Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 3.B
Meeting Date: March 26, 2025
From: Anne V. Ambrose, Assistant City Manager
Title: Amendments Made to the 5-Year Strategic Plan at the January 25, 2025 City Council Strategic Plan Workshop
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for information, discussion and direction only. If the City Council agrees that staff has captured the updates sufficiently, the adoption of the amended plan is on the Consent Agenda later this evening for adoption.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council, city staff and members of the public participated in a day long strategic planning session on Saturday January 25, 2025. During the strategic planning session, the Council reviewed progress made on the original five-year strategic plan developed and adopted in 2023 and revised and re-adopted in 2024. The Council has developed some revisions and additions to the plan.
DISCUSSION:
The five-year strategic plan serves as a significant and meaningful policy document which guides city staff and city commissions and committees throughout the year. City departments use the strategic plan to guide them as they develop individual departmental work plans for the year and as tasks and projects are assigned to city employees.
In advance of the staff and the City Council initiating the development of the biennial budget for FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27, a joint strategic planning workshop was held on January 25, 2025 to review departmental accomplishments and to receive input from the City Council on objectives for the next budget cycle.
During the strategic planning workshop, the City Council identified a series of initiatives which have been incorporated into the strategic plan.
Goal A Serve the Community with Provide and Dedication
Schedule once a year, joint meetings with our Commissions/Committees, perhaps using the “off” Wednesdays.
Develop a Summer Council Schedule with the objective of one meeting per month in June, July and August.
Goal B Community Investment
Continue to work on septic to sewer grant
oMake sure Sarah area is included and other Economic Development efforts. Complete the design and seek funding to construct the downtown dog park and pickleball courts.
Support SunLine’s efforts to develop an improved transit hub in Cathedral City. Support a PACE Health Provider.
Conduct site and cost analysis for our Community Recreation Center. oConsidering location, users, transportation access and other relevant factors. Complete planned flooding control infrastructure projects, especially as part of street improvement projects.
Be vigilant in efforts to keep regional CVWD or RCFCD projects moving forward.
Goal C Fiscal Sustainability
Develop inventory of contract services that are due for bid and request for proposals. Explore and solicit public feedback on a potential charter amendment to include council salaries, term limits, and others.
Continue to work on methods and programs to promote economic development north of I-10.
Goal D Innovation
No new initiatives
Goal E Safety
Research the ability to regulate the use of pedestrian sidewalks by E-bikes or other motorized vehicles.
Schedule community meetings with Police in our mobile home gated communities and include a public health professional.
Review our animal control contract and options.
Renew and improve our event safety planning, protocols and standards: streets, garage, amphitheater, parks and others.
Fire Department contact mobile home parks to reinforce state water accessibility requirements.
GOAL F Embracing Inclusive Community
Explore options for shielding trash containers especially where backyard may not be accessible.
Review and update, as needed, our ordinances, policies, and practices regarding cannabis.
Review processes and economic development efforts to promote childcare accessibility in Cathedral City.
Focus on the Economic Development Road Map and identified pillars of success. Explore a grants program to businesses for façade improvements using Council improvement funds or other resources.
Work with community partners and providers on a community health fair to help residents identify resources that are available.
Explore an ordinance to prohibit on-street parking on street sweeping days. Study ways to address bulky items placed out too soon. Evaluate staffing in Code Compliance vs. workload and determine the needed full- time employees’ level: use technology as available.
Develop methods to improve the quality and appearance of our community mailers.
For ease in updating, the plan has been reformatted with all completed tasks moved to a new section. The presented plan includes no tasks under each action. After the City Council readopts the plan, updates will be made and periodically reported back to the Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
To the extent possible goals and objectives are being addressed within the adopted departmental budgets or will be planned in the upcoming budget.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
A-8 Implement the Strategic Plan by ensuring department work programs include initiatives which achieve Strategic Plan Actions and regularly review progress and accomplishments at City Manager Department Head Meetings.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Amended Strategic Plan