August 7 and 8, 2009 Minutes
ANNUAL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES
CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL
August 7 & 8, 2009
Annual Planning Session of the City of Denton City Council on Friday, August 7, 2009 from
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 8, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Marriott
Solana, 5 Village Circle, Westlake, TX 76262.
PRESENT: Mayor Burroughs; Mayor Pro Tem Kamp; Council Members Engelbrecht,
Gregory, Heggins, Mulroy, and Watts.
1.The Council discussed and gave direction concerning the long, mid, and short term
accomplishments, goals, objectives, plans, vision, missions, and values of the City of Denton as
it relates to city services and infrastructure, streets, parks, finances, budget, planning, zoning and
development, environmental issues, technology, public utilities, taxes, engineering, economic
development, codes enforcement, transportation, purchasing, management, intergovernmental
relations, boards, commissions and committees, meetings, and, without limitation, any and all
operations of the City of Denton city government.
City Manager Campbell stated that this was an important meeting from a staff perspective. The
Leadership Team felt there needed to be a strategic plan for the city and needed some input from
the city council on programs that reflected the priorities of the Council.
Karen Walz, facilitator, stated that the retreat objectives would be to review past successes, focus
on future goal-setting for the community and provide direction to city staff so they could prepare
a strategic plan for the organization. Friday’s discussion would center on where the Council had
been, where they were now, what was facing them as they looked ahead and a vision of the
future. Saturday’s discussion would center on an agreement on future direction,
discussion/agreement on priorities and next steps and responsibilities.
Discussion #1 – Council discussed experiences that affected the way the members handled their
role with the City of Denton. Council discussed what assets this particular group of Council
members brought to its responsibilities for Denton and what aspects of the Council members’
past experiences and skills could create challenges for communication, collaboration and policy-
setting. Additional questions included assets the City’s professional staff members brought to
their responsibilities for Denton and what aspects of the staff’s past experiences and skills might
create challenges for communication, collaboration and implementation of Council policy.
Additionally, what skills and practices could be enhanced to further improve the communications
and working relationships among Council and senior staff.
It was suggested to prepare an informal staff report on issues of council concerns which would
tell the Council how staff was going to proceed with an issue unless directed otherwise from
Council. This would not be a public discussion but rather a synopsis of the issue and how staff
would propose to proceed.
Discussion #2 - Uniquely Denton
Topics for discussion included key features, recent accomplishments, recent challenges, factors
that had shaped the Denton that existed today, what made it unique, what was notable about the
way the government functions or was organized. Recent accomplishments were discussed in
terms of key accomplishments in the past 3-5 years for the Denton community and for the City
of Denton government. Recent challenges discussed included the most difficult challenges the
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Denton community and the City of Denton had faced in the past 3-5 years. The most notable
characteristics that would help Denton city government successfully deal with whatever the
future brought was also a topic of discussion. Which strengths were the most important for the
City’s success in the future were discussed. Current characteristics of Denton city government
that might make it harder to deal with whatever the future brought were also included.
Factors to consider included technology, globalization, demographics, growth, economic
transformation, disparity, land and water resources, energy, climate and climate change, financial
markets, infrastructure, and sustainability.
Discussion #3 - Denton’s role in the Region - characteristics of the North Texas area and North
Texans living in the area in the next 20-30 years were discussed. What were the choices and
could it be done better than business as usual. Scenarios that provided a range of possibilities for
the region’s future included business as usual, connected centers, return on investment, diverse
and distinct communities and green region. Health and transportation were two areas that could
be included in the above scenarios. Discussion questions included what phrases best described
the role Denton had played in the North Texas region in the past and how had Denton’s role been
different from the roles of other communities in the region.
Stakeholders and leaders included community members, elected officials, and appointed
professional staff. There were different communication aspects for each level. Who spoke for
the community, what were their perspectives. Questions for group discussion included who were
the stakeholders that comprised Denton, which areas for action enjoyed good stakeholder
understanding and support, which areas for action needed better communication and education of
stakeholders, which areas for action needed more stakeholder engagement and which strategies
were most important to strengthen stakeholder support.
Council discussed different ways to communicate with residents concerning specific issues
concerning neighborhoods.
City Manager Campbell stated that such communication would have to be consistent so all were
treated the same.
Assistant City Manager Greene felt that an additional concern was the tabling of items and how
to get the word out whether or not the item was going to be considered.
Council rated various scenarios concerning leadership and communication:
How important was collective council leadership to a successful future for Denton = very
important.
How important was staff expertise to a successful future for Denton = very important.
How important was effective communication with citizens = very important.
How important was a solution to infill to a successful future for Denton = 50-50.
How important was public support of an infill solution to a successful future = somewhat
important.
How important was city government’s credibility to a successful future for Denton = very
important.
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How important was securing adequate financial resources = very important.
How important was a partnership with other entities = somewhat important.
How important was action to address infrastructure = very important.
How important was the Downtown vitality = somewhat important.
How important was bringing along future leaders = somewhat important.
How significant was the effect of growth on Denton’s future = very.
How important was the effect of economic change = very.
How important was the effect of technology = somewhat.
How important was the effect of globalization = not and neutral.
How important was the effect of demographics = very.
How important was the effect of disparity = somewhat.
How important was the effect of limited resources = very.
How important was the effect of energy = very.
How important was the effect of climate = neutral to somewhat.
How important was the effect of financial markets = very.
How important was the effect on infrastructure = very.
How important was the effect of sustainability = very and somewhat.
The discussion reflected my sense of the community’s perspectives = agree.
Discussion #6 - Denton 2019
Council considered the issues discussed during the day in a global and regional context,
imagined the Denton of the future and created a road map to a desirable future and the tasks
necessary to get there.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
PRESENT: Mayor Burroughs; Mayor Pro Tem Kamp; Council Members Engelbrecht,
Gregory, Heggins, Mulroy, and Watts.
Karen Walz reviewed potential areas for action which the Council had noted in the Friday
session.
Discussion #7 - Future Denton - Denton in 2019
Destination Denton (entertainment- music- medical - companies/families-shopping from
north and west)
Council Member Heggins and Mayor Burroughs left the meeting.
Identifiable destination
Family Safe/Family Friendly
Sustainability leader
Cultural Heritage/History/authentic (retain character, growth that fits-celebrate history
and look forward)
Walz stated that a Vision Statement should indicate where the Council wanted to go. Council
suggested incorporating the destination concept and technology as it related to service
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expectations and communications. A Mission Statement should indicate who the City was or
what it did. Council felt it should include Destination Denton, collaboration with
stakeholders/citizens and not just service delivery but foster and sponsor these results.
Council worked on a revised Mission Statement – The City of Denton will foster and promote an
environment that will deliver extraordinary quality services and products through stakeholder
and peer group collaboration, leadership innovation and sustainable and efficient use of
resources.
Walz stated that a Values Statement told how to operate. It currently stated “to serve with
character”. Other considerations included: (1) destination of choice, (2) excellence for
education, entertainment and employment, (3) neighborhood vitality and sustainability, (4) top
quality of life, (5) opportunity for personal involvement and fulfillment, and (6) notoriety for
environmental stewardship.
Council reviewed strategic issues to achieve desired future goals.
Council considered “How important was it that the City’s strategic plan address these process
objectives”:
Improved the effective allocation of resources = very.
Set priorities for allocation of limited resources = very.
Led to a more cost-effective operation = very.
Improved coordination across departments = very-somewhat-neutral
Improved coordination between the City and other organizations = somewhat.
Built the organization’s capacity to respond to future challenges = somewhat.
Made the organization more resilient in responding to change = somewhat.
Promoted sustainability = very.
Improved the organization’s ability to respond to changing community needs =
somewhat.
Supported more communication with the community = somewhat.
Positioned Denton for new economic growth = very.
Made decision-making more predictable – somewhat.
Provided better indicators for measuring accomplishment = somewhat.
Supported innovation in city operations and programs - somewhat
Discussion #9 - Action Items for Council consideration:
Review and update Denton plan
Expand community involvement using key facilitators - new blood-broad dialogue; old
with new; open forums to ask for involvement in DP; need wide range, not small group
only; listen even if disagree
Recognize the need for continuity of the vision (and term limits of election officials).
Mayor Burroughs returned to the meeting.
Discussion #10 - Who Does What
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Roles and responsibilities for city council, boards and commissions, leadership team of city staff,
other members of city staff, stakeholders and partner organizations were discussed.
What the Council would do in the next six months or so:
Update of Denton plan - deliberate on committee formation; thoughtful for outcome and
process; includes education to build support; community/neighborhood meetings by
council districts.
Tree ordinance
Downtown Implementation - maintain focus
Property Maintenance Code issues still outstanding; consider forming on-going
committee (meet quarterly to address continuing issues); don’t let it falter
Economic Development - need to develop marketing effort to build on assets city has
Evaluation of aging infrastructure - long term action plan; roads, sewer, water, drainage,
electric; know what’s out there; impeding gaps; examine financing choices
Update gas well drilling/transmission ordinances especially inside city limits
Boards and commissions pre-work session
Council discussed boards and commissions:
Comment and discussion of metrics for balancing development (Planning and Zoning)
Review of sign ordinance (Planning and Zoning)
Traffic Safety Commission - need to clarify roles by Council; ask for feedback from
them; get information from Legal
Council discussed the Leadership Team of City Staff:
Work on strategic plan; continue research; have good direction from this session; need
continuing review with Council (early in year to accommodate budget considerations)
Continue providing strong qualitative information (potential for new research after
census)
Strategy to engage outside agencies such as Leadership Denton
Mayor Pro Tem Kamp left the meeting.
Council discussed roles of other members of city staff:
Identify productive ways for Council to be engaged with organizational involvement
Council discussed stakeholders and partner organizations:
Engage universities more - TWU on community-wide issues; nursing/medical activities;
facilities people, TWU representation leadership permitting
NCTC engagement
Denton County
Legislators (steps to improve effective representation -meet with Fred Hill)
Other ideas/activities considered by Council included:
Government development track
Infill
3-1-1
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Methane Wastewater Treatment plant
Tree conservation strategy
Volunteer /other apartment maintenance strategy
Council ranked a recap of the discussion:
How well do action items reflect my own ideas of what we should do = very.
How well do the roles and responsibilities reflect on my own ideas = very.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:40 p.m.
____________________________________
MARK A. BURROUGHS
MAYOR
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
____________________________________
JENNIFER WALTERS
CITY SECRETARY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS