Kane County Board hires BerryDunn to lead five-year strategic plan; consultant outlines timeline, engagement and budget alignment

The Kane County Board on April 22 voted to adopt an administrative exhibit related to the county’s new strategic planning effort and heard a detailed orientation from consultant Michelle Kennedy of the firm BerryDunn on how the five-year plan will be developed and implemented.

Kennedy told the board the process will include a project initiation phase, a roughly three-month community engagement and environmental-scan phase, about three months of plan development, and then an implementation-planning phase; she estimated the planning effort will take “somewhere between 6 and 9 months,” and the resulting strategic plan would guide county priorities for the next five years. "A strategic plan identifies the what...and the how will be in the implementation plan document," Kennedy said.

The presentation and follow-up questions focused on two central topics: community engagement and budget alignment. Kennedy described outreach tools BerryDunn will use, including at least three community forums, an employee survey, targeted interviews and focus groups, and a Social Pinpoint online engagement platform. She said public-facing strategic-plan documents will be high-level while a separate implementation plan will contain operational detail and performance measures; she told the board that implementation plans are typically kept internal but can be shared by request.

Board members raised concerns about the county’s fiscal outlook and asked how the strategic plan would address budget constraints. Michelle Kennedy and Paul Cofer, Kane County grant administrator and project manager for the effort, said budget alignment is an integral part of BerryDunn’s approach. "In situations of fiscal challenge we often make fiscal sustainability one of the strategic priorities," Kennedy said, noting she has worked with other counties that used strategic planning specifically to focus scarce resources.

Members also asked about composition and operating rules for a proposed ad hoc steering committee that will guide the project. Kennedy recommended a steering committee of about 10–12 people with representation from county board members, department leaders and key staff; she suggested an even split (roughly four board members, four department representatives and four staff). The committee will approve the project schedule, advise on stakeholder lists and review the environmental scan. County staff confirmed any steering-committee meetings would be held in accordance with the state Open Meetings Act.

On outreach to non-English speakers, Kennedy said BerryDunn can provide Spanish-speaking facilitators where available, contract local translation services, or partner with community organizations to host Spanish-language focus groups and translated materials. For employee participation she recommended self-selection for focus-group slots supplemented by manager outreach to secure broad departmental representation.

Kennedy also described typical deliverables and examples BerryDunn will share with the county: polished final plan documents (branded for the county) and a companion implementation plan with time-bound objectives and performance measures. She said the firm will provide examples of recent work for DuPage County, Lake County and the City of St. Charles.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included a motion to adopt “Exhibit A,” which the clerk called and the board approved by roll call. The board later moved to adjourn. Neither the content of Exhibit A nor budget figures tied to the contract were specified on the record during the presentation.

The board requested that BerryDunn provide digital copies of the referenced plans and an example implementation plan; Kennedy agreed to send those materials to Paul Cofer for distribution.

Votes at a glance - Motion: "Adopt Exhibit A" — Mover: Roth. Clerk called the roll; the recorded votes in the minutes show the motion carried (recorded responses: Bates, Doherty, Garcia, Gripe, Gumbs, Iqbal, Luis, Linder, Molina, Hennessy, Roth, Sanchez, Strathman, Serges, Tepe, Young, Berman, Allen — all recorded as "yes" on the roll call). Outcome: approved. - Motion: Adjourn — Mover: Roth; second: Linda (recorded as second). Outcome: approved.

What’s next BerryDunn and county staff will finalize a steering-committee charter and proposed membership; the county intends to present a recommended steering committee to the executive committee in mid-May. BerryDunn will begin one-on-one interviews with board members as part of project initiation and will provide the board with sample plans and an implementation-plan example via Paul Cofer.

Sources: Kane County Board meeting transcript (April 22, 2025); presentation and remarks by Michelle Kennedy of BerryDunn; remarks by Paul Cofer, Kane County grant administrator.