City Council Priorities (return to Council) (return to Service Director)

SUBJECT: PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED BY TROY CITY COUNCIL Council and elected officials met on September 21 to establish City Council’s priorities for calendar year 2005. The status of the 2004 priority list was first reviewed. Also, staff provided copies of the preliminary 2005 and 2006 Capital Improvement Plan lists for review. The priorities established by Council will be instituted into the framework of the 2005 Budget. A summary, and ranking list, of the identified priorities follows. The identified priorities have been divided into general headings as follows: I COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENTS: A) Restore/Renovate/Revitalize Neighborhoods and Properties. Properties and structures that have become substandard, or dilapidated, negatively impact property values, diminish the appearance of neighborhoods and the overall community. Such properties can be unsafe for the property owner, inhabitants, or others. To help improve properties and structures, the following objectives are to be pursued: 1) Vigorously enforce property maintenance standards; provide Council with a monthly status report. 2) Staff should evaluate ways to spur more use of the Paint Voucher Program, including publicity, consider adjusting the income qualifications to allow for more users, consider if there is value to (and it is legal to) qualify certain rental properties. 3) Evaluate City-owned properties for needed improvements. 4) Look for ways to encourage downtown property owners to enhance their properties, including various grants. Priority Session for Year 2005 – Memorandum September 22, 2004 Page Two B) Maintain an Inventory of Commercial and Industrial Land that is ready for Development. A City’s health follows the wealth of the City’s commercial and industrial base. This priority is associated with Economic Development Efforts, which are discussed later in this report. Troy’s available land zoned and ready for commercial and industrial development has diminished in recent years. It is very important that staff and the Troy Development Council (TDC) work with property owners to supply this resource so that developers have access to land within Troy for the ultimate result of adding to the tax base and providing citizens with livelihoods. II IMPROVE/MAINTAIN CITY-OWNED FACILITIES: A) Upgrade Lincoln Community Center. This year, an architect identified a number of improvements for this aging facility. Several items, associated with safety, have been taken care of, along with some general housekeeping improvements. To the extent applicable, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds will be allocated to fund the major identified improvements. Additional General Fund allocations may be necessary to further facilitate improvements. B) Improve the Treasure Island Complex; Connect Parks. In addition to the improvements to the Marina Building, continue to seek funding from the Clean Ohio and Recreational Trails grants of the State of Ohio and finalize the agreement with Hobart Brothers for adjacent land to improve the area. If grant funding is not successful, City funding will need to be considered to install “bridge”/recreational trail connections from Treasure Island to Troy Community Park and/or Paul G. Duke Park. C) Design and Install New Entrance Signs at the Major Entrances to the City. These signs will follow the “stone” design evidenced by the Riverside Cemetery entrance signs. In the future, similarly designed signs are to be used as an identifier for the City of Troy and on certain City-owned public properties. III INFRASTRUCTURE/ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS A) Realign the Washington Road/Wilson Road Intersection. The two (2) intersections adjacent to Concord School are among the least safe in the area. By moving the intersection West (onto land that is currently not developed), traffic would be moved away from the school (and children), and the traffic flow would be improved at the intersection. The water line loop in the Washington Road right-of-way, to the area of the school, should be completed soon. Priority Session for Year 2005 – Memorandum September 22, 2004 Page Three IV OTHER A) Establish Greater Continuity of City Council With Four-Year Staggered Terms. The Director of Law has provided Council with an opinion that Council would need to first enact legislation that would put the question of four-year terms on the ballot for a decision by the electorate. Staff has indicated that a report is forthcoming in 2004 that reviews the Charter Form of Government as another option to allow four-year staggered terms for City Council. This item should be considered by Council in the near future and any potential action implemented in 2005. Certain priorities were considered to be Standard Operating Procedure, as follows: I ECONOMIC DEVEOPMENT AND GROWTH A) Return on Investment Program. In acknowledgement that it can be quite difficult to quantify the immediate return to the community for costs associated with trade missions and other economic development efforts, to the extent possible, provide enhanced communications to Council to underscore the public benefits and value of these activities. This kind of cumulative comparative and performance data helps communicate complex issues to the public. B) Job Retention and Expansion. The TDC understands the importance Council places on communicating with local companies as to their needs, addressing if and how the City may help address those needs, and assuring that local companies have an understanding of their value to the community. There should be an effort to visit local and national corporate headquarters as needs dictate. C) Annexation. As stated in past Priority Listings, annexations that bring value to the City and do not unnecessarily tax resources are encouraged. II MAINTAIN THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE CITY OF TROY A) Troy’s fund balances, including the financial base of the Investment Fund for Capital Improvement (fund established from the sale of the Electric utility in 1969), places Troy in a solid position to continue to provide quality services, maintain the infrastructure, and have enhanced recreational programs and facilities to provide Troy citizens with an excellent quality of life. That financial base makes it possible for the City to invest and borrow in advantageous situations. Safeguarding this financial base is to continue under the watchful guidance of the City’s elected and appointed financial officials. Priority Session for Year 2005 – Memorandum September 22, 2004 Page Four III REGULAR UPDATES ON AGENCIES THAT RECEIVE FUNDING BY THE CITY A) Agencies. All agencies that receive City funding are to provide quarterly written updates to address the status of the various agencies and their activities, including financial status and program summaries. Presentations to Council will also be permitted. The agencies include: TDC, Troy Main Street, Troy Recreation Association, Inc. (the REC), PTCC, and Lincoln Community Center. B) Board of Park Commissioners and Troy Recreation Board. Quarterly written activity reports will also be requested from the Board of Park Commissioners and the Troy Recreation Board. In additional, Council will continue annual or semi-annual meetings with the Board of Park Commissioners and the Troy Recreation Board. These reports and joint meetings help Council execute its fiduciary oversight. IV CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. A) Discussed were: 1) Provide better follow up to complainants on the status of the complaints they have made. 2) Identify ways to use the City’s website to provide more information about the City, including a list of resources. 3) Look for new and innovative ways to promote Troy. V CLOSURE (COMPLETION OF UNFINISHED PROJECTS) A) A number of priorities/capital projects from prior years need to be completed, including: . Troy Memorial Stadium Renovation, . Construction of the new Cemetery Maintenance Building, . Construction of the new Aquatic Center, . Installation of the new generators at the Utility Plants, . Finalization of the purchase of land for the new site of Fire Station #2 along with the construction of the new station, . Improvements to the Marina Building at Treasure Island, . Completion of the Comprehensive Plan, . Elm Street Reconstruction Project, . Urban Forestry, . Reforestation efforts. Priority Session for Year 2005 – Memorandum September 22, 2004 Page Five The premise of “taking a break” from the assertive pace of new projects and refraining from too many new or significant projects was discussed. The focus could be on the closure of the existing projects this year. It was noted that a number of annual, maintenance projects are anticipated, such as street resurfacing, manhole and catch basin replacements, cleaning of the lime sludge lagoon(s), replacement of traffic signals, and other routine roadway work. While not receiving any points during the priority scoring process, the following Park Improvements were discussed and will be forwarded to the Board of Park Commissioners for evaluation this year: - Locating additional Skate Board facilities in parks in other areas of the City. - Upgrades and improvements to Trostle Park. - Improvements to playground equipment intended for use by toddlers and younger children. - Establish park and playground features for the handicapped. - Establish a Band Shell in the Troy Community Park. Please advise should you have any comments regarding this summary.