Lane County work session narrows mission to “We improve lives,” debates phrasing for vision and values

The Lane County Board of Commissioners spent a major portion of its March 19 strategic-plan work session reviewing foundational statements such as purpose, vision, mission and values. Consultants from Moss Adams led the discussion and the group adopted the short mission phrase “We improve lives” by a show of hands during the meeting.

Consultant Annie Rose and Chief of Staff Judy Williams framed the discussion as part of an iterative process that will return to staff and the community for additional feedback. Rose said the team wanted the group to prioritize statements that are “simple” and that frontline staff can remember and use in daily work.

Why it matters: foundational statements set the tone for county policy and communications and are intended to guide decisions across departments. Board members and staff said short, memorable wording helps employees of widely different roles — from parks workers to prosecutors — connect their daily work to the county’s purpose.

Discussion highlights included whether to keep a separate “purpose” statement or fold it into the mission, how to phrase the vision (options included “a thriving community where all people can live, work and play” versus “a community where all people can thrive/flourish”), and whether to retain or rework the value words (integrity, excellence, equity, respect). Several participants said “best” as used in an earlier draft did not resonate and that “thrive” or a “live, work, play” formulation might be more tangible for residents.

Board and staff discussion produced clear direction on the mission. After debating longer wordings, a motionless show of hands favored returning the shorter mission phrasing “We improve lives.” Commissioners and staff said the brief mission better connects across the county’s many services and roles and is more likely to be remembered by front-line employees.

Participants also flagged equity and respect as related but distinct concepts and asked staff to think through whether those words should remain separate values, be integrated into core behaviors, or be reframed as “belonging.” Several department leaders cautioned that removing the explicit equity value could be read as a de-emphasis by staff who rely on the explicit language.

Next steps: Moss Adams and county staff will refine the vision and the relationship between values, core behaviors and strategic lenses, then bring revised wording back to the board. The refined draft will later go to staff and to the public for comment prior to finalization.