City 3-4-19
Last week, members of City Council, the Mayor, and several department directors spent three days embarking in what will be a 15-month strategic and operational plan led by Adiel Brasov of the Paterson Center. The process, known as StratOp, is a team facilitated strategic planning process that will guide us through the questions of where we currently stand, where are we headed, and how will we get there as a city.
The process going forward will include other council members and city staff on five initial areas of focus that teams will be developed around. Each of the five areas have been identified as Teams each with the Team Leader. They include the following in no order:
- Processes and Systems: As a city how do we streamline these both internally among departments as well as externally to our citizens, our business community, and other governmental entities. Led by Amy Allen, City Engineer
- Culture: It’s said that culture eats strategy for lunch – and how do we develop and grow a healthy culture within city employees to create an environment where they enjoy their work and serving the community they live in. This also provides an opportunity to align the administrative staff with the governing body to build a healthy culture. Led by Jason Sanchez, Deputy Director of Community Recreation and Events
- Finance: There is a need to have a true plan to prioritize deferred maintenance of city-owned assets, as well as managing the assets we do have, and planning for future growth needs. Led by Jeff White, City Council Finance Chairman
- Development: As our city continues to grow, how do we address not only economic development, but housing and workforce needs within the community? Led by Brendan Ames, Chief Economic Development Officer
- Community Engagement: There is much going on with Forward Greater Cheyenne, as well as our community as a whole – and how do we best engage others? Led by Rocky Case, City Council President
“I’m very excited about the conversation and work that was done last week to establish the platform for what I believe will be a measurable and achievable strategic and operational plan,” said City of Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr. “Like many, I’ve been frustrated with at least a perception of no clearly adopted goals and direction as we not only make city policy, but the way in which we identify community needs and look to fund them through our 5th and 6th penny. It’s going to take a lot of work, but I believe it’s some of the most important work we can do when we envision Cheyenne in 2029. Some of the goals established can be met fairly quickly, while others we have identified will take the remainder of this administration.”
Going forward, Orr said, the teams will grow to include other members of council and city staff and will meet over the next 6 weeks through a very defined process to set goals and identify action plans around those goals. Our facilitator will return, and we will spend two more days refining our plan. We are looking forward to a launch event detailing the StratOp plan for city employees and our Cheyenne community this spring.
The initial StratOp three-day session included Council President Rocky Case, Council Finance Chairman Jeff White, Councilman Pete Laybourn, Mayor Marian Orr, Chief of Staff Eric Fountain, Chief Economic Development Officer Brendan Ames, City Engineer Amy Allen, Planning and Development Director Charles Bloom, City Treasurer Robin Lockman, Human Resource Deputy Director Ron Downey and Community Recreation and Events Deputy Director Jason Sanchez.
