City plans strategically

A year after initiating a strategic planning process, Healdsburg city councilmembers adopted their plan — the “Pathway to Sustainability” — last week.
The comprehensive strategic plan is the final result of a series of stakeholder and community meetings and citywide planning sessions to map out the next five to 10 years of city and community goals and initiatives.
In it, the city developed objectives in a longterm plan, by setting a vision, mission and values. But councilmembers set out to do more, and say the results provide residents with a clear picture of where Healdsburg is headed, as well as a set of measurements that can be reviewed annually to make sure the city is on the right track.
“As you go through this, you see common themes arise,” said Mayor Jim Wood. “You see the need and concern about housing in our community … and the challenges around that and you see the desire for economic diversity.”
The plan is centered around five strategic initiatives and the “mile markers” set to review levels of achievement.
They are: quality of life; economic diversity and innovation; effective and efficient government; fiscal responsibility; and infrastructure and facilities.
There are goals included with each initiative that include action plans, data and methods to track improvements.
“This isn’t the end, but actually the beginning. As we go forward, this creates a guiding framework that we will build upon,” Wood said.
The strategic planning process was adopted last year after the approval of the Measure V sales tax began to bring extra money into the city’s General Fund. Councilmembers felt that created an opportunity to develop a longterm strategic plan to help guide the city for the next five to 10 years.
Not everyone was enthusiastic about the process before it started. But months of community meetings and the final results won them over.
Councilmember Gary Plass said he wasn’t thrilled about spending extra time on vision statements, when they typically aren’t very useful in the end. This one, he admitted, was different.
“I was one of the least excited about doing this,” he said. “Like many of us sitting up here, I’ve gone through many strategic plans, but this was one of the best. We came out with a fine project, and a lot of time and effort went into making it.”
The 40-page document is peppered with smiling faces of well known residents and quotations explaining what makes Healdsburg special and why the strategic planning process was valuable.
Hotel Healdsburg managing partner Circe Sher is quoted: “I enjoyed being a part of the strategic planning charrette. It was illuminating to hear different opinions and ideas on the future of Healdsburg. It’s clear that the citizens of Healdsburg truly cherish the place we live, and keeping a balance for future growth is important to all.”
The strategic plan document will be available on the city’s website and printed and available at City Hall within the next two to three weeks.