County launches two‑year strategic planning process, highlights roads and reserves as early priorities

Franklin County launched a two‑year strategic planning process at a workshop following the July 23 commissioners meeting. County administrator Danzel presented a phased approach that begins with assessment and stakeholder engagement, moves to strategy development with measurable targets, and ends with periodic review and adaptation.

Danzel told the board the aim is to “guide Franklin County’s future growth and development,” improve resource allocation and accountability, and provide a durable agenda beyond single meeting cycles. The proposed phases include data collection and a stakeholder outreach campaign (focus groups, business and resident surveys), a SWOT analysis, goal and metric setting, and a public adoption step followed by implementation tracking.

Commissioners and staff discussed candidate priorities to place in the two‑year effort. Danzel recorded board suggestions that included protecting the road fund from diversions, prioritizing pavement and turnouts on key rural roads (the board mentioned Glade Road and northern county routes), updating building‑code and comprehensive‑plan policies, reviewing interlocal agreements and contract terms, and advancing reserve policy milestones. Commissioners stressed the need for measurable targets and regular check‑ins: as one commissioner summarized, “Prior planning prevents poor performance.”

Danzel proposed a compact implementation team to draft the plan and broader stakeholder mapping to ensure community input; he also circulated draft survey text for review and said staff would launch outreach promptly. The board asked administration to schedule a series of workshops, circulate survey instruments, and return with a draft strategic plan and a recommended public engagement schedule.

What’s next: staff will distribute surveys and schedule follow‑up workshops; the plan will include explicit metrics, timelines and assigned staff leads for each major objective. The board indicated it will review and formally adopt the strategic plan when a draft reflecting community input is ready.