08-31-98PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN Monday, August 31, 1998
Present: Council President O'Leary and Councilmembers Brien, Murphy, Noll, Schneider, Stehura,
and Westphal. Present from the Administration: Steve Sheiffer, City Manager; Tom Rogers,
Assistant City Manager; and Jennifer Petruzzello, Management Assistant.
The Council met at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers to conduct a second strategic planning
session on the Council's major priorities and projects. Council President O'Leary served as
facilitator. The purpose of the meeting was to prioritize and provide additional direction to the
administration on the priorities and possible projects the Council identified at the August 18, 1998
strategy session.
There was a general discussion on how the Council should narrow the list of possible projects. The
Council reviewed each of the priorities on a case by case basis, and provided the following
additional direction:
1. In the area of public safety, the Administration should address the police staffing issue with
an overall goal of maintaining or reducing the crime rate and proceed with a space needs
assessment of the police department.
2. In the area of spending control, the Administration should evaluate the feasibility of shared
support services with Beloit, Rock County, and the school district; study and evaluate
services where viable outside alternatives exist; evaluate the feasibility of volume based fees
for trash; and identify alternative revenue sources.
3. In the area of economic development, the Administration should focus on General Motors,
non-automobile related business attraction, and business retention. These items will be
further defined with the completion of an overall economic development strategy. In
addition, the Administration should submit a proposal to expand the Council's role in
industry visits.
4. In the area of land use planning, it was a~eed that the Council would hold a study session or
series of study sessions to review existing land use plans and update as needed.
5. In the area of quality of life, there was a general feeling that customer satisfaction should
remain a focus of the Administration. Additional projects would be evaluated at the request
of two councilmembers and judged on the cost of the project and the benefit to Janesville
citizens.
The session adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Submitted by: Jennifer Petruzzello
Management Assistant