AGENDA ITEM #5
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
STAFF REPORT
September 21, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Heather Abrams, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Review and approve Town Strategic Plan Outline __________________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council review and approve the attached Town Strategic Plan Outline.
BACKGROUND
In February 2022, Greg Larson was engaged by the Town to work with Council and staff to develop a long-range strategic plan. The new Town Manager began work with the Town on March 1, 2022 and on March 11, 2022 the Council held a full-day strategic plan workshop, facilitated by Mr. Larson. The strategic plan workshop went well and Mr. Larson was invited back to facilitate the Council Retreat on April 15, 2022. Previous to this year, the Council typically met once per year for a retreat and set goals for one year.
DISCUSSION
The attached strategic plan documents, provided by Mr. Larson, display the long-range goals of the Council, as agreed during the March 11, 2022 Strategic Plan meeting. The Strategic Plan will be used as a guide for prioritizing Town programs and projects into the future.
FISCAL IMPACT
None at this time.
ATTACHMENTS
Memo to Council from Greg Larson
A. Overview
B. Accomplishments
C. SWOT Analysis
D. Vison, Mission, Values
E. Goals and Strategies
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Greg Larson, Facilitator
DATE: September 21, 2022
RE: Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan Outline
RECOMMENDATION
Review and consider the attached Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan outline developed through research, interviews, and Council direction at the prior Town Council Strategic Planning Retreat.
BACKGROUND
With the appointment of a new Town Manager, the Town Council directed preparation of a Strategic Plan to guide the Town’s efforts for the next five to ten years. Strategic Plans have successfully been used by many local governments to ensure alignment between community interests, Council direction, and staff performance to meet the highest priorities facing the organization and community.
The Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan development process consisted of a review of resources provided by the Town, including budget documents, the General Plan, and prior strategic direction of the Council. In addition, structured meetings and interviews were conducted with Town staff as well as each member of the Town Council.
The preparatory work culminated in a day-long retreat with the Town Council and executive staff reviewing the information collected to date, as well as possible Strategic Plan Goals and Strategies proposed by staff and individual Council members. The retreat provided an opportunity for the Town Council to provide guidance on the development of the Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan.
Unfortunately, further development of the Fairfax Strategic Plan was placed on an indefinite hold due to a significant family health crisis which consumed the attention of the consulting facilitator. That family health crisis has now stabilized and this report constitutes the next step towards completion of the Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan.
ANALYSIS
As summarized in Attachment A, as previously presented to the Town Council, a typical Strategic Plan consists of several elements, including a Mission, Vision, Values, Goals and Strategies, all subject to review and approval by the Town Council. In addition, preparatory work includes identification of recent accomplishments, factors for success, and a S.W.O.T. analysis identifying organizational and broader Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Following Council review and direction on the Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan outline provided here, Town staff will then develop an Implementation Action Plan containing detailed multi-year workplans to achieve each of the Strategies adopted by Council.
Attachment B summarizes recent Accomplishments identified earlier this calendar year, as well as the Factors for Success that were discussed at the Town Council retreat. Attachment C summarizes the S.W.O.T. analysis as developed with staff and reviewed by the Town Council.
The Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan outline for Council review and direction is provided in Attachments D and E. Attachment D includes the current and proposed Mission, Vision, and Core Values, with the proposed changes based on the Council’s discussion and direction at the retreat. Attachment E lists the proposed Goals and corresponded Strategies for each Goal as developed during the Council retreat.
NEXT STEPS
The Town Council’s review and direction on Attachments D and E will be incorporated into the final Strategic Plan as well as future budget and work plan development.
Attachments:
A Strategic Planning Overview
B Recent Accomplishments and Factors for Success
C S.W.O.T. Analysis Summary
D Proposed Mission, Vision, and Core Values
E Proposed Goals and Strategies
STRATEGIC PLAN OVERVIEW
Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan
(From the 2022 Town Council Retreat)
What the Town does as its day-to-day work?
What the Town aspires to for the future?
How the Town approaches its work?
6 overarching Goals for the next 5 to 10 years
23 23 Strategies to achieve the 6 Goals
Work plans for each Strategy to be developed
by staff, subject to available resources
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FACTORS FOR SUCCESS
Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan
(From the 2022 Town Council Retreat)
A. Recent Accomplishments
1. Council works together well
2. COVID response for both renters and businesses
3. Managing staff turnover and hiring
4. Creation of new staff positions (Public Works Director, shared staffing)
5. Shovel-ready projects and CIP development
6. Financially strong with a healthy budget
7. Progress on the new Housing Element
8. Work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
9. Increased communications with the public
10. Reclaimed water project
11. Redid main parking area (Parkade completed in previous years)
12. Sinkholes and storm drains response
13. Electric vehicle fleet transition
14. Climate Action Plan approved
15. Stakeholder engagement, Boards and Commissions
16. Electrification ordinance
17. Skate Park approval
B. Factors for Success
1. Council collaboration
2. Community engagement
3. Staff commitment
4. Nimble action
5. Council takes the time needed
6. Council works well together
7. Long range planning
8. Strong sense of place, civic pride and identity
SWOT ANALYSIS SUMMARY
Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan
(From the 2022 Town Council Retreat)
A. Strengths
1. Community engagement
2. Fiscal management and budget
3. Long-term, dedicated staff
4. Council works well together
5. Progressive values and leadership
6. Natural amenities
7. Community pride
8. Small and nimble
B. Weaknesses
1. Community divisiveness
2. Limited funding and staffing
3. Lack of prioritization; taking on too much
4. Natural constraints
5. Community atmosphere changing
6. Regional engagement
7. Economic shifts (e.g., online retail, housing prices, needed incomes, families) C. Opportunities
1. Infrastructure investment
2. Better engage commissions
3. Town Center
4. Improving 360-degree communications
5. Technological tools
6. Environmental leadership
7. Significant one-time resources available
D. Potential Threats
1. Disasters and emergencies
2. Climate change
3. Staff turnover
4. Resistance to change
5. State mandates and controls
6. Recession and/or inflation
7. Aging infrastructure/deferred maintenance
PROPOSED MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES
Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan
(From the 2022 Town Council Retreat)
Significant additions are underlined with redundancies eliminated A. Mission
Prior:
Fairfax is committed to People, Nature, and Culture
Proposed:
Fairfax is committed to our people and the planet,
ensuring a resilient and thriving community
embracing environmental leadership and social justice.
B. Vision
Prior:
We are a small town and we seek to retain our small-town character. We feel this is essential to being a strong and supportive community. Our Town is progressive so we value civic engagement by all our residents. Our vision is one of sustainability and environmental leadership achieved by creating and preserving open space, building walking and bicycling paths, supporting our unique small business, striving for zero waste, banning pesticides, and reducing our carbon footprint.
We pride ourselves as a socially, economically and politically diverse community. We encourage our citizens to be actively engaged in all facets of our community life.
Proposed:
We will remain a vibrant small town encouraging our residents to be actively engaged in all facets of our community. We will continue our legacy of environmental leadership, pursuing sustainability through open space, active transportation, zero waste, green building, and by reducing our carbon footprint. We will also continue supporting our unique small businesses, arts and culture, embracing the economic and social diversity that weaves together a community safe for all.
C. Core Values
Prior:
PUBLIC SERVICE
We are first and foremost a public service organization. The Town strives to provide the best possible service to meet the needs of the day of all the residents of Fairfax.
TEAMWORK
The Town staff and leadership seek to work as a team to accomplish the vision, mission and goals of the Town. This means teamwork is part of everything we do. Successful teams have good communication, are supportive, flexible and accountable to all team members.
HIGH PERFORMANCE
We strive for high performance in everything we do. We never stop striving to improve. New thinking generates new ideas and new solutions. So we welcome “thinking outside the box” in finding innovative and cost-effective ways to accomplish the Town’s goals. For Fairfax, high performance includes implementing our best practices and promoting an atmosphere of taking risks to achieve superior results.
RESPECT
In Fairfax, we believe that resect of others is a fundamental requirement for operating a successful and professional organization. The Town will provide equitable service to all and will respect residents, business owners, customers, each other, and our natural environment.
Proposed:
PUBLIC SERVICE
We are first and foremost a public service organization. The Town strives to provide the best possible services in a fiscally responsible manner to meet the current and future needs of all.
TEAMWORK
The Town staff and leadership, both elected and appointed, seek to work as a team to accomplish the mission, vision, and goals of the Town. Teamwork is part of everything we do. Successful teams have good communications and are supportive, flexible, and accountable to all team members.
HIGH PERFORMANCE
We strive for the highest performance possible in everything we do. We welcome new ideas and solutions, finding innovative and cost-effective ways to improve Town services and to accomplish the Town’s goals. For Fairfax, high performance includes implementing best practices and taking appropriate risks to achieve superior results.
RESPECT
We we believe that respect is a requirement for a successful and professional organization. The Town will provide equitable services to all and will respect residents, business owners, customers, each other, and our natural environment.
ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY
Successful shared governance is dependent on an engaged public that knows and understands the work of the Town. Fairfax will promote openness and understanding in all that we do and encourage civic engagement through public meetings and volunteerism.
PROPOSED GOALS AND STRATEGIES
Town of Fairfax Strategic Plan
(From the 2022 Town Council Retreat)
A. Address Our Housing Needs
1. Adopt and implement the Housing Element
2. Expand rent protections and stabilization
3. Complete short term rental regulations
4. Consider inclusionary zoning ordinance as a regional initiative B. Climate Action and Decarbonization by 2030
1. Reduce emissions from the transportation sector
2. Reduce emissions from built environments
3. Improve management of waste
4. Increase active transportation and update bicycle/pedestrian plan C. Disaster Preparedness and Resiliency
1. Mobilize Emergency Preparedness Committee and other volunteers
2. Strengthen regional coordination and collaboration
3. Improve water resiliency pending regional recommendations D. Invest in Aging Infrastructure
1. Complete the Pavilion seismic and ADA project (on hold per Council action)
2. Work to complete Meadow Way Bridge
3. Prioritize pavement program based on best available PCI data
4. Create ADA transition plan
5. Meet State storm drain requirements
E. Strengthen the Town Organization
1. Focus on staff recruitment, retention, development, needs and technology
2. Create a boards and commissions training manual
3. Improve communications to all residents with measurable results
4. Pursue new funding opportunities
F. Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
1. Follow the DEI Roadmap
2. Obtain data to focus and measure our DEI efforts
3. Others to be prioritized from the DEI staff report and action plan