For discussion purposes only

While Flagstaff Water Services is currently well-positioned to provide reliable services, meeting both regulatory and internal standards, I as the Director want to develop a plan that focused on the future, addressing the risks, major decisions, needed investments and opportunities that will likely arise within the next five (5) years.  This is of critical importance given my impending retirement after 12.5 years with the City and the past nine (9) as Director of the Division.  The plan was created by the Division's leadership team, providing their valuable perspective regarding the issues that need to be discussed and solved in the near term.   The Plan contains the following elements: a Strategic Foundation that defines the Division's Mission and Behavioral Values; Business Values that describe staff's commitment to providing compelling value and services to the community; Standards that establish benchmarks for how the staff makes sound decisions and measures success; and lastly Strategic Objectives that describe a significant challenge, opportunity or proposed investment likely to arise in the next five (5) years.  To ensure a proactive follow-through, staff members have been assigned to each Strategic Objective; responsible for advancing each objective and proving routine updates on their progress.  It is important to note that this Plan does not reflect final policy decisions, but instead creates a context for collaborative discussions with the City Council, community leaders and the public on how to address the issues identified in the Plan.

This Strategic Plan provides an overview of the values, standards and major water issues facing Flagstaff, from the internal staff's perspective over the next 5 years.  Although each of the Strategic Objectives is important, it is clear that some challenges and investments are more time-critical than others.  Additionally, the staff understands that climate change must be considered in almost every aspect of the Division's planning. 

In order to facilitate the development of this Plan, Water Services hired John Ruetten with Resource Trends, Inc.  His company is well known in the utility industry for helping large and small water utilities in the western USA implement branding principles to develop a more integrated planning and communication framework.  This framework addresses common challenges, such as transparency, culture, financial investment, public outreach, and community relationships.