City of Hiawassee
Planning Retreat Report
May 1, 2024
Hinton Center
2330 Hinton Center Road
Hayesville, NC
Agenda
8:30 Welcome – Opening Comments - Most Important Characteristic
9:00 The Optics of Public Service - In the Public Eye; Board and Council Protocol
9:15 Governance; Roles and Responsibilities of Elected and Appointed
9:30 Communication Strategies; Trust: The Dividends and Taxes 10:00 Break
10:15 Community Vision; Review of current Strategic Plans and January Planning Retreat Minutes
11:00 Questionnaire Compilation: Review, Questions
11:30 Staffing: Needs and Action Plan(s) to address needs
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Priorities: Now/2024 – 2025 – Beyond
2:15 Action Plans
2:45 Break
3:00 Action Plans continued
4:00 Reflections – Commitments – Comments
4:30 Adjourn
Minutes
DDA Approved 05-13-2024
City Council approved 06-04-2024
2024 Joint Planning Retreat – Hiawassee City Council and Hiawassee Downtown Development Authority
May 1, 2024
Meeting Minutes
Joint Planning Retreat started at 9:05 AM
Michael Hourihan, facilitator, reviewed the purpose of the day.
Opened with the need to have an idea of where the city was going not just today but five, ten and twenty years in the future and how to get there so there would not be remorse in the future and having to say how did we get here, this is not what I had in mind. Identified that a strategic plan will help everyone to come together with something in mind that they are working towards and the way to get there is to begin with the end in mind.
How to get there has many options. The first challenge is to identify where we want Hiawassee to be in 2050. Michael stressed that now is the time to define what they perceive it to be looking like as it is going to look like something and that without planning, they will wonder how it got to be where it is, this explains the purpose of developing a strategic plan.
An action plan is the beginning of pointing us in the right direction and the groundwork to start the development of a strategic plan. An action plan has three parts and sometimes four. First, what exactly are we going to do (emphasis on exactly), example how many miles of road are we going to pave to get to where we said we wanted to get to. The second component of the action plan is who is going to do what. Identify the name or team responsible and hold them accountable. Third component is when on a set timetable. Without a timetable what becomes a wish list of hopes and dreams. The fourth component is how to pay for it. Discussed reactive vs practice budgeting. Reactive is letting the budget set the plan whereas proactive is letting the plan set the budget. In the public sector the plan should set the budget to get to where you want to be in 2050.
Also discussed that the plan is fluid and will change. Yearly review and update is recommended to identify accomplishments, see if items planned are still relevant, have priorities changed, and to adjust as needed. Recommended a GNATT chart be developed for the plan. Look at the end results and work backwards to get to the desired end results. GANTT Is a visionary tool to assist with planning.
Identified that elected officials are in the visionary category. Example given: Elected officials role is not to tell how high to mow the lawn or type of grass to plant, that is public works role. Discussed separation of powers. Elected officials are the visionary big picture and strategic perspective (identified where greenspace is needed) whereas the staff are the tactical people with boots on the ground. Summarized the above information is the structure of putting together a strategic plan. Also identified the need to come together is a month to six weeks to muddle over the outcome of today and see if participants can still accept that this is the direction to take. And with consensus move forward with hiring a consultant to develop a strategic plan as there are many steps to take to develop the plan.
Moved into discussion on population and future population projections. The tide that is coming and that it cannot be stopped. According to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budgeting the population of Towns County, in the next 25 years, is going to double and that really is not anything that can be done to stop it from coming. However, what can be done when it hits (used a train as an analogy) is when it does hit you can let the people get off and wander around and do whatever they want, you can guide them to where it is they need to go or you can try to block the train tracks but in reality you can’t block them. The solution is to manage the train. Identified four Georgia’s; 1. North Georgia, it is growing, 2. Metro Georgia areas such as Atlanta, Macon, Valdosta, Augusta, are growing, 3. Savannah coastal is growing, 4. Rural agricultural Georgia is shrinking. Two ways the three areas that are growing from: rural area relocating into one of the growing areas and in-country migration, relocating to Georgia from other states. Summarized this topic with the need to manage appropriately so that in 20 years Highway 76 does not look like Highway 41 in Cobb County.
Open discussion regarding traffic and congestion and preventing it from being year-round vs tourist season. Currently over 5 million cars travel Highway 76 yearly. Also discussed the need for infrastructure planning for public safety and implementing before the need develops as then it is too late. Denise to attach heat maps from Georgia Conservancy to notes that shows the unplanned growth of the last 48 years.
Michael encouraged participants to be open to the possibility that they may change their mind on something they thought was fundamental to their plan as sometimes in strategic planning change occurs.
Identified most important word in effective professional relationships. The group identified the following: communication, relationship, respect, trust. Collaboration was added later in the day as it is a major component of an effective organization.
Summary of words, in order discussed:
Relationship - embodies all the words discussed, includes trust, respect, communication, is give and take.
Respect – is an earned characteristic, must know, trust, and value what the person brings to the table to have a professional relationship. Respect the position and the reason the role, reason the person is in the position.
Trust – the foundation of any relationship whether professional or personal.
Communication – is the basis to build trust and respect. Cannot have a person-to-person relationship without communication.
Reviewed public service and government. Elected officials and DDA work in the best interest of the community as a whole and owe it to the community to plan for the future.
Elected officials, commissions, boards are the visionary/big picture people, they create the vision, perspective, and guidelines while the tactical operations implement and execute.
Typical lanes in city government - elected officials / boards/ commissions are strategic, big picture and visionary, tactical are the boots on the ground, involved in the day-to-day operations and implementation. The lane distinction is necessary for a functional organization, without it the entire organizational structure, visionary and tactical, becomes dysfunctional.
Group activity – In order for us to be better what do we need to work on, what needs to improve, what do you expect from each other in terms of having the best relationship you can at this point in time, is there a person you need something from, how can we organizationally look at ways to enhance what is going on now, what is needed to improve our organization. Items identified:
Enhance what is going on now: Teamwork, dividing/ conquer, understanding roles, identifying strengths and weaknesses, transparency, relationship building, identify shared common grounds, all public servants and better utilization of staff and resources available.
What is needed to improve our organization: Strategic plan to prepare for future, a vision, public input, collaboration with Council, DDA, Chamber, County, Young Harris.
Discussed the following items: collaboration, priorities, personal agendas, accountability, unintended consequences, stakeholders, listening to respond instead of listening to understand, ability to be reflective and open to ideas, and courageous actions.
Reviewed January meeting notes – planning and planning for the future, how to balance that with the long-term vision and how to put out the day-to-day issues that come up. Economic Development – as a smaller city, how to address affordable housing and is it necessary in the city.
A lot of discussion was held on the subject of affordable housing. Items mentioned, the city does not have room for it within the city, has affordable housing for seniors. Discussed potential areas within the city that could have housing available for people earning between 50 K to 150K. Infrastructure was a major component of the discussion and the need to repair the water line under Hwy 76. Discussed mobile home ordinance as it could be a form of affordable housing. Overall consensus of the council is that missing middle housing is needed within the city, note there was one opposing council member to this consensus. Conversation summarized: Big picture vs little picture and is housing a big picture item. Needs to encourage families and young people to come or stay in Hiawassee and not just the county and plan for 2030 and what we want Hiawassee to look like in 2050 along with the immediate change.
Infrastructure needs, both new and maintenance to be addressed within the align with development plans. Controls need to be developed to attract proper development that complements the area and retains the integrity of the community. Mr. Mitchel recommended creating a commercial overlay district with restrictions and guidelines to encourage the desired growth in the commercial areas. Others also talked about protecting private property and potential commercial usage on private property. Mr. Mitchel advised the only way to restrict usage on private property is through a zoning ordinance.
Priority Areas: Collaboration on Strategic Plan, General City Staffing and where to fill in the blanks, Police Department Staffing, Water Line under 76, Vision Statement
Action Plan:
Tactical:
Certified Planner on contract
Who: Thomas and Denise
What: 2 part – 1 RFP for contract certified planner
When: Complete and in place October 1, 2024
Economic Development – DDA Program Manager
Who: Denise & Council
What: Reclassify DDA Program Manager to DDA Coordinator
When: June 4, 2024
Visionary:
Downtown overlay district for Highway 76 & Main Street
Who: Denise and planner
What: Downtown Overlay District with design guidelines adopted
When: Jan 1, 2025
Collaboration / Strategic Plan Partners
Who: Jay
What: Initiate collaboration with Council, DDA, Chamber, County and Young Harris and start process to develop strategic plan
When: January 1, 2025
Strategic Plan Development
Who: Denise / Michael Hourihan
What: Topic Workshop
When: August 20, 2024 9 AM – Noon
NOTE: Who is only the point person, and that person will require assistance with the action.
Notes
Most Important Characteristic of a Professional Relationship
Relationship involves giving and taking Respect Trust Communication Collaboration Priorities Improve Transparency and Teamwork and Working Relationships and Communications
Shared common ground as public servants
Improve our strategic plan: Currently working on it, and gain public input into plan
Collaboration between Council, Downtown Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, County Commission, Young Harris, and School Board/District
Prepare for future/vision
Understanding Roles, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Utilization of Resources and Staff available
Action Plans
Collaborate on Strategic Plan: Council, Downtown Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, County Commission, Young Harris, and School Board/District
• Point Person: Jay Chastain
• Timing: By Jan. 1, 2025
Affordable Housing: City/DDA draft proposal to Council for housing control: Increases, Types, Costs, Overlays, Districts, Zoning
• Point Person: Denise McKay
• Timing: By Jan. 1, 2025
Staffing: Hire a certified City Planner - Use of Consultants, Contractors, Part-time and/or Temporary
• Point Persons: Denise McKay and Thomas Mitchell
• Timing: Oct. 1, 2024
Analysis: Police Department
- Staffing
- Resources
- Materials
- Vehicles
• Pending: No point person assigned and no timing established at this time
Participants
Elected:
Jay Chastain
Amy Barrett
Nancy Noblet
Patsy Owens
Staff: Bonnie Kendrick
Thomas Mitchell
Denise McKay
DDA: Peggy Gardner
Tyler Osborn
Paul Smith
Tamela Cooper
Babette Dunn