City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JULY 5, 2022 FROM: MUSEUM DEPARTMENT WARD: ALL WARDS
SUBJECT: APPROVE A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR MUSEUM OPERATIONS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2022/2023 THROUGH 2026/2027 ISSUE:
Approve a five-year strategic plan for Museum operations for Fiscal Years 2022/2023 through 2026/2027.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council approve a five-year strategic plan for Museum operations for the Fiscal Years 2022/2023 through 2026/2027.
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
On April 27, 2022, the Museum of Riverside Board, with seven members present and no members absent, voted unanimously to recommend that City Council approve the five-year strategic plan for Museum operations as presented.
BACKGROUND:
A series of multi-year strategic plans has guided the Museum of Riverside (Museum) over the years. The most recent plan was approved by the then Metropolitan Museum Board on June 12, 2019, for the period 2019-2024, and subsequently approved by City Council on November 5, 2019.
DISCUSSION:
Early revision of the Museum’s strategic plan was influenced by several factors, chiefly the impacts on Museum operations caused by the pandemic and adoption by City Council of Envision Riverside 2025.
The refreshed plan carries over goals and actions from the prior plan that remain relevant. It pivots on four key functions: Renovation, Expansion, and Access; Inspiring and Connecting; Stewardship; and Maximizing Resources. The plan remains visitor-focused and prioritizes public service in the context of working to achieve or maintain high professional standards in the care of collections, development of interpretation, and delivery of education. It reflects a shift of strategy in how the Museum will approach the celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2024.
The plan was developed over several months, which involved multiple meetings and information-gathering sessions with staff and stakeholders. Feedback was solicited both inside and outside City staff.
The plan incorporates a column that aligns each action with Envision Riverside 2025, explicitly indicating in what area the action assists in meeting Citywide goals. Like the prior plan, it includes accountabilities, costs, and timelines.
Progress is reported to the Museum of Riverside Board quarterly, and all staff members’ performance is linked to meeting strategic plan goals. At approximately the three-year mark, it will be expected that actions completed and changed circumstances will again prompt a plan renewal process. The plan is not intended to restate position descriptions or standard operating procedures, but rather to focus on new initiatives and special projects that fundamentally advance the institution and are deemed achievable within the five-year period.
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Museum’s accrediting body, considers a current strategic plan to be one of an institution’s five “core documents,” and one of the four of these five that must be approved by any accredited museum’s governing body. The Museum of Riverside (Museum), whose governing body is City Council, is an AAM-accredited institution; it is thus obliged and desires to comply.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The activities of the Museum of Riverside align with Strategic Priority No. 1 Arts, Culture and Recreation and Goal No. 1.1 – to strengthen Riverside’s portfolio of arts, culture, recreation, senior, and lifelong learning programs and amenities through expanded community partnerships, shared use opportunities, and fund development.
This project aligns with the cross-cutting threads as follows:
Community Trust – This project promotes community trust by detailing plans to fulfill commitments made to improve and reopen the main museum and steward the Museum’s historic sites for maximum public access.
Equity – Project outcomes will benefit the entire community; programs are offered equitably, and stakeholder input is sought to improve the Museum’s achievements in this area.
Fiscal Responsibility – All actions are pursued with prudent use of City and donated revenues in mind.
Innovation – Specific actions will draw up new technologies and effective partnerships.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Specific actions will both incorporate sustainable means to execute them and provide opportunities to interpret those actions publicly.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Actions with financial impacts that are identified in the plan will be pursued only within the contexts of approved operating budgets, Measure Z budgets, grant-funded projects, or by means of donated and formally accepted funding.
Prepared by: Robyn G. Peterson, Ph.D., Museum Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Museum of Riverside Strategic Plan 2022-2027
Museum of Riverside Board minutes for 4/27/2022
Strategic plan ● Page 2