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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#23 - 2023-2024 Work PlanSTAFF REPORT DATE: April 4, 2023 REGULAR AGENDA ITEM: 2023 Goal Setting Report and 2023-2024 Work Plan SUBMITTED BY: Kristina Handt, City Administrator BACKGROUND: Council and Department Heads held a work session on January 24, 2023 to develop the 2023-2024 work plan. The discussion was facilitated by Phil Kern and included an environmental scan of the city to identify strengths, weakness, opportunities, challenges and trends. This led to the development of a list of goals for 2023-2024 that were voted on by council and staff. Council then held further discussion on the 2023-2024 goals at the March work session. ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: What goals should council adopt in the 2023-2024 work plan? PROPOSAL: The five goals that seemed to be agreed to at the March work session were: A. Move into and become fully-functional in City Center (including Washington County Sheriff’s Department) B. Adopt a 10 year Capital Improvement Plan for all Departments by December 2023 C. Improve all department dashboards to highlight key metrics and utilize a standard template (1 page) by Quarter 1 2023 reporting D. Prepare and Present a Pavement Management Plan to City Council by July 2023 E. Increase Commission Participation, Recruitment and Staffing as follows: a. Lake Elmo Commissions (Parks, Planning, EDA) will be fully staffed with public representatives by December 31, 2023 b. Vacant positions on a Lake Elmo Commission will be filled within 3 months of vacancy by December 31, 2024 and after that Lake Elmo Commissions will have a waiting list of constituents interested in joining the commission, and vacancies will be filled from the waiting list Included in your packet is a resolution to adopt these five goals for the 2023-2024 period. As noted, the goals are not listed in priority order since no votes were taken on these as had been done at the January meeting. The goals are written to more closely align with the SMART format- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Each goal as a date tied to it with the exception of moving into city hall and becoming fully functional. FISCAL IMPACT: TBD OPTIONS: 1) Adopt Resolution 2023-035 2) Amend and then Adopt Resolution 2023-035 3) Do not adopt goals for 2023-24 RECOMMENDATION: “Motion to Adopt Resolution 2023-035: A Resolution Related to 2023-2024 Short Term Goals.” ATTACHMENTS: • Resolution 2023-035 (including attachment A) CITY OF LAKE ELMO WASHINGTON COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA RESOLUTION NO. 2023-035 A RESOLUTION RELATED TO 2023-2024 CITY SHORT TERM GOALS WHEREAS, the Lake Elmo City Council and Staff Leadership Team held a bi- annual strategic planning session on January 24, 2023 to review progress on previous goals and establish new targets for the organization in 2023-202; and WHEREAS, the report of the January 24. 2023 meeting (Attached as Exhibit A) affirms the Mission and Values Statement established in previous strategic planning processes and recaps the goals as outlined for 2023-2024 at that time; and WHEREAS, the Lake Elmo City Council held a second work session to discuss short term goals for 2023-2024 on March 14, 2023; BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, that the 2023-2024 short term goals are, in no particular order,: A. Move into and become fully-functional in City Center (including Washington County Sheriff’s Department) B. Adopt a 10 year Capital Improvement Plan for all Departments by December 2023 C. Improve all department dashboards to highlight key metrics and utilize a standard template (1 page) by Quarter 1 2023 reporting D. Prepare and Present a Pavement Management Plan to City Council by July 2023 E. Increase Commission Participation, Recruitment and Staffing as follows: a. Lake Elmo Commissions (Parks, Planning, EDA) will be fully staffed with public representatives by December 31, 2023 b. Vacant positions on a Lake Elmo Commission will be filled within 3 months of vacancy by December 31, 2024 and after that Lake Elmo Commissions will have a waiting list of constituents interested in joining the commission, and vacancies will be filled from the waiting list APPROVED by the Lake Elmo City Council on this 4th day of April 2023. . By: __________________________ Charles Cadenhead Mayor ATTEST: ________________________________ Julie Johnson City Clerk City of Lake Elmo 2023-2024 Strategic Planning and Goal Setting Report ____________________________________________________ PROCESS On January 24, 2023, the Lake Elmo City Council and Staff Leadership Team convened its biennial goal setting and strategic planning session to review progress on previous goals and establish new targets for the organization in 2023- 2024. The process built upon the strategic planning foundations established in previous years and focused primarily on examining the present status of the City and organization to develop a workplan for Council and staff consistent with the Mission and Values Statements. The participants engaged in discussion around a series of questions to examine the areas of strength and weakness, along with potential impacts and opportunities on the horizon. This report will reaffirm the Mission and Values Statement established in previous strategic planning processes and recap the goals as outlined for 2023-2024. The City Council will now consider the results of the session through the process of adopting its 2023-2024 Strategic Plan. This report contains a summary of the session and outlines the outcomes in the form of a work plan to guide the City moving forward. MISSION AND VALUES STATEMENTS The mission statement is the first part of the organizational statement that addresses the manner in which the City will conduct its business. The process of working towards the vision and core strategies is important work and it is the mission that outlines how the City will perform its operations. It is a commitment to the community and statement of clarity for staff regarding the method in which the organization seeks to act. Lake Elmo Mission Statement The mission of the City of Lake Elmo is to provide planned, quality public services in a fiscally responsible manner in partnership with our community. Supporting the Mission of the City, previous strategic planning sessions resulted in the development and adoption of organizational values statements. These statements are adopted values that affirm the manner in which the City expects to perform and identify its long-term priorities. The following values are fundamental to the City of Lake Elmo’s success and the fulfillment of our mission: Ethics and Integrity – We believe that ethics and integrity are the foundation of public trust and confidence and that all meaningful relationships are built on these values. Visionary Leadership and Planning – We believe that the very essence of leadership is to be visionary and innovative while planning for the future. Excellence and Quality in the Delivery of Services – We believe that service to our residents is our reason for being and commit to delivering services in a professional, cost-effective, and efficient manner. Fiscal Responsibility – We believe that fiscal responsibility and prudent stewardship of public funds, both short-term and long-term, are essential for citizen confidence in government. Open and Honest Communication – We believe that open and honest communication is paramount for an involved citizenry and fosters a positive working environment for employees. Respect for the Individual – We believe that citizens we serve are to be treated with the utmost respect and deserve the best treatment the City can provide. Community Engagement – We believe that creating and fostering a community with engaged, active, and informed stakeholders is necessary for a healthy city. Professionalism – We believe that continuous improvement and innovation is the mark of a professional organization and we are committed to applying this principle to the services we offer and development of employees. Accountability - We believe in decision-making processes that are based on facts, data, and the prioritization of community interests above the individual. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT One of the primary activities of the session was conducting an environmental scan of the City and organization. This activity is designed to consider the present state of the community from a variety of perspectives. In a large group setting, participants were asked to consider its strengths, challenges, areas where the City has momentum, and explore trends and issues that face the City in the coming years. The scan provided the basis for the group’s efforts later in the work session to develop the goals that will guide the organization in the coming years. In its first assessment activity, the group was asked to consider all of the things that identify as strengths of Lake Elmo, both as a City and the organization itself. Participants were encouraged to think of projects, services, actions, and policies. After discussing the strengths, participants turned their attention towards reviewing City and organizational areas that need improvement. These items are areas that presently challenge the organization and City. The third assessment area of discussion was around the actions that are presently underway that provide for organizational momentum. The group brainstormed areas where the City had opportunities based on current conditions and actions. Following the assessment of its strengths, challenges and areas of momentum, the group moved on to the final brainstorming activity - anticipating emerging trends or issues that may impact the City. Forecasting potential external changes or impacts is a key step in the process to help leadership anticipate pressures and opportunities that may arise. To guide this process, the participants followed a STEP model of analysis, thinking about trends and external impacts in the areas of socio-cultural, technical, economical, and political. Thinking about the ongoing opportunities and challenges in each of these areas provides a variety of important perspectives for the City in the coming years. The results of the environmental scan have been provided as an appendix to this report. SHORT-TERM GOALS The primary focus of the 2023-2024 goal setting session was to develop a short-term goals platform and workplan to guide the organization in the coming years. Participants were offered the opportunity to present draft goals that addressed any of the following objectives - previous goals that had yet to be fully accomplished, goals to address weaknesses, opportunities, or potential impacts discussed during the assessment process, or other goals that individual members viewed to be important for the City. The process encouraged the brainstorming of SMART goals - specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (1-3 years) - and objectives that would support the core strategies and vision. Following the brainstorming process, a prioritization process was used to develop the following list of high priority and priority goals. Participants were given the ability to choose a limited number of brainstormed goals as their top priorities. As each participant’s choices were collected, the draft goals were bunched into three categories. The categories and prioritization followed these guidelines: ● High Priority Goals - goals that were identified by a majority of the Council as top priority and also received support from City Staff. ● Priority Goals - goals that fell short of a Council majority but were identified as a top priority by at least two members of the Council and multiple members participating in the session or two or more staff members. ● Other Goals - goals that did not have an initial priority ranking by more than one member. (Included as an appendix to the report.) Proposed 2023-2024 Short-Term Goals High Priority 1. Update the Water Supply Plan - reflect new PFAS findings, strive to have one additional well, develop policy(ies) related to clean water and water management, and reduce irrigation/peak levels of community usage 2. Develop a comprehensive financial and management plan for parks - facilities, land, amenities and uses - to guide prioritization and decision-making 3. Explore ways to increase non-property tax revenues, including consideration of franchise fees 4. Develop a sustainable approach to execute the work of the Commissions - increase public participation and community engagement in decision-making 5. Finance and implement dashboards - implement a 5-year operation plan by department Priority 6. Produce and take action on RFP to develop 180 acres of City land 7. Complete Pavement Management Plan 8. Move into and become fully-functional in City Center (including Washington County Sheriff’s Department) 9. Establish vision/goal for a multi-use community space NEXT STEPS The next step in the goal setting process is to work within each of these short-term goals to develop action plans and the establishment of benchmarks to measure progress. One of the discussion items during the workshop involved the identification of measurables, or benchmarks, to effectively evaluate the City’s accomplishment of each goal. Developing measurable outcomes for each goal will also help in the development of action plans to reach the desired outcome. The goals should then be revisited from time-to-time as an accountability measure for both the Council and staff. Additionally, finding ways to integrate the goals into the organizational processes also helps to develop success. Building on the methods in which Lake Elmo has been successful in the past is recommended, along with exploring new methods of keeping the goals on the forefront of the leadership team’s efforts. It was an honor to assist your team in the process of establishing its Strategic Plan for the coming years. Respectfully submitted, Phil Kern Facilitator