Title
Report: Strategic Plan for the Public Works Department
Body
Issue/Request:
Presentation of the Strategic Plan for the Public Works Department.
Key Issues:
The Public Works Department Strategic Plan has been completed and is presented to the City Council for information and public awareness. The Strategic Plan for the Public Works Department has an updated Mission and Vision along with three areas of focus supported by Goals and Strategies. The Focus Areas include:
• Community
• Culture
• Collaboration
There are 2 to 3 Goals within each Focus Area aligned with the City's Ignite! Strategic Plan; and also aligned with the City and Department Mission, Vision and Core Values. These Plan Goals individually have 2 to 7 Strategies and subsequent supporting Actions.
Background:
The Public Works Department has been working with Shockey Consulting the past 9 months on the creation of an updated department Strategic Plan. The last Strategic Plan for Public Works was completed in 2016, re-affirmed in 2020 for department re-accreditation with the American Public Works Association, having planning periods of 3-10 years. Most initiatives proposed in the previous Strategic Plan have been implemented and/or sustained. It was predominately employee, organizational and internal operating improvements for better service delivery focused (i.e. Culture oriented). The updated Strategic Plan for Public Works builds upon the past Strategic Plan(s), continues some initiatives and proposes new endeavors. The updated Public Works Strategic Plan expands the prior focus on Culture to include Community and Collaboration. There is an intentional alignment of the Public Works Strategic Plan with the City's Ignite! Strategic Plan and City's Mission, Vision and Core Values.
The department Mission and Vision were reviewed and updated in the Public Works Strategic Plan as well. The Mission of Public Works is "Though a valued workforce, Lee's Summit Public Works is committed to promoting and supporting our community's quality of life by providing safe and efficient infrastructure, responsive services, and ethical and equitable customer service." The Vision of Public Works is "Lee's Summit Public Works is a workforce of excellence building a vibrant community and ensuring a high quality of life for all citizens by delivering essential public services and infrastructure." The department Core Values match the City's Core Values..."Integrity, Service Excellence, and Stewardship."
Input for the Public Works Strategic Plan was sought from the Mayor, City Council, City Administration, members of the City Management Team, key stakeholders from the community (e.g. Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street, Lee's Summit R7 School District, Missouri Department of Transportation, Wellness Commission), Citizen Surveys and Surveys of all Public Works Staff. Data gathered from those sources, past strategic plans, comprehensive plan(s), American Public Works Association Accreditation Practices, and Public Works employee work sessions were considered in the development of plan Goals and Strategies.
With a revised Mission and Vision, the newly created Focus Areas, Goals and Strategies have been organized in the updated Strategic Plan for the Public Works Department as presented. Shockey Consulting has also prepared an implementation guide for Public Works Leadership to form action steps and measure progress in support of those larger Goals and Strategies going forward.
Presenter
Michael Park, P.E., PTOE / Director of Public Works