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2025-05-13 - MIN - City Council Work Session May 13, 2025 — 6:30 PM Golden Valley City Hall Council Chambers CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES Members of the public may attend this meeting in-person, watch on cable channel 16, or stream on CCXmedia.org. 1. Call to Order Mayor Harmon called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Present: Mayor Roslyn Harmon, Council Members Ginis, Harris, La Mere-Anderson, and Rosenquist Absent: None Staff present: City Manager Schuchman, Deputy City Attorney Santelices, City Attorney Cisneros, Communications Director Weiler, Fire Chief Brunsell, Community Development Director Goellner, Finance Director Hodges, Police Chief Green, Public Works Director Kieffer, Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield Guests Present: Employee Strategies Inc. Principal Culture Consultant J. Forrest 2. Discussion Items 2A. Presentation and Discussion of Recent Employee Survey City Manager Schuchman thanked City department heads for their attendance and introduced Principal Culture Consultant Forrest, who conducted the employee Pulse Survey. Principal Culture Consultant Forrest discussed 2024 high-level observations, Culture Team members, Culture Team blueprint, survey basics, increased response rate, data privacy laws, employee survey history, 2025 high-level observations, decreased attrition risk, 2025 survey response groups, 2025 areas of strength, 2025 areas of opportunity, and next steps. City Manager Schuchman thanked those who participated in the survey. Council Member Ginis noted the high cost of attrition, the responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, and, in turn, the importance of investing in the City being a great place to work. She also highlighted the importance of being able to talk openly and honestly with leadership, the cost of unhappiness, and expressed her thankfulness to the leadership teams. Mayor Harmon asked Council Members to keep their comments limited to 3-5 minutes. Council Member Rosenquist asked if other organizations are seeing the same trends amongst the early to mid-tenure groups. Principal Culture Consultant Forrest stated what was unique in this survey was the spike among that group. He noted that mid-career individuals often note loneliness in work. Council Member Rosenquist expressed thanks to employees who participated in the survey, the Culture Team who are working on improving the workplace, and Employee Strategies, Inc. Council Member La Mere-Anderson highlighted employee engagement, growth and development, and belonging as three important trends in the workplace experience. She also noted her excitement regarding the improvements shown in the survey. Council Member Harris noted he was not surprised regarding the 2-5 year tenure group, but he was excited about the progress shown, and the reason people are choosing to work for the City. Mayor Harmon thanked the Culture Team and Employee Strategies for the work completed. Mayor Harmon stated she was not impressed with the survey results, given that people have left and retired. Mayor Harmon asked who Community Development includes. Community Development Director Goellner stated Community Development includes inspections, engineering, planning, and economic development. Mayor Harmon highlighted that she saw no change from last year in terms of adjectives used to describe working for the City. She is concerned about the results and wants to make sure the work done by the Culture Team is worth it. She asked if leadership is truly listening to employees and stated that there is work to be done. Council Member Ginis asked Mayor Harmon what she proposed be done to get the results she’d like to see. Mayor Harmon asked what determined the twenty activities planned by the Culture Team and if they were activities to build relationships. Principal Culture Consultant Forrest explained the activities and action items planned and executed by the Culture Team addressed shortcomings of last year’s survey. Mayor Harmon noted she would like to see the organizational piece get better. Council Member Harris recognizes that moving up seven points is not great, but also noted the importance of creating a foundation that should have already been there. Council Member La Mere-Anderson stated that people may be suspicious of whether the City will sustain this, and it is now the time to ‘push on the gas.’ Council Member Ginis highlighted the importance of good culture and clarity with executive team leaders. Mayor Harmon stated that she and the Council need to help executive teams implement things to help survey numbers rise. 2B. Council Review of Future Draft Agendas Council Member Harris asked for clarification regarding the June City Council meeting. City Manager Schuchman noted he was unsure why it said June 4, 2025, instead of June 3, 2025, but would check into it. Mayor Harmon noted the director of the Juneteenth Pageant reached out and asked for a proclamation for their event on June 7. Therefore, she asked City Manager Schuchman if that proclamation could be included on the June 4 agenda. City Manager Schuchman stated yes and asked Mayor Harmon to facilitate getting the proclamation language. City Clerk Schyma informed the Council that June 3, 2025, is the last day of the Jewish holiday Shavuot. City Manager Schuchman noted he doesn't know the historical precedent the City has had for recognition. City Clerk Schyma stated it is recognized on the Council calendar approved in January, but it can be changed if they give notice. City Manager Schuchman stated he will put the date change on the agenda for next week so it can get approved to have the City Council meeting on June 3, 2025, instead of June 4, 2025. Council Member Harris asked what the 2025 Pavement Preservation Project was. Public Works Director Kieffer stated it is an overlay project in the northeast corner of the City. Council Member Ginis asked how Boards and Commissions will talk to the Council regarding the Equity Plan Annual Update. Council Member Rosenquist noted that Boards and Commissions will typically cycle through one to two Commissions per work session. City Manager Schuchman stated it would be helpful to know what the Council would like. Council Member Harris stated that two Commissions per month were too slow and would like to find a more efficient way to proceed, such as a truncated report. Mayor Harmon stated she would like the Chairs or Co-Chairs to talk them through it. Council Member Harris stated that thirty minutes would be sufficient. Council Member Ginis echoed Council Member Harris’s sentiment. City Manager Schuchman stated he would think through it and follow up with Council Members individually or by email. Council Member Rosenquist highlighted the importance of making sure Commissioners know their time is well spent and they are valued as part of the larger team. City Manager Schuchman noted some frustration by Commissioners not receiving the resources they need to complete things on their work plans. 3. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 8:07 pm.