Rochester Hills council adopts goals, objectives

Rochester Hills City Council on Monday, June 4, adopted a list of goals and objectives for 2019 that will guide policy decisions in the city for the next year.

The city's Strategic Planning and Policy Technical Review Committee met in May to reassess the city's goal and objectives for 2019. The committee, which includes council members Ryan Deel, Stephanie Morita, Mark Tisdel and assistance from the city's chief financial officer Joe Snyder.

The committee made several changes to the current goal and objectives, which are ordered by priority ranking. The goals and objectives also guide city council's strategy for the upcoming budget year and help guide city administration in developing that budget.

The committee added one new goal regarding the city's workforce and objectives designed to attract and retain a qualified, responsive, productive and innovative workforce.

Under the "City Workforce" goal, the committee recommended four objectives, including: continuing to offer competitive compensation and benefit programs; encourage and support training and continuing education to retain and maximize talent; using social media and other targeted outlets to attract best prospects, including diverse candidates; and building a pipeline of skilled workers through proactive partnerships and internship programs.

Nine other goals remained in the same order as 2018, with some changes to specific objectives.

Council unanimously approved the goals and objectives, with councilman Dale Hetrick absent.

The goals and objectives for 2019 include:

Public Safety: Protect the residents, businesses and visitors of Rochester Hills by providing high quality public safety. Public safety objectives include monitoring the city's fire department funding structure; examining current levels of police service for effectiveness and efficiency; and implementing strategies to maintain current levels of fire and EMS service.

Infrastructure Management: to provide reliable, safe and effective infrastructure throughout the city. Infrastructure objectives include implementing a comprehensive stormwater policy, including a longterm funding strategy; continuing neighborhood stormwater education programs; continuing the city's sump pump discharge inspection program; reviewing the condition of existing facilities to ensure they are aesthetically pleasing and to optimize administrative efficiency so that both residents and employees feel valued; and to continue the city's cross connection education program.

Economic/Tax Base: to retain investment, maintain tax and employment bases, support redevelopment, and uphold high property values in the city. Objectives include attracting and retaining businesses that focus on research and development, and high-tech areas; continued policies and ordinances for maintenance of existing residential and commercial buildings; supporting the implementation of the Auburn Road Corridor Redevelopment Plan; and supporting diversification of available housing stock, including the encouragement of mixed-use properties.

Recreation, Parks and Culture: to preserve the city's natural resources and recreational character. Those objectives include reviewing short and long-term needs of the park system and providing a plan to meet those needs, including funding; examining alternate funding sources for park development; and implementing a maintenance program of acquired green space and natural feature city owned property.

Community Trust and Participation: to promote effective communication between city council, administration, residents, businesses and visitors so that decisions reflect the community's desires and expectations. Those objectives include maintaining an improving openness and transparency in conducting city business by way of cable broadcast and webcast of city meetings and accessibility of city documents; expanding new development notification to ensure neighboring property owners are advised; utilizing technology to enhance communication with residents, and allow for online delivery of certain services; continue the policy of bi-annual public input via a community survey; and involving youth in leadership growth and development of the city's future by way of encouraging their participation on the Rochester Hills Government Youth Council.

Fiscal Management: Establish policies for fiscal responsibility that ensure short and longterm prosperity through effective fiscal planning and efficient management of taxpayer assets. Those objectives include continuing a policy of forecasting revenues, expenses and critical factors for up to the next seven years on a rolling basis and begin strategic analysis of the years beyond; and to continue a three-year budget plan.

Community/Neighborhoods: To protect the family-oriented community from adverse events and conditions by strategic planning and proactive management in all aspects of municipal governance. Those objectives include developing and implementing a comprehensive notification system to alert residents of emergency situations; maintaining and improving relationships with homeowner associations/neighborhoods to further neighborhood neighborhood stability to make the community a better place to live; continuing to implement code enforcement/blight ordinances effectively to preserve existing neighborhoods; and continuing the evaluate and make recommendations to reduce the adverse impact of wildlife population in the city, and educate home owner association leadership and homeowners.

Effective Governance: Provide clear policy direction to the administration for the execution of city programs and services to ensure the efficient use of taxpayer funds. Those objectives include promoting cooperative purchases with other communities; exploring opportunities for new public/private partnerships, and possibilities for consolidation of city services; encouraging administration to identify grants and/or opportunities to share project costs with other agencies; and annual review and update of the city's emergency operating plan by staff and city council.

Environment: Promote conservation of water, electricity and other resources. Those objectives include supporting green initiatives and resource efficiencies; reviewing potential for expansion of green programs in the city; and continuing education and enforcement of the city' automated irrigation systems ordinance.