MEMO TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: Mayor John Marchione
SUBJECT:
title
Adoption of the Community Strategic Plan
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
Adopt the Community Strategic Plan.
body
II. DEPARTMENT CONTACTS
Maxine Whattam, Chief Operating Officer 425-556-2310
Lisa Maher, Communications and Marketing Manager 425-556-2427
Malisa Files, Finance Director 425-556-2166
III. DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND
Over the past year, Council has been working to develop a strategic plan that reflects the priorities of the Redmond community. The Budgeting by Priorities process and the 15 months of outreach and community involvement that were undertaken for the budget process and community survey set the groundwork for the development of the Community Strategic Plan (CSP).
Council conducted its annual retreat in the first quarter of the year. The purpose of the retreat was to develop the future strategic vision for the City by establishing priorities and clear goals with defined performance metrics. Council worked hard in preparation for the retreat by reviewing the 2018 City of Redmond Strategic Plan to use as a foundation for the development of the 2019 strategic plan updates. Council also considered performance metrics to support strategic plan outcomes, community involvement, and progress reports.
The March 7, 2019, retreat provided Council with the opportunity to develop and explore key themes, priorities, and outcomes in greater detail along with community involvement strategies and performance measures.
Council identified and prioritized the following key themes:
• Housing Choices
• Environmental Sustainability
• Technology & Information Services (TIS) Infrastructure
• Cultural Inclusion and Welcoming
• Capital Infrastructure
Council provided direction on the themes and strategies for inclusion in the Community Strategic Plan. The CSP highlights the focus areas, and each theme includes a vision, objectives, strategies, measures, and deliverables.
Council reviewed the community outreach and involvement tools that would be utilized to seek feedback and engage the community regarding the CSP. The draft Community Strategic Plan was shared with the community for review and feedback between July 8, 2019, and August 31, 2019. It was promoted via:
• eNews
• Social Media
• Summer Focus
• Derby Days
• Redmond.gov
• Let’sConnectRedmond (online community feedback platform).
Per Council’s request, the feedback timeframe was extended to allow for more input. Through outreach and involvement efforts, there were 140,569 total impressions with 1,004 unique visits to the project page on Let’sConnectRedmond. The document was downloaded by 389 visitors, and the survey was completed by 161 people, 90% of whom live in Redmond. The engagement rate for the Community Strategic Plan was 16%, which is above the industry average of 10%.
Of the five community priorities identified in the Community Strategic Plan, 97% of survey respondents selected infrastructure as important or very important. Environmental sustainability had the second strongest response regarding importance with Housing Choices third. Additionally, at least 85% of respondents supported the vision of each strategy, with the environmental sustainability vision most supported at 92%.
The community also provided feedback about other topics such as public safety, traffic, spending, parks and recreation, and community involvement. Some of these additional comments, while not specifically identified in the CSP, are part of the City’s workplan and included in the city budget. A handful of responses were related to services that are managed by others, such as the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) or healthcare providers. The City will be communicating those comments to its community partners.
The feedback that was received from the community was reviewed and connected with each of the strategic elements to reflect the community’s input and to guide the work of the Community Strategic Plan. All feedback received has been posted on LetsConnectRedmond.com and is available to the community.
As the City works through each initiative within the CSP, opportunities for continued community involvement will be provided. For example, as part of the environmental sustainability initiative, the City will be completing an environmental sustainability assessment, which includes establishing a community stakeholder group.
The Community Strategic Plan is an iterative, working document that will be reviewed and refreshed on a regular basis, and report outs on progress will take place in conjunction with the quarterly financial report. Through this process, Council will be updated on the key focus areas, and costs will be related to the strategies and associated work. The Community Strategic Plan will also be revisited through annual retreats, and Council will continue to refine the themes as opportunities arise through the strategic planning process.
IV. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS HELD
November 27, 2018: Study Session
January 22, 2019: Study Session
March 7, 2019: Council Retreat
April 9, 2019: Study Session
April 30, 2019: Study Session
May 21, 2019: Business Meeting
August 13, 2019: Study Session
September 24, 2019: FAC Committee of the Whole
V. IMPACT
A. Service/Delivery:
The Community Strategic Plan provides the work plan for the City. Council’s priorities are the key components of city departments’ workplans with identifiable actions, outcomes, and progress reports to Council. The Community Strategic Plan advances the City’s vision and is based on the priorities established through years of community involvement in the Budgeting by Priorities process. The CSP strategically advances the outcomes established in the City’s long-range plans.
B. Fiscal Note:
Items identified in the 2019-20 budget support the Council’s priorities. Updates on the Community Strategic Plan will be provided on a quarterly basis in conjunction with the quarterly financial reports. These updates will detail expenditures related to the strategies for each initiative.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Not approve the Community Strategic Plan.
VII. TIME CONSTRAINTS
The Community Strategic Plan creates direction for the 2019/20 budget and addresses the future needs for the next six years.
VIII. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Draft Community Strategic Plan