CITY OF CORONA, CA – STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026 | 1 |
| 2 | CITY OF CORONA, CA – STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
CITY OF CORONA, CALIFORNIA
Dear Corona Residents,
A strong strategic plan is like a good roadmap—it identifies a destination and lays out a clear path to get there. After a robust six-month planning process, we are pleased to present the City of Corona’s Strategic Plan for 2021-2026.
This Plan sets a course of action for the next five years by establishing priority goals for our City, outlining actions to effectively achieve those goals, and setting up a framework to report our progress to the public.
Residents and other City stakeholders helped to shape this plan by participating in interviews, open houses, online surveys, and public comment on the plan draft. Over 1,000 members of our community shared their voices, and we are extremely grateful for their engagement in this work.
The planning process aimed to balance and prioritize the many issues that were identified as critical needs for the City. While this plan is the first step, the real work begins today as we work to partner with you to turn this roadmap into a reality. Together, we can envision a bright future for Corona and create a community where everyone can thrive. Thank you for your support while we continue this journey together.
Sincerely,
JACQUE CASILLAS
District 1
TONY DADDARIO
District 2
TOM RICHINS
District 3
JIM STEINER
District 4
WES SPEAKE
District 5
CHAD WILLARDSON
City Treasurer At-Large
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OUR VISION
The City of Corona will be a safe, vibrant,
and family-friendly community.
OUR PURPOSE
Create a community where
everyone can thrive.
OUR VALUES
We are Bold
We challenge the status quo in our relentless pursuit to rethink how we do business. We are on a mission to innovate, modernize services, and bring government into the 21st century.
We are Humble
Everyone has a role to play, and we find purpose in doing our part.
We own mistakes and learn from them to become better. We value feedback, embrace our vulnerabilities, and take time to celebrate others.
We are Driven
We have strong work ethic and tackle issues head on, even the tough stuff. We anticipate problems, develop creative solutions, and push ourselves to be better.
We are Honest
We strive to do what is right, not what is easy. We keep our commitments and take responsibility for the results, even if things go wrong.
We are Kind
No matter who you are or where you are from, you’re welcome here.
We embrace diversity, treat people with dignity, and genuinely care for others.
We are a Team
We give voice to our community. We trust and honor the process of collaboration.
We achieve more together.
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CITY OF CORONA STRATEGIC PLAN
STRATEGIC GOALS
1. Financial Stability
Ensure the City has adequate and sustainable funding to deliver high-quality services to residents.
2. Strong Economy
Expand the local economy by supporting local businesses, providing opportunities for new businesses, and ensuring there are ample opportunities for job seekers.
3. Sound Infrastructure
Sustain high quality service delivery by investing in public infrastructure, including parks, buildings, equipment, roads, and technology.
4. Safe Community
Protect our quality of life by ensuring the community is safe and clean.
5. Sense of Place
Building community through celebrating our rich heritage, increasing access to recreational and cultural activities, and improving the relationship between the city and residents.
6. High-Performing Government
Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the City’s services to bring government into the 21st century.
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STRATEGIC GOAL
FINANCIAL STABILITY
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GOAL 1: FINANCIAL STABILITY
Ensure the City has adequate and sustainable financial
funding to deliver high-quality services to residents.
OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES
Increase Financial Stability: Strengthen the City’s long-term financial position to ensure ongoing provision of core services to all residents. • Improve financial decision-making by:
◦ Utilizing the Strategic Plan as a framework to guide future financial decisions. ◦ Developing a long-range financial forecasting model and subsequent long-range financial plan based on needs and community assessments to help ensure adequate capital reserves. ◦ Identifying core services and service levels for both mandated and nonmandated services, determining resources needed to adequately support these services, and re-allocating the City budget to fully support these services.
• Pursue an AAA/Aaa/AAA GO Bond credit rating from S&P and Moody’s & Fitch.
• Seek to reduce City expenses by:
◦ Holding annual work sessions to identify potential cost savings and cost-containment opportunities.
◦ Proactively managing the City’s pension liability debt. • Seek to proactively manage City revenues by:
◦ Regularly reviewing revenue sources to ensure a
balanced, intentional allocation of revenue sources that protect against over-reliance on any single source of
revenues.
◦ Reviewing and updating City fees and setting intentional CITY OF CORONA, CA – STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026 | 7 |
cost recovery goals for City services.
◦ Increasing the percentage of services funded via external sources by proactively pursuing grants, partnerships, and other funding opportunities.
• Create strategic reserve funds (e.g. redevelopment, land acquisition, business attraction, etc.) to achieve organizational objectives.
Improve the Budget Process: Streamline the budget development process and increase residents’ capacity and opportunities to participate.
• Utilize zero-based budgeting on a three-year cycle to identify cost savings, justify expenditures, and ensure well-constructed financial plans.
• Implement new budgeting software to streamline the annual budget development process, reduce the timeline and resources needed, and enhance budgeting scenario capabilities. • Establish a process to track total grant funding received on an annual basis. • Increase residents’ capacity and opportunities to participate in the budget process by:
◦ Enhancing opportunities for resident participation.
◦ Finding ways to simplify budget information.
◦ Ensuring budget information is available in both English and Spanish.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
• Debt payments as a percent of operating budget
• Diversity of revenue sources
• GO Bond credit rating
• Major operating funds maintaining minimum fund balance • Outstanding debt per capita
• Percent of assets funded for scheduled repair and replacement • Percent of GO debt capacity used
• Unfunded pension liability
MILESTONE MEASURES
• Budget information available in both English and Spanish • Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) updated
• Long-range financial plan developed
• New budget software implemented
• Strategic Reserve funds established
GOAL: FINANCIAL STABILITY
SUSTAINABLE
FUNDING
TO DELIVER
HIGH-QUALITY
SERVICES
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STRATEGIC GOAL
STRONG ECONOMY
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GOAL 2: STRONG ECONOMY
Expand the local economy by supporting local
businesses and ensuring there are ample opportunities
for new businesses and job seekers.
OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES
Support Local Businesses: Expand the local economy
by supporting post-pandemic resilience and
recovery of local businesses and attracting new
enterprises to the City.
• Develop and implement an Economic Development Strategic Plan that provides a vision and framework for business attraction, expansion, development, and retention. Activities may include:
◦ Creating local and regional economic development partnerships to promote the region.
◦ Developing a “How to Start a Business” guide or other materials to support entrepreneurs.
◦ Expanding the Business Retention and Expansion program. ◦ Reactivating “Team Corona” initiative to streamline business location and expansion efforts.
◦ Conducting outreach calls with the business community to stay current on emerging trends and issues.
◦ Coordinating industry roundtable meetings with local businesses, local universities, and resource partners to aid business growth and development. | 10 | CITY OF CORONA, CA – STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026
• Improve transparency and trust by creating a development handbook that explains the development review and approval process to community members and business owners. • Review and update the City’s purchasing process to ensure it follows best practices and provides better opportunities for local vendors.
• Create a Police Officer Business Liaison program to better engage local businesses, provide advice on crime prevention, and respond to concerns.
• Establish a process to promote local businesses as part of the City’s ongoing communication and outreach efforts.
Increase Job Opportunities: Reduce local unemployment and increase the number of living-wage jobs within the City.
• Partner with the Chamber in its Corona 2030 Plan for local job creation to reduce local unemployment. • Partnering with regional workforce development boards to increase job opportunities. • Craft an incentive strategy for businesses to locate in Corona. • Develop entrepreneurial workshops and trainings that can be offered in English and Spanish. • Explore the creation of an economic development corporation in partnership with the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG).
• Build partnerships and programs that support youth and adult development to ensure a prepared and skilled local workforce. Activities may include:
◦ Creating alignment between job seekers and employers. ◦ Sponsoring or coordinating job fairs within the high schools that promote employment opportunities and careers (including careers in the trades).
◦ Coordinating opportunities to improve the relationship between industry and academic leaders.
Revitalize Downtown: Invest in redevelopment of
the downtown to create a thriving destination
for residents and visitors.
• Develop and implement a Downtown Revitalization
Plan to guide the redevelopment and revitalization
of the downtown district (including streetscape
enhancements and new design guidelines) in
collaboration with, residents, stakeholders and the
development community, with the goal of creating
a thriving destination that meets daytime and
nighttime population needs.
• Redevelop the Corona Mall Properties.
• Explore the feasibility of a facade
improvement program.
• Explore the feasibility of
establishing a program to assist
long-time Corona restaurants to
open smaller scale operations in
the downtown area.
• Review and update the City’s
historic building guidelines and
explore the establishment of a
GOAL: STRONG ECONOMY
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GOAL: STRONG ECONOMY
Historic Building Ordinance with clear preservation guidelines. • Explore the benefits and feasibility of a discounted development fee structure for “historic home” infill developments in the Circle and historic areas within the redevelopment area. • Take steps to increase crime prevention within the downtown business district, including exploring the deployment of additional police officers dedicated to this area. • Explore opportunities to bring in additional hotels to support larger conferences, gatherings, and events.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
• Performance measures will be selected after the completion of the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
MILESTONE MEASURES
• Corona Mall properties redeveloped
• Development Handbook developed
• Downtown Revitalization Plan developed
• Economic Development Strategic Plan developed
• Historic building guidelines reviewed and updated
• Police Officer Business Liaison program established
• Purchasing processes reviewed and updated
EXPANDING
OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY
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STRATEGIC GOAL
SOUND INFRASTRUCTURE
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GOAL 3: SOUND
INFRASTRUCTURE
Sustain high-quality service delivery by investing
in public infrastructure, including parks, buildings,
equipment, roads, and technology.
OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES
Strengthen City Infrastructure: Ensure that City infrastructure—including streets, municipal facilities, water and wastewater systems, and technology—is well-maintained for current and future generations. • Review and revamp the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) program to include all potential capital improvement projects (including street and sidewalk maintenance), whether funded or not, utilizing, a 10-year time horizon, and develop a prioritized implementation plan.
• Develop an asset management program for all City infrastructure, including condition assessments, lifecycle determinations, and preventative maintenance program for major capital assets—including City buildings—to extend their lifecycle.
• Develop a long-term capital reserve/asset management funding policy for maintaining and replacing infrastructure assets.
• Develop a Fiber Optic Master Plan to guide the design, implementation, and management of the City’s fiber optic assets and related infrastructure.
• Build an up-to-date Geographic Information System (GIS) inventory of all utility infrastructure. • Develop a Corporate Energy Management Plan to reduce costs and improve energy efficiency. | 14 | CITY OF CORONA, CA – STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026
Reduce Negative Impacts of Traffic: Reduce traffic congestion and optimize traffic flows.
• Develop long-term multi-modal transportation plan for traffic improvements, mitigation efforts, and expansion of alternative transportation options (including bicycle and pedestrian) to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
• Modernize traffic cameras and explore utilization of Artificial Intelligence with traffic cameras to optimize traffic flows and improve responsiveness of traffic lights. • Advocate with Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the State for transportation improvements that impact congestion within Corona.
• Continue efforts to embrace mixed-use developments that would place housing within walking distance of commercial centers and public transportation.
Enhance Parks and Recreation Facilities:
Develop and enhance parks, trails, and
recreational facilities to better serve residents.
• Develop and implement a Parks and Recreation Master Plan to provide a unified vision and planning framework for the enhancement, maintenance, and expansion of parks and
recreation facilities. Activities may include:
◦ Redeveloping City Park, including a new fullservice, purpose-built community center. ◦ Developing a plan for use of newly acquired
wilderness spaces that fosters outdoor
recreation activities, in addition to creating
formal trail heads.
◦ Creating better parking facilities that provide
security for vehicles left while residents hike or
play.
• Develop and implement a Trails Master Plan for
the City, including safety planning and planning for
access points to Cleveland National Forest.
• Ensure that park and recreation facilities are
appropriately maintained by:
◦ Establishing consistent quality and maintenance
standards for City park and recreation facilities.
◦ Utilizing the newly established asset management
program to ensure that condition assessments,
maintenance activities, and upgrades for park and recreation facilities are prioritized and completed in a timely manner. ◦ Instituting regular park inspections to proactively identify needed repairs, improvements, and required maintenance to ensure a consistent high-quality experience and develop an easy-to-read report card.
◦ Continue efforts to implement and institutionalize “park sponsorship” to increase funding and community support for parks.
GOAL: SOUND INFRASTRUCTURE
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PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
General Infrastructure
• Capital asset and building condition ratings
• Net investment in capital assets
• Percent of city facility assets replaced per schedule in the Asset Management Plan Streets
• Street signs replaced within target timeframes
• Town-wide average street PCI rating
Parks and Recreation Amenities
• Miles of trails per 1,000 residents
• Percent of residents rating recreation facilities as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating the availability of paths and walking trails as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating the bike lanes as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating the quality of public parks as good or excellent • Total acres of parks and green space owned/managed by the City Traffic
• Average level of service for key intersections during AM and PM peak hours • Percent of housing within walking distance of commercial centers and public transportation • Percent of signalized intersections using AI or advanced detection systems
MILESTONE MEASURES
• Asset Management Plan/Program established
• Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) updated
• Corporate Energy Management Plan developed
• Fiber Master Plan developed
• GIS inventory updated
• Long-term capital reserve/asset management funding policy established • Long-term multi-modal transportation plan developed
• Parks and Recreation Master Plan developed
• Trails Master Plan developed
HIGH QUALITY
SERVICE DELIVERY
VIA SOUND
INFRASTRUCTURE
GOAL: SOUND INFRASTRUCTURE
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STRATEGIC GOAL
SAFE COMMUNITY
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GOAL 4: SAFE COMMUNITY
Protect our quality of life by ensuring the community is safe and clean.
OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES
Improve Public Safety Services and Emergency Response: Improve the response time and increase the capacity of the City’s emergency response teams.
• Upgrade and maintain the City’s 911 system to ensure reliable emergency response.
• Identify the obstacles to reducing response times, implement solutions, track results, and report out publicly. Activities may include:
◦ Determining appropriate staffing levels for effective emergency response capability and developing a plan to address
understaffing.
◦ Developing a process to scale emergency response to call type and need (i.e. low acuity response model in Fire).
◦ Exploring opportunities to adopt best practices and computer aided dispatch systems.
◦ Developing a plan to address chronic staffing issues in the dispatch call center.
◦ Improving emergency response times to meet or beat national benchmarks.
• Develop a long-term funding strategy—including capital and operating reserve funds—for maintaining and replacing emergency service assets (see Sound Infrastructure).
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• Expand resident engagement and involvement in police and fire support efforts (e.g., Citizens on Patrol, Neighborhood Watch, etc.).
Increase the City’s Cleanliness and Appearance: Enhance the experience of residents, business owners, and visitors by ensuring the City is visibly clean.
• Continue and enhance the City’s Graffiti Removal program. • Improve the use of the SeeClickFix app to encourage resident adoption of the app to report graffiti and other cleanliness issues.
• Enforce current anti-camping and trespassing ordinances. • Explore opportunities to enhance trash removal and community cleanup projects.
Strengthen Emergency Preparedness: Improve
residents’ capacity to prepare and respond to a
major emergency or natural disaster.
• Implement the Community Wildfire Protection Plan
recommendations.
• Promote community involvement in identifying hazards and effective measures to reduce impacts, including:
◦ Holding annual safety drills for various emergency
situations (e.g., fire, earthquake, or active shooter)
for both staff and residents.
◦ Raising public awareness of local hazards and risks
via a communication initiative.
◦ Expanding Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT) trainings and build neighborhood-based CERT
Teams.
◦ Providing year-round virtual preparedness training
courses and certifications.
◦ Hosting events that put preparedness skills to use.
• Create a Fire Safe Council to better equip residents to mitigate impacts of natural disasters.
Reduce Homelessness: Develop a
transformational system of services,
shelter, and housing for Corona’s
homeless neighbors.
• Implement the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan, including actions to:
◦ Develop a systems-oriented approach to address
homelessness.
◦ Develop a low-barrier emergency shelter/navigation center. ◦ Develop permanent supportive and affordable housing.
◦ Expand outreach and engagement.
◦ Develop and participate in sub-regional partnerships with neighboring cities. ◦ Develop public/private partnerships to support plan initiatives (including potential food banking). ◦ Develop partnerships with Riverside County and the Continuum of Care to support plan initiatives. ◦ Develop a homeless prevention initiative.
GOAL: SAFE COMMUNITY
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◦ Develop an advocacy campaign to support plan initiatives. ◦ Expand data tracking systems and dashboards to measure performance.
Increase Access to Affordable Housing: Ensure an adequate supply of housing that is affordable and accessible for current and future generations.
• Develop a strategy to meet the mandated Regional Housing Assessment residential unit numbers. As part of this work, establish a clear strategic direction for the City’s affordable housing efforts to provide guidance on decisions that will be appropriate for current and future generations. • Adopt a policy to approve and encourage high-density housing within designated areas of the City. • Look for opportunities to facilitate the acquisition of sites, at low or no cost, to develop affordable housing for lower income households.
• Develop affordable housing in areas that are within walking distance of public transportation and commercial services.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Emergency Response
• Average police response time
• Average response time to fire incidents
• Average response for emergency medical calls
• Property crimes per 1,000 people / Clearance rate
• Violent crimes per 1,000 people/clearance rate
• Homicides per calendar year
• Percent of residents feeling very safe in their neighborhood during the day • Community satisfaction rating of public safety efforts • Suicides per calendar year
• Traffic fatalities per 1,000 residents
• Traffic accidents per 1,000 residents
• Drug/Alcohol related traffic collisions per 1,000 residents Emergency Preparedness
• Percent of community members who report they are
prepared for an emergency
• Annual number of residents taking part in emergency
preparedness trainings and events
Affordable Housing and Homelessness
• Community satisfaction rating of the City’s efforts to reduce homelessness
• Number of homeless individuals within the City
• Number of first-time homeless individuals
• Number of Emergency Shelter/Motel Voucher Beds
• Average length of homelessness
• Annual returns to homelessness
• Number of affordable housing units
• Number of Permanent Supportive Housing Units
• Percent of affordable housing units within walking distance of commercial centers and public transportation
• Number of code enforcement/property maintenance citations or warnings • Median annual household income
GOAL: SAFE COMMUNITY
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• Median single-family home cost
Cleanliness and Appearance
• Percent of residents rating the overall cleanliness of Corona as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating the overall appearance of Corona as good or excellent • Total number of trees in City owned parks and rights of way • Average number of days to replace dead or damaged trees
MILESTONE MEASURES
• Community Wildfire Protection Plan recommendations implemented • Data tracking systems and dashboards to measure performance of the Homelessness Strategic Plan established
• Fire Safe Council created
• Long-term funding strategy to maintain and replace emergency service assets established GOAL: SAFE COMMUNITY
A SAFE
COMMUNITY
PROMOTES
A HIGH QUALITY
OF LIFE
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STRATEGIC GOAL
SENSE OF PLACE
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GOAL 5: SENSE OF PLACE
Build community through celebrating our rich heritage,
increasing access to recreational and cultural activities, and improving the relationship between the City and
residents.
OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES
Increase Access to Arts, Culture, and Recreational Activities: Develop and expand opportunities and access to art, culture, and recreational activities. • Increase large-scale recreation events that provide both social and economic benefits to the community. Events may include sport-focused activities (e.g., 5k/10k, BMX biking, or adaptive sport activities) or other kinds of events focused on food, art, or cultural heritage.
◦ To better support event coordination, explore the option of forming a special event unit within the Community Services Department.
◦ Establish annual processes to expand community events through partnerships.
◦ Ensure that event planning meets the needs and interests of a diverse mix of ages and community interests.
• Enhance the quality of parks and recreation programs provided by the City to support lifelong learning and skills development.
Activities may include:
◦ Utilizing volunteer-led hikes to help residents become familiar with trail and park opportunities in the community.
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◦ Developing “on demand” registration capabilities to provide onsite registration or reservations at parks, fields, or facilities.
• Increase support for the local art community. Activities may include:
◦ Developing an additional performing arts venue within the City and/or renovating the Historic Civic Center to become the City’s premier performing and visual arts center. ◦ Designating the Historic Civic Center as Corona’s center for the arts and relocate all non-arts lessees.
◦ Promoting the use of public spaces for certain festivals or shows to showcase arts and culture.
Celebrate the Community’s Rich and Diverse Cultural Heritage:
Enhance the relationship between the City, its neighborhoods, and residents to celebrate the community’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.
• Review and revamp the City’s calendar of signature community events to clarify the City’s role, determine potential partners, and identify opportunities to celebrate diverse cultures.
Ultimately, these events should be designed to instill a sense of pride and social connection.
• Update the Mills Act Landmark list.
• Reimagine the City of Corona’s brand, identity, and
story. Once the branding has been revamped, identify
opportunities to brand City facilities to instill a sense of pride and make them more welcoming.
• Pursue opportunities to highlight the contributions
of Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, and Black residents to
Corona’s history, culture, and current community.
Increase Accessibility: Ensure all residents
have equitable access to City services
and spaces.
• Ensure that City services can be accessed in both
English and Spanish.
• Improve the City website for ease of use.
• Identify opportunities to increase access to City
services and spaces for people with disabilities.
• Develop an implementation plan for ADA
improvements to City facilities and ensure ADArequired improvements are included as part of the City’s Capital Improvement Program planning.
• Explore the feasibility of expanding inclusive
playground equipment across the City.
• Ensure robust engagement with a broad cross
section of all segments of the community when
developing plans for new or renovated parks and
facilities.
• Increase the City’s support, coordination, and
partnerships to enhance veteran services and programs.
• Develop an Equal Employment Opportunity plan to ensure the City workforce reflects the racial and gender diversity of the community.
GOAL: SENSE OF PLACE
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GOAL: SENSE OF PLACE
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
• Percent of City facilities that are ADA compliant
• Percent of City services that can be accessed in Spanish • Percent of persons who click on “apply now” after viewing the posting description on the diversityjob. com website
• Percent of residents rating Corona as a place to live as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating Corona as a place to raise children as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating the community’s openness and acceptance towards people of diverse backgrounds as good or excellent
• Percent of residents rating the overall image or reputation of Corona as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating the quality and number of places to recreate, socialize, meet and connect with friends, neighbors, and family as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating the sense of community in Corona as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating their satisfaction with the variety and frequency of community events as good or excellent
• Percent of residents very likely to recommend living in Corona to someone who asks • Percent of residents who say, given the chance to start over, they would choose to live in Corona again • Percent of residents who volunteered time to some group/activity in Corona at least once a month • Total annual number of participants in City recreation programs
MILESTONE MEASURES
• Calendar of City events evaluated and revamped
• City of Corona’s brand updated
• City website updated
• Equal Opportunity Plan for City workforce completed
• Mills Act Landmark list updated
• New performing arts venue established and/or Historic Civic Center renovation completed
BUILDING
COMMUNITY
THROUGH A
MYRIAD OF
OPPORTUNITIES
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STRATEGIC GOAL
HIGH-PERFORMING
GOVERNMENT
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GOAL 6: HIGH-PERFORMING
GOVERNMENT
Improve the efficiency of the City’s services to bring
government into the 21st century.
OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES
Enhance City Strategy: Leverage dynamic planning and a data-driven approach to ensure City activities are strategic.
• Review the Strategic Plan annually and track goals through established performance indicators to provide a framework for budget decisions.
• Fully revise the Strategic Plan every four years and include multiple stakeholders in the planning process.
• Develop annual department work plans based on the
Strategic Plan and the City’s budget.
• Promote an organization-wide data driven culture by:
◦ Ensuring annual reporting on Strategic Plan
and departmental work plan milestones and
performance measures.
◦ Using the open data portal to increase
transparency and help residents engage with City
government.
◦ Quantifying results from programs to drive
process improvements and evaluation efforts.
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Strengthen Resident Involvement: Increase public trust in City government by focusing on accountability and transparent engagement with the community.
• Develop an external communication plan to tell our story, build trust between the City and residents, help people get to know their City on a personal level, remember our history, and build a sense of pride by leveraging social media, internet, print, and other forms of two-way communication and engagement with residents.
• Establish regular community satisfaction surveys to gather statistically significant data, track residential concerns over time, and ensure that services and service levels are consistent with community needs and wants.
• Proactively pursue, and incorporate, resident input into all major planning efforts. • Increase the frequency, quality, and quantity of resident feedback and engagement that better reaches the “silent majority,” as well as diverse and historically underrepresented communities. • Promote volunteerism through the creation of a volunteer engagement strategy and recognition program to encourage, recognize, support, and provide central coordination to enhance volunteer efforts. Activities may include:
◦ Centralizing the promotion and application process for various volunteer opportunities across all City programs.
◦ Increasing volunteer opportunities by adding new programs, such as a Trail Clean Up Crew.
Increase Employee Engagement: Ensure that employees are engaged, recognized, and given opportunities to grow.
• Conduct annual employee engagement surveys and establish standard internal metrics to track engagement.
• Ensure competitive salaries and benefits by reviewing classification and compensation every three to five years and make appropriate adjustments based on data. • Develop stronger performance management processes, including consistent annual performance evaluations for all staff to ensure accountability, professional conduct, and adaptation to change. • Enhance career development opportunities for staff. Activities may include:
◦ Establishing career development plans for all staff
members.
◦ Creating a formalized staff training and development
program on a wide range of topics, with a focus on
increasing management skills for supervisors.
◦ Exploring the option of instituting an employee
mentoring program that pairs new staff with
seasoned mentors.
• Review and revamp the employee wellness program.
• Develop a new Employee Orientation that reinforces
organizational values, goals, and helps provide an
exciting onboarding experience.
• Review, revise, and simplify City personnel policies
to improve readability, reduce the number of policies,
and embrace forward-thinking employment policies and
practices that will enhance the City’s ability to attract, reward, and retain top talent.
• Streamline and simplify the process for recruiting and hiring new employees to reflect best practices.
GOAL: HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
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• Establish a staff recognition program/policy and a retiring employee recognition program/policy to recognize the amazing efforts across the organization and thank long-time employees who are retiring from service.
Improve City Services: Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of City’s services.
• Streamline organizational processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Activities may include:
◦ Conducting periodic third-party audits in key service areas. ◦ Clearly defining levels of service and developing metrics to gauge the City’s success or failure at meeting or improving upon service levels.
◦ Implementing quality improvements, service modifications, or program closures as needed. • Leverage technology to work smarter, solve complex problems, automate processes, and give better service to the community. Activities may include:
◦ Address major Information Technology system needs. These may include replacing the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, finalize the development of the Electronic Document Management System (EMDS), and moving Voiceover IP Operations to the Cloud. ◦ Increase the number of online options for all major City services that can be offered virtually. • Strengthen the quality and transparency of the City’s development services. Activities may include:
◦ Developing a concierge program for building permits.
◦ Utilizing customer survey reviews where possible, including for plan check and building inspections. ◦ Meeting periodically with representatives of the local building and development industry to discuss issues of mutual concern.
• Build a high-performing team between Council and City management. ◦ Review and clarify roles and responsibilities of the Council, staff, Commissions, and Committees. ◦ Increase accountability by establishing standard annual performance reporting to Council (see Strategy objective above).
◦ Hold bi-annual Council workshops for policy making and financial planning. • Enhance state and federal advocacy efforts using contract lobbyists and dedicated staff support. • Pursue meaningful award and certification opportunities to evaluate municipal services and better demonstrate the talent, commitment, outcomes achieved by the City for its residents. • Develop a management cycle calendar to ensure effective, efficient sequencing of key annual organizational processes.
Create a High-Performing Organizational
Culture: Increase innovation, teamwork,
and creativity.
• Develop a program to recognize and reward
innovations and efficiency gains created by
employees.
• Review and restructure City departments as
needed to improve efficiency and achieve
organizational objectives.
• Improve the quality and consistency of
customer service, by providing staff
training on basic standards.
• Promote collaboration by forming
more cross-departmental teams to
help solve problems, manage large
projects, and get people working
together.
GOAL: HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
CITY OF CORONA, CA – STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026 | 29 |
• Evaluate workspace layouts in the building to identify ways to improve teamwork, collaboration, and information sharing through better physical layout.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Community Engagement
• Level of social media engagements
• Number of social media impressions
• Percent of residents expressing confidence in city government • Percent of residents rating overall direction City is taking as good or excellent • Percent of residents who believe all City residents are treated fairly Quality and Value
• Percent of major City services that are offered virtually • Percent of residents rating overall quality of City services as good or excellent • Percent of residents rating value of service for taxes paid as good or excellent Employee Engagement
• Annual average employee engagement rating
• Annual employee turnover rate
• Percent of employees agreeing or strongly agreeing that they would recommend the City as a place to work
MILESTONE MEASURES
• Annual performance report provided to Council on organization-wide progress • Annual community satisfaction survey established
• Annual employee engagement survey established
• Annual performance evaluations completed for all staff • Annual work plans developed for each department
• City personnel policies reviewed and updated
• Citywide performance measurement dashboard/framework developed • Classification and compensation study completed
• Employee innovation program established
• Employee orientation process updated
• Enterprise Resource Planning system replaced
• Management cycle calendar developed
• Number of City awards/certifications earned
• Recruiting process reviewed and updated
• Resident communications and engagement plan developed • Staff recognition program and policy established
GOAL: HIGH PERFORMING GOVERNMENT
Becoming a
high-performing City
through improving
efficiencies.
| 30 | CITY OF CORONA, CA – STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following individuals dedicated time and provided valuable input during the development of this strategic plan.
THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF CORONA
THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF CORONA
CORONA CITY COUNCIL
Jacque Casillas
Mayor
District 1
Tony Daddario
Council Member
District 2
Tom Richins
Council Member
District 3
Jim Steiner
Council Member
District 4
Wes Speake
Vice Mayor
District 5
Chad Willardson
City Treasurer
At-Large
Jason Scott
Outgoing Member
Yolanda Carrillo
Outgoing Member
CITY OF CORONA LEADERSHIP
Angela Rivera
Chief Talent Officer
Anne Turner
Community Services Director
Bob Newman
Interim Chief of Police
Brian Young
Fire Chief
Chris McMasters
Chief Information Officer
Dean Derleth
City Attorney
Denzel Maxwell
Assistant to the City Manager
Jacob Ellis
City Manager
Jessica Gonzales
Economic Development Director
Joanne Coletta
Community Development Director
Kim Sitton
Acting Administrative
Services Director
Roger Bradley
Assistant City Manager
Shaughn Hull
Chief Communications Officer
Tom Moody
General Manager,
Dept. of Water and Power
PREPARED BY MOSS ADAMS LLP