HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2. Community Forum - FY 2023-25 Financial Plan Process Item 2
Department: Administration
Cost Center: 2002
For Agenda of: 1/26/2023
Placement: Study Session
Estimated Time: 3 Hours
FROM: Derek Johnson, City Manager
Prepared By: Emily Jackson, Finance Director
SUBJECT: 2023-25 FINANCIAL PLAN PROCESS: COMMUNITY FORUM
DISCUSSION
Background
A cornerstone of the community engagement process in developing the City’s two -year
financial plan is the Community Forum (“Forum”) where the community can engage in
person and give voice to the desired programs and initiatives for t he City Council to
consider as part of the Major City Goal workplans.
The forum is intended to solicit feedback from residents, community groups, stakeholders
and interested individuals on tasks and projects to support the priorities identified through
the Community Priorities Survey. Attendees can review planned 2023 -25 projects and
initiatives currently identified in existing plans and policies as well as contribute other
ideas for each priority. The Forum is also intended to meet the requirements regarding
the City's local sales tax, by providing an opportunity for the Revenue Enhancement
Oversight Commission (REOC) to review and discuss the use of the revenue generated
by the Local Revenue Measure1. The Forum is one of several opportunities for the
community to provide input on their top priorities as illustrated on the following chart:
1 Code 2.14.040(D), Annual Citizen Oversight Meeting: The REOC shall hold an annual community services
and investment measure community forum for the purpose of taking input from residents and community
members on preferences for the use of the revenues generated by the community services and investment
tax.
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The Forum follows the completion of the Community Priorities Survey and several input
sessions before the Council. The results of the survey were presented at the January 12,
2023 City Council special meeting as part of 2023- 25 Budget Foundation: Economic
Outlook, Budget Policies, and Capital Improvement Plan Review . The results of the
community priorities survey can be found on the City’s website. In total, there were 1,300
responses to the community survey, equating to 65 hours of public comment.
The Forum will be streamed live on the City of San Luis Obispo’s You Tube channel and
on Channel 20.
Format
The Forum will be facilitated by Sommer Kehrli from the Centre for Organization
Effectiveness (“Centre”) and streamed online. Sommer facilitated the 2021 Community
Forum and received very positive feedback from the community.
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The agenda for the Forum is as follows:
1. Welcome/Opening by the Mayor and City Manager
2. 2023-25 Financial Plan Process and Economic Overview Presentation by the
Finance Director
3. Instructions and Overview of the process led by the Facilitator
4. Priority Input Stations based on the results of the Community Priorities Survey
5. Public Comment
6. Closing and Next Steps by the Mayor
Breakout Areas:
Based on the Community Priorities Survey results, staff identified nine topic areas to
further explore and will create stations that will provide information and opportunities for
feedback on the following topics:
1. Homelessness
2. Housing
3. Infrastructure / Multi Model Transportation
4. Open Space / Climate Action
5. Economic Development / Downtown Vitality
6. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
7. Local Revenue Measure
8. Emergency Preparedness and Response
9. Other Ideas
Community members will be able to engage in conversation with the City Council, REOC
Commissioners and Staff with expertise in each of the selected topics at each input station
to answer questions, talk about work the City is currently doing, and solicit feedback about
potential other items that could be considered for the workplan. There will also be the
opportunity for community members to provide feedback on other priority areas at the
Other Ideas station. Information from the Forum will be used by Council at the Council
Goal-Setting Workshop to help set the City’s Major City Goals for the 2023-25 Financial
plan.
Community members who are not able to attend the Forum may send feedback on
priorities in advance by emailing communityforum@slocity.org. There will also be virtual
feedback opportunities during the Forum for viewers watching the live stream on the City’s
You Tube channel.
Public Comment Component
The workshop will be followed by an optional public comment session where community
members will have an opportunity to further address the City Council and the REOC.
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Local Revenue Measure Annual Citizen Oversight Meeting
The Community Forum will also serve as the City’s Annual Citizens’ Oversight Meeting
for the Local Revenue Measure (LRM). This allows for the integration of the LRM into the
City’s budget and goal-setting process. The estimated revenue and proposed use of the
funding generated by LRM shall be an integral part of the City’s budget and goal-setting
process, and an opportunity for meaningful participation by c ommunity members in
determining priority uses of these funds.
With the passage of the Measure G-20 sales tax in the November 3, 2020 election, the
LRM was extended at a new, 1.5 percent rate. The following are the City Council
approved spending priorities for the LRM based on the ballot language:
Protection of Financial Stability
Creek and Flood Protection
Safe and Clean Public Spaces
Youth / Senior Services & Recreation Facilities
Open Space / Natural Areas Preservation and Maintenance
Community Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Address Homelessness
Economic Development and Business Retention
Street Maintenance and Transportation
Other Services and Projects
While the ballot language provided examples of the types of uses that could be funded -
based on community input received before placing the measure on the ballot – the LRM
is a general-purpose tax providing Council with flexibility to respond to new circumstances
and community challenges.
Goal Setting Workshop
The input provided by the community during the Forum will be summarized and made
available to the City Council in preparation of the Goal Setting Workshop on February 11,
2023.
Public Engagement
In order to reach as many community members as possible, the City utilized a broad
range of public engagement and outreach efforts leading up to the Community Forum.
To reach as many residents as possible, the City utilizes several outr each methods
including:
1. Utility invoice inserts
2. City website (Open City Hall)
3. City news & e-notification
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4. Press releases
5. Social media
6. Outreach to over 100 community groups
CONCURRENCES
This item is an interactive Council / REOC workshop to gain community feedback for the
goal setting process. It has been an integral part of the budget process and involves the
entire City organization.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply to the recommended
action in this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA
Guidelines Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2022-23
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $27,000 $23,000 $4,000 $
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $27,000 $23,000 $4,000 $
Funding for the third-party facilitator was budgeted in the Finance Department and is
consistent with previously facilitated Forums.
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