SCC Item 1. City Council Goal Setting (5-11-2026)5/11/2026
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2026 City Council Goals
May 11, 2026 – Otsego City Council
Agenda
1. Review of Information
2. Previous Steps
3. Staff Input
4. Suggested Goals
5. Questions/Suggestions
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Process so far
1. Initial Survey
2. Goal Setting Session
3. Follow Up Survey
4. Staff Review/Survey
5. Presentation to Council
6. Presentation to City Staff
Priority Items/ Goals
Implement Fire Code and Emergency Planning
Complete Drinking Water Improvements
Increase Community Engagement and Trust
Improve Project and Process Communication
Continue Community Education on municipal
operations and processes
Undertake Future Facility and Site Planning
Identify Federal and State Funding Opportunities
Explore Public and Private Partnerships
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The staff responses highlight a strong
focus on infrastructure readiness,
emergency preparedness, and
proactive community education.
There is a clear consensus that as the
city grows, communication must
become simpler, more transparent,
and more human-centric.
Increase
emergency
readiness and
service
improvements
•Implement Fire Code and Emergency Planning
•Crisis Communication: Develop a formal Crisis
Communication Plan and a Continuity of Operations
Plan (COOP).
•Training: Conduct tabletop exercises and annual
leadership training for emergency response.
•Integration: Partner with the new Fire Department for in-
house fire code inspections.
•Complete Drinking Water Improvements
•Proactive Treatment: Implement filtration and
infrastructure upgrades to meet growing demand.
•Education: Actively "de-stigmatize" water quality through
honest communication about future needs and
infrastructure costs.
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Engage with the Community
•Increase Community Engagement and Trust
•Collaboration: Actively involving residents in decision-
making and problem-solving.
•Education First: Teaching residents how to find
information (navigating websites, records, and surveys).
•High Visibility: Being present at local events (Prairie
Festival, Chamber meetings) to "humanize" city
government.
•Accessibility: Using multiple formats (social media, QR
codes, portable message trailers, and videos) to ensure
everyone has a chance to participate.
•Simplicity: Messaging should be brief and
understandable (aiming for a "3rd-grade level" of clarity).
•Mutual Understanding: Success is defined by the
recipient understanding the message as intended, even
if there is disagreement on the topic.
•Transparency: Open and honest dialogue that builds a
respectful relationship between the city and residents.
•Multi-Channel: Utilizing all resources (written, verbal, and
in-person) to meet people where they are.
Specific
Communication
Goals
•Improve Project and Process Communication
•Long-Term Roadmap: Evolve the 5-year staffing plan into a 10-year
outlook to identify future roles.
•Performance & Culture: Focus on building a "stronger, not just larger"
team with clear performance metrics and a focus on maintaining
culture.
•Continue Community Education on municipal operations and
processes
•Administration: Focused on the Crisis Communication Plan and
"Tabletop Exercises" to ensure the city responds quickly to
emergencies.
•Parks & Recreation: Prioritizing project-specific updates (Prairie Park,
Lily Pond) and expanding public-private partnerships for funding.
•Streets: Emphasizing "high-visibility" tools like portable sign trailers and
physical evidence of facility needs.
•Utilities: Concentrating on technical excellence (Water Master Plan)
and GIS integration for infrastructure data.
•Public Staff Recognition: Share staff anniversaries and milestones with
the community to demonstrate low turnover and dedicated service.
•Visual Storytelling: Use more short-form videos to highlight department
daily tasks and explain complex city processes.
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Prepare for the
Future
•Undertake Future Facility and Site Planning
•Immediate Needs: Expansion of Public Works and City Hall
is viewed as an "immediate need" due to staff growth and
space constraints.
•Long-Term Planning: Initiate planning for a potential joint
Community Center/City Hall.
•Public Awareness: Use visuals (photos of current
storage/fleet conditions) to justify facility needs to the
public.
•Identify Federal and State Funding Opportunities
•Explore Options: Advocate at state and federal levels
funding opportunities for region and city.
•Multi-level Research: Seek opportunities and support
applications for funding applications
•Explore Public and Private Partnerships
•Local Partnerships: Identify partnership opportunities for
Public and Private partnerships
•Start Local: Promote value of community and businesses of
Otsego
Priority Items/ Goals
Implement Fire Code and Emergency Planning
Complete Drinking Water Improvements
Increase Community Engagement and Trust
Improve Project and Process Communication
Continue Community Education on municipal
operations and processes
Undertake Future Facility and Site Planning
Identify Federal and State Funding Opportunities
Explore Public and Private Partnerships
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Questions or suggestions
Looking for feedback on process and final product.
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