Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-29-18 City Commission Packet Materials - A2. Strategic Plan, Action Items 1-6, All 7 - SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS 12q i g L ��s Strategic Plan Introduction 1/29/18 Thank you Commission, and staff, for the tremendous amount of work to thoroughly identify all of the possible elements that could be considered in a strategic plan. Every department has a stake in implementing the projects and actions in the plan. But unlike plans that address specific tasks, the strategic plan communicates who Bozeman is, where it plans to go, and it identifies a number of key steps it will take to evolve into the Bozeman we want for the future. Our focus is not long range in nature, we have other plans that provide that guidance. The strategic plan maps out more near term goals/projects/actions that will: -focus our work at the staff and commission level. -focus our community efforts, and - be realistic to accomplish in 2-5 years. These characteristics shape the strategic plan — near term, guides for our laser focused decision-making, realistic to budget constraints and allowable within Montana laws. Public sector service, and in particular, local government service, is very prescriptive. Its primary purpose is to provide basic services paid for by taxpayers related to health, safety and welfare for all citizens. Beyond that, the citizens working with elected officials, identify additional needs and wants. This is all very familiar to you and to those watching tonight. However, we rarely spend time and energy on the bulk of those services. Our focus, especially in a growing, successful community like Bozeman is on the 1/3-1/4 of our work. The items that improve and shape the community. 10% of work is responding to what comes up, unplanned, 20% of work is special projects (Strategic Plan, etc) 70% of work is daily tasks required of the job I share this with you because the strategic plan work can't replace the required daily operations but it absolutely needs to happen. So what does the organization need to be successful in implementing the strategic plan? It needs to be able to count on spending that last 20-30% of staff time (not all staff, but identified staff) working to achieve the goals of the strategic plan, with the understanding that the effort we put into those items matters more than anything else. Staff and the commission need to be disciplined to say "not now" to the issues that do not align with the strategic plan. And much like we will do tonight with this paring down exercise, those less relevant projects and issues must reside for a while in a symbolic "Parking Lot" until the key projects are addressed and capacity for staff and commission opens up. Then, the strategic plan prioritization process continues. You hired me for my background in strategic planning, but I join a staff with tremendous knowledge of such. The work done to date is very thorough and reflects all of the key work tasks. Staff hasn't been given the opportunity to practice being strategic. What we have is an organization and a commission, with all due respect, who has done their best to respond to the mounting issues and challenges of a community that is sought out. Cities that are destinations have the unique challenge to practice restraint while handling the demands of growth, and that is difficult when we receive so many requests of our time and focus. How can the Strategic Plan be helpful to me as the City Manager? It gives me a path to follow and allows me to discern what the organization needs to do versus what would be nice to do. We need to be excellent in a few key areas (strategic) that will enhance Bozeman as a community as well as be excellent in daily service delivery. The strategic areas I recommend you considering when discussing the plan are the following (in no particular order): 1. Planning and Land Use Initiatives 2. Affordable Housing 3. Community Outreach 4. Annexation Analysis and Study 5. Parks Maintenance District Regarding the work identified in #7, much of that work should be done regardless. It is strategic to plan for organizational improvement but carrying out those actions can happen during the normal course of business. I believe that is my responsibility and promise to the organization I lead. I am glad these items were in the early draft but I believe The Strategic Plan should be more outwardly focused. 1. Planning and Land Use Initiatives 2. Affordable Housing 3. Community Outreach 4. Annexation Analysis and Study 5. Parks Maintenance District Each of these five areas will improve Bozeman for the future, giving the organization greater capacity for the next tier of initiatives. These projects vary in complexity and length of time to complete, but without them and others you may have at the top of the list, we will be misguided in our efforts. Citizens will not feel the change provided like better outreach and information, more predictable land use rules, and so on. Think about it like planning a major vacation trip. It is a significant investment of time, money and logistics; and you want to do your best research. You narrow down the amount of information you use to plan your trip to those key websites (or timeless books) that will help you develop the perfect trip. You plan your destinations, your overall itinerary, your budget, and your amount of unstructured time. You can't do everything or spend beyond your means, but a few items rise to the top. This is how we also develop the strategic plan. And once we have returned from the trip, we share our great experiences, rating them on websites and with friends... and possibly plan the next trip which will include a few new destinations and so on. We need to get started with our process tonight, but in summary the successful strategic plan is a near-term laser-focused guide for commission, community, and staff with realistic, measurable outcomes, that can identify future success. How will we be changed from the key items selected? The Strategic Plan guides all of us toward a chosen better future for Bozeman.