Councils Goals and Strategies for Georgetown

The city council hired an expert interpersonal guru last fall to help them work together and to develop a set of goals and strategies for the city.  Here is the result:

Council Goals 

Culture

• Georgetown is a truly diverse, vibrant, inclusive, and

socially dynamic city where everyone has the

opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, our

economic, political, and social activities

Employee

• Our outstanding and innovative City Employees work

diligently to bring the Vision of Council to life and

deliver exceptional services to our customers while

exemplifying our Core Values

Internal Process

• Our policies and procedures are easy to understand,

and consistently and professionally applied. Our

internal processes are effective, efficient, fair,

inventive, and transparent, and make us a desired

destination for residents and businesses

Customer

• Anyone interacting with the City will have such a

positive experience that they will tell everyone about it

Financial

• To maintain a fiscal environment conducive to

attaining the goals of the City

Blogger Comments: The goals seems to be a mixture of description of the current status and a statement of the desired goal or end state. Very confusing. It is also disappointing that there are no measurable financial goals established. For example: Annual budget growth shall not exceed population growth plus inflation.

Council  Strategies

Process

• Council developed 14 strategies in November 2015 – 9 tier-1 strategies – 5 tier-2 strategies

• 14 teams developed “tactics” to achieve each strategy – Cross functional groups – 5-7 team members

• Tactics presented in priority order by strategy – “Sub-tactics” identified in packet

Themes

• Communications and Branding – Identity – Education and Outreach – Cross-functional promotion and coordination teams – Consistency – Special event promotion

• Cost Analysis – Understand baseline O&M (e.g. Transportation) – Understand impact of decisions (e.g. land use, large capital investments) – Key capital asset replacement strategies

• Employees – Training – Professional Development – Recruitment

Strategy 1.1: Attract, Hire, Develop and Retain the Best People, and Compensate Them for the Value they Create

• Establish and Consistently Administer a Competitive Compensation Program Based on Performance Results

• Guide and Define Workplace Culture

• Implement the Newly Created Employee Training and Development Program

• Consistently Communicate the Current Compensation and Benefits Plan To Employees

Strategy 1.2: Create a Customer Service Mindset

• Develop and Implement a Customer Satisfaction Program

• Create More Opportunities for Local Businesses to Do Business with the City

• Provide Educational & Outreach Programs on City Department Functions & Activities

• Evaluate Creation of City-wide Customer Service Center

Strategy 1.3: Implement the Special Event and Destination Strategy

• Create a Comprehensive Special Events Strategy

• Maintain and Promote Calendar of Special Events

• Simplify Special Event Application

• Cross-functional Promotion and Communication of City Events

• Activate Area Beyond Direct Square

• Explore Feasibility of a Special Event Coordinator

Strategy 1.4: Build and Maintain Entertainment Platforms/Venues

• Build and Program City-owned Venues – Garey Park – San Gabriel Park – Downtown West

• Citywide Space Inventory and Needs Assessment

• Cross-Functional Team to Review and Promote City Events

• Activate Spaces – Natural gathering spaces – Green space in dense areas – Sunday activities

Strategy 1.5: Expand and Diversify the Tax Base (Increase Commercial Percentage)

• Create and Maintain a Positive Relationship with the Business Community Through a Business Retention Program

• Conduct Studies to Develop Meaningful Data to Drive the City’s E.D. Program

• Develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategic Plan

• Develop a Process to Understand the Fiscal Impact and Trade-offs of Land Use Decisions

• Update the City‘s Comprehensive Plan and Capital Improvement Plans to Align Resources and Preserve Opportunities for Retail and Employment Growth

Strategy 1.6: Accumulate Funds to Account for Unfunded and Unanticipated Liabilities

• Ensure Financial and Budgetary Policy Addresses Liabilities

• Update Quarterly Financial Report to Include a List of City-Wide Liabilities, and an Update on the Balance in the Council Discretionary Fund

• Incorporate O&M Costs in Planning of Capital Projects

• Implement a Policy and Phase-In Approach for an Economic Uncertainty Fund to Address Short-term Revenue Declines

• Develop a Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan and Funding Strategy for Key Facility Replacements

Strategy 1.7: Create a Strategy to Increase Mobility

• Complete Review and Propose Amendments for the Unified Development Code (UDC Chapter 12: Pedestrian and Vehicle Circulation) Related to Development Standards to Ensure They are Designed to Improve Mobility Efforts Within and Between New Developments

• Continue to Develop and Implement Existing Transportation Plans Develop and Implement New and Updated Plans

• Conduct a Feasibility Study of a Control Center for Traffic Operations and Signal Coordination

• Continue to Adequately Fund Existing Transportation Infrastructure

• Continue to Address Maintenance of Existing Infrastructure

Strategy 1.8: Attain and Maintain Superior Public Safety and Enhance the Perception of Safety

• Fire Department Attain Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Accreditation AND Police Department Attain Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA) Recognition

• Achieve and Consistently be One of the Top-tier Public Safety Agencies to Work for within Central Texas.

Strategy 1.9: Attract Younger Workers/Young Professionals to the Community

• Tailor Branding and Communications Towards Young Professionals

• Improve Social Environment for Young Professionals (25-44)

Strategy 2.1: Improve Communications and Advertising

• Gain clarity on the City organization’s branding strategy

• Work to Create Consistency in Messages and Themes for Communications and Marketing Across the City.

• Assess Department Resources and Make Needed Adjustments to Ensure Capacity to Generate and Sustain Communications and Marketing Content Across Multiple Platforms.

• Assess and Enhance Existing City-wide Logo, Design, Graphics, and Presentation Guidelines.

Strategy 2.2: Create and Maintain Outstanding Aesthetics, and a Welcoming Appearance and Spirit

• Identify, Review, and Enhance Development Standards Related to Beautification

• Clarify and Understand Costs Associated with Beautification and Secure Funding (including appropriations, grants, volunteers, etc.)

• Continue and Increase Stewardship of all Public Rights-of-way (Including TxDOT) • Enhance Community Branding at Key Points Within the City

Strategy 2.3: Create an Asset Maintenance and Revitalization Plan

• Develop a Uniform Asset Management and Work Order Process

• Develop Baseline Annual Costs to Operate and Maintain (Annual Budget)

• Define Impact of Operation and Maintenance (O&M) when Capital Additions and Replacements are Approved/Added

• Clarify Capital Retirement/Replacement Strategy

Strategy 2.4: Create a Comprehensive Annexation Strategy [Formerly Donut Hole Strategy]

• Create a Broad-Based Annexation Plan with Alignment to the 2030 Plan

• Effectively Communicate Planning Efforts and Outcomes

Strategy 2.5: Monitor, Promote, and Communicate a Long-term Water and Utilities Plan and Strategy

• Implement and Monitor the Integrated Resource Plan (Long-term Water and Energy Plans)

• Develop and Execute a Communication and Marketing Strategy for Customers Relating to the Resource Plan

Blogger Comments:  Again it is disappointing that there is no strategy to limit the growth of city government.  It is well accepted that excessive regulation curbs business growth.  There is no strategy to limit regulations and requirements to those that meet public health and safety needs and reduce or eliminate all others.