FROM: James D. Herberg, General Manager
Originator: Rob Thompson, Assistant General Manager
SUBJECT:
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ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT’S STRATEGIC PLAN
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GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommend to the Board of Directors to:
A. Adopt the 2019 Strategic Plan; and
B. Direct staff to implement the goals contained in the Strategic Plan.
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BACKGROUND
In November 2013, the Board of Directors adopted a Five-Year Strategic Plan. Over the past five years, the Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) has provided annual updates to the Board. In 2018, the Sanitation District completed the five-year plan.
This year an in-depth planning process took place to facilitate the development of a new Strategic Plan. The new Strategic Plan will be a long-term view and will be a living document that will be updated every two years. This plan incorporates input from more narrow planning studies such as the Master Plan, Biosolids Master Plan, Asset Management Plan, and others.
In April 2019 staff provided the Board of Directors with a proposed process and timeline for development of the new plan. In May 2019 the Board of Directors received a survey outlining the various policy areas to be further developed by staff. Staff input was solicited in June 2019. Based on the feedback from the Board of Directors and staff, policy papers were developed for each of the 14 policy areas. The individual policy areas were presented at three Board of Directors meetings held on August 28, September 18, and September 25.
The final Strategic Plan includes the 14 policy statements in final form and supporting initiatives to implement these policies.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Maintain and adhere to appropriate internal planning documents (Strategic Plan)
PROBLEM
There is a need to establish and communicate the long-term financial, capital, and operational strategies and initiatives that the Sanitation District will pursue in order to fulfill the agency’s mission.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
The proposed Strategic Plan includes Strategic Goals that are broad policy statements with smaller, more achievable supporting initiatives that move toward achieving the strategic goals. The proposed Strategic Plan and strategic planning process will be updated in two years. This will assure the Board of Directors and staff remained aligned on policy and execution expectations on every budget cycle.
TIMING CONCERNS
The Strategic Plan is presented for adoption in November 2019 to coordinate with the two-year budget process which begins in January 2020.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
There is a risk that the Sanitation District will not be setting strategic direction for the agency, and risk of becoming more reactive and less effective in delivering the agency’s mission. Additionally, the Sanitation District risks not having a clear strategic direction and alignment from the Board of Directors.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
September 2019 - Strategic Plan Development meetings #2 and 3
August 2019 - Strategic Plan Development meeting #1
April 2019 - Strategic Plan process and timeline presented to the Board of Directors
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Each new Strategic Goal is supported by an issue paper. The intent is for the approved Strategic Plan goals and initiatives to be budgeted in the FY 2020-2022 two-year budget.
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s) are included in hard copy and may also be viewed on-line at the OCSD website (www.ocsd.com) with the complete agenda package:
• 2019 Strategic Plan (separate bound document)