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a much more focused strategy. When that comes forward, there will be an opportunity for the Council to work with the Economic Vitality Committee to identify items to include in its work plan. Councilmember Narum echoed the concern and said there were likely some important strategies that should be incorporated into the work plan as part of a mid-year review. Vice-Mayor Cook-Kallio asked if there is any sense of how much time is spent and business generated by local employees. Ms. Ott said staff could work to identify that type of data. Ms. Srivastava explained that it is partly a function of the retail mix present. The background data found that many downtown business are service oriented rather than retail businesses and national surveys indicate that what workers spend their money on is dining rather than apparel or other retail categories. Mayor Thorne opened the public hearing. Janice Phelen, Economic Vitality Committee Chair, thanked the Council for funding the plan update and background report. She also thanked Ms. Ott and the consultants for remaining dedicated to the project despite the change in scope. She said the EVC is hoping to incorporate 1, 3 and 5 year actionable items into the strategic plan. She acknowledged that some of the data might be older than what the Council might like to see and said the consultants have assured the committee that this is the most current data available. She said the EVC has begun to exchange ideas with both stakeholders and key influence sources based on the information gathered. She thanked the Council again for its support and any input. Olivia Sanwong, EVC, Economic Indicators Subcommittee Chair, explained that the role of the subcommittee is to develop an economic statement that tells the story of Pleasanton and why it is such an exceptional place to achieve business success. The subcommittee predates the strategic plan but has achieved a clearer set of goals based on the information provided by this report. One goal is to produce a PDF and printed brochure targeted at organizations and focusing on how Pleasanton represents access to innovation, business centers, major markets, talent and superior community amenities. The next step would be to leverage digital technologies to broadcast this message. Mayor Thorne closed the public hearing. Councilmember Pentin said he found the balanced mix of startups, small, medium and large firms particularly interesting and, whether the goal or not, it seemed to be the type of mix that encourages growth. He was also surprised that such a large part of the venture capital community has chosen to earmark Pleasanton innovation as a good investment. He again requested some sort of context regarding the number of people who commute via some form other than driving. Vice-Mayor Cook-Kallio said that what strikes her most, both with this report and through conversation, is the perception of a particular strength of a community. She said it is imperative that Pleasanton have a clear understanding of what those strengths are in order to effectively focus its energies and marketing efforts. She said she would like to see the redevelopment of some of the city's older commercial space, particularly as it might relate to new ideas regarding workspace. She suggested that Pleasanton, with its high quality of life and community amenities, would serve as a strong attraction for the next generation of workers and those who prefer to work from home. Councilmember Brown said she was especially surprised to learn that 10% to 12% of Pleasanton residents do not have a high school degree. She said she was most interested in the strategies that come from this and what the city ultimately does with that. She asked what options are available to the city when a commercial property owner has no interest in updating an aging property. City Council Minutes Page 10 of 12 September 3, 2013