Subject:
Title
Town of Vienna Strategic Vision - Draft
Body
BACKGROUND SUMMARY:
On April 29, 2019, the Town Council adopted the Town of Vienna 2019 Strategic Plan: Honing Excellence in an Exceptional Hometown. This adoption marked the conclusion of a process that began in late 2017, when the Town engaged a consultant to lead the strategic planning process.
The 2019 Strategic Plan can be found on the Town’s Web site, at <https://www.viennava.gov/your-government/strategic-plan>
The document established a vision statement that was intended to last for two decades, but more centrally established a nearer-term time frame for a set of goals, strategies and action steps that were to be undertaken over the following five years - through 2023.
In early 2024, the Town Council indicated its desire to review and potentially update the Strategic Plan. To assist in this process, the Town hired James Patteson, Principal of Blue Heron Leadership Group, who worked with the Council and staff.
On March 7, 2024, the Town Council held a work session at the Community Center, to give input on draft vision and goals statements. After that session, Mr. Patteson produced a draft of document based on 1) input from the work session, 2) input provided by the Council in a survey, and 3) input from senior staff. The draft document included a Vision Statement, a Mission, Values, Strategic Focus Areas, and Strategies. A follow-up Town Council work session was held on April 15, 2024, to review the updated draft.
Following that session, it became apparent that the Council was not fully satisfied with the draft product and felt it required significant revision. In response, Town staff assumed responsibility for revising the document. Through a series of three additional Council work sessions, staff developed a new, streamlined version, titled the Strategic Vision, that reflects the Council’s preference for a concise, high-level document, in contrast to the more detailed format of the 2019 plan.
OVERVIEW:
Attachment 1 is the document that emerged after the last Town Council work session, which was held on March 10, 2025. It has the tentative title of Strategic Vision. The Town Council asked that boards and commissions have the opportunity to review the draft document and provide any comments. Those comments will be provided to the Town Council as it seeks to complete a final document.
The Strategic Plan occupies a medium-term position among the various vision and strategy documents that the Town Council reviews and approves. Such documents include:
Ø Comprehensive Plan - Required by State and with the longest planning horizon of 10-20 years, though required to be reviewed every five years.
Ø Strategic Plan - Adopted by Town Council for a period of 2-4 years.
Ø Annual Priorities - Adopted by Town Council for each of the past two years, to be focus areas for staff and the Town Council in that calendar year.
Ø Operating and Capital Budgets - Updated annually, though the capital budget has a longer-term planning horizon.
Ø Special-topic plans (Parks, Economic Development Strategy, Annex property, etc.) - Conducted and adopted as the Town Council sees fit.
SUMMARY/STAFF IMPRESSIONS:
The Town Council will, as always, welcome any comments that the Planning Commission may wish to provide.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission review the attached document and provide any comments that are deemed helpful to the Town Council.