city council strategic plan 2020 - 2025 council strat plan 2019.pdf · city council strategic plan...

Adopted byCity Council on 9-16-19We Dream Big and Deliver

City Council Strategic Plan 2020 - 2025

City Council Strategic Plan | TOC

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

COMMUNITY PROFILE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GUIDING THEMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

VISION, MISSION AND VALUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

CHALLENGES and ADVANTAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Safe Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Community and Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Vibrant Community and Neighborhoods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Organizational and Service Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

TERMINOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

City Council Strategic Plan | 1

INTRODUCTIONIn 2013, the Arvada City Council developed the fi rst comprehensive citywide strategic plan which was adopted by Resolution. The City Council Strategic Plan (CCSP) is the guiding document that lays the foun-dation for meeting current and future community needs, integrates the Biennial Operating and the Capital Improvement Budgets, and subsequently drives daily operations within the City. The CCSP identifi es key operational objectives, prioritizes change initiatives, and addresses resource allocation. The CCSP has a six-year time horizon, bolstered by an annual iterative review considering shorter-term adjustments, and a 10-year outlook to incorporate long-range initiatives refl ected in the fi nancial plan.

The CCSP is developed by the City Council using the strategic planning process in collaboration with the City leadership team and is reviewed on an annual basis as part of City Council strategic planning retreat with a focus on strategic results. The retreat provides a forum for in-depth discussion of strategic results progress which can either confi rm the current approach or modify existing plans based on review fi ndings. Additionally, every other year following a City Council election, a comprehensive review of all strategic re-sults is conducted to determine whether updates, additions, or deletions are needed. The scheduling of the comprehensive review following Council election is intended to provide new Councilmembers an opportu-nity to infl uence the re-setting of priorities and a platform for agility with the potential of re-prioritization of change initiatives and identifi cation of potential larger transformational change opportunities.

In 2019, City Council and the Leadership Team began discussions for the creation of the 2020-2025 CCSP. This document builds upon the original strategic foundation and includes cycles of learning which led to the creation of a fi fth priority area. The fi ve priority areas now include Safe Community, Infrastructure, Community and Economic Development, Vibrant Community and Neighborhoods, and Organizational and Service Effectiveness. Principles and milestones were also incorporated in 2019 to provide clear alignment and progress points toward the successful completion of strategic results.

The City monitors progress using an integrated performance management system called FOCUS, which aligns performance-based budgeting, strategic planning, strategic results, priorities, milestones, perfor-mance measures, and individual workforce goals to clearly defi ne what the City needs to accomplish over a six-year timeframe. The CCSP guides FOCUS to prioritize services and programs for the community by concentrating on the value to, and experience of, the customer, and by measuring, evaluating, and reporting performance. Progress toward the achievement of strategic results is reviewed, discussed, and shared on a quarterly basis with the community, workforce, and City Council.

2 | City Council Strategic Plan

STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS Step 1: Gathering Inputs - Inputs are collected from the com-munity through the Community Survey, Speak Up Arvada, Ask Arvada, business surveys, public meetings, internal Master Plans, and neighborhood engagement.

Step 2: Analyze Information - Prior to the annual City Coun-cil retreat, data are assessed by the workforce and leadership team. Priorities and needs are identifi ed via analysis of internal and external inputs. Inputs are categorized by work systems and assessed for potential areas where new or revised performance measures and strategic results are needed.

Step 3: Develop Strategy - The leadership team conducts plan-ning sessions to review and incorporate performance measure-ment results over a three month period. Strategic Results are developed, aligned and reviewed, consensus is reached, and revisions are ready for presentation to Council in the second quarter annually. The proposed strategic results directly ad-dress Council’s vision for each priority area. City Council re-views and provides fi nal approval via resolution of the CCSP.

Step 4: Detail the Plan - The leadership team utilizes a Strategic Operations framework to develop Action Initiative Plans (AIP) focused to bolster strategic results following the annual review of the CCSP. Work System priorities are defi ned, timelines cre-ated, and owners assigned to support achievement.

Step 5: Resource the Plan – The CCSP informs all budgetary and long-range planning decisions. Revenue forecasts are up-dated annually, and budget decisions are formulated on a bien-nial basis with annual updates approved by City Council.

Step 6: Evaluate Process, Implement, and Monitor – Imple-mentation of the CCSP is accomplished at all levels of the orga-nization. Bi-weekly Base Camp meetings are the primary venue for discussion and collaboration regarding status, celebration, and/or concerns. An overall review of the CCSP approach is conducted annually with City Council and the leadership team to review strengths and opportunities to improve the plan.

Strategic Planning Process

STEP 1GATHER INPUTS

STEP 2ANALYZE INFORMATION

STEP 3DEVELOP STRATEGY

STEP 4DETAIL THE PLAN

STEP 5RESOURCE PLAN

STEP 6EVALUATE PROCESS,

IMPLEMENT ANDMONITOR


COMMUNITY PROFILEArvada is a beautiful fi rst-ring suburb of Denver, the Mile High City. Arvada retains its small-town feel even with its estimated population of 119,000. Established in 1870, Arvada enjoys a rich history, quiet tree-lined neighborhoods, and a robust mix of parks, trails, and open space. Arvada’s strong civic leadership balances quality of life with an understanding and support of business and economic development. The City has been recognized for customer focused excellence, societal responsibility, performance management, and vision-ary leadership.

Arvada spans 39 square miles. Three proximate interstate highways provide easy access to the larger met-ropolitan region and Denver International Airport. Arvada hosts three G Line transit stops which are a part of the metropolitan FasTracks commuter rail system providing direct access to downtown Denver and Den-ver International Airport. An extraordinary trail system links with Denver trails on the east and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to the west, punctuated with thousands of acres of parks and open spaces.

Arvada’s Historic Olde Town provides an eclectic shopping and dining experience along with farmers mar-kets and festivals. Arvada’s low crime rate, superb quality of life, organized neighborhoods, diverse eco-nomic base, and highly-educated workforce have helped shape our community into one of the most attrac-tive and competitive cities in the Centennial State.

GUIDING THEMESInput from the community gathered through Speak Up Arvada and City Council helps to identify major themes for the CCSP. These themes describe an Arvada that:

• Provides a full range of municipal services to its residents; one that engages effectively and allocates suffi cient resources to meet the growing and changing needs of our community.

• Prioritizes quality of life, which is defi ned by connected, safe neighborhoods where we care for our neighbors and enjoy access to an incredible network of parks, trails, and open space.

• Supports a safe, effective, and effi cient transportation system, including access to the greater metropoli-tan area, transit opportunities, and improved connectivity to our many recreational assets.

• Embraces small town traditions to achieve an inclusive, prosperous, and resilient community of neigh-borhoods where quality housing is attainable to all.


VISION, MISSION AND VALUES

From 2015 to 2016, the City engaged in a cultural transformation initiative, using extensive internal and external input, in order to redefi ne its Vision, Mission, and Values. The City’s revised VMV was created through a collaborative process with representatives from all work systems and workforce levels. The City’s Values directly support and reinforce the City’s Vision, Mission, and core competencies. In July of each year, the workforce celebrates and re-confi rms their commitment to the VMV.

Vision

We dream BIG and DELIVER.

Mission

We are dedicated to delivering superior services to enhance the lives of everyone in our community.

Values

Innovation - We excel in creativity, fl exibility and the use of best practices while valuing diverse back-grounds, ideas and perspectives.

Passion - We are a high performing, inclusive team inspiring each other to pursue excellence.

Opportunity - We value our diversity, embrace possibilities, face challenges, persevere and take action to deliver quality results.


CHALLENGES AND ADVANTAGESThe CCSP is the result of the integration of data gathered from City Council, community input and all work systems generating strategically relevant information to identify organizational challenges and opportu-nities. The City must continue to learn and adapt in order to address current challenges while leveraging existing advantages.

Work System Challenges Advantages

Safe CommunityComplexity in policing a contemporary community, individuals experiencing home-lessness

Community-based policing, commu-nity support, low crime rate, engaged workforce

InfrastructureAging roads and utility assets, expanding service area

Preventive maintenance approaches, engaged workforce, master plans

Community andEconomic Development

Rapidly growing community, shift from open green space to in-fi ll development

Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Code, engaged workforce

Vibrant Community and Neighborhoods

Changing demographics, changing activation of parks, affordable housing

Resilient and engaged community, Parks Master Plan, Taking Lasting Care, en-gaged workforce

Organizational andService Effectiveness

Multi-generational workforce, expanding service area, advancing technology

Fiscally responsible government, en-gaged workforce, Arvada University, organizational development


Safe CommunityCommunity-based policing, connected neighbors, engaged local businesses, supportive community insti-tutions, and a fair and impartial justice system, all working together, to ensure Arvada is a safe place to live, work, play, and stay.

Principles

To support a safe community, the City of Arvada:

• Achieves and maintains the gold standard in public safety by meeting and exceeding standards set forth through the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) to assist with the des-ignation of one of the safest communities in Colorado.

• Provides customized police services making the community feel safe and secure, including proper inves-tigation, appropriate case fi lings, and crime scene investigation, resulting in an increased likelihood of identifying and prosecuting those responsible for committing crimes.

• Ensures the Police Department has appropriate staffi ng levels; communication, information, fi nancial management support; and leadership services to achieve strategic and operational results, including maintaining a well-informed community.

• Applies inspection, enforcement, community support, and neighborhood engagement services to res-idents, businesses, and neighborhood partners in order to preserve safety, compliance, stability, and appearance of neighborhoods through collaborative partnerships and achievement of long-term neigh-borhood goals.

• Provides administrative, business, communication, and investigative services to members of the commu-nity and the Police Department with a commitment to Respect, Dedication, and Responsibility.

• Provides an independent, fair, and impartial justice system that effi ciently processes the court docket, renders fair and just decisions, and holds all stakeholders accountable.


InfrastructureThe community depends on a well-maintained foundation of streets, sidewalks, and water, wastewater and stormwater facilities. Planned and steady population growth requires proper maintenance of existing infra-structure and additional capacity to support a thriving community.

Principles

To support infrastructure, the City of Arvada:

• Provides the community with a safe, reliable, high-quality water supply, drainage system, and wastewa-ter disposal services for full city build-out, as defi ned by the Comprehensive Plan. This includes maintain-ing utility rates at lowest practical levels with accurate billing that supports replacement of aging infra-structure in order to maintain robust utility systems.

• Offers services focused on safe and environmentally-effi cient City facilities and fl eet vehicles to ensure the most effi cient and maximum usage of valued assets.

• Maintains existing roads and transportation network in tandem with snow and ice control services to ensure swift and safe transportation modes for the community.

• Provides safe and effi cient connections to modes of transportation, including transit, streets, sidewalks, and bikeways with a focus on enhanced technology at high-priority intersections improving safety and minimizing traffi c congestion.

• Applies cost-effective and timely engineering design, geographic information, effective construction practices, and established standards and specifi cations to align public infrastructure priorities with com-munity growth and redevelopment needs.

• Provides computer-aided drafting, design services, special analysis, GIS applications, and enterprise sys-tem integration for the workforce to better visualize spatial relationships for informed decisions, while maintaining and/or replacing infrastructure and accommodating new construction projects.

• Enforces the federal Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Endangered Species Act through best practices for stormwater runoff protecting water quality in rivers and streams, watershed health, and groundwater as a drinking water resource.


Community and Economic DevelopmentArvada’s future prosperity and quality of life will be signifi cantly infl uenced by the City’s ability to ensure that development meets safety requirements, design values and standards, infrastructure needs, and sup-ports the local economy to implement the community’s vision.

Principles

To support community and economic development, the City of Arvada:

• Uses the Comprehensive Plan to guide planning, land use code decisions, development management, and informational and resource services that are delivered to residents, businesses, the development com-munity, decision-making bodies, and neighborhood partners to achieve a well-planned, aligned, sustain-able, and livable community for current and future generations.

• Ensures the alignment of all City Master Plans providing an aligned and integrated approach to the achievement of strategic and operational targets.

• Applies a high-performing development review process that maintains the community’s standards for safety, vision, and quality design which ensures a quality and timely review for the developer.

• Supports the community’s vision by cultivating an environment that attracts and retains private-sector investment, a talented workforce, and an engaged business community.

• Maintains and protects the health, safety, and welfare of the public by ensuring safe buildings in the com-munity, while providing excellent customer service.


Vibrant Community and NeighborhoodsA vibrant community is engaged in civic life, the arts, and the outdoors. It comprises individuals and groups who are dedicated to their community, get involved with neighborhood associations, and participate with local government to ensure responsiveness to changing needs, resulting in Arvada being the preferred place to live, work, play, and stay.

Principles

To support a vibrant community and neighborhoods, the City of Arvada:

• Provides meaningful ways for the community to engage with local government and strategic partner-ships to advance quality of life by embracing both Arvada’s small town traditions and history and chang-ing to achieve an inclusive, equitable, diverse, prosperous, and resilient community that cares about its neighbors

• Improves access to quality housing that is affordable to a broad range of income levels and provides resources, housing, and neighborhood assistance services to Arvada residents, neighborhoods, property owners, and stakeholders.

• Provides specialized programs, environmental education and resource conservation services to resi-dents so they can carefully use and preserve resources and save money.

• Provides maintenance services to the community and visitors, so they can play and enjoy activities in a safe, well-maintained parks and trails system. Completing park projects, creating a green spine trail sys-tem while enhancing the existing trail system, and acquiring lands for open space conservation to com-plete gaps in underserved areas or along potential open space corridors.

• Operates sustainable premier golf programs and facilities focusing on exceptional service and value to the community with the conservation of natural environment under economically sound and socially-responsible management.

• Plans and hosts conferences and events, concessions, and centralized culinary services, focusing on exceptional service and value to businesses, groups, and individuals through an economically sound and socially-responsible management, ensuring customers can have an enjoyable, memorable, productive, and personalized event experience.


Organizational and Service EffectivenessThe community depends on a well-managed, fi scally-responsible and transparent City government to guide the organization in a manner that enhances quality of life. Performance-based management practices, sus-tainable levels of resource use, effi cient application of technology, a high-performing workforce, and legal and ethical compliance will ensure the long-term credibility and effectiveness of the City government.

Principles

To support organizational and service effectiveness, the City of Arvada:

• Provides leadership, policy and guidance, communication, and engagement services to City Council, the community, and the organization utilizing a values-driven organizational culture, ethical behavior, and transparency to the community to maintain public trust.

• Provides legal services to the City Council, Boards and Commissions, and all work systems, so they can enforce the law, avoid, or mitigate risks associated with City operations and protect the legal interests of the City.

• Maintains appropriate staffi ng levels, collaborative communications, information technology and fi nan-cial management support, as well as, leadership services to all work systems to achieve strategic and operational results.

• Provides a well-managed, fi scally responsible government that operates effectively and effi ciently while identifying revenue requirements to sustain current service levels and achieve future requested levels of service.

• Leverages technology, and benchmarks to guide decisions, improve results, enhance service delivery, and maintain the highest level of data security in support of City effectiveness, now and into the future.

• Provides multiple information platforms and data to the community to support its ability to engage in community governance, exercise civic responsibility, and easily access and share public information.

• Fosters a top workplace environment that attracts and retains a highly engaged, inclusive workforce and fosters a culture of wellness, safety, cycles of learning and performance excellence.

• Supports a resilient workforce and community that are able to withstand stresses and shocks, while maintaining essential functions and recovering quickly, effectively, and equitably.


TERMINOLOGYPrinciple [P] – Principles are high-level business strategies that form our business model and serve as pillars of excellence. They are broad in scope and apply to all areas within the City organization and provide standards for how we do business in order to successfully support City Council priorities. They promote working collab-oratively in a deliberate strategic direction.

Strategic Result [SR]– A specifi c and measurable objective directed by City Council providing guidance in supporting priorities and organizational transformation. Strategic results are a statement of a desired end-state and are measurable and explicitly defi ned using outcome language. They provide guidance to organi-zational transformation.

Milestone [M]– A signifi cant event or important achievement that indicates change or progress toward a strategic result. Milestones signal anchors and serve as visible indicators of progress toward achievement of a strategic result.

Performance Measure [PM]– Using SMART goal framework, performance measures are specifi c, measure-able, achievable, realistic, and timely. Performance measures help focus efforts and ability to achieve targets. All strategic performance measures are directly aligned with a strategic result and all operational perfor-mance measures align with one or more principles.

city council strategic plan 2020 - 2025 council strat plan 2019.pdf · city council strategic plan...

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