CC 2021-04-27_11d Council Goals and Priorities for FY 2021-23
MEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: WHITNEY McDONALD, CITY MANAGER
BILL ROBESON, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER/PUBLIC WORKS
DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL GOALS AND
PRIORITIES FOR FISCAL YEARS 2021-23
DATE: APRIL 27, 2021
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
Consider and establish the City Council’s goals and priorities for Fiscal Years 2021-23 for
incorporation into the upcoming Biennial Budget.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There are no financial impacts from discussing and establishing a list of goals and
priorities for Fiscal Years 2021-23, which will frame the recommendations for the City’s
Biennial Budget for Fiscal Years 2021-23.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the City Council discuss, modify as desired, and approve goals and
priorities for Fiscal Years 2021-23 for incorporation into the upcoming Biennial Budget.
BACKGROUND:
On September 22, 2020, Council adopted a list of Top 10 Council Priorities for Fiscal Year
2020-21 to help prioritize and focus staff work efforts for the year. On March 23, 2021,
Council received an update regarding the City’s progress toward completing the Top 10
Priorities and directed that a process be undertaken each year to establish goals and
priorities. It is anticipated that these goals and priorities will be incorporated into the
upcoming Biennial Budget for Fiscal Years 2021-23. Establishing Council’s goals and
priorities for this time frame will help ensure that the City’s resources are directed to best
meet the community’s needs. It is proposed that goals and priorities be established for
the two-year period covered by the upcoming biennial budget; however, these goals and
priorities will be revisited and adjusted as part of the mid-year budget process in 2022.
Item 11.d. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR
FISCAL YEARS 2021-23
APRIL 27, 2021
PAGE 2
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
Staff has prepared a proposed list of Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal Years 2021-
23 for discussion and possible approval, as shown in Attachment 1. A number of key
considerations supported the development of the proposed goals and priorities, including:
Items remaining from the Top 10 Council Priorities for Fiscal Year 2020-21 that
have not been completed or require longer-term commitments and work efforts
were carried forward;
Work items that were identified as priorities during discussions of other Fiscal Year
2020-21 Top 10 priorities were incorporated into the upcoming biennial list, such
as the Comprehensive General Plan Update identified during discussions of the
City’s SB 1090 funding;
The City’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to support economic
recovery are incorporated into the list of new priorities as an ongoing need for the
community and the organization;
Certain studies that are necessary to ensure that the City receives sufficient
revenue to continue providing core services to the community have been included
in the Fiscal Years 2021-23 list of priorities, including a water and sewer rate study
that was placed on hold during the pandemic;
Regional efforts to address homelessness have resumed as the immediate
impacts of the pandemic begin to recede, and the City’s involvement in those
efforts has been incorporated into this biennial list of priorities as the City looks to
do its part to help address this significant community concern and need;
The City’s infrastructure assets, including its roads, bridges, and stormwater
systems, are in increasingly urgent need of maintenance and replacement, and
identification of viable ongoing and future funding sources for these needs will be
necessary to ensure that City residents and businesses can continue to rely on
these assets to move goods and services through the community; and
The pandemic and turnover in key leadership positions have highlighted the need
to increase efforts to support the City’s workforce and modernize certain
technologies and systems.
Each priority has been evaluated to ensure that it is specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic, and time-bound (SMART). Some priorities that state larger, over-arching goals
have been broken down into more discreet tasks that are intended to meet the SMART
metrics. Staff has evaluated each item to ensure that it can be realistically achieved within
Fiscal Years 2021-23. Goals and priorities will be revisited in the Spring of 2022 to allow
for adjustments heading into fiscal year 2022-23.
The attached list of goals and priorities is not intended to be exhaustive of all of the work
items that will be undertaken by the City Council or staff this year. Each City Department
will continue to discharge the duties it is otherwise assigned to complete. The list of
Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal Years 2021-23 is intended to support the upcoming
Item 11.d. - Page 2
CITY COUNCIL
DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR
FISCAL YEARS 2021-23
APRIL 27, 2021
PAGE 3
biennial budget process and to focus the City’s efforts to meet the community’s needs, as
identified by Council, considering the City’s existing and future resources.
It is recommended that Council discuss and consider the proposed Goals and Priorities
of Fiscal Years 2021-23 set forth in Attachment 1, direct any desired modifications, and
approve a list of priorities for incorporation into the upcoming biennial budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Review and approve the proposed Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal Years
2021-23 set forth in Attachment 1;
2. Review, modify, and approve the proposed Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal
Year 2021-23 set forth in Attachment 1;
3. Do not approve the proposed Top 10 Council Priorities for Fiscal Year 2020-21 set
forth in Attachment 1 and provide direction to staff; or
4. Provide other direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Consideration and direction to incorporate a list of Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal
Years 2021-23 will help ensure that the community’s needs, as identified by Council, are
supported through the development of the Biennial Budget for Fiscal Years 2021-23.
DISADVANTAGES:
Approval of a list of priorities will result in some desired work items not being completed
during the upcoming budget cycle. However, given existing resource constraints, not all
desired or potential work items are capable of being completed during this time frame,
regardless of what is identified in the list of priorities.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with
Government Code Section 54954.2.
Attachment:
1. Draft Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal Years 2021-23
Item 11.d. - Page 3
Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal Years 2021-23
Investing in the Future
Begin comprehensive general plan update
Initiate and/or complete housing initiatives funded by grant programs
o Regional pre-approved ADU plans
o Objective design standards
Complete ADU ordinance amendments
Evaluate water resiliency options available to the City
Continue support for existing and new economic development initiatives
o COVID Relief Program
o Determine whether to conduct baseline analysis of existing and future business
needs
o Evaluate the potential to enable cannabis businesses in Arroyo Grande
Support regional efforts to address homelessness and emergency shelter needs
Review status of Five Cities Fire Authority 3rd Amendment to the Joint Powers
Agreement, and consider cost analysis of service delivery models
Evaluate options to pay down CalPERS unfunded accrued liability
Investing in City Infrastructure and Facilities
Identify and pursue short- and long-term funding mechanisms, such as a sales tax
measure, for pavement maintenance and other infrastructure maintenance needs
Complete design and/or begin construction of key infrastructure projects, including:
o Brisco Interchange Project
o Traffic Way Bridge Replacement
o Swinging Bridge Rehabilitation
Evaluate and select options for replacing the Mark M. Millis Community Center
Complete a water and sewer rate study and consider implementing a rate adjustment
Complete a comprehensive fee study and consider adjusting City fees, including impact
fees
Investing in People
Adopt and implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives
Maintain and increase public engagement with the City
o Complete process to create voting districts in 2022
o Increase public outreach through surveys, social media engagement, and events
o Evaluate technology opportunities to enhance public participation in meetings
Modernize technologies and systems in key areas, such as public safety cameras, human
resources processes, and accounting and agenda management software systems
Focus resources and implement efficiencies to ensure optimized service levels within
core City functions
Evaluate and implement employee retention, attraction, recruitment, development, and
support strategies
Attachment 1
Item 11.d. - Page 4