In September, 2011, the Board of Supervisors held a facilitated discussion with Department Heads and County Administrator staff to develop key policy goals, setting the foundation for detailed tactical plans and implementation strategies. Through this discussion the following Strategic Plan Goals were identified for 2012-2015:
• Advance Innovation
• Champion Job Creation and Economic Opportunities
• Collaborate to Maximize Success
• Enhance and Sustain the Safety Net
• Preserve and Ensure Safe and Crime Free Communities
• Preserve and Support Agriculture
• Protect Open Space and the Environment
• Provide Fiscally Sound, Dynamic and Responsive Services
Ambitious, results-oriented countywide Three-Year Tactical Plans were developed for each goal by the Department Head Working Group and County Administrator staff, with significant input from employee focus groups, outside stakeholders and department heads. The Three-Year Tactical Plans were considered by the Board during the March 2012 Strategic Planning session, adopted in July 2012, and further revised in February 2013, October 2013 and October 2014.
Since adopted, the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan Goals and their associated tactical plans have allowed Board members, County staff and community members to interact with each other in a transparent and adaptive public policy implementation process. Clear benchmarks were identified to allow for ongoing measurement and analysis of progress, and regular staff reports to the Board provided all parties opportunities to amend the Tactical Plans. Knowing significant changes could occur over a three-year implementation period, these updates were integral to allowing for revision and recalibration. Staff continues to believe in the value of this process and its use as a tool for creating a more strategically aligned organization.
As the 2012-2015 Three-Year Tactical Plans come to a close and we develop the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan, staff would like to provide the Board of Supervisors with a final update on 2014-2015 accomplishments, current challenges and continuing initiatives.
2014-2015 Accomplishments
Since last summer’s Tactical Plan Briefings, the County reached major milestones under each of the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan Goals. The following is a summary of our 2014-15 accomplishments.
Goal: Advance Innovation
To provide a standard process for staff to recommend and participate in the development of new ideas, the Employee Council was established (1B2). Over the past year, members have been meeting regularly to provide input on countywide initiatives, increase employee engagement and champion opportunities for employee development and leadership.
Another accomplishment was implementation of the County’s Change Management Model through the identification of department Change Agents, education of employee trainers and development of the Change Management Training curriculum (1B1). Since January, employee trainers have provided the class to 186 employees, after piloting the training with Department Heads and Assistant Department Heads in December 2015. Employee feedback on the training has been positive and the team of trainers remains energized and excited about their role in implementing the County’s Change Management Model.
Goal: Champion Job Creation and Economic Development
The role of Rural City Manager was integrated within the County Administrator’s Office (2H6). Through the Rural Initiatives Program, the County hopes to address and advance the needs of rural unincorporated areas through a collaborative process. In the coming year, the program will provide funding to various projects throughout the County to aid in economic development and enhance public health and safety for rural communities.
Goal: Collaborate to Maximize Success
Probation developed a collaborative approach with other youth-serving organizations to foster safety and support positive youth experiences and engagement through the Yolo Youth Development Coalition (3D4). This effort will remain ongoing, as staff will continue to refine and adapt their approach to support youth in Yolo County.
Goal: Enhance and Sustain the Safety Net
County staff, partnering agencies and members of the Yolo County community accomplished much toward this goal. From November 2014 to February 2015, the County, City of West Sacramento and Yolo County Housing partnered to pilot the Housing First model in Yolo County through the Bridge to Housing pilot project (4L2). Of the 65 people who entered the program, 53 graduated (82% retention rate) and 47 are still engaged with case managers three months since the program's end (89% retention rate). 53% of those who completed the program have been housed, with an additional 17% lined up to move into housing in the coming weeks.
The Bridge to Housing pilot project was just one of the many efforts to increase access to behavioral health services in Yolo County (4C5). In the last year, staff also increased access to care for the forensic population through: initiation of a contract for services at the jail and juvenile detention facilities for substance abuse disorder treatment; implementation of daily triage appointments for clients requesting services; expansion of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (Laura’s Law) program; and reduction in wait times for clinical assessments and post hospital follow up appointments.
The Library has also made great progress with the development of adult and family literacy programs that address the needs of high-need/at-risk residents, probationers and the AB 109 population (4K2). An initial plan for ongoing adult and family literacy support is in place. Monthly orientation to library services and regular adult literacy assessments and training are provided at both the Woodland and West Sacramento Day Reporting Center locations. Additional family literacy programming for probationers and their children will be piloted at the Arthur F. Turner Community Library in West Sacramento with a combination of First 5 Yolo and Probation support in Fall 2015.
Goal: Preserve and Ensure Safe and Crime Free Communities
In February, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office was awarded a $1.95 million grant from the Board of State and Community Corrections to expand the Neighborhood Court program to the cities of West Sacramento and Woodland (5B5). This restorative justice program also celebrated its two year anniversary in June.
During the last year, Probation transitioned to the Ohio Suite Assessment (5C3) and supported Day Reporting Center needs by securing a West Sacramento location to allow for program growth (5D5).
Yolo County law and justice partners continue to collaborate in evaluation of programs and strategies in the criminal justice center through the Community Corrections Partnership (5L1) and have begun implementation of a robust strategic plan (5H1).
Goal: Preserve and Support Agriculture
The Yolo County Farmsbudsman position was implemented (6A5), with the position serving approximately 50 clients. An effective Farm to School program brought fresh, locally grown/produced food to all school districts and Yolo County Head Start and increased procurement of California Specialty crops by 49.8% (6B6). The program also trained 40 farmers to sell to schools.
Goal: Protect Open Space and the Environment
In May 2015, the County was pleased by the passage of the Esparto Assessment through a Prop 218 vote, creating an assessment district to support the operation and maintenance of local parks within the zones of benefit (7B3). This is a major milestone for the future of the Esparto Community Park and Aquatic Facility Project.
A number of implementation tactics under this goal are focused on county parks and trails (7C1-5, 7D1, 4, 5) and have been postponed. Additional detail is provided in the Upcoming Initiatives section of this report.
Goal: Provide Fiscally Sound, Dynamic, Responsive Services
This January, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) became official with the completion of the assessment and restructuring of financial management to support financial sustainability using the GFOA Financial Management Model (8A5). The establishment of the Department of Financial Services also allowed for the identification of standards for financial services, which will be communicated to departments through the development of service level agreements (8G2).
Staff also updated and implemented policies to support fiscal accountability with the Board's adoption of the Capital Asset Management Policy, Budget and Financial Management Policy, and Accountability and Auditing Policy (8C1).
Finally, the organization took one giant step towards implementation of a one-stop-shop model with the integration of Environmental Health and Planning & Public Works into the Department of Planning, Public Works and Environmental Services 8J1).
Additional accomplishments are identified in the attached 2014-2015 Tactical Plan Briefing Implementation Tactic Status Updates document by the following progress indicator:
Challenges
As with any long-term planning effort, the 2012-2015 Strategic Planning Goals and associated Three-Year Tactical Plans faced a fair number of challenges over the years. The following is an overview of some of the challenges faced in this final year of the 2012-2015 Tactical Plan.
Due to limited staffing in Human Resources, a number of Advance Innovation and Provide Fiscally Sound, Dynamic, Responsive Services implementation tactics were delayed to allow Human Resources to direct their attention to the development and implementation of the County’s Change Management Model, launch the Employee Council, and improve the recruitment process, in addition to day to day operations (1A2, 1A5, 8B2, 8B4, 8H2). With the hiring of a new Human Resources Director in June, the department has increased capacity to review and identify Human Resources priorities.
Under the goal of Champion Job Creation and Economic Development, a number of tactics continue to be dependent on both development and flood protection (2E1, 2E2, 2E6, 2E9, 2G4, 2G5). While staff has laid the groundwork for implementing these tactics in the future, projects like the Dunnigan Specific Plan, Elkhorn Specific Plan Gateway, as well as the Clarksburg and Knights Landing downtown commercial development plans are on hold until development occurs and/or 100 year flood protection options are available for small communities.
The passage of AB 109 and Proposition 47 have created an increase in demand for law and justice related services. More specifically, under the goal of Preserve and Ensure Safe and Crime Free Communities, the Records Mitigation Clinic has seen an increase in filing petitions to reduce identified felonies and misdemeanors for adult defendants before November 2017 as a result of Proposition 47 (5E4). This increase has impacted the ability for staff to fully incorporate the sealing of juvenile records under the Clinic’s umbrella (5E4).
In addition to these challenges, a number of implementation tactics have been requested for deletion:
Goal: Champion Job Creation and Economic Development
The following tactic has been recommended for deletion due to city implementation of singular efforts with continued County support:
- Exploration of the creation of and participation in a Yolo County economic development corporation (2K4).
Goal: Preserve and Ensure Safe and Crime Free Communities
Once a priority of Probation, the following item is recommended for deletion after stakeholder review with the County Administrator’s Office and Health & Human Services resulted in the recommendation to suspend development of this initiative and redirect planning efforts to build successful alternatives to out-of-home placement in line with State of California Continuum of Care reforms:
- Establish a Juvenile Detention Facility Out-of-Home Placement Program (5F8)
Goal: Preserve and Support Agriculture
The tactic listed below has been recommended for deletion due to a change in Board policy based on the results of completed hydraulic engineering studies:
- Oppose widening of the Fremont Weir, Yolo Bypass and Sacramento Bypass at least until alternatives to increase flood capacity within the existing footprint are exhausted (6D4).
Additional implementation tactic challenges are identified in the attached 2014-2015 Tactical Plan Briefing Implementation Tactic Status Updates document by the following progress indicators:
- H: Unexpected Hurdles, and
- S: Initiative Stalled.
Staff will reflect on these challenges as we continue our journey to develop the County’s 2016-2019 Strategic Plan.
Continuing Initiatives
Finally, there are a number of tactics that are making progress towards completion beyond the 2012-2015 timeframe and thus will serve as a resource for departments as they develop operational plans in line with the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan Goals. These are identified in the attached 2014-2015 Tactical Plan Briefing Implementation Tactic Status Updates document by the following progress indicators:
- P: Proceeding as Anticipated, and
- I: Upcoming Initiative.
Below are a few continuing initiative highlights.
Members of the Performance Measurement and Dashboard Working Group and Strategic Plan Working Group, continue to make great progress towards the development of a county dashboard (2F1-3) and implementation of outcome-based performance measures (8D1-2). Initial economic and environmental indicators have been identified in a mock dashboard and two pilot departments are testing Yolo Performance, the County’s model for performance measurement at the program level. A more detailed update on progress related to these Champion Job Creation and Economic Development and Provide Fiscally Sound, Dynamic, Responsive Services tactics will be provided during today’s Strategic Plan and Dashboard Update.
With a number of implementation tactics related to parks and open space included under the Protect Open Space and the Environment goal, a Parks Team was formed to take a comprehensive look at the County’s system of parks and open space (7C1-5, 7D1, 4, 5). The team has completed an initial inventory of County parks and has initiated a parks usage study and fiscal analysis. A formal recommendation regarding County parks and open space is expected to be presented to the Board in February 2016.
Under the Enhance and Sustain the Safety Net goal, Health & Human Services Agency staff plan to expand community education and outreach on resources and services available for seniors through the development of a public nurse-led healthy aging program (4B5). Staff will also continue to promote Housing First best practices in the County’s efforts to address homelessness (4L3-4).
Included as an objective under the Preserve and Support Agriculture goal, County Counsel has been working with Agriculture staff to conduct a study to determine whether a higher mitigation ratio for loss of agricultural land is warranted (6E2-5). Based on feedback from County staff, key stakeholders and the Board of Supervisors, County Counsel will be presenting a draft ordinance implementing a higher mitigation ratio to the Board later today.
Progress continues related to the goal of Provide Fiscally Sound, Dynamic, Responsive Services with staff taking the necessary steps to develop a model for modern tax sharing agreements with the County’s incorporated cities through the assistance of Goodwin Consulting Group (8A7). Additionally, after developing a method for recovering OPEB costs as a part of the 2015-16 budget, DFS staff will now focus on recovery of pension costs (8A6).
Next Steps
Building upon both the successes and lessons learned from the 2012-2015 Tactical Plan, County staff are busy with development of the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan based on the Board’s adopted 2016-2019 Strategic Plan Goals. This process includes defining public value and its integration into the Strategic Plan (8G3) as well as a process for departments to review the type and level of services provided through the development of department operational plans (8F2).
A detailed progress update on the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan will be provided in a separate presentation today. In addition, staff will be drafting an executive summary of the 2012-2015 Three-Year Tactical Plans for both County staff and the community in early 2016. |