By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Since it was put out less than a month ago, a survey asking for the public’s help in designing a “strategic plan” for the city has drawn some 200 responses from residents weighing in on where the local government should put its focus.
The survey started May 20, and the strategic plan is scheduled for adoption and implementation this fall. The slogan for the strategic plan process is “Growing the Future Together,” and the survey can be reached through the website: sitkagrowingthefuturetogether.org, under the “Get Involved” tab. It can also be reached from cityofsitka.com.
An information packet on the Strategic Plan process and how to participate is available at the Sitka Public Library, City Hall and Harrigan Centennial Hall.
Sara Singer Wilson, the Oregon-based consultant hired to help guide the city in developing the plan, spoke to the Assembly at last Tuesday’s meeting.
“Just to highlight,” Singer said, “there is a difference between a comprehensive plan, which is that long-term kind of 10-year look that guides community land use development. The strategic plan is different in that it takes a shorter-term look, only five years, and is really focused on how those city services serve the community.”
The strategic plan is separate from the comprehensive plan but is connected to it, city staff said.
“It’s taking that input from the community, dialing it down for what we can use to make the Comprehensive Plan a reality,” City Administrator John Leach said today. “The Comprehensive Plan is driven by the community; the strategic plan also has an outreach component, including the survey, a sign-up to receive updates, ways you can form your own neighborhood group to work with (the consultant) and her team; and targeted outreach that Sara (the consultant), the strategic planning team and the Assembly have identified (e.g. Sitka Tribe of Alaska, nonprofit groups, boards, commissions, committees, the fishing community, government agencies, ad hoc community groups).”
City Administrator John Leach has been talking to the Assembly about the need for a strategic plan since shortly after taking over as administrator in March 2020 after a 20-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard. He said his extra duties through COVID caused a delay in starting the strategic plan process.
In looking through city documents prior to taking the administrator position, he said, “I couldn’t find a consistent mission statement for the city, or a clear set of common goals. The comprehensive plan had one thing, the budget book had another, the website had something else and every department had their own mission statement and goals.”
A strategic plan doesn’t replace the Comprehensive Plan, but is intended to be a “guiding document for staff to achieve community needs and concerns outlined in the longer-term comprehensive plan,” Leach said.
The Assembly approved an $80,000 item in the FY 2022 budget for developing the plan. An RFP was issued for a consultant, and Wilson was selected for the job.
Leach said he talked to administrators in other cities, asking them about their strategic plans and for recommendations on consultants. He said Wilson has a background in municipal government, came highly recommended, and was selected after a city staff evaluation process. Another advantage was that she was available and could work in the city’s tight timeline.
“We wanted to be able to get (the plan) in place so we can use it this fall and winter for next year’s budget formulation,” Leach said.
The process is being guided by a team of department heads and two Assembly liaisons appointed by the Assembly, Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz, and Rebecca Himschoot. An all-day workshop for the Assembly and a steering committee of city department heads was held in March.
Following the workshop, Wilson identified six areas that were important: economic development, cost of living and quality of life, fiscal sustainability, communications and engagement, organizational development, and infrastructure.
Wilson gave a brief overview of progress so far at last Tuesday’s Assembly meeting, and participated through videoconference.
“Our tagline for this work that we’re doing is ‘Growing the Future Together,’ because that is our hope, that this will be a five-year plan to help guide the City and Borough of Sitka, and best serving the residents and the people who live there and work there,” she said.
The survey asks participants such questions as:
– Share what you like most about Sitka that we should preserve into the future?
– How can Sitka be a better place for you and your family?
– Please rate your satisfaction with CBS (City and Borough of Sitka) services.
– Do you have any final thoughts or suggestions before we get underway with developing our strategic plan for the next 5 years?
Wilson said the 192 responses so far have been from a broad cross-section of the community, although a few more women than men took the survey, and were older than the average in Sitka.
“There are some areas we need more work on to make sure it’s reflective, particularly the Asian community, so maybe some more targeted outreach to make sure it is representative of Sitka’s population,” Wilson said.
The question of preserving Sitka for the future brought responses reflecting a passion for a sense of community, the hiking trails, the natural beauty, the “small-town feel,” appreciation for local businesses, and arts and education, Wilson said. Responses to “how Sitka could be better for you and your family,” tended toward affordable housing, childcare and lower cost of living.
“Just some of the other survey information that we’re seeing, as far as being a better place for you and your family, there’s concerns about tourism, worry that residents may be pushed out from high-cost vacation rentals, and the lack of childcare,” Wilson said. “We’re hearing some comments around transportation, mobility, road maintenance, road connections and safety.”
Some of the top suggestions about what the focus should be in the next five years were affordable housing, preventing “over-tourism,” and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
There also was a question on how to make Sitka more welcoming.
“Some of the comments we’re hearing in this area is the people already think it’s really warm and welcoming and inclusive,” Wilson said. “Another theme that’s coming out in this question is just appreciation, recognition for the Native tribes; addressing housing issues; helping the locals the way that visitors and tourism is supported.”
Affordable childcare and its importance to working families was also brought up in the “focus” section.
On the question of supporting local industries, participants talked about housing, childcare, lower utility costs and lower shipping costs.
Wilson said there’s still time to get involved, and she’s working with city staff on reaching out in a number of ways.
“And then just know that the organizational outreach is going to be kicking off here in the next couple weeks so that we can also talk with the city staff and gather their insights as well,” she said. “Because once the strategic plan is all put together and said and done, they will be tasked with implementing it. So we need to make sure that we gather their ideas and support in the plan as well.”
Leach talked about some of the ways the public can stay apprised and be involved, including through community groups, signing up for emails or participating in focus groups. Information is going out in this month’s utility bills, said Melissa Henshaw, city public and government relations director.
Wilson is the principal/owner of SSW Consulting of Portland, Oregon. Before starting her private consulting business in 2015, she was a deputy city administrator and assistant to the city manager for Tualatin, Oregon, from 2011 through 2015. She was a senior administrative analyst for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, from 2008 through 2011. She started as an intern in the city of Brentwood, Missouri, in 2001, and later was a management intern for the City of Merriam, Kansas, and assistant to the city manager in Shawnee, Kansas.
She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas, and a bachelor’s degree in political science, pre-law and economics from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
