MOUNT VERNON — A resolution adopting Phase 2 of the city’s strategic plan is up for a third reading in Monday’s city council meeting.
Council adopted Phase 1 in March 2022. It emphasized continual improvement, excellent customer service, and equitable laws that support residents and visitors and retain and attract new business to the community.
Mayor Matt Starr reviewed Phase 2 goals and highlights at council’s Feb. 12 meeting. He noted that department heads and staff members evaluated Phase 1’s mission with an eye toward how their respective departments could work to fulfill that mission.
Goals focused on three criteria:
•Safety
•Quality
•Productivity
Phase 2 strategic plan: Safety
“From a city standpoint, we felt it was time to create a safety committee,” Starr said.
The administrative committee will examine operations and ensure the city performs them safely. Each department will identify a safety officer to serve on the committee.
The committee will help implement standard training programs.
Other safety goals include:
•Modernize facilities so the city can provide a safe and pleasant environment and convenient payment options
•Reduce workplace errors while increasing efficiencies and profitability through standardizing procedures
•Improve workforce physical fitness to provide more effective customer service (fire/EMS)
•Reduce response time for all calls for service (police department)
•Reduce citizen fatalities due to drug misuse (NaloxBox initiative)
•Increase parks and recreation options for citizens and visitors
•Protect the beauty and peaceful place of loved ones by maintaining a standard of perpetual care and the prevention of vandalism (cemetery)
Phase 2 strategic plan: Quality
“One of the things we like to do from a sustainability standpoint is support the local economy,” Starr said.
About 24% of the city’s vendors are within Knox County. The goal is to reinvest tax dollars into the local community as much as possible to recirculate the dollars within the county.
Other quality goals include:
•Increase early productivity and reduce the learning curve of new hires by developing an onboarding program
•Improve customer service speed and convenience through e-government services (pay bills, pool passes, and permit fees online)
•Improve case management in the municipal court to help reduce missed court-related payments, allow for e-filing, and provide text and email reminders of jury duty and upcoming court dates
•Support countywide active transportation efforts for mobility options (promote walkability)
•Modernize zoning laws to allow for smaller living spaces and enhance infill to address housing needs
•Reduce time on site to locate utilities through up-to-date GIS coordinates and increase the ability to isolate utility issues to affect the fewest number of people
•Improve traffic flow and safety (Reroute State Route 13)
•Increase income tax transactions through e-payment
•Better assist victims of crime
•Enhance economic development through property maintenance and enforcement (educational and personal communications with property owners, reducing violations to enhance property values)
Phase 2 strategic plan: Productivity
•Improve feedback to team members on work performance and expectations of the city’s mission, vision, and values
•Be a competitive employer to attract employees with various career goals (launch a new compensation study to bridge compensation gaps)
•Enhance professional development
•Enhance driver education and license intervention through court programs to reduce citations and help individuals regain driving privileges
•Protect and enhance city physical assets by generating a list of streets, utilities, parks, and buildings (create a life cycle plan for each)
•Serve the community with up-to-date equipment, safe vehicles, and internet connectivity (fire/EMS, police, utilities, public works)
•Increase efficient collaboration with law enforcement partners and provide better services to those who interact with the law director’s office