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Item #2 — Underutilized City Owned Property Please see the attached memo and map. Item #3 — Citizen Input or Complaint Process At the April 201h policy discussion, Council expressed interest in learning about the route citizens can take to contact City Hall. In the past, the City utilized a software program called Request Partners. This program was linked to the City's webpage and provided a 24/7 suggestion/complaint box for residents to use. The cost of the program was $4,800 per year. The goal of having the system was to reduce staff time in taking service requests and to have a tracking mechanism for accountability of service delivery requests. While 415 service requests were made in the first year, over half of those requests were entered into the system by a city staff person, taking a complaint in person or over the phone. During 2007, only 128 requests were received through the system and it is estimated that a good portion of those requests were entered by staff. Request Partners did not meet the first of the two intended goals and cost the City $4,800 annually. Generally, administrative staff did not like Request Partners and found it cumbersome. Public Works staff did not like the software as it did not meet their needs for generating work orders related to service requests. For example, if administrative staff at public works received a service request over the phone, staff would enter it into Request Partners and then enter into their own work order program essentially doubling their work not decreasing it. As a result of cost cutting measures, this program's use has ceased. In its place the City has a "Contact Us" menu on its homepage. When selected the user has the choice of entering in their contact information and comments; this message is sent to one employee who then makes sure the message is forwarded to the appropriate department. If the user decides to make a more direct contact, they can click on the specific department they wish to contact and reach, via email, any of the administrative staff of a given department. While there is an electronic means for contacting the city staff, the primary methods of contact are via the phone or in person. As time changes and the demographics of the City change, this need or method of communication will most likely change too. At this time, a program like Request Partners doesn't work due to our citizen's chosen path of communication and the actual software's internal usability. Staff looks forward to Council direction on this matter. Item #4 — Marketing Plan and Strategic Themes This was another docketed item from April 2009. The Council slated some time to discuss this topic in general. In advance of the meeting, staff is sharing an internal outline of general marketing activities to promote the City and develop awareness of events and c1r)ocumcnts and Settingslkln•unolLocal Settings�Tctnporary Interact Files\OLKSKJuly 7 2009 Work Session Report to City Council (2),doc