____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: _______________________
Disposition: ___________________________
Agenda Item No: 4.e
Meeting Date: January 21, 2025
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: City Manager’s Office
Prepared by: Walter Gonzalez,
Management Analyst
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: STRATEGIC PLANNING SERVICES FOR COUNCIL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 2026- 2028 AGREEMENT
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH JACOB GREEN & ASSOCIATES (“JGA”) FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $90,000
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Jacob Green & Associates (“JGA”) for Strategic Planning Services for Council Goals and Objectives for 2026-2028 in an amount not to exceed $90,000.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council regularly establishes goals, objectives, and key implementation tasks (Goals and Objectives) that guide decision-making. The Council’s Goals and Objectives provide a basis for resource allocation decisions during the budget process and serve as a focal point for assessing and coordinating the City’s short—and long-term strategic planning.
JGA is a local government consulting firm that provides comprehensive local government services that focus on helping organizations achieve long-term impact for their communities. Their clients include numerous cities in California, including but not limited to Santa Rosa, Stockton, Pasadena, and Corona.
Staff seek to enter into an agreement with Jacob Green & Associates, leveraging their expertise to develop Goals and Objectives for FY 2026-2028 that best serve the community and optimize City resources to fulfill the City Council’s mission.
ANALYSIS:
The City has previously partnered with the JGA team on various projects, including the 2024 City Manager evaluation, departmental work planning for the Public Works and Community and Economic Development Departments, organizational development consulting, and staff support services to the City Manager’s Office. Throughout these engagements, JGA has consistently provided high-quality services and deliverables. Given that JGA is familiar with the City’s operations and has already worked with the SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
current City Council, continuing this relationship ensures a seamless process, saves resources, and strengthens the strategic planning effort.
For this engagement, JGA will work with staff to develop a new format for this strategic plan, one which clearly outlines City Council priorities, goals, and objectives. Staff will develop an initial draft of this document for feedback, which will be reviewed by the City Council during a series of JGA-facilitated oneon-one meetings. Following this, the City Council will consider adopting this “strategic plan” at a meeting in the early spring. After this initial approval, JGA will work with staff to develop priority-specific work plans which will define and document the actionable tasks, milestones, realistic timelines, owners, budget sources, and other additional information related to how the City will achieve progress toward the identified goals of the strategic plan. These work plans will help to clearly communicate to staff, the City Council, and the broader community what projects and programs the City will be working on and when, as they relate to the City Council’s priorities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the staff recommendation would authorize expenditures not to exceed $90,000 over the contract term. Funding to support the cost of this agreement is provided in the approved fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 General Fund Budget.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:
1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and enter into the professional services agreement.
2. Direct staff to return with more information.
3. Take no action.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Jacob Green & Associates (“JGA”) for Strategic Planning Services for Council Goals and Objectives for 2026-2028 in an amount not to exceed $90,000.
ATTACHMENT:
1. JGA Professional Services Agreement for Strategic Planning Services