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Commissioners agree to refresh county strategic plan; consultant facilitation to be considered
Summary
County administration proposed a high-level refresh of Carver County’s strategic plan and asked the board to provide direction on priorities and whether to hire an outside facilitator. Commissioners signaled support for narrowing the document to 4–6 top priorities and for staff to return with a scoped plan.
County Administrator David Hemsey told the board he plans to update Carver County’s strategic plan and asked commissioners whether they support a shorter, higher-level plan that sets four to six board priorities and gives clearer guidance to division directors.
Hemsey said the plan in its current form runs about 19 pages and is useful for staff but can be too detailed for the board’s policy-level role. He proposed bringing in an external facilitator to help the board and staff identify top initiatives and to gather input from division directors and stakeholders.
Lisa (last name not provided), who works on leadership development and strategic planning and recently joined county administration, told the board she had reviewed the existing document and similarly recommended simplifying it for board-level adoption. Hemsey said he had a potential facilitator in mind, former Scott County administrator Dave Unmacht, and asked permission to meet with him and return with a proposed scope, cost estimate and timeline.
Commissioners discussed timing and the value of doing the work before the county’s budget process advances. Several commissioners said an off-site retreat and a facilitated discussion would help the board set priorities and allow administration to implement them. Hemsey said a tentative retreat date of May 27 was on the calendar; he said the date is useful because it falls after key budget information becomes available.
Commissioners emphasized the need to incorporate input from division directors and to make the outcome actionable for staff. One commissioner called the update a “doctor’s appointment” for the county — an opportunity to assess current performance and set a corrective course — while another urged the board to pick a short list of priorities and then let administration implement them.
The work session produced no formal vote. Hemsey said he would meet with the chair and the suggested facilitator, talk with division directors, refine the scope and return to the board with a recommendation for the facilitator, schedule and costs.
