TRANSFORMING LOCAL GOVERNMENT APRIL 11, 2013

The Process (how did we get here?)

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION The Process The most intense planning outreach process in metro Atlanta history? 12 months 1,500 Decaturites engaged Hundreds of meetings

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION The Round Tables 700+ participants overall 245 public meetings 6,000 hours invested 14,032 website visits 7,894 ideas Uncle Stephen Wants YOU!

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION Round Tables Themes The Diverse Community The Involved Community The Complete Community The Alternative Transportation Community The Responsive and Cooperative Community

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION Academy 1: Going Mobile Existing Community Transportation Plan Academy themes –Connectivity –Streets for people –Transit –Parking

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION Academy 2: Decatur for Life Diversity Choice Aging Housing Affordability

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION Academy 3: The New Main Street Residential/Commercial property tax balance What types of businesses to attract? Potential growth areas 85/15?

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION Academy 4: Getting the We Want How to attract the kind of development we want? What can be done to –Maximize positive impacts of new development? –Lessen negative impacts of new development? ♥

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION Storefront Space Terrific Thursdays Used vacant retail space Allowed additional comments on draft goals, principles, and conceptual growth plans

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION The Distilling Process How did we get from thousands of comments to 16 goals? Most comments were used Some were not financially or politically feasible Others were not city responsibility Still others were beyond the plan scope or conflicted with its goals

The Vision (the really big picture)

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION The City of Decatur will assure a high quality of life for its residents, businesses, and visitors both today and in the future. (same as the 2000 Strategic Plan vision)

Principles and Goals (words to live by)

Principle A: Manage Growth While Retaining Character Principle B: Encourage a diverse and engaged community Principle C: Serve as good stewards of the environment and community resources Principle D: Support a safe, healthy, lifelong community.

DECATUR 2010 STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION Conceptual Growth Plans Public comments indicated four main areas with potential for growth Redevelopment can help achieve goals –Tax base, more services, connectivity Plans show one potential alternative –Long-term vision –Assume willing property owners

Connecting the Strategic Plan to the City’s Work Plan

What is Vision Based Budgeting? Budget requests & projects strive to accomplish a task or goal in the 2010 strategic plan Future planning revolves around the principles in the 2010 strategic plan Budget document connects the necessary resources (personnel, equipment and funding) needed to implement the community vision

How did we implement VBB?VBB? Collaborative Foundation: –Previous budget process was already collaborative, but mostly involved department heads. Creative Liberties: –Created a 5 th principle, internal to the city, to provide training and tools needed to support other principles Team Approach: –Created a budget narrative team for each principle

Year 1 – The Budget Narrative 5 Principles – 5 Budget Narrative Teams Transition from department narratives to principle narratives Inclusion of employees at all levels of the organization Stories of each department’s work towards accomplishing each principle’s goals Storybook Budget Credit powerlisting.wikia.com

FY Accomplishments: Increased police patrols in the business districts (Task 16F) Designed complete street improvements for the Commerce/Clairemont and Commerce/Church intersections, as well as the Church Street corridor, to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety (Task 14A) Restoration of a historic building façade on the Square (Task 4E) Formed Zoning Ordinance Update Task Force to address housing, parking and design standards (Multiple) Hosted 4 th Decatur Old House Fair (Task 4B) FY New Projects, Programs & Policies: Working with local food truck owners to ensure proper permitting and inspections (Task 2D) Go Local Campaign with Decatur restaurant and shop owners (Task 2B) Continuing to build upon Decatur’s unique identity by enlivening public spaces with approved busking/street performers (Task 2B) Adopt recommendations of the Zoning Ordinance Update Task Force (Goal 1,3,4, 14, & 15) Submit one National Register nomination and update Historic Preservation Ordinance (Task 4D) Narrative Example

Year 2 – Financial Support Financial impact of each principle was added to the budget narratives Principle E Financial Support: All Departments Involved InAmount Decatur 101 for employees $1,000 ADP HR & Payroll System $75,000 Participation in ICMA Center for Performance Measurement $6,500 Records management plan $19,500 IT Support $378,660 Computers & supporting technology $224,710 Utilities $806,950 Audit & other financial services $122,500 Janitorial supplies $47,220 Postage $54,650 Telephones $216,350 GIS $85,000 Insurance Premiums $234,950 Administrative Duties $2,096,160 Training $248,580 TOTAL: $4,617,730 “…I was especially pleased to see the new inclusion in the budget this year of detailed expenditures from every City department categorized by the goals detailed in the plan. I believe it really allows one to identify the way in which all city staff is pursuing the goals expressed by the community.” 2012 Community Meeting participant

Year 3 – Defining Performance Metrics Are we achieving the strategic plan goals? Performance Measurement team defining benchmarks for success Budget narrative evolved to include programs and successes measured against the pre-defined benchmarks

Success Factors

Benefits Inter-departmental teams are engaged in budget process Employees understand their role in strategic plan Strategic plan influence on other work plans (IT, Administrative Services) Public resources target plan priorities Community confidence that plan is being followed

So, What’s Next? National benchmarks How do we compare to the best cities in the nation? Where can we look for ideas to improve?

Let’s Practice

What do you value about public service that makes the work meaningful to you?

What are your hopes and fears about community engagement?

What is your personal commitment to encourage public participation in your community?