What is fair spending, Elliot Lake?
As 2023 begins, our outdated Vision Statement
and Strategic Plan present an opportunity
The citizens, council, and staff of Elliot Lake have an important opportunity: update the
Vision Statement and Strategic Plan. Local conversation dates the last revision to around 2014.
(The documents are on the city website. The Vision Statement is here
, and the Strategic Plan is here.)
What is a Vision Statement and Strategic Plan?
A Vision Statement is like a snapshot of where we want to go. It’s our destination. “A thoughtful Vision Statement forms the forward-looking strategic framework that gives the council the long-term perspective necessary to make disciplined decisions on community issues as they arise.”
A Strategic Plan is like a roadmap showing how we plan to reach our destination. “Strategic planning is the process by
which leaders of an organization, such as a local government, determine what it
intends for the future (the vision) and how it will get there. It involves
developing a vision for the organization’s future and determining the goals,
priorities, and action strategies to achieve that vision.”
Why are a Vision Statement and Strategic Plan important?
Without them, our chance of success for the average citizen is much less. Very much less. “A Strategic Plan is used to prioritize initiatives, resources, goals, and department operations and projects. The strategic plan is the big-picture document directing efforts and resources toward a clearly defined vision.”
In short, these help us see how big individual expenditures will help achieve the Vision. (That way, we don’t find out that some interest groups had a lot spent on them while others received nearly nothing, and the basic necessities for city living were short-changed.)
Visioning is a community process
“Community vision statements are typically crafted through a collaborative process that involves a wide variety of community residents, stakeholders and elected officials.”
“Community visioning is the process of developing consensus about what future the community wants and then deciding what is necessary to achieve it. It captures what community members most value about their community and the shared image of what they want their community to become.
It inspires community members to work
together to achieve the vision.”
The most important leadership task of council
Nothing can bring the power of a community together better than a common vision in which everyone sees a positive outcome for themselves and others.
Happy New Year!
Let's map a plan to a good destination for everyone, Elliot Lake! Our future is brightest when we work together.
Please ask your councillor when the council plans to update Elliot Lake’s Vision Statement and Strategic Plan and what the public involvement will be.
By Stephen Calverley, January 1, 2023
Quotations adapted from an article at:
Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC)