The Ledger

Fate City Council Special Meeting - Strategic Planning Workshop - March 27, 2023

Fate Gazette

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The Fate Gazette — Ledger Entry

Meeting

Special City Council Meeting – Strategic Planning Workshop

Date: March 27, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:12 p.m.
Location: Fate City Hall, 1900 CD Boren Parkway, Fate, Texas

Call to Order and Quorum

  • Mayor David Billings called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
  • City Secretary Victoria Raduechel confirmed a quorum.

Council Members Present

  • David Billings, Mayor
  • John Brandt, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem
  • Scott Kelley
  • Allen Robbins, Mayor Pro Tem
  • Jim Deland
  • Lance Megyesi

Council Members Absent

  • Heather Buegeler

City Staff Present

  • Michael Kovacs, City Manager
  • Justin Weiss, Assistant City Manager
  • Jon Thatcher, City Attorney
  • Victoria Raduechel, City Secretary
  • Spencer Foster, Assistant to the City Manager
  • Lyle Lombard, Director of Public Safety
  • Ryan Wells, Director of Planning and Development Services
  • Steve Gilbert, Director of Community Services and Building Safety
  • Scott Monaghan, Director of Public Works
  • Raju Anthony, Director of Finance
  • Teresa Stevens, Accounting Manager
  • Leigh Corson, Director of Human Resources
  • Michael Wright, IT Manager

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

  • Council Member Jim Deland gave the invocation.
  • The Council led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American and Texas flags.

Public Comment

  • No members of the public addressed the Council.

Strategic Planning Workshop

Session 1 Review

  • Hilary Shine, Leadership Development Coordinator with Strategic Government Resources (SGR), reviewed the Strategic Planning Workshop held February 27, 2023.
  • Topics reviewed included:
    • Setting the vision
    • Strategic Visioning Loop
    • Good Governance Principles
    • Mission Statement
    • Vision Statement
    • SWOT Analysis

Mission Statement

  • To continually improve the quality of life in Fate through effective governance and fiscally resilient delivery of outstanding public services.

Vision Statement

  • Fate is a vibrant, financially sound, and family-oriented community. The City delivers exceptional services that enhance the quality of life while fostering a safe atmosphere where citizens and businesses can thrive.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

  • Community feel (people)
  • Fate DPS
  • Engaged Council
  • Fiscal focus
  • Land availability
  • Long-term thinking
  • Low tax rate
  • Strong financial analysis system
  • Innovative planning
  • Use of citizen survey

Weaknesses

  • Coordination of timing
  • Dependence on single-family permits
  • Execution on projects
  • Lack of commercial tax base
  • Lack of engagement
  • Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) and Public Improvement Districts (PIDs)
  • Project timing
  • Roads and parking
  • School pick-up and drop-off
  • Slow government processes
  • Staffing challenges

Opportunities

  • Better execution
  • Economic development planning
  • Highlighting the city
  • Innovation
  • Organizational culture
  • Reduced red tape
  • Smart and responsible development

Threats

  • Austin
  • Base development
  • Debt capacity
  • Disaster preparedness
  • Lack of retail diversity
  • Politicization
  • Tax burden on residents

Establishing Strategic Priorities

  • Individual Council priorities were consolidated and reviewed.
  • The following 2023 Strategic Priorities were established:
    • Public Safety
    • Fiscal Resiliency & Accountability
    • Sense of Community
    • Sustainable Infrastructure & Services

Priority Goal-Setting

Public Safety

  • Recruit and retain
  • Effective response
  • Fate Emergency Management
  • Traffic calming

Fiscal Resiliency & Accountability

  • Appropriate tax rate
  • Revenue management
  • Fiscally productive development
  • Debt and expense management

Sense of Community

  • Community branding, marketing, and awareness
  • Community survey
  • Community connections (engagement)
  • City messaging

Sustainable Infrastructure & Services

  • Proactive maintenance
  • Maintain parks
  • Maintain and improve existing and new infrastructure
  • Cybersecurity
  • Customer service
  • Workforce stabilization

Next Steps

  • Ms. Shine reported that some goals may be reworded and that a final report would be sent to the Council.
  • Council and staff discussed budget impacts associated with the strategic priorities and goals.

Adjournment

  • Council Member Jim Deland moved to adjourn.
  • Mayor David Billings seconded the motion.
  • Vote:
    • Ayes: Billings, Brandt, Kelley, Robbins, Deland, Megyesi
    • Nays: None
  • The motion carried unanimously.
  • The meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m.

Record Note
This Ledger entry records the publicly observable proceedings of the meeting listed above. It does not offer analysis or commentary.

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