Consultants tell Traverse City commission to shore up communication, trust before full strategic plan adoption

Jen Ferguson, senior consultant with BerryDunn, and Michelle Kennedy, manager with BerryDunn, told the Traverse City City Commission that stronger commission–management communication, clearer boundaries and improved trust would increase the chance of a successful strategic planning outcome.

Ferguson and Kennedy presented a readiness assessment based on interviews with commissioners, city management and staff. The consultants recommended a series of governance steps — including a team‑building retreat, updated commission rules (including social‑media and communications guidance), and clearer delineation of commission and city management roles — before the commission adopts and begins implementing a multi‑year strategic plan.

“Your role is to set the vision, mission and strategic goals,” Ferguson said, explaining the city commission’s policy responsibilities under the council–manager form of government. She said the city manager and staff are responsible for executing that policy and running day‑to‑day operations. The consultants warned that blurred boundaries and inconsistent information flow have led to delays in decision making and a reduction in organizational effectiveness.

“We recommend that you proceed with caution on strategic planning until stability, trust and effective communication can be established,” the consultants said in a summary of risks. They said a process that starts without that readiness can produce a plan lacking buy‑in, with low implementation follow‑through, and can deepen commission–management conflict.

The consultants listed specific findings: unclear roles and responsibilities between the commission and management; fragmented and inconsistent information flow; perceived distrust among commissioners and between commissioners and management; and the absence of an organizing strategic focus, which leaves many items competing as if all were equally urgent.

Their recommendations included: - Hold a facilitated team‑building retreat for commissioners and senior staff to build trust and address interpersonal dynamics. - Update the commission’s rules of procedure to include expectations for communications and social‑media use and to set clearer decision‑making processes. - Clarify the commission’s sponsorship role for the strategic plan and confirm the city manager’s role as implementation champion. - Require periodic review of rules and annual or regular retreats to maintain cohesion and revalidate priorities.

Commissioners and staff discussed next steps. Several commissioners said the ongoing strategic‑planning process has progressed and that staff participation and community survey work already under way reduce some risks. Staff said a second community survey will refine draft plan priorities; a draft strategic plan was expected for review in spring with a potential adoption discussion in May and final action in June.

Commissioners asked practical questions about Open Meetings Act compliance for retreats and about onboarding and continuing training for new commissioners. The consultants suggested holding retreats that invite the public or make the agenda and purpose publicly available to avoid open‑meetings concerns and recommended a more robust onboarding that could run beyond a single half‑day session.

A public comment speaker asked whether the consultants’ readiness memo and the presentation would be made part of the public record; staff said the materials could be posted publicly. No formal commission action or vote occurred at the meeting on governance reforms; the consultants said they would provide a written readiness memo to staff and the commission.