Saginaw council reviews final strategic-plan priorities; staff to convert goals into action plans

City Manager Tim Morales and department heads briefed City Council on Tuesday about the final steps to implement Saginaws five-year strategic plan. Morales summarized the planning process and said departments had reviewed survey results and provided recommended clarifications and implementation items. "We're in the final steps, which is the goals selected based upon the priorities that we have," he said.

Key priorities and changes: Staff said economic development priorities did not change: lifting the tax cap, supporting community assets, and encouraging "missing middle" housing. Public safety priorities remained recruitment and retention, community engagement, and resources; staff reported both the police and fire departments are fully staffed and that the police department currently has candidates on a waiting list. The city said 19 percent of city employees now live in the city, exceeding the councils earlier goal of 10 percent; staff recommended developing an enhanced city-resident incentive plan tied to upcoming collective bargaining.

Parks and recreation: Staff recommended increasing capital investment in Central Park District above a previously listed $100,000 annual placeholder, noting that figure would have limited impact and that a combination of grant, county, state, and general fund resources should be considered. The plan keeps goals for walkability, arts, and recreational events; staff highlighted ongoing cooperation with Saginaw County Parks and recommended clearer communications about adopted-park activities.

Housing and economic development: Staff recommended the city publish accessible housing resources for residents and up-to-date housing data for developers. An update to the city's economic development strategy and housing study is underway with funding from the Michigan Municipal League; that work is scheduled to be completed by the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2026), staff said. Utilities and infrastructure goals were refined to focus on grant-leveraging and to recommend resurfacing roughly 2 miles of local streets per year for five years rather than the earlier 3-mile target.

Implementation and tracking: Morales and OMB Director Yolanda Bland plan to assign staff tasks, develop KPIs, and rotate department-head updates to council at future meetings. Staff proposed a template for annual reporting and suggested dedicating part of a council meeting each year to celebrate completed goals and publicize accomplishments.

Other administrative notes: Morales said audit work has begun, the city has increased general fund reserves compared with earlier years, and HUD has approved the Saginaw Housing Commissions proposed sale of 2701 East Genesee to the city for park development, with a market-value purchase price of $20,000. Morales said the purchase agreement will be signed the following day. Council asked staff to keep goals fluid so priorities can shift with budget changes and to invite council members to participate in departmental action-plan teams.