West Chester Township Clock Tower in the CBD
A couple years ago West Chester Township completed our first ever Strategic Planning Session (SPS) that outlined a goal-based strategy for accomplishments in 2019 and 2020.
For those of us who have gone through the FranklinCovey Personal Planning Training, you’ll recognize the same essential elements in both personal training and institutional strategic planning, i.e.
1) determination of values,
2) statement(s) of your vision, and
3) development of a mission statement and multi-level, time based goals that drive you to completion.
Simply put, the Strategic Planning Session creates a ‘roadmap’ of success that every township employee can follow. Then we measure, adjust and improve as we work on the plan!
Patriotic Kids at the West Chester Memorial Day Parade
Just this month West Chester Township completed our second Strategic Planning Session for years 2021 and 2022.
This year’s session was about feedback, refinement and continual improvement as we build on the success of our first SPS. From the sessions we will develop new/revised goal setting strategies and conduct the necessary research & analysis, capacity, key performance indicators & keys to another successful implementation in 2021/2022.
Participants of the 2-day planning sessions were West Chester Township Trustees, Township Administrator & Assistant Administrator, all Department Directors including the Police and Fire Chiefs and our Law Director.
The goal of this year’s SPS, as in 2018, is a final strategic plan, that identifies operational visions, goals and policies that will deliver a healthy, focused and thriving West Chester Township. These strategies are designed to further the vision of creating a community “Where Families Grow and Businesses Prosper”, to allow West Chester to be fiscally responsible while also taking risks to go beyond the basics, and to create goals that balance short- and long-term needs. More on the 2021/2022 SPS later as input from participants is analyzed and distilled into a final plan that can be acted upon.
“Thank You” to West Chester’s First Responders
In 2018 during the strategy sessions, six recurring themes were noted. These priority areas were selected as the focus for the 2019 – 2020 West Chester Township Strategic Plan (the entire plan can be found here https://www.westchesteroh.org/home/showdocument?id=10700).
• Quality of Life
• Organizational High Performance
• Citizen Engagement
• Physical Infrastructure
• Economic Development
• Partnering
West Chester Fire Department Salute
The priority areas were translated into goal statements and the ideas generated under each of the priority areas were turned into sub-goals to be acted on. These goals and sub goals were the underlying structure of the 2019 – 2020 West Chester Township Strategic Plan.
Goal 1: Enhance the quality of life of West Chester Township’s residents and businesses: Continual organizational improvement is needed to remain one of the Best Places to Live in America.
Sub-Goal 1: Become the #1 best place to live in America!
Sub-Goal 2: Maintain continual progress and avoid a growth plateau
Goal 2: West Chester Township continues to be a high performing organization: High quality personnel and continual evaluation of performance are essential to providing exceptional service to the community.
Sub-Goal 1: Increase employee engagement
Sub-Goal 2: Continually evaluate organizational performance
West Chester Police at Touch-a-Truck
Goal 3: Increase citizen engagement: Strong and consistent two-way communication with the community ensures ever-changing needs and expectations are met.
Sub-Goal 1: Better inform residents and businesses about government and services
Sub-Goal 2: Determine future community needs and expectations
Goal 4: Provide and maintain high quality infrastructure: Infrastructure must keep up with the demands of development while also creating a unique community identity.
Sub-Goal 1: Improve the appearance of key Township roads and corridors
Sub-Goal 2: Identify and promote redevelopment opportunities
Kemba’s New Corporate Office Building in West Chester. OH
Goal 5: Support a strong economic development network: As the amount of developable land decreases, a formal plan for encouraging thoughtful growth on undeveloped land and redeveloping existing sites will secure WCT’s continued financial success.
Sub-Goal 1: Attract new and emerging industries
Sub-Goal 2: Create a plan to best utilize developable land
Goal 6: Build partnerships: Strengthening relationships with other organizations provides new opportunities for innovative solutions and sharing of resources.
West Chester Township Trustees and the GYM (Grow Your Mind) Partnership
Initiatives include identifying cooperative opportunities with surrounding jurisdictions, opportunities for public-private partnerships and partnering with academic institutions.
For an update on how the Township is progressing on the 2019/2020 Strategic Plan, watch the presentation given by Lisa Brown, Assistant Administrator, at the July 28, 2020 Board of Trustees meeting. Watch it here https://vimeo.com/442738154. Lisa’s presentation starts at time 01:00 minute and it is a great overview of the plan and our accomplishments.
Expect the same attention to detail with the 2020/2021 Strategic Plan
