Title
Discussion of issues relating to an update on the City of Deer Park’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan.
Body
Summary:
In 2024, the City developed a new five-year Strategic Plan. Ron Cox of Ron Cox Consulting facilitated planning sessions with City Council and key City Staff, which included a review of accomplishments, challenges and opportunities, a review of the Council’s governance model including the development of a Leadership Model and Guiding Principles, Vision and Mission. The group met in a retreat setting to brainstorm new goals for the next five-year period and organize them under the six existing areas of emphasis:
- Leadership/Governance
- Quality of Life/Image
- Comprehensive Planning
- Economic Development
- Public Safety
- Organizational Excellence
In that retreat setting, the City’s mission statement was revised:
The Mission of the City of Deer Park is to deliver exemplary municipal services that provide a high quality of life consistent with our history, culture, and unique sense of community.
A two-part survey system was used to assess Council’s priorities in each area of emphasis as well as for the plan as a whole. Out of 34 total strategies, the top 9 rated strategies overall were as follows:
1. Develop a revitalization master plan for beautification and redevelopment of Center Street.
2. Prepare a more robust succession planning program.
3. Refamiliarize staff with EOC protocols and training.
4. Establish a mental health social media campaign with information for available resources.
5. Create additional recreational programming for kids/teens.
6. Establish a legislative advocacy program.
7. Establish a Capital Improvements Plan for infrastructure redevelopment.
8. Develop a GIS asset management inventory system.
9. Identify options for adding volunteers.
In the strategic plan reporting format, strategies within the six areas of emphasis are organized from highest to lowest ranked within each area of emphasis following the City Council strategy prioritization exercise. Any strategies identified by Council as one of the top 9 priorities of the overall plan are denoted as such. Each area of emphasis has a Department Director serving as a Team Facilitator as follows:
- Area of Emphasis 1: Leadership and Governance - Facilitator: Jay Stokes, City Manager
- Area of Emphasis 2: Quality of Life/Image - Facilitator: Kenny Walsh, Director of Parks and Recreation
- Area of Emphasis 3: Comprehensive Planning - Facilitator: David Van Riper, Director of Public Works
- Area of Emphasis 4: Economic Development - Facilitator: Sara Costlow, Assistant City Manager
- Area of Emphasis 5: Public Safety - Facilitator: Greg Grigg, Chief of Police
- Area of Emphasis 6: Organizational Excellence - Facilitator: Bill Philibert, Director of Human Resources
Each year, the Team Facilitators are assigned to work with their respective teams to make an annual strategic plan report to Council in December. During 2024, the Facilitators have worked with their respective teams and to complete their part of the report and the group will present the report at the December 17th City Council Workshop.
Copies of the report in PDF format are attached.
Fiscal/Budgetary Impact:
N/A.
Recommended action
Discussion only in Workshop.