His experience has been that public input disappears in the public involvement process. The City is on a good track except for issue of responding to public input. 1 | Page Commission Member Updates— • Kim: Students back on FRCC campus Monday. 2.7% enrollment increase. Other FRCC campuses are not seeing increase. When economy is down, enrollment in community colleges goes up. Offering more college credit classes in high schools. Have accredited 3 local high schools to offer certificates and 2-year degrees. o Also function of population growth.  Can be, but haven’t done analysis lately. However, as prices escalate at CSU more families looking to start students at FRCC. o Vocational swings as well.  Manufacturing industry sector: Strong group of partners that have formed coalition to address need. Word is getting out to parents on benefits of these pathways. • City Manager’s son recently received welding certification. • Denny: Technology based entrepreneurship—too much emphasis on entrepreneurship with startup companies, but need to see what happens with them. Not receiving funding means can’t progress to next stage. Have developed strategic relationship with an angel investor group based in Denver—good next step for new tech companies so can scale up. Actively encouraging them to spend more time in Fort Collins; offering educational programs once a month here. Also have collaborated with Rockies Venture Club on financial support to Biz Girls; had largest number of enrollment in five year history. RVC is creating own nonprofit for Biz Girls. Strategic plan is to bring Biz Girls to all communities RVC has relationships with. Looking to have Biz Girls hosted in Fort Collins next year. Will continue conversations with Josh offline. • Glen: Missed last meeting due to trip to Europe. Learnings: City will have to move toward more mass transportation. See movement toward widening I-25, but does not work with sustainability. If going to become a big city, need busses, walking, subways, etc. Could close some streets and allow only bikes. Rail service. Europe has maintained countryside as focus population in larger cities. o When have state the size of Colorado, harder to build out infrastructure. AGENDA ITEM 3—Vice-Chair Appointment Glen and Ted interested in the position. Discussion/Q & A: • Glen: Deeply involved in community for many years. Former chair of P&Z. Was on NRAB. Interest in leading and helping Sam with agendas. • Ted: Interested in continuing involvement in economic development and particularly interested in TBL that is not happening in other places. In longer term, appreciate that agenda looks out 6-8 months, but concerned that mostly just listening and clarifying. Wants to make sure advising Council. Wants to think of problems the commission can work on, such as growth. Sam moved to appoint Ted as Vice-Chair to the EAC for the remainder of 2015. Kristen seconded. Motion passed unanimously, 6-0-0. • Ted is new to Fort Collins. Brings new perspective. • Glen has more travel commitments. • Resonating with Ted’s commentary and agree. ACTION ITEM: Dianne will coordinate with City Clerk’s office on updating website. AGENDA ITEM 1—Social Sustainability Strategic Plan Going to Council in November. Seeking input to clarify action items, defining metrics, etc. City has commitment to sustainability. Social Sustainability Department was formed 3 years ago. Economic Health Office and Environmental Services Department are also updating strategic plans. Some of SSD 2 | Page work came from Advance Planning: funding to housing and human services. Mission is to provide support for diverse and equitable community that provides basic needs to all citizens. Work is done through funding support, partnerships, collaboration, and policy. Purpose of plan is to make sure aligned with City’s Strategic Plan, integrate TBL, define role of SSD, and address emerging challenges around physical and mental health, increased housing costs, poverty, and increased homelessness. SSD is increasing efforts in collaborating, including within the City. Program funding goes toward human services and affordable housing; funds come from City, federal and state. Very specific grant requirements, including monitoring. Four theme areas: Community Wellness, Diversity and Inclusivity, Community Prosperity, and Housing. Transportation is considered within each area. Goals of Community Wellness include increasing physical, mental and behavioral health, and increased access to healthy food. Diversity and Inclusivity goals include creating a welcoming, inclusive community where people feel connected, transportation options expansion, equal access to meet needs, and reaching diversity goals. Transportation department is working on expanding services. SSD can help encourage changes. Community Prosperity, working with EHO to close skills gaps and increase career pathways, support education, encourage affordable care giving services, supporting financial literacy programs, and balancing land uses for a healthy economy. Housing goals are around increasing opportunities and availability for all, and supporting housing stability. Looking to bring in more affordable units. Still in public engagement process. Will refine based on feedback. Working on metrics. Have November 17 Council date. Discussion/Q & A: • We do not have enough resources for mental health to meet the demand, let alone meet the needs of low income folks. What is role? o Partnership. Getting more connected with mental health service providers. Helped get crisis center open. Also need detox center and perhaps residential treatment. Can’t control or make happen, but can share need and help move forward. o At FRCC have reached out to providers to partner with them because have one counselor for 6500 students. Can’t get connected because everyone is tapped out. Can SSD help?  Can get linked in with network.  Is that role of City? • Yes. Help make connections. • City’s goal of diversity as an employer or in community? o Both. Looking for more diversity within the organization. Also having multicultural retreat next month. Working with CSU and FRCC to put this on. Want policy and training within the organization.  City is too white. Not very diverse. • First strategic plan? o For this department, yes. o Concern that goals are not measurable. Ex: How do you know when have met expanding transportation goal? Consider reviewing goals.  Starting to get internal help with metrics. Also looking at specific metrics. o Also, you are not here to solve all problems of Fort Collins. Include word “advocate,” because that is who you are for these services. Partnering to provide services.  Also include advocating internally. Have building codes that impact affordable housing. Would be great if SSD could stand up for those impacts. • It is City’s role to look at diversity within City organization, but not the City’s role to increase diversity of citizenship. No percentage of race should be a goal. Let it happen and help work together. Don’t push toward racial mix. o Just want to make sure welcoming and inclusive, not looking to actively change demographics of community. • Could SSD role be to help have conversations? Ex: Be facilitator to get groups together to discuss how affordable housing impacts our community. o Yes. What comes to mind with affordable housing?  Issue. Rising cost of housing is concerning. First time homeowners are not having opportunities in Fort Collins. Should be having more community conversations on this topic. More ideas and input on addressing problem. So many emerging issues that need more conversation in community. 3 | Page  Community is involved. Currently working on affordable housing strategic plan and have been having community conversations and public outreach. Could work toward engaging more people. • Engaging more people is most important piece. • City also recently hired community engagement person.  Have to be realistic about fast growing communities that are attractive, and what the housing situations look like in all of them. Only so much you can do in a hot economy where people want to live. Lots of people don’t own homes in these types of places. That is what will happen if we continue to grow. People will have to live in apartments. So many people moving in changes character of community. Need conversations. • Full report mentions partnering, influencing. Refine goals more crisply with different verbs. Would like to see more leading. More active to show specific role, not just being a player. • Goals are very far reaching. Too many goals within the category of Community Prosperity. Pare down. Wish list, but not realistic goal list. Need measurable, specific, actionable goal list that can show completion on. o Would like to discuss more how this will work, including short term goals and how to prove you are moving forward.  Had process of delineating year to year actions. o Can only ask staff to accomplish goals that have resources to accomplish. Want to see short term plans and how resources line up with goals. • This group enjoyed creating a definition of Economic Health as a term. Suggest defining social sustainability. Helped focus thinking. o Clearly define roles and responsibilities within City and community. Can say you are advocate or connector, etc. Will help you get more specific. Spot on about needing to close skills gap, but national issue. Maybe say support initiatives around closing skills gaps.  Also, 90% of metrics are things you have no control over. Ex: Suicide rate is unfair metric of your success.  Financial, communications, marketing. How does mission statement translate into initiatives?  Would be good to see budget you have to work with, including sources. • Resource alignment: One goal could be once define current resources, what is budget needed to reach new goals. Define dollar amount needed to achieve goals and how to get that funding. • Subheadings help readers understand the theme areas. • What is discussion around sustainability organization within the City? o Internal sustainability assessment tool (SAT). In pilot year. Many assessments have been done. Working on defining which projects need assessments. ESD has taken the lead. All three departments are heavily involved and has actually become a capacity issue. Want sustainability staff members involved in every assessment. Objective is to take interdisciplinary group through process to evaluate TBL impacts. Assess positive and negative impacts on each leg of sustainability.  This is place where SSD can be internal advocate about social impacts. That is where having integration within departments.  Ex: SAT on CAP. Became clear that small businesses are akin to low income households. Have small margins for upgrades. Need to be mindful. Assessment identifies areas that may need mitigation. • Continue to provide the leadership. Take comments within context—other communities are not close to what we are doing. o Hearing need additional focus to be successful. o “Just do the right thing right.” • As flesh out, need to make decisions for community. Want local food, but also want more employment and housing on farm land. Want economy of Silicone Valley but not use any carbon or water. These things don’t work together. Attractive fast growing communities don’t have affordability of smaller communities. Want to remain small, but already losing small town feel. 4 | Page Trying to have a more tech based economy brings in higher paying jobs and raises prices. Too broad: want jobs and housing for all people. No community can do that. ACTION ITEM: Beth will provide breakdown of funding sources for competitive process grant distribution. AGENDA ITEM 2—Environmental Services Strategic Plan Sustainability Services Area is elevating action to support sustainability. In process of working on strategic plans, integrating more deeply. ESD has been in existence for a long time, originally in Natural Resources department. Also, not only ones who work on environmental issues: work closely with Utilities, Transportation, Parks, etc. Objectives are to deepen integration within own program areas, consider emerging trends, develop a 10 year horizon and consider gaps in environmental protection across the City. Existing programs: air quality (indoor and outdoor), waste reduction/recycling, climate protection, green built environment, sustainability education and engagement. Helping other departments prepare for adaptation to climate changes for resilience. Support work on 11 municipal sustainability goals. Themes organized by what the department does. Climate Commitment theme includes rapidly advancing green built environment, engaging community, increasing preparedness for climate change, planning and reporting, supporting innovation to support acceleration of CAP goals. As look at CAP strategies will focus on vulnerable populations. Be Air Aware goals include leveraging air quality co- benefits of climate action initiatives, improving indoor and outdoor air quality, promoting air quality protection, and focusing on local actions that will reduce air pollutants of concern (ozone, radon, etc.). Road to Zero Waste is to divert resources efficiently and put to secondary use. Goals include reducing landfilling, preventing high value items from being landfilled, reducing waste at the source, and providing education. Lead By Example goals include advancing organizational goals, educating the community, leadership and staff; advancing the SAT, and ensuring high quality data is used in decision making. Collaborate and Act Regionally goals are to act with others for deep carbon reductions, increase engagement in climate adaptation, engage in legislative and regulatory processes, and work with regional partners more broadly. Work Session September 29; adoption November 17. Executive summary of all three SSA strategic plans to follow. Discussion/Q & A: • Air doesn’t stop at city’s border, so what is link with regional? o Social, economic and environmental issues don’t respect borders. Community can optimize jobs, housing, and population balance so reduce commuting. Some programs like Healthy Homes are very local, but collaborate with others on mutual goals. Also can form local government coalitions to work at state level. o Is there a place in goals to acknowledge that this is a regional issue and identify the City’s role?  Could be clearer. Can call out in regional theme area. • RZW goal on diversion. Does the City do this as an internal operation? Education can be a subset of the diversion goal. o Diversion goal is about City organization and community. o How is seeking to reduce waste at the source a goal?  Have invested time, policy, and regulation toward recycling, but source reduction is very important and hasn’t had as much attention. Ex: Disposable bag ordinance was a step toward reducing waste at the source. Other strategies in RZW plan that can support this goal through education. Extended producer responsibility; may be able to work at the state level on reducing packaging.  Could eliminate junk mail. Know how to get off of lists. • City could help educate people on how to get off the lists. o Example of achieving diversion: Mall project had goal of 70% diversion. RZW has specific goals.  Strategic Plan needs to be able to stand on its own.  There are quantifiable goals that can be included.  Encouraging redevelopment and offering limited public assistance, but marrying with environmental goals. Integrated diversion goals with mall agreement. 5 | Page • Missing river and water health. NISP, Glade, etc. o Environmental Services Department Strategic Plan. Giant gaps in water, natural areas, energy, etc., in this plan because covered by other departments. Can try to call out the connections better. • There has been discussion about City-owned recycling facility. What is progress of that project? o In June recognized that would have to subsidize daily operations. Council asked to put on hold. October 13 new work session to review three alternatives. Working with Finance on profit-loss model. o In Germany, forced reclaim. If produced, then had to take it back.  That is one of the higher priority strategies: extended producer responsibility. Most effective at state level. Need to work with regional partners. Very difficult to implement at local level. • May never happen at state level. • Lucinda will ask Susie Gordon for examples of local ordinances.  Packaging, electronics, etc. Repair services are nearly nonexistent. • Companies like Whole Foods are requiring responsibility in packaging materials. Has to be stopped at source. • Once strategic plans are vetted and approved, how will they be used in daily operations? o Will create executive summary for service area and continue working on metrics, which brings accountability. Once metrics are set, will start reporting on them. Plans have actions that will be prioritized for Budgeting for Outcomes process. o Established strategic plans that are all-inclusive, knowing we don’t have resources for everything. Articulating full engagement. If elect not to resource all of that, then understand trade-offs. EHO had plan largely completed last year and created annual work plan from the strategic plan. Staff were assigned time by quarter based on plan. Strategic plans must be living documents so can include new issues that arise. o How do strategic plans impact decision making of City Council?  Typical process: Council wants to see where projects tie into approved plans. Demonstrate how projects act on goals.  Did the City bring forward request for fee for disposable bags? • Emerged as a Council priority and was worked on by staff. o Not everything we work on comes from our strategic plans. • How did bag fee fail, as it was clearly aligned with goals? o It passed, then was repealed. o Had a lot of public push back, followed by public forums. o Council rescinded. • Economic impact of this plan is not clear. Would help EAC if can be specific. Ex: Glass recycling, community recycling center, etc. If have better data, can offer more advice. o Value of materials thrown into landfill. Another example is how recycling and reuse create more jobs than landfilling.  Costs cities more to do more recycling. Need financial resources. o Former business had strategic plan and annual plan. Projects were reviewed to stay on schedule. If worthy of being in strategic plan then it is worthy of a project.  And a budget. • That is where bi-annual funding and work plans come into play. Will bring more focused examples from the plan when return to EAC. Can be savings and costs from environmental measures. Sometimes decided to serve another value.  Had similar conversation with CAP. Wanted to know how much it would cost and economic impacts. • As City works to develop implementation plans the EAC will have opportunity to review. o And EAC can write supportive recommendations to Council for specific projects. 6 | Page o ROI can also mean return on impact. That is the real business of the City. If it was return on investment the private sector would be doing it. • One reason EAC took a session to hear these plans is there was concern that when looked at EHO strategic plan were only looking at one piece of puzzle. This was to be able to see whole picture. Collective perspective. • Add metrics to document that lays out plans side by side. • After seeing all three plans, local food needs more attention. Having food for people is bottom line sustainability issue. Have not reached our potential for local food. Critical to have someone representing water, etc.in SATs. Seeing growth in districts in GMA that require NISP for water. ACTION ITEM: Lucinda will ask Susie Gordon for examples of local ordinances on producer responsibility/return policies and give information to EAC. Other Discussion • For future discussion: Avago has done multiple expansions since the one they asked for assistance. o By encouraging the initial investment, kept them active and here, allowing them to expand. Extra leverage from that investment. • ShaveCo was repair shop for things like lamps, etc. No place to get things repaired anymore. Meeting Adjourned: 1:28pm Next Meeting: September 16 7 | Page