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City Council |
Executive Summary
City of Frankenmuth ●
Strategic Plan
Approved May 6, 2003
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If
you don’t know
where you are
going, you might
end up someplace
else.
Yogi
Berra
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A
Little Background
In the Fall of
1998, Frankenmuth
City Council
and senior staff
members convened
a strategic planning
session to discuss
the state of
the City and
to create a planning
tool to guide
municipal services.
Goals were established
and tasks assigned
in a dynamic
plan for municipal
action.
Four years later,
after taking
stock of that
same plan – what
was accomplished
and what wasn’t
… what changed
and what needed
to change – Council
agreed it was
time to update
and refine the
initiatives of
this original
document and
create a new
blueprint for
municipal services
and community
development. |
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I.
The Process |
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The
loftier the building,
the bigger
the foundation
must be.
Thomas
A. Kempis |
Collaboration
Frankenmuth’s success
is rooted in
collaboration.
City Council
members believe
strongly in working
through the City’s
professional
staff and the
City’s boards
and commissions.
Council invited
senior management
and representatives
of each of its
three major boards
to participate
in the process.
The Chairpersons
of the City Planning
Commission, the
Downtown Development
Authority and
the Economic
Development Corporation
participated
in the discussions.
Dr. Joe Ohren of
the Eastern Michigan
University Institute
for Community
and Regional
Development facilitated
the process.
Participants
assembled for
three meetings
–totaling 14
evening and weekend
hours – working
through an intense
agenda prepared
by Dr. Ohren.
Each session analyzed
a series of three
management considerations
-- barriers to
effective decision-making,
strategic issues
and goals/strategies.
The outcome of
the discussions
created an action
plan intended
to guide City
Council decision-making
over the next
several years.
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Never
doubt that a
small group of
thoughtful, concern
citizens can
change the world.
Indeed, it is
the only thing
that ever has.
Margaret
Mead
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Barriers
to Effective Decision
Making
Most assuredly,
if a group of
two, 20 or 220
assembles, there
are two, 20 or
220 opinions
on any subject.
Weaving those
viewpoints into
a common thread
is a challenge
for the best
of organizations.
Recognizing barriers
to effective
decision making
is critical for
overcoming those
barriers. Identified
barriers are:
lack of prioritization
of goals, reactive
vs. proactive
decision making,
close mindedness
and lack of trust.
Recommended tools
to remove these
barriers include:
1. Establishing
a framework
§1 To brainstorm
new ideas;
§2 To define
major goals and
priorities, clarifying
the purpose and
value;
§3 To seek
outside input
from citizenry
and staff;
§4 To create
opportunities
for idea exchanges
and consideration
of alternatives;
and
§5 To allow
for honest and
frequent review
of processes,
issues or initiatives.
It is imperative
that the framework
§1 Allow enough
time to review
and discuss issues;
and
§2 Respect
all sides of
an issue.
2. Linking the
decision-making
process to a
thorough and
meaningful strategic
plan;
3. Understanding
issues through
self-education
and preparedness,
analyzing impacts
and considering
a macro-approach
to problem solving
.
With the removal
of these barriers,
the City Council
can build trust
between participants
and decision
makers, providing
a welcome environment
for input and
consequently,
good decision-making.
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It’s
not the plan
that is important,
it’s the planning.
Graehme
Edwards
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The
Next Steps
With the adoption
of this Strategic
Action Plan,
these steps will
be taken over
the next working
period:
§1 Communicate
expectations
about what the
City feels is
important, what
it requires in
performance,
and what is expected
in follow-through;
§1 Continue
to review action
strategies,
adding and removing
items as appropriate.
Consider with
whom responsibility
rests, timelines
for completion
and benchmarks
for success.
§2 Circulate
the plan to
those whom the
plan impacts:
staff, commissions,
boards &
task forces,
civic groups
and citizenry.
§3 Regularly
review progress
and communicate
results.
The action plan
is an important
source of guidance
for the City
Council – we
will revisit
it often.
§4 Promote
this process
and the commitment
the Council has
made to it. Only
through such
process of self-assessment
and reflection
can this organization
truly be an
excellent
or effective
Council.
Dr. Ohren summarized
the process stating:
The process
of thinking together
– identifying
key characteristics
of the community,
prioritizing
the strategic
challenges facing
the City, and
developing an
action plan –
is really more
about the process
than the document
itself. The purpose
of the exercise
was to foster
a thinking process,
and to provide
a common framework
for addressing
problems over
the next few
years.
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II.
The Action Plan |
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A
good plan today
is better
than a perfect
plan tomorrow.
George
S. Patton
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The Action Plan
prioritizes three
major goals:
1. Strengthen
and diversify
the economy;
2. Plan for
new and replacement
infrastructure
to accommodate
the community’s
future; and
3. Continue
to strengthen
relationships
with neighboring
governmental
units to address
mutual problems
and strengthen
the larger community.
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Leadership
is the capacity
to translate
vision to reality.
Warren
G. Bennis
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Goal
1: Strengthen and
diversify the economy.
A. Conduct a business
recruitment effort
and market Frankenmuth
as a location
for development;
B. Build/develop
the business
park to build
new City tax
base and create
new employment
opportunities;
C. Develop a marketing
plan for all
development opportunities
within the City;
D. Provide infrastructure
where appropriate
to support new
business development;
E. Re-evaluate
the zoning of
developable areas
within the Urban
Limit to accommodate
desired businesses;
and
F. Develop a long-range
Economic Development
Plan consistent
with the Master
Plan.
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Vision
without action
is a daydream;
Action
without vision
is a nightmare.
Ancient
Japanese Proverb
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Goal#2:
Plan for new and replacement
infrastructure to
accommodate the community’s
future
A. Develop a Capital
Improvements
Plan inclusive
of maintenance,
replacement and
new infrastructure
financing and
scheduling;
B. Draft pre-development
engineering plans
within the Urban
Limit to better
anticipate how
the city can
serve currently
underserved/undeveloped
areas;
C. Connect trails/paths
on bridges and
the dike to permit
pedestrian movement
through the community;
and
D. Complete a feasibility
study to identify
methods to address
congestion in
the main corridor;
engage the community
in the discussion.
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There
is real magic
in enthusiasm.
It spells the
difference between
mediocrity and
accomplishment.
Norman
Vincent Peale
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Goal
#3: Continue to strengthen
relationship with
neighboring units
of government to address
mutual problems and
strengthen the greater
community.
A. Continue to
meet with regional
municipalities
and townships
to create active
dialogues between
neighbors;
B. Encourage ongoing
communication
between the City
and its boards
and commissions,
township governments
and the Frankenmuth
School Board;
and
C. Include Frankenmuth
Township representation
on the EDC, the
Parks and Recreation
Committee and
the Transportation
Advisory Committee.
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Conclusion
The
Frankenmuth City
Council enthusiastically
adopts this revised
and updated version
of the City of
Frankenmuth Strategic
Plan.
Collectively, we
have undertaken
a significant
effort to identify
and discuss strategic
issues, articulate
long term goals
and develop action
strategies to
guide Council
decision making
over the next
several years.
The task is not
complete; this
is the start
of the process,
not the end.
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Participants
in the
Strategic Planning Process
Frankenmuth
City Council
Gary
Rupprecht, Mayor
Erv
Banes
Richard
Galsterer
Art
Loeffler
Richard
Meyer
Susan
Piesko
Terry
Weiss
With
Charlie
Graham, City Manager
John
Deterding, Assistant City Manager
& Treasurer/Assessor
Phillip
Kerns, City Clerk/Zoning Administrator
Randy
Braeutigam, Department of Public
Works, Superintendent
Birt
McKendree, Waste Water Treatment
Plant, Superintendent
Ken
O’Brien, Water Superintendent
Dave
Wright, Parks & Recreation
Department Director /Fire Chief
Jim
Petteys, Police Chief, Retired
Don
Mawer, Police Chief Dave Curtis,
Wickson Library Director
Sheila
Stamiris, Downtown Development
Authority Director
And
Wayne
Bronner, Downtown Development
Authority Chair
Tony
D’Anna, Economic Development
Corporation Chair
Roland
Koch, Planning Commission Chair
Facilitated
by Dr. Joe Ohren
Eastern
Michigan University
Go
to Action Plan Worksheet
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