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HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.council.worksession.20120806 THE CITY OF ASPEN MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: Mitzi Rapkin, Community Relations Director THRU: Barry Crook, Assistant City Manager DATE: August 3, 2012 MEETING DATE: August 6, 2012 SUBJECT: Engaging 20-40 year olds in civic process SUMMARY: In 2011 City Council identified as one of its top ten goals to "increase the involvement of Aspenites aged 20-40 in the civic process. " Since that goal was set in July 2011, City staff has been working to engage this demographic on ideas and strategies to get members more involved in civic life as well as determine what their interests are. BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTION: City Council and Staff have never specifically targeted an age group to seek their members' involvement. While the City has regularly engaged citizens based on specific issues, the lack of Aspen's 20-40 year old population in those discussions as well as in regular meetings and serving on government boards was of enough import to Council at the July 2011 retreat to direct staff to work toward changing this. There has not been previous action in this issue. DISCUSSION: The City of Aspen places a high priority on engaging the public in civic discourse. Public participation is essential in having a thriving political atmosphere. It is clear from City meetings, representation on City boards and commissions and participation in public engagement sessions that the 20-40 year old demographic is underrepresented. As these individuals are the future of Aspen, Council said it was important to engage them in current City issues as well as hear what topics concern them the most. A team of City staff including: Barry Crook, Kathryn Koch, Alissa Farrell and Mitzi Rapkin worked on this goal. Using a database Mitzi collected of young Aspenites along with a cooperative effort with Aspen Young Professionals Association using its email list, staff reached out to more than 500 people within the 20-40 year-old demographic inviting them to focus groups and soliciting ideas and comments if they couldn't attend the group meetings. The team also held a special focus group for City employees of that age group. Page 1 Overall we talked to about 85 people in the first round of focus groups, which took place in the fall of 2011. Each group was asked to provide feedback on the same set of questions: • What does civic engagement mean to you? • What barriers inhibit your engagement? • What issues do you care about? • What issues don't you care about? • What ideas do you have to help encourage engagement? Please see Exhibit A to read what their exact comments were. In general some themes were present in all the meetings. ➢ In terms of the barriers they encounter they said: • A lack of understanding of how government works, • too much of a time commitment, • meetings are too long and there is no efficient way to give comments upfront, • too much contention at meetings, • lack of childcare, • feeling like their voice isn't important. ➢ Regarding the issues they care about they said: • Housing, • childcare, • environment, • recreation, • wanting more professional opportunities, • renewable energy, • lack of civility in meetings, • quality of life, • economic sustainability and opportunity, • transit, • education, • affordable rents for homes and businesses. As far as ideas to inspire and help 20-40 year olds engage more in the civic process, there were many (having beer at meetings being one of the most popular). In March and April, staff held three follow up meetings with participants to go over what we heard, to ensure we heard correctly and to get additional feedback. We aggregated the best and most realistic ideas from the five focus group sessions and they are included in Exhibit B. Some of these ideas we have already implemented or they are in the works, some will take additional planning, and some may require financial resources. Page 2 RECOMMENDATIONS: Things we are already doing/working on: • Staff has already started a Facebook page for 20-40 year olds called "City of Aspen Next Generation". About 100 invites to the page were sent out, currently we have 42 members. • Additionally, focus group participants were sent follow up emails on how to sign up for City newsletters. • Take public comment online — we have started the Open City Hall website where we have been posting current topics feedback through a community forum. • Increased communication/marketing to this demographic through a variety of means and methods (including the use of already formed groups that cater to this demographic) Things we recommend we start doing/explore doing: • Civic engagement 101 class (planning is already in the works for a "Citizen's Academy" type effort common to communities all across the nation) • Recruit people to participate and serve on boards • Meetings with this age group on various city topics: ✓ Quarterly meeting with young people to review upcoming topics and get information ✓ Education series on local issues ✓ Do something like the Aspen Business Lunch but with city speakers and have it be discussions, not lectures • Sense of invitation, knowing someone wants to hear your voice • Mentorship program with council—shadow them and learn • Online newspaper doesn't have the printed edition ads we purchase so buy online ads so we can see what is going on when we read paper online • Web classes or skype to learn more and interact with council • Have two people be able to share a board post • Offer childcare at meetings • Section in newspaper devoted to what's going on in City government — redesign add, different online ads • Explore the formation of a Advisory Committee of people in this demographic group NEXT STEPS: We are interested in hearing what ideas City Council would like staff to pursue. One issue to consider is how hard to push effort with this demographic. We heard from our participants that the City does provide opportunities for citizens to be engaged and even as it continues to do more, it is still up to the individual to take proactive measures. Many we talked to acknowledged that at the end of the day, the responsibility to act lies with each person. Some of the next suggested steps that will require Council participation or decisions include: • Are you willing to change any meeting times, • Are you willing to meet once a month or once a quarter with 20-40 year olds in a lunchtime session to talk about specific topics or general concerns of that demographic, • Do you want to beef up online ways to receive public comments, Page 3 • Would you be willing to have members of some boards and commissions share posts? A discussion pertaining to the list of ideas in Exhibit B is necessary. FINANCIAL/ BUDGET IMPACTS: There will be financial implications depending on what choices you want to implement including but not limited to advertising fees, any new online programs for feedback or education series. ATTACHMENTS: Exhibit A: Aggregated data from five initial focus groups Exhibit B: List of focus group ideas worth implementing and researching Page 4 Exhibit A: Aggregated Data from Focus Groups Civic Engagement • Voting • Any concrete action you take to try to change community- environment, government, community • Can be participating in a group like this • Can be something you do as individual; voicing an opinion; writing letter to the paper • Reading newspaper • Volunteering • Helping out charitable organizations • Paying taxes • Impacting social and physical and natural environments for the future • Dialogue both organized and not • Understanding how government works, how changes are made • Activate though dialogue or action or through the public realm • To give back in some way • Writing letters and reading letters in the opinion pages • Educating self • Understanding what matters in this community • Coming to City Council meetings; having opinion in meeting, coming to focus group • Voting and political involvement, getting involved in campaigns • Doesn't have to be government, can be non-profits • Involving yourself in change in the community • Educating yourself on issues • Dialogue and understanding different perspectives • Getting organized, people organize around issues to have a collective voice • Being active in your community on a variety of levels • Bringing issues forward • Showing up - to community events, council meetings, be there, just being a body in the room matters • Involvement with government - P&Z, Wheeler Board, etc Page EX Al • Having input or basic knowledge of what government is doing • Give my opinion via different vehicles • Volunteering for and in the community and with non-profits • Just showing up • Some sense of a collaborative process - with communities or in organizations, share ideas and make choices together • Giving input • Giving commentary during process, opportunity to be heard by decision makers • Being involved and informed • Giving back though different community activities Issues We Care About • More professional opportunities • To grow and move up • Education • Early childhood education • Cost of childcare • Lack of civility at meetings turns me off, want more civility • Environment- impact of our actions • Business climate • Renewable energy • Localization of food • Cost of living • Housing • Promoting Aspen as a ski town • Recreation • Affordable Housing • Aspen's Identity- resort v. community • Taxes are too high, sales, transfer and no refund for people who spend their money here but don't live here • Economic sustainability • Childcare • Schooling Page EX A2 • Rental prices - affordable places that allow pets • Affordable Aspen • Community sustainability • APCHA housing limits - the upper end income is below mine but the RO houses are too big • Events in town • Affordable work space • Affordable community space • Economic Opportunities • Education • Bridge cultural gaps • Housing • Community involvement • Supporting non-profits • Transit • Energy • Open space • Creating community • Environment • Community Development • Understanding Aspen's history • Commuting • Taxes • Childcare • Housing • Recreation • Open Space • Parks • Transit • Not interested in seeing people face to face in meetings • We feel like a part of Aspen even though we don't live here but people who live here don't feel like we are a part of Aspen • Environment • Social Services • Lighting Code • Sidewalks being clean and clear • Employee housing • Little Annie's- keep the business Page EX A3 • Art Museum - size, design and scale, location and cost - too much spending and not appropriate location • Health and Human Services • ETA - straight shot • Underserved populations • Youth programs • Shelters • Childcare • Too much time spent on things that seem trivial • Affordable businesses • Oil and Gas drilling/Thompson Divide • Dog Laws • Development and preserving Aspen's character • Wilderness areas • Recreation • Quality of life • Health Care • Issues We Don't Care About • Construction noise levels • Limiting size of airplanes • Old fueds • S-Curves - lost interest after back and forth so much • Plastic Bags • The name for the Droste Property • Ballots • Individual complainers at meetings • Tangents council goes off on during meetings Page EX A4 Barriers to Engaging • Some issues here don't affect me/us • Basic knowledge in advance of what is going on (want more marketing) • Competition with other activities out there • Not knowing what civic engagement really means • Not feeling patriotic • General frustration with government nationally and feeling of impotence; hopefully someone will do something but it won't be me • Engaging in government feels hopeless; how do I even push my agenda • We are programmed to think globally • Council has a bad reputation • Endless council meetings, have to sit for hours before they get to my issue; they take too long on each issue • Cost/benefit analysis - knowing someone cares about what I have to say and to know it impacted outcome versus time and effort it takes to be at meeting • Government gets set in certain ways • I don't understand what qualifications are when there are openings on boards, I don't understand what it means • Such a huge responsibility and time commitment; how to fit it in with my working life and schedule • Multiple jobs and unpredictable schedule • Time constraints • Kids • Knowing how much to commit when I'm not sure how long I'll be living here • My livelihood is here but I don't know if I have a welcome voice • Feel helpless; how do things flow • Not being a voter or paying taxes I feel like I don't have a voice • Hard to have ownership in town where you don't own a home • Don't know if I have a welcome voice • Tried to be engaged but so many of us here are transient so why am I even going to this stuff • Business climate too restrictive for density and rent etc Page EX A5 • • A few layers; our age group has less population; we feel apathetic or helpless; we're trying to find our footing and it doesn't seem like there's a direct impact on decisions to my life • People feel like if they do get involved they won't be listened to because of established people who are already there • Bureaucracy, navigating the process, understanding the language, it is too dense • Sifting through entire meeting is daunting, can't make other plans, it's not fun, find a way to make it a social engagement • Time is undetermined, why isn't there a time slot for each agenda item • There is too much vitriol at public meetings, we need to get people involved to overturn that • Dealing with government is hard, there is a basic distrust, a feeling like our voice doesn't matter or make a difference, a sense of apathy, not being able to affect change • Corporate vs. populace representation • Meetings should always be held in a good place near public transit • Vitriol at meetings and in community, people are afraid to raise their voices because of backlash • People afraid of repercussions from employer • Hot topics usually have experts in the room but it's hard to come into the process and know them and which meetings to go to and when they are, sometimes it gets buried in the agendas • We want to know that submitted comments have the same weight as being at the meeting, maybe they can read them aloud, but being there in person is likely more powerful • Want to know that if we work but don't live in Aspen our voices will still be heard • Time - I live down valley and am starting a career and family • Government doesn't leave room for change in Aspen • Government doesn't make it easy to live here • People don't want to see any change • Being told not to communicate or express your thoughts because you're not directly in Aspen community • Have to sit through entire meeting before comment time • Less topics apply to me • May be challenged at a meeting • How could I affect outcome? • Childcare not available - need it to come to meetings Page EX A6 • Letting me know how I am a stakeholder • People don't realize they have a voice • Needs to be something "in it" for us - quid pro quo • Stigma attached to voicing opinion • Content of meetings • Civic process difficult to understand • Don't want comments I make in newspaper • No anonymity • As a city employee I fear backlash from senior staff and/or council • Citizens may feel pressure from employers regarding backlash for what they say; may experience retribution • Need more education on how people can get involved • Schedule for meetings never on time • Intimidating to talk in public, be on TV • Meetings too land and building focused, can't afford a house here so why sit through all these non-applicable topics, its unappealing • Not seeing connection to my life with the agenda items • Daytime meetings are better for our age group, can use lunch hour • Council listens to same vocal people all the time • Concepts of ownership, having a stake where you life, feel like an outsider but I operate in the Aspen community • Aren't taken seriously by older Aspenites • Commute, just want to be home after work • Aspen values do not leave a lot of room for change • It seems like the best way to be heard is run for office but I don't have time to do that • Sheer numbers of our age group; there aren't enough of us; we are transient; not enough of us to speak out • We don't have clout; we feel segregated by our age • Condescending tone at meetings • Feel conflicted between communities (where I work v. where I live); no place to call home • Can't register to vote here • Time - busy schedule; family and work take a lot of time • Same voices and same people at council meetings; makes it uncomfortable • Not living in City limits; can't vote' feel like my opinion doesn't matter because I don't live here Page EX A7 • Want to feel it's an overall valley community • City council meetings don't run on schedule, too long • Same as national politics, feel so little; how can I make a change • Elected officials seem like they've been here for decades and I feel like if I'm not part of the old boy's club, I feel not heard; they like to hear themselves speak • Ideas • Civic engagement 101 class • Recruit people to participate and serve on boards • Chairlift/gondola meetings • Alcohol and food at meetings • Better marketing • Offer easy entry points to get involved • Require all boards to have a member who is 20-40 years old • Have two people share a board post • Reaching out to organizations populated by 20-40 year olds and offer incentives • Quarterly meeting with young people to review upcoming topics and get information • Education series on local issues • Knowing what it going on to get involved with • Facebook wall with upcoming events • Email us when things are going on • Means of communication that is different • Being asked to be on a board/committee by someone on the board • Get people on lower level boards • Have meetings at lunch, breakfast or 5pm • Leadership- someone should be paid to take this on, we need someone to organize and be a catalyst • Young person's newsletter or email update, Facebook invite to events • Invite groups with younger people like ACES and go to them • It's good when young people reach out to other young people • We want to feel empowered • Steering committee of young people would be a good idea and representative could come to the meetings and be heard Page EX A8 • Important for our generation to step up and have a dialogue without the burden of a meeting, maybe organize and talk about issues together and assign one person per meeting to attend and we take turns • Form something like a PAC • Class on democracy and civics to educate people so they feel more confident and stimulate them more • I like having a peer list to tell me what's going on, the emails Jill sends • Have a quick multiple choice survey at the meeting so you can just fill in the bubbles about how you feel about something and write down thoughts • Have hot topic tracking of items from P and Z to approval so we can better know how to navigate the process • Newsletter from City • Learning sessions about a different topic of policy • Public/private partnerships to create valley wide council with a voice • Donated space for gathering at a standing time and place, opportunity to explore topics • Section in newspaper devoted to what's going on in City government • Day to day process that includes 20-40 year olds on committees • Create a mini council made up of our demographic • Valley wide commission with continuing dialogue about all these issues • More City sponsored summits - people don't know enough, need more opportunity to educate us on issues • Better communication, ways to access ideas, need more outlets to tell when meetings are • Attitude shift, self involvement of people in town is too much, people in general need to be more happy and genuine and inviting • Invite participation for 20-40 year olds at council • City think about opportunities to show people their opinion counts • Have a mini-council with a voice that counts • Make process clear and transparent • Fit in with existing groups somehow • Supporting local businesses and have affordable rents • Actively bring young people to the valley to live and work; recruitment • Business incubation • Change format and place, change to bars, change makeup of the group • Sense of invitation, knowing someone wants to hear your voice • Reach out to our age group through our networks, not just ads in paper Page EX A9 • Need to find more ways to get information to us • Have a young aspen facebook page • Issue us honorary residency • Come together as an age group and find voice, could be formal or weekly meeting and talk about topic and get to know community members • Lunch time meetings • Mentorship program with council - shadow them and learn • Invite from Council to become a group/get involved • Every commission has a young representative • Organize as group and meet but once a month so it's less of a time commitment • Put more news on social networks/ facebook and email • Anonymous forums where we can express our opinion without our names • City blog • Flyers and word of mouth marketing • Organize city meeting schedules so we can find times our demographic can meet; lunch is better • Have alcohol at meetings • Market more information on how to get involved, even on facebook • Online newspaper doesn't have ads so buy online ads so we can see what is going on when we read paper online • Use existing groups to get us involved • Leadership group for people 30 and under and they go through a civic education class/process; a pre-requisite for running for office or joining a board • Do more focus groups like this • Market to our demographic • Require one person under 40 to serve on each board • Offer childcare at meetings • Offer more/better places to go to get information about what's going on and how to participate; online, blog, email, listserve, facebook page • Take public comment online • Find a way to respond in real time on internet • Reverse Council meeting where we sit at table and council and citizens sit in audience • Encourage civility • Present facts first _ Page EX A10 • More forums like bb's kitchen where conversations can happen • Simplify issues that impact our age demographic • Give us an opportunity to tell you what issues we care about learning more about; a checkbox system on email or listserve • Council use different ways to find out what we think and what our issues are, have them reach out to us • Have involvement opportunities during work hours • Consider increasing council salaries so they are full-time and can meet during the day possibly • Venue - think about better place than City Hall • Web classes or skype to learn more and interact with council • Can you participate from home somehow, online, and give comments in real time • Do something like the Aspen Business Lunch but with city speakers and have it be discussions, not lectures • Bb's kitchen was a good series, nice setting, nice size group, don't make it a bitch session • Ask for people's opinions before items come up at council • Listserve with issues • Require one person under 40 on each Board (seek people from RFL, AYPA, social media, radio) • Young person's advisory commission to outline a way to civic process and involvement • Have public comment first thing in council meeting with NOTHING before it • Create outlet for real-time online feedback during council meetings • Change meeting format • Start meetings before 5pm • Have a different monthly meeting for young people that has a topic but just involves feedback from young citizens • How does meeting content get out to public? Pitkin Alert system for meeting topics? • Go out to larger employers with civic education classes • Make participating a fun and good experience • Make town hall twitter/Facebook page • Use email for feedback/information as well as text, internet and Facebook Page EX All Exhibit B: Focus Groups Ideas Ideas worth implementing • Civic engagement 101 class • Recruit people to participate and serve on boards • Reaching out to organizations populated by 20-40 year olds and offer incentives • Quarterly meeting with young people to review upcoming topics and get information • Education series on local issues • Facebook wall with upcoming events • Have meetings at lunch, breakfast or 5pm • Young person's newsletter or email update, Facebook invite to events • Steering committee of young people would be a good idea and representative could come to the meetings and be heard • Newsletter from City • Better communication, ways to access ideas, need more outlets to tell when meetings are • City think about opportunities to show people their opinion counts • Change format and place, change to bars, change makeup of the group • Sense of invitation, knowing someone wants to hear your voice • Have a young aspen facebook page • Mentorship program with council - shadow them and learn • Flyers and word of mouth marketing • Online newspaper doesn't have ads so buy online ads so we can see what is going on when we read paper online • Take public comment online • Give us an opportunity to tell you what issues we care about learning more about; a checkbox system on email or listserve • Web classes or skype to learn more and interact with council • Have public comment first thing in council meeting with NOTHING before it Page EX B1 Ideas worth more research • Do something like the Aspen Business Lunch but with city speakers and have it be discussions, not lectures • Chairlift/gondola meetings • Require all boards to have a member who is 20-40 years old • Have two people share a board post • Offer childcare at meetings • Find a way to respond in real time on internet • Reverse Council meeting where we sit at table and council and citizens sit in audience • Have a quick multiple choice survey at the meeting so you can just fill in the bubbles about how you feel about something and write down thoughts • Section in newspaper devoted to what's going on in City government - redesign add, different online ads Page EX B2 Annual Plan August 2012 - July 2013 Leadership Team 2012-2013 BEST YEAR YET1@ GUIDELINES • Identify and deliver broader community will • Make the process fit the problem • Demonstrate devotion to results NEW PARADIGM or VISION We are confident and trusted because we are known to consistently deliver great results. MAJOR FOCUS Environmental Leadership TOP TEN GOALS 1. Complete a Small Business Initiative that focuses on the "speed and simplicity" of business start-up with a focus on: • definition of a process for approval of internet/home occupation businesses • information and guidance for those seeking to start a new business, • and conduct a review of regulations and the way we administer those regulations to understand the things that make doing business in Aspen difficult (licensing and permits, review bodies, SCI zone, sign code, and mitigation). Champion: Barry Crook, Chris Bendon, Don Taylor, Scott Miller and Karen Harrington 2. Participate in a Community Health Care Initiative that will develop a healthcare delivery model that is affordable and accessible for patients, focuses on improved health, appropriate care and controlled costs, is financially sustainable for employers and providers, and fosters collaboration among employers, providers and patients. Champion: Steve Barwick,Alissa Farrell, Don Taylor and Barry Crook 3. City Council will review and approve a "dashboard" of metrics that define sustainable Aspen. Move forward on a broad array of environmental initiatives that moves the community towards the ideal of a sustainable Aspen (reduces resource consumption, reuses materials, consider adoption of the IGCC, etc). Champion: Dave Hornbacher, Chris Bendon, C.J.Oliver and Randy Ready 4. Hold a conversation that helps the community understand what "Small Town • Character" means. Champion: Chris Bendon, Mitzi Rapkin, Jim True, Dave Hornbacher and Jeff Woods 5. Develop and present a conceptual pedestrian and bicycle priority master plan including phased improvements that can be implemented over the next five years. Included in the plan will be a tool kit of ideas and the incorporation of efforts already in some stage of planning and design: • Mill and Main Street • Mill Street • Galena Street • Gondola Plaza Crossing • Main Street • Transit pedestrian access points Champion: Randy Ready, Richard Pryor, Barry Crook, Scott Miller,Jeff Woods and Chris Bendon 6. Give the under 40 demographic the resources to be responsible trustees of our community: • Knowledge • Trust in government • Rational and informed dialogue • Time for deliberation Champion: Barry Crook, Mitzi Rapkin, Kathryn Koch and Alissa Farrell 7. Draft and recommend the Land Use Code revisions that will implement the vision in the Aspen Area Community Plan. Champion: Chris Bendon and Jim True 8. Complete a study on Lodging that looks at the adequacy of lodging options in Aspen and suggested areas for improvement. Champion: Chris Bendon and Barry Crook 9. Housing Goal TBD after the Housing Summit. Champion: Barry Crook, Don Taylor and Scott Miller 10. The city organization will take a leadership role in a customer service initiative within the community to include ACRA and major employers (orientation/history/knowledge). Champion: Karen Harrington, Barry Crook and Alissa Farrell • MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Scott Chism,Planning& Construction Manager, Parks O -". Stephen Ellsperman,Director of Parks and Open Space THROUGH: Jeff Woods,Manager Parks and Recreation Randy Ready, Assistant City Manager DATE OF MEMO: August 3,2012 MEETING DATE: August 6,2012 RE: Aspen Downtown Pedestrian Seasonal Lighting Proposal SUMMARY: At this time staff is requesting Council review and comment relative to a proposed enhancement to the seasonal lighting located within the Downtown Pedestrian Mall areas. PREVIOUS. COUNCIL ACTION Council has reviewed multiple lighting proposals in the past associated with the Downtown Pedestrian Mall areas. The most recent and significant Council review and direction relative to downtown pedestrian mall lighting was associated with the seasonal lighting additions that occurred this past 2011/2012 winter. BACKGROUND: The lighting designer, Lacroux-Streeb, has prepared a Downtown Pedestrian Lighting proposal intended to complete the seasonal lighting that was initiated in 2011. This proposal has been promoted by the CCLC and will be presented for Council review and comment. DISCUSSION: Enhancements to a comprehensive holiday lighting scheme were initiated in 2011. The holiday lighting enhancements were generally favored by approximately 70% of respondents and strongly criticized by approximately 30% of respondents according to a recent ACRA survey. Some of the criticism may have been in response to the fact that the comprehensive lighting scheme initiated in 2011 was comprised of examples of holiday lighting elements intended to be carried out in a more consistent manner throughout all of the pedestrian mall areas. A more full completion of the proposed holiday lighting concept could address some of the minority public criticism. The comprehensive seasonal lighting proposal is intended to provide a subtle, and cohesive holiday lighting design along the Mill Street corridor that `marries' the 2011 design elements and has a unified impact on the street's holiday atmosphere. Some of the ways in which this proposal will be achieved is to modify and reduce some existing light sources to reduce the level of `competing' lighting elements and establish increased consistency with merchant lighting. The lighting designer has suggested an aggressive schedule, starting in mid-August 2012, for implementation of a more complete seasonal lighting scheme in sufficient time for the 2012/2013 holiday season. The most complete seasonal lighting scheme will require improvements to the existing electrical infrastructure found within the pedestrian mall areas. The existing electrical infrastructure within the pedestrian mall area for all site lighting needs is tied into the existing pole lights. The pole Page 1 of 2 lights are not intended to supply the flexibility or power levels currently required in the area's site lighting. In general,the methods that have been necessary to provide site/seasonal lighting in addition to the street lamps are less than ideal with significant constraints preventing overall improvement to the effectiveness and safety needs of the pedestrian mall lighting. Proposed improvements to the electrical infrastructure include the installation of a separated underground electrical infrastructure from the existing street lamps on the Hyman, Cooper, and Mill Street pedestrian malls. Proposed electrical infrastructure will include new wiring connections, additional electrical conduit connections and a controllable power source separated from the street lamp system. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Costs associated with specific seasonal lighting elements and fees will be presented by the lighting designer,Lacroux-Streeb, for Council review during the work session. Any additional seasonal lighting elements or associated improvements to the existing electrical infrastructure approved by City Council will be addressed within a 2012 Fall supplemental funding request. The anticipated cost for improving the existing electrical base infrastructure within the pedestrian mall area is estimated at $50,000.00 and will be brought forward for Council review as a 2012 Fall supplemental funding request. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS: The environmental impacts are generally positive. Significant power use efficiencies will be realized with the use of LED light sources and planned programmability of the proposed holiday lighting elements. RECOMMENDATION: Staff suggests Council consideration of proposed seasonal lighting improvements by the lighting designer, Lacroux-Streeb and promoted by the CCLC. Proposed improvements will provide a more complete seasonal lighting solution to the pedestrian mall area. Staff further suggests Council consideration of a 2012 Fall supplemental funding request to cover supply and installation costs associated with any seasonal lighting approved by Council. ALTERNATIVES: City Council could choose not to provide direction to staff to proceed with proposed seasonal lighting improvements in 2012. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: ATTACHMENTS: (none) Page 2 of 2