HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOW 2003-11-10 Item 3B - Council - 2004 Retreat LocationCAS Number: 03-142 a Original Agenda Date:
Agenda Item Title: Discussion on Council Retreat location for 2004.
Original Sponsor: Council X
Timeline:
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Administration: Same as sponsor.
Cost Impact (if $2,400.00 annually
I FOMd "Sburce (if known): General Fund.
COUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS
Meeting Date I Prepared by
11 10 03 1 L. Lauterbach
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Admin.
Initials
ayor's revie I Council review
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11 -10 -03
ITEMNO.
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Sponsor's Summary: Discuss the issue and decide on a retreat location for the year 2004.
Recommendations:
Sponsor: Same as sponsor.
Committee: Finance Safety Committee reviewed the item October 20, 2003, and recommended
the retreat be held at a location in Tukwila.
achmenfs
11 10 03 Memorandum to the City Council, from Lucy Lauterbach, dated November 5, 2003.
To: City Council
From: Lucy Lauterbach
Date: November 5, 2003
Subject: Council Travel Budget
The full Council has never formally discussed the issue of whether the Council should move its
January retreat from out of town to in -town. Because all budgets were to be held to a 4%
increase this year, the Council's travel budget was reduced from $21,000 in 2003 to $17,000
proposed for 2004. (Miscellaneous expenses were also reduced.)
With room costs over the past several years ranging around $135 plus a 12% tax, lodging costs
have approximated 2,200 per retreat. Meals cost the same here as anywhere we have a retreat,
and we would save the mileage cost of seven cars driving some distance to and from a retreat.
Meals from people eating out on Friday night can be $100 total. Over the past three years the
total cost of a retreat has averaged about $2,400.
Having a retreat in town would cost some for a meeting room unless it were held at the
Community Center or City Hall. Having breakfast, lunch and dinner in town would be
comparable or slightly less than Whidbey or La Conner.
The benefit of having a retreat in -town is that it would lessen costs and allow citizens to attend
the meeting. It would also give you more time with your family at home. City staff could be
invited if you wanted them to discuss a specific issue.
The benefit of having it away is the longer socialization times of Friday night when no one has to
drive after socializing together, and the more relaxed atmosphere of sitting around a meeting
room or living room where the chairs are comfortable and the mood is businesslike without
seeming too much like an every -day meeting. There seems to be a better chance of bonding as a
group, though that's not always true. People are also more free to speak frankly than they
sometimes are on city property because they're relaxed and open.
The last time the Council held their retreat in Tukwila, they used the little log house off of
Interurban Avenue. It did save money. The accommodations were less than comfortable, and at
that time there were no new council members. No citizens attended the meeting.
$3,000 will need to be cut from the travel amount that's being spent this year. Another way to
make up that amount is to limit those going to national and state conferences in 2004, or to try to
make many small savings by asking everyone to pay for a Friday night meal before a conference
out of their own pockets, or drive a city car to meetings.
Thus far it looks as if we'll spend all of our $21,000 in travel in 2003.