On October 13, 2015, the Board of Supervisors held a Strategic Planning session with department leadership to consider priority focus areas within each of the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan Goals adopted earlier in the year. Additionally, possible measures of success/key indicators were discussed. The attached 2016-2019 Strategic Plan is an outcome of the efforts outlined below, the October 13 Board discussion and the October 27 Board discussion. The October 27 discussion resulted in direction to incorporate key components of the Robust Economy goal into the Flourishing Agriculture goal.
Background & Next Steps
The process of defining the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan began in 2014 with a comprehensive action plan to develop the County’s next three-year strategic plan. Building upon successes and lessons learned from the 2012-2015 Tactical Plan process, a number of key initiatives commenced to support the action plan.
A Performance Measurement & Dashboard Working Group was formed to: identify best performance measure practices; develop and test a model designed specifically for Yolo County; and create the tools and resources necessary to guide departments in measuring performance. The working group developed Yolo Performance, a results-based accountability model, and initiated two pilot projects. The team continues to learn from the pilot projects and work on a dashboard to provide the Board of Supervisors, the County organization and the public a visual analysis of the well-being of Yolo County, as well as progress toward the Board’s Strategic Plan Goals.
Next, a Strategic Plan Working Group was formed to help shape the direction of the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan, the guiding document for achieving the Board’s goals, and the collective work of the County on behalf of the residents of Yolo County. Employees from all corners of the organization were invited to submit a statement of interest for participation on the working group. With support from the County Administrator’s Office, the group was formed with representation from all functional areas, with a focus on including emerging leaders and “engaged rookies” throughout the organization to ensure a broad and fresh perspective, and to further employee engagement efforts.
Following extensive outreach to, and input from department leadership and all employees, the Strategic Plan Working Group recommended the following which the Board adopted on February 24, 2015:
2016-2019 Strategic Plan Goals (included expanded meaning and key concepts):
Thriving Residents
Safe Communities
Sustainable Environment
Robust Economy
Flourishing Agriculture
County Mission Statement:
Making a difference by enhancing the quality of life in our community.
The working group then conducted roadshows on the County Mission Statement and Strategic Plan Goals in a majority of departments to begin the conversation on how individual employee and department efforts support the mission and goals. The group also developed an online roadshow that was shared with the Board and all employees this past summer, and which included an invitation for employees to submit icon designs that represented the goals. The icons for the Thriving Residents and Safe Communities goals were contributed by the Health & Human Services Agency and the Sustainable Environment goal icon was contributed by the Integrated Waste Management Division in the Planning, Public Works & Environmental Services Department.
The Strategic Plan Working Group then formed five cross-cutting, multi-department Goal Teams, to: further define what success would look like in 2019; conduct brainstorming sessions with County subject matter experts on 2016-2019 focus areas, organizational priorities, opportunities and challenges; reach out to stakeholders and partners; and ultimately recommend for Board approval priority focus areas for the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan. Similar to the Strategic Plan Working Group, the teams were supported by the County Administrator’s Office and were comprised of staff from the most aligned function areas, emerging leaders and engaged rookies, and members of the Strategic Plan and Performance Measurement & Dashboard working groups for continuity.
Beyond County subject maters experts, the Goal Teams reached out to as many stakeholders and partners as time permitted to inform them of our efforts and identify possible collaborations, cross-over and/or conflicts with their plans and efforts. This effort served as an environmental scan and an opportunity to further share our strategic planning efforts. A list of the Goal Team members, subject matter experts and stakeholders/partners that were engaged can be found in Attachment B.
In September, department leadership grappled with the results of the Goal Teams efforts and further refined the final recommendations related to priority focus areas and possible measures of success. The priority focus areas identify where extra effort and resources will be applied in the next three years. The mandated responsibilities of departments and initiatives currently underway will continue, but may in some cases be reformed to support the priority focus areas. The priority focus areas will also be supported as funding becomes available, where staff resources allow for flexibility and through the following guiding principles of Operational Excellence:
Advance innovation;
Collaborate to maximize success;
Engage and empower our residents;
Provide accessible, fiscally sound, dynamic and responsive services; and
Strategically align our organization
Following adoption of the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan, in concert with the County Administrator, departments will craft operational plans as part of the budget process which support the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan. Department Operational Plans will: highlight how department efforts and resources support the Strategic Plan; describe collaborations with other departments and stakeholders/partners necessary to achieve the Strategic Plan Goals; and include performance measurements that inform progress on the Strategic Plan and utilize the Yolo Performance model. To assist departments in developing their operational plans and performance measures, Support Teams, made up members of the Strategic Plan Working Group, Goal Teams and Performance Measure & Dashboard Working Group, will be made available.
Annually, departments will provide progress updates to the Board leading up to budget hearings in June, also during the Board’s Strategic Planning Session in fall. This will be an opportunity for the Board to provide feedback and direction, and an opportunity for departments to recalibrate their plans as needed. Additionally, department leadership continue to participate in facilitated workshops with Frank Benest to hone and ensure strategic alignment throughout the organization.
As the 2012-2015 Tactical Plan now comes to a close, an executive summary of key accomplishments will soon be developed and shared with the County organization, stakeholders and partners, and with Yolo County residents. Likewise, the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan will also be shared broadly, and progress ultimately highlighted through Department Operational Plans embedded in the Recommended Budget & Annual Report as well as through various dashboard currently under development. |