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2001 10 27 WS Minutesria MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN October 27, 2001 The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on October 27, 2001, at 8:00 a.m. in the Sun Deck of Goose Creek Country Club, 5000 Country Club Drive, Baytown, Texas, with the following in attendance: Ronnie Anderson Council Member Coleman Godwin Council Member Calvin Mundinger Council Member Don Murray Council Member Scott Sheley Council Member Pete C. Alfaro Mayor Absent: Mercedes Renteria III Council Member Monte Mercer City Manager Gary W. Smith City Clerk The meeting was opened with a quorum present after which the following business was conducted: Discuss community relations /team building. John Western led the Council in a discussion of communications. The universal problem in organizations is critical communications, which leads to a problem in trust. Council broke into work groups to discuss things or events that inhibit true open communications and solutions. Group A listed the problems as follows: • Lack of people doing homework • Open Meetings Act • Have to be diplomatic • Ability to be candid • Egos • Political correctness • Trust • Willingness to change —more open- minded perspective • Lack of respect • Willingness to accept constructive criticism • Work ethic. SW Page 2 of 3 Minutes of the Work Session — October 27, 2001 Group B listed the problems as follows: • Insecurities • Lack of confidence • Differences in age, wealth, social standing, etc. • Physical barriers • Lack of preparedness • Lack of information • Personalities — interpersonal skills • Lack of trust • Motives • Nonuse of listening skills • Lack of patience • Differing priorities • Lack of open mindedness • Special information The solutions proposed by Group A are as follows: • Improve communications • Egos —Be a team player within the team; understand roles; represent people, not ourselves • Earned respect— Product of doing homework; work ethic; team player; accepts constructive criticism; willingness to communicate honestly and two -way • Learn to agree to disagree • Accept Council decision and move on. The solutions proposed by Group B are as follows: • Show respect for the individual — accept for himself • Disagree agreeably • Get to know each other better • Find something to like about each other (common ground) • Lack of time —some appear to have more time to have more access to gain information • Time management —focus on the more important issues /events • Add work session (I" Thursday) to discuss issues • Get information earlier • More debate to obtain information about the issues • Same information to all the people at the same time As a whole the Council reviewed the issues over which they have no control: Open Meetings Act, the weather, others, and traffic. Each member recognized that he has complete control only over himself. Therefore, improvement in communication must begin within each individual. Page 3 of 3 Minutes of the Work Session — October 27, 2001 tr As a whole, they agreed to disagree and move on. This does not require the surrender of ideals and principles. They must trust other Council Members to vote on studied conviction and not for personal reasons or out of friendship. An additional work session/retreat will be scheduled to continue the progress made. Council explored the possible reasons for a lack of trust (motivation, intent vs. modus operandi). The goal is selfless service. Egos and power serve as an obstacle to selfless service. The values we in place and should not be compromised. Integrity will not be compromised. Logic and emotion must be separated. Decisions are to be based on the best available information at the time. If there is not r enough information then there should not be a decision. Each Council Member should read the packet and call Administration for additional information. To provide additional time to review the information, the suggestion was made to consider delivering the packet a day earlier or moving the Council meetings to Tuesday, as well as providing notice of what is expected at the next meeting. Adjourn. There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. n G W. mith, City Clerk