Agenda for the Public Conversation to be held July 12, 2007 ~
as a "Follow-up" to
the Public "town meeting" Forum held June 14, 2007

As considered at the Public "town meeting" Forum held June 14, 2007: a corollary conversation may be in order to expand on several key points. Mayor Moak and several department directors have committed to participate in this interactive dialogue with the public.

With an eye to the future (and "follow-through") ~ this "follow-up" has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, July 12, 2007 in City Hall Auditorium, beginning at 7 p.m. The likely agenda, adapted to the audience and their participation:

• Introduction
  
  
  • Brief review of June 14 Public "town meeting" Forum
  • Overview of the objectives of this follow-up session
  • Selection from the following key discussion points deemed to warrant further discourse and a "course of action"
    
    
• Tax Revenues
  
  
  • A quick verbal review of a"Primer on Tax Levy Limits" (link within) with a segue Q&A to
  • Address some of the typical misunderstandings/misinformation about tax assessment/appraisal of residential, commercial and industrial properties;
  • Review on tax abatements and exemptions;
  • Projected effect of the current reappraisal process and future assessments on new development;
  • Status of the Municipal Partnership Act (link within)
    • as an opportunity for additional (local) tax revenues via meals and hotel tax and
    • participation in the Government Insurance Commission
  • FY09 financial projections/analyses briefly revisited by the Mayor
    • Mention of the tandem efforts pursued by the School Committee's Finance subcommittee (link within)
      • Status/strategy/schedule of any upcoming forums to be held by the committee's task force addressing the Long-range Financial Planning for the Schools
  • Possible approaches to funding these needs (municipal capital needs had been presented with the 6/14 PowerPoint)
    
    
• Economic (and Municipal/Capital Needs) Development
  
  
  • Beginning and ending with the Mayor's dictum that no planning project(ions) can be termed a "plan" without costs/finances identified and funds appropriated. That said ---
  • In light of the City Council's recent budget cut of the Economic Development Coordinator ~ a key point to address would be:
    • The status of that post and the dynamic between that position (in concert with the OPD) and the State ~ especially as it would relate to Chapter 43D and the transformation of the LTD Industrial Green;
  • Nancy expanding on her point made at the June 14 forum (regarding the nexus between planning and development and revenues, referencing New Hampshire's approach)
  • General (and specific) citywide plans regarding economic development, including the Waterside West (and East) projects
    • Noting that the "NRA Park Planning" meeting schedule throughout the summer/fall
      • Update: the first meeting with the stakeholders deferred from 7/10 until 7/26
    • Note: Mayor's prior engagement of the NRA on 6/27
  • Segue to the Office of Planning and Development's short and long-term plans for parking/(possible) garage (private or public/private ventures);
  • Broach the projected capital needs project list (completion timeframe, considered ways of possibly funding same, including debt exclusions) which will be further refined by OPD this summer
    
    
• Improved Communications
  
  
  • Newburyport Community Media Center cable broadcasts
    • Noting the "Conversation of the Mayor" will have likely been televised by 7/13, providing updates about status/strategy, etcetera
    • Participation of a member of the board or the new executive director to join conversation about the general compass/calendar and other ideas
      • E.g., ways of ensuring basic community cable access for those of limited income
        
  • The City website, improvements to structure and content
    • Addressed as long and short-term revisions/expansions of components and complements to the City website
      
  • Current and near-term improvements cited in the 6/24 Sunday Globe North piece
    • including those to the City Clerk's webpage with other departments to follow, content managed by the department staff (and potentially, volunteers)
    • Treasurer's webpage to include online tax payment
  • Municipal/community calendar and other posting of critical notices
    
  • Segue to other "multimedia" capabilities within the community.
    • Creative models implemented/coordinated with the school's curricular/extracurricular programs
      
  • More traditional ways of communication
    • Canvass participants about the usefulness of hardcopy newsletters and other means to connect with those "unconnected" citizens
      
  • The Fourth Estate: Part of the solution (or part of the problem)?
• Improved coverage: implementation of the "Readers' Forum"
• Regular inserts of "all the news that was fit to print but wouldn't fit" on Saturdays (a former "Motion of Comity")
• Improved archival of both City records and local media coverage, with a consideration of future library resources
  
  

• Freeform discussion, open question & answer session, suggestions & wrap-up
  
  
  • Answering the question: How will this civic discourse now lead to a course of action?
  • Mayor (and Department Heads) addressing the salient question about the role of committees and task forces in a productive dynamic with City government