If you care about the quality of life in the city of Elgin, you might want to take a look at the city’s most-recent planning document, which outlines objectives for the city’s current and future identity.

You, Mr. John or Ms. Jane Q. Public, are invited to view and provide input to the city of Elgin’s next strategic plan, set to begin in January 2018. The five-year strategic plan focuses on four core values and three defined goals to provide guidance in realizing Elgin’s full potential as “The City in the Suburbs.”

The City Council will formally adopt the 2018-2022 Strategic Principles and Priorities on Dec. 20, during the regular city council meeting at 7 p.m. in conjunction with the adoption of the 2018 Budget and 2018-2020 Financial Plan.

Strategic Plan Components

As the city’s highest level planning document, the refined strategic plan articulates four core values and three strategic goals that provide focus in providing exceptional services, improving Elgin’s quality of life and enhancing the uniqueness of the Elgin community.

Each strategic goal is supported by actionable objectives that support Elgin’s current and future identity.

The Strategic Principles and Priorities will be anchored by annual action plans developed by city staff to outline key initiatives to work toward achieving each of the plan’s three defined goals. When appropriate, the action plans will identify key city partners who are instrumental in moving forward community-wide initiatives.

“The city is determined to make significant, measurable improvements in each priority area, and share those points of pride with the community to help champion Elgin’s story,” officials say on the the city’s website.

Developing the Plan

The development of the 2018-2022 Strategic Principles and Priorities considers the strengths of the city’s most recent strategic plan, “The Road Map to the Future,” as well as key ideas from other city planning documents such as budget and financial plans.

The comprehensive plan and diversity and inclusion plan that are both in progress also assisted in the development of this document. Significant input from City Council, city staff and community members have shaped all of these documents and ancillary policy discussions.

The Strategic Plan Advisory Commission led a series of Community Input Sessions in August 2017 to discuss the Elgin’s strengths, challenges and vision for the future. Input on high profile city documents and policies throughout 2017 key in on similar themes: Elgin is proud of its heritage, energized by its progress and excited for its future.

This direction was further affirmed by results from the 2017 community survey, highlighted by the fact that 76 percent of residents rank Elgin as an “excellent” or “good” place to live.

About the Present Strategic Plan

The City of Elgin’s Strategic Plan 2013-2017 (“The Plan”) serves as the road map over the next five years to guide our vision to become THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS. It is the most comprehensive strategic plan in the city’s history.

These are strategic priorities as set in the 2013-17 plan.

The plan was inspired by and developed from other city planning documents, such as previous budget and financial plans and the Sustainability Action Plan. Its inherent flexibility allows us to change course to meet our community’s changing needs as we continue to adapt to the impacts of the Great Recession.

The Plan establishes broad community priorities coupled with specific performance objectives, and outlines strategies that will help us achieve them. We are determined to make significant, measurable improvements in each priority area.

Dr. Jerry Gabris of Northern Illinois University served as facilitator for the strategic planning process, which began in December 2011. A special retreat for the City Council was held in February 2012 to discuss the community’s strengths, challenges, opportunities and a new vision for the future. Following the retreat, community focus groups and staff interviews were held to discuss key priority areas. All of this information, combined with input from residents, businesses and organizations gathered through a variety of means, was reviewed in the context of preparing the 2013-2017 Financial Plan and provided the framework upon which city staff developed this Plan.

The city council formally adopted the eight strategic priorities on December 14, 2012 in conjunction with the 2013 Budget and 2013-2017 Financial Plan. The council will review the Plan at least annually through the budget planning process. A Strategic Plan Advisory Commission has been established to provide ongoing input on the plan as it is executed over the course of the next five years.

SOURCE: city of Elgin website and strategic plan