TBD Minutes August 2, 2012

Minutes

Take Back DuPont
Thursday, August 02, 2012, 7:27 PM


Attendees:
Don Dresser
David Bungert
Shawna Gasak
Tom Colegrove
Mike Gorski
Sharon Gorski
Lauri Fait
Phil Chase

Additional Distribution:
Take Back DuPont (TBD) Facebook Group


Meeting Purpose:
The initial meeting of the TBD members. The agenda items include:
* Introductions of group members
* Discuss and decide upon a change to the group name
* Decide what the group has come together to accomplish
* Produce a mission statement
* Next steps


Action Items From Previous Meeting(s):
None

Discussion Items:
* The group discussed the current group name 'Take Back DuPont' and other possible names. No decision was made to rename the group at this early stage but to rather decide what the group would and would accomplish before deciding on a new name or if one is warranted.
* The bulk of the meeting was spent on what the mission statement should include. Elements brought up during the group discussion are included below:
* Remind the council and city leadership of their statutory responsibilities and accountabilities to the citizens of DuPont
* Bring a transparency in government
* Encourage the creation of a formal communications policy for the city
o Responses within a reasonable amount of time
o Regular and widely distributed public announcements, news and updates
o Regular and published responses to public concerns
* Identify wasteful practices and insist upon change, including audits if necessary
* Request elected officials submit an outline of their comments prior to the council comments session, any deviations from that outline to be captured in the meeting minutes so the public can be informed
* Support citizens seeking election to the city council so no incumbents run unopposed
* Improve the access to city staff and city council by citizens
* Work with the staff and council for widespread changes for the betterment of DuPont
* Creation of an emergency response plan and publishing it, practicing it and pursuing it
* Ensure all city staff have defined job descriptions and qualifications and they receive performance reviews
* An updated long-term plan and vision for the city
* A balanced budget
* A clearly defined relationship of the city to the ROA
o Which parks are maintained by the city laws
o Events sponsorship
o Elimination of duplicate functions
* Enforcement of laws, and minimizing liability to the city
o Dog barking
o Helmet
o Parking
* Ensuring that fire apparatus and snow plows can negotiate city streets
o Fireworks
o Removal of unenforceable codes and laws


Action Items:
* Meeting minutes to be published on the FTB group page - Tom (Due 8/3)
* Draft mission statement created and distributed for comment - Tom (Due 8/6)
* Review the draft mission statement and provide comment to Tom - All (Due 8/14)
* Set up next group meeting - Shawna (Due 8/13)


Mission Statement:
A group of concerned citizens working to:
* Remind the council of their stuatory responsibilities and accountabilities to the citizens of DuPont
* Transparancy in government
* Bring about a communications policy
o Responses within a reasonable amount of time
o Regular and widely distributed public announcements, news and updates
o Regular responses to public concerns that are published
* Identify wasteful practices and insist upon change, including audits if necessary
* Request that elected officials submit an outline of their comments be submitted prior to the council comments
session, any deviations from that outline to be captured in the meeting minutes so the public can be informed
* Support citizens seeking election to the city council so no incumbents run unopposed
* Improve the access to city staff and city council by citizens
* Work with the staff and council for widespread changes for the betterment of DuPont
* Creation of an emergency response plan and publishing it, practicing it and pursuing it
* Ensure all city staff have defined job descriptions a nd qualifications and performance reviews
* Long term plan, vision
* A balanced budget
* A clearly defined relationship of the city to the ROA
o Which parks are maintained by the city laws
o Events sponsorship
* Enforcement of laws, and minimizing liability
o Dog barking
o Helmet
o Parking
o Fireworks
o Removal of unenforceable codes and laws
o Ensuring the fire apparatus can negotiate city streets