At the most recent council meeting, Mr. Harry Silver proposed a follow up to the retreat the City conducted in Natchitoches on February 7-8, 2008.

The Administration is delighted you are willing to have an immediate follow-up retreat to the action taken earlier this year. Timing is critical given the number of citywide initiatives on the table affecting the region.

The Administration requires less than two hours finishing its initial retreat, as the attendees agreed to in Natchitoches, and then we are open to your agenda the rest of the day. Camp Beauregard is available to us, and we think it the perfect location-in the area, accommodating, and conducive to relaxed deliberation. I will forward a description of the Stafford House located at the Camp.

The first retreat was very helpful. Enclosed are “expanded” minutes of that meeting and material discussed at that meeting.

Again, we desire full participation in the planning of this retreat. However, we cannot fail to conduct these important discussions. If we do not hear from you quickly, Mr. Silver has asked that we schedule it, plan it, and finish our earlier work.

We wish to foster an appropriate and productive venue to go over anything from operational concerns to team-building efforts.

cc: Honorable Everett Hobbs Honorable Roosevelt J. Johnson Honorable Myron Lawson Honorable Harry Silver Honorable Charles F. Smith

Honorable Charles L. “Chuck” Fowler, Jr. Attending Media

MINUTES OF THE ALEXANDRlA CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN FROM OPEN SESSIONS AND BREAK-OUT SESSIONS HELD IN A SPECIAL MEETING AT NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA FOR THE PURPOSE OF A RETREAT HELD FEBRUARY 7 AND 8, 2008 IN NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA.

The Council and the Mayor of the City of Alexandria, Louisiana, met in open and break-out sessions for the purpose of a retreat in Natchitoches, Louisiana held Thursday, February 7, 2008 from 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M., and on Friday, February 8, 2008 from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Present were members of the Alexandria City Council, Harry B. Silver, Charles F. Smith, Jr., Roosevelt Johnson and Chuck Fowler. Present from the Administration were: the Honorable Jacques M. Roy, Mayor. Kay Michiels, Chief Operating Officer, David Crutchfield. Director of Finance, Chuck Johnson, City Attorney, Lisa Harris, Director of Community Services, Bill Hess, Economic & Industrial Development Director, Ken Juneau, Public Relations Officer, Billy Allen, Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Nancy Thiels, City Clerk. Also present were members of the press from the Alexandria Daily Town Talk and on Friday, members of KALB-TV.

The Mayor opened up the meeting with the topics that were discussed over the next two days. He and council members discussed the purpose of this retreat. Several council members stated they wanted to focus on building a stronger working relationship with the Mayor and his staff. They also spoke about their individual short- and long-term plans and expectations for the City.

They then formed groups of council-administration officials and discussed how to achieve common ground on what they think governance means to the citizens they serve.

• Attendees discussed the purpose of this retreat is to communicate with each other on operational/ developmental aspects of city government and appropriate governance.2

1 “Government” is t the act or process of governing; specifically: authoritative direction or control 2 obsolete: moral conduct or behavior: DISCRETION 3 a : the office, authority, or function of governing 5 a : the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it b : the complex of political institutions, laws, and customs through which the function of governing is carried out.

2 “Governance” is the act of affecting government and monitoring (through policy) the long-term strategy and direction of an organization. In general, governance comprises the traditions, institutions and processes that determine how power is exercised, how citizens are given a voice, and how decisions are made on issues of public concern. It is the system by which business and t11lnsaction systems are directed and controlled. Structure of the governance system specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the system such as managers of partner firms and other stakeholders. The governance structure also spells out mutually agreed roles and procedures for making decisions on business affairs.

• Attendees discussed the need to achieve common ground on what we think governance means to the citizens we serve.

• What is your view of governance-and even more specifically, our shared “long-term strategy and direction.”

• Who best exemplifies the practices you consider good governance in the administration and on the council?

• Who are your favorite three persons of influence, locally or globally, in no order, dead at alive? Why? (brief)

Short-Term Vision for our City (Mayor)

First of all, stabilize the city council-mayoral relationship, or what we might call checks and balances; secondly, work together with the council to shore up existing problems with the infrastructure, and then ensure positive, fair, and controlled economic development; and thirdly, focus on the creation of new jobs and the continued fostering of existing business in the area.

Long-Term Vision for our City (1vIayor)

Bring the citizenry diversity in action, a renewal of smart, community-based planning for our City (which includes consideration of the needs and idea’s of all citizens, not just a few)

Short Term Vision for our City (Harry Silver)

First of all, create (at least) a ten-year plan of development and address of infrastructure needs to be completed by end of the second quarter of 2008. Secondly, resolve all planning problems related to the provision of utility services, including the litigation with CLECO Corporation. Thirdly, address riverfront, downtown, and the notion of central business district development to assure inclusive growth; relatedly, make sure our Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, convention center, hotels and motels are able to function and flourish across the city (but with particular regard to the downtown area).

Long Term Vision for our City (Harry Silver)

Make sure implementation of the ten-year plan for the City is achieved in a manner which cannot easily be deviated from except for what is required to strengthen it from time to time.

Short Term Vision for our City (Chuck Fowler)

First of all, we need a comprehensive overview as to the status of the delivery systems for all utilities. C.U.RE. is working toward this right now. Secondly, we must ensure that development on the Highway 28 corridor continues in an orderly and efficient manner-especially avoid taking actions to take it off course.

Long Term Vision for our City (Chuck Fowler)

Implementation of the changes identified by the status report on the utility infrastructure needs. Ensuring that growth for the next ten years is not merely “catching up” to where we should be but actually advancing us years so that we have a buffer between now and our future needs.

Short Term Vision for our City (Charles F. Smith Jr.)

r want to make sure the administration and council avoid looking at City problems in a territorial or district only manner, but instead focus address to city-wide concerns at this time to ensure equitable growth for the entire City. Next, the City should consider developing an economic development cooperation (an EDC) to enhance how the City addresses problems with re-development, like the Ruston Foundry, riverfront development, and any other areas where land banking opportunities or other partnering would allow the city to work with public and private collaborators. These actions allow the city to leverage dollars and ensure the creation of sustaining relationships and partnerships with other players.

Long-Term Vision for our City (Charles F. Smith Jr.)

We need to bring on board with the city administration and council top-notch personnel and professional consultants who can bring the City’s vision and plans to the state and federal representative delegations. This important marketing step will ensure a continuing presence at those levels to obtain state and federal funding to assist in the accomplishment of the goals set forth by the council and administration. The City should consider, to whatever degree we can and consisted with ethics rules and changes, hiring “lobbyist"-type consultants to facilitate the City’s needs and ensure the city has a presence to compete with other major cities in the state which have had a big head start and are ramping up their activities each year.

Short Term Vision for our City (Roosevelt Johnson)

I want to work together toward a common goal: one plan and one mission. Crime prevention is a big concern. Do we need substations?

Discussions continued on visions for the City of Alexandria. Matters brought up for discussion were: stabilizing Council-Mayor relationships, infrastructure and good positive economic development. The long term vision was brought up concerning promoting Alexandria’s image and furthering community-based planning.

The attendees agreed an adopted vision of the City was necessary, taking into consideration the notions form attendees.

Common ground includes agreement on items for follow-up retreat and that this retreat should end or the next begin with agreement on vision statement.

III. Development/Planning Operations/Community Services (Friday, 9:00 A.M.12:30 P.M.

(present were the same ones as listed on Page 1. Also in attendance were members from the Alexandria Daily Town Talk and KALB-TV.)

The morning session opened with the Mayor introducing the Mayor of Natchitoches. Mayor Wayne McCullen spoke about his toughest challenges as mayor and how his administration and that City Council overcame challenges similar to those facing Alexandria. He also stated respecting each other’s views, being loyal and reaching a middle ground can get a lot accomplished.

After hearing from the Mayor of Natchitoches the group went back to the agenda and discussed economic development issues, including, plans to seek millions of dollars in government bonds to improve the aging city infrastructure. Mr. David Crutchfield gave a short summary about bonding plans and working on the issue of obtaining bonds for: several projects around the City. .

Ms. Kay Michiels, Chief Operating Officer for the City, talked about creating an Interstate 49 corridor partnership with nearby cities and parishes and beefing up relations with Fort Polk and Camp Beauregard.

Mr. Bill Hess, Economic Development Director, gave a brief power point presentation discussing such topics as a plan to boost Alexandria’s tourism film industry and talked about two film production companies that are scheduled to film at the Hotel Bentley later this month.

Mr. Hess and others talked about a need to better serve the tourism industry and conventioneer traffic by investing in the riverfront, a trolley system and other similar projects.

The attendees viewed power point media presentations on “Policy and Planning” and part of one titled “Economic Development,” which was cut short. A presentation on “Central Louisiana in Film” was also reviewed.

Regionalism as a local concept or parish-wide consideration was discussed at length. The riverfront and formation of a real economic development corporation to focus activities was discussed. Different corridors in the city were discussed insofar as economic development activity.

• Regionalism-addressing proposals considering the City of Alexandria and region of central Louisiana, not just one area

• Community-based growth: which considers planning, transportation, economic development, housing, community development, and natural resource development?

The attendees discussed protecting our unique sense of community and identity and what are they, developing a thematic draw (such as healthcare primacy in the region and children’s sports) (trolley buses linking zoo and other events with children’s sports mega-events); preserving and capitalizing on major riverfront development initiative and any other natural and cultural resources (like our central location, river, and interstate system), how to fairly and inclusively distribute the costs and benefits of developments (to reflect our demographics and equitably “grow” our city and avoid sprawl when appropriate) (annexation/expansion and significant “in fill” discussion); expanding choices for transportation, employment and housing (through mixed-use and other opportunities) (Sugarhouse, Sixth and Foisy, and Versailles).

The attendees deferred discussion of long-range, regional considerations of sustainability except for a cursory overview until later meeting.

• Annexation policy: public safety, planning, and aesthetics

• Planning: “master planning,” development preservation of natural and cultural resources and distribution of costs and benefits/expansion of new opportunities for transportation, employment and housing

• “Green space” and “walk ability”

• “Mixed-use” development

• Recreational activities

• Cultural or educational activities, such as collaborations with learning institutions, libraries, concerts, art museums and exhibits

• Parks and playgrounds

• Other leisure-time activities, especially local music and art

• Me we focusing on the integration of a city-wide activities and expansion plan, heavily emphasizing educational collaboration

• Should development regulation respond to a specific development or have strict standards without regard to the specific proposal

• Expansion for the sake of expansion is not always correct. True or not?

• Funding “outer loops” and “inner looping” of our transportation system (Versailles, Sugarhouse, and 6th and Foisy)

• Alexandria needs to be prepared for the future of our growth. Are we infrastructural prepared?

Mr. Tom David, from Pan American Engineers, gave a brief presentation about the Fire Station Repositioning Study. His study is on the agenda to be approved by the Council at next Tuesday’s council meeting (February 12th). The study included how to overlap fire districts, many of which were established years ago when the city boundaries were smaller. The study also included helping the city maintain its current No.2 fire rating.

Significant discussion occurred on infrastructure problems, the costs and the historical model of payment versus the new model of leveraging dollars.

Mr. David pointed out every city dealing with this change from federal funding to the need for local-state-federal leveraging.

There were also other miscellaneous topics on the agenda that which were discussed Continued on various subjects. It was stated that there would be a continuing retreat in the next 2-3 weeks, hopefully somewhere in the City. It was hoped all of the council members would be able to attend this session.

3. Signing off by non-attending members on an infrastructure «master list.” Keep all parties through the legislative liaison to the president of the Council and any team members for capital project coordination ready to work on those problems, ready to prioritize them, and ready to follow-up on those not being completed or which need to be re-prioritized or dropped off the list. Work closely with committee chairs through capital projects coordination team.

4. Planning of a summit meeting for the mayor, chief of police, sheriff, their executive officers, Marshal Byrd, and other local federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to identify what issues need to be addressed immediately.

5. Partnering with the superintendent of schools to identify specific ways in which the City can facilitate after school programs, truancy issues, intergovernmental agreements, cooperative endeavors, and anything else the school board thinks the City can do to help with issues.

7. Discussions of intergovernmental agreement with COP, COA, the parish and state for parish-wide bus/transit system.--called RapidTrans.

9. Considerations regarding all enterprise funds and re-powering of DG Hunter as well as a detailed executive summary by C.U.R.E. of its position on retention of the assets for distribution and production.

10. Full re-view of the need for legislation to modify the civil service personnel and human resource departments to ensure hiring occurs with efficacy.

Everyone was thanked for participating and for attending the retreat and the retreat was adjourned at 4:00 P.M. on Friday, February 8, 2008.