Multnomah County unveils draft FY26–28 strategic plan; board asks for clearer goals, community input

Multnomah County officials on Thursday presented a draft strategic plan that would set countywide priorities for fiscal years 2026–2028 and align the plan with the annual budget and a new performance-management system.

The Board of County Commissioners heard the plan from Christopher Neal, chief operating officer, and members of the COO's Spark unit. Neal said the plan, funded in the FY25 budget, is intended to unify departments around six focus areas and to inform the FY27 budget. "This plan isn't just going to be a document; it's going to serve as our new road map," Neal said.

County staff described a participatory development process intended to ground the plan in operational realities. The Evaluation and Research Unit (ERU) and the Spark team led cohort work across six focus areas; an all-staff survey drew 1,177 responses, and more than 80% of employees "liked" or "really liked" the proposed outcomes, presenters said.

Why it matters: The plan will guide how Multnomah County assigns funding and measures progress across public health, public safety and community resilience. Senior staff said they will integrate strategic objectives into the budget cycle so department program offers explicitly connect to indicators and measurables.

Key details and timeline

- Six…