We’re now in the seventh month of 2010. The last six months have been very busy and productive for Montrose County. In my last report I shared the results of a series of interviews I conducted with the elected officials and department/unit heads. As a result of those interviews three priorities were identified:

Communications

Financial Planning and Control

Strategic Planning

Thanks to the Commissioners and Kristin Scuderi we have increased our level of communications with both our staff and the public.  The County website has also been upgraded and is updated regularly to provide current information on such meetings.

Over the past two months we held seven focus group sessions with randomly selected representatives of the public. Each session posed three questions to the attendees:

1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of living in Montrose County
2. What are the major issues facing the County over the next five years?
3. What results do you expect to see for each of the issues identified?

Once we had completed all seven sessions, we combined the results into one report. One of the major conclusions of the seven sessions was that Montrose is a divided county. This limits growth, and prevents the county from speaking with one mind. The top five issues identified by the focus groups were:

• The need to encourage diversified economic development and managed growth
• Improve and maintain a safe transportation system
• Provide for the public’s safety
• Effective and responsive county government
• Develop our natural resources while supporting a healthy environment.

After gathering information from our citizens as to what their concerns, issues, and desired results were, we then conducted a day and a half strategic planning exercise with our elected officials and department and unit heads. Our goal was to develop approximately five results oriented goals for the county from the perspective of our citizens. The following are the goals that were identified:

1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH
   strategic results:
   • Economic impact at Montrose County Airport will be ______ by ___________, 2011.
   • Increase gross domestic product for Montrose County by ________ compared to ________ by ________, 20__.
   • By ______, hotel room nights will be ______, compared to __________, in 2010.
   • The unemployment rate will be ______ % compared to 11.2% in 2010.
   • By _______, median income will be greater than or equal to the state average.
   • By _______, economic diversity of Montrose County businesses will increase with _____% of the jobs in manufacturing, and _____% of the jobs in natural resource development.
   • By _____, agricultural GDP in Montrose County will be _____ compared to ______ in 2010.
   • By _____, median education level in Montrose County will be ______, compared to ______ in 2011.
2. IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN A SAFE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
   strategic results:
   • Able to drive year round on a direct two lane gravel road between Nucla and Montrose, by 20__.
   • Able to drive on ____% of county arterial or collector roads that are at a quality A and/or B Grade Level by 20__.
   • By 20__, Montrose County will have an agreed upon Transportation Master Plan.
   • By ______, will have a five year Road & Bridge capital maintenance plan.
   • By 20__, the Montrose County airport facility will have the capability to accommodate enplanements of _____ per year.
3. PUBLIC SAFETY
   strategic results
   • By _____, drug related felony cases will be reduced from ____% to _____%.
   • Annually, the reportable crime rate incidents will be ____% or below.
   • By 2015, meet Healthy People 2010 goals for the three priority health/safety issues identified in Montrose County Community Health Needs Assessment completed in 2010.
   • By 2015, 78% of adults/youth/children investigated by Montrose County Health & Human Services will remain safely in their homes.
   • By _____, the number of driving under the influence of alcohol or drug incidents will be reduced from _____% to ______%.
4. EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT
   strategic results:
   • By ______, operating reserves will be no less than 20% of the annual operating budget.
   • By ______, Montrose County’s bond rating will be no less than _______.
   • By FY 2012, the Montrose County budget will be directly tied to specific result measures and aligned to the County’s Strategic Plan.
   • By 20___, _____% of County residents will be satisfied with County services.
5. ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
   strategic results:
   • By 20___, secure all available unclaimed water for the use of Montrose County.
   • By 20___, _____% of Montrose County’s forests will be healthy.
   • Economic impact from natural resource development will be increased by _____% by 20____.
   • Destination tourism visits to Montrose County will be increased by ____% by 20___.

Our first goal (economic development and growth) had more than five strategic results because it was twice as important to the focus group participants as the second place goal.

The next step is to fill in all the blanks with specific numbers and dates. Once that has been completed, each department and unit will be asked to develop a strategic plan for their department/unit, and then carry their plan down through each individual employee who will develop, with their supervisors, an individual plan with objectives, that will lead to the accomplishment of the departments goals. It’s essential that the County’s Strategic Plan include each and every department and employee, and that everyone buys into the plan.

We need to complete the strategic planning process as quickly as possible so that the County’s 2011 Budget can be tied to the strategic plan. The County’s finance staff is in the process of developing a five year financial plan with projected revenues and expenses, and a five year capital plan. With the completion of the entire strategic planning and budgeting process, and the financial projections, we will have addressed the three priorities identified in the staff interviews conducted in January, and greatly addressed the issues and results identified by our citizens. These efforts are not ends in themselves, but living documents that will be readdressed each year to keep the County moving forward. Our strategic goals will likely change as we move forward. This is not an easy process, but with all of us working together as a team we will achieve success.

Sincerely,

Jesse Smith
Montrose County Manager
Manager’s Message – March 2010