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Commission sets two‑year strategic plan process, agrees to public outreach and city survey
Summary
The commission asked each member to submit top priorities, discussed a two‑year planning horizon and agreed to a multi‑channel public outreach plan that could include a public town hall, online survey and staff‑compiled priorities. Communications staff outlined distribution channels.
At the Jan. 14 workshop the Sarasota City Commission set the framework for a new two‑year strategic plan and discussed how to solicit public input before finalizing commissioners’ priorities.
Commissioners were asked to prepare up to 10 project priorities each for a plan covering the next two years. Interim City Manager Jeff Cope told commissioners staff would collect the lists, assemble a combined project list and propose metrics for staff to track implementation. The commission agreed that every commissioner’s top priority would be carried forward automatically, with staff and the commission then selecting additional projects from the combined pool.
Why it matters: The strategic plan will guide city decisions and resource allocation for the next two years; the commission emphasized aligning staff implementation with the elected body’s stated priorities and noted that the plan can be used to evaluate incoming city‑manager candidates.
Public engagement and timeline
- Outreach methods. Commissioners discussed multiple ways to collect public input: an in‑person town hall (charrette or brief public testimony), an online survey or instant polling tool, paper boards/sticky notes at events, and email submissions. Communications General Manager Jan Thornburg described the city’s channels for distribution, saying the city posts releases to social media platforms that together reach roughly 150,000 accounts and also publishes material on the city website.
- Town hall timing. Commissioners discussed holding a public session immediately before the planned Feb. 14 workshop (or at another near date) so commissioners could hear public input and then consider it at the workshop. Several commissioners proposed limiting individual speaking time at a public session (suggestions ranged from one to two minutes) and providing written drop‑off options for people who could not speak.
- Survey design and processing. The commission directed staff to prepare a survey and give commissioners the opportunity to review it before release. Staff agreed to allow a reasonable response window and to compile results for commissioners to review before the workshop.
Plan structure and metrics
Commissioners discussed a two‑year horizon for the strategic plan to align with possible future commission turnover; staff will propose measurable metrics for each project or goal so progress can be tracked during the plan period. Commissioners were advised staff will propose metrics and assess workload feasibility based on the projects selected.
Next steps
Staff will prepare a draft survey and outreach plan and circulate it to commissioners for comment. The commission did not adopt a final date at the workshop but agreed to use the Feb. 14–24 planning period as a working target, with final scheduling and outreach details to be set by staff and the chair.
Ending
No plan was adopted at the workshop. Commissioners directed staff to compile commissioner priority lists, draft the survey and outreach materials, and return the results and a proposed strategic‑plan schedule for further commission review.
