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 focus areas: (1) support community health and wellness; (2) create a safe and just community; (3) strengthen community vitality and resilience; (4) be accountable, collaborative and transparent; (5) improve operational excellence; and (6) invest in youth and families.

- Performance approach: The plan uses a pyramid model: strategies -> measures -> indicators -> outcomes -> focus areas. Department-level strategies and measures are intended to roll up to countywide indicators.

- Staff feedback: ERU-led survey (two weeks) returned 1,177 responses, with strong support for outcomes such as county communications, transparent data-driven decision making and employee connection to mission. Presenters said the majority of respondents were frontline, non-supervisory staff.

- Implementation timing: Formal implementation and performance tracking will begin July 1, 2026. County staff plan a community survey in October, a final draft to the board in November, and a December exercise to prioritize strategies before departments submit budget requests in January. The chair's office has a planned board work session on the board work plan for Sept. 16, presenters said.

Board questions and requests

Commissioners pressed staff for more specific, measurable goals rather than high-level indicators. "If you don't have SMART goals, then you never miss your goals," Commissioner Brim Edwards said, urging indicators that include numerical targets and geographic detail for safety measures.

Commissioners asked that community feedback be gathered earlier so survey results can inform department budget development. Commissioner Sharon Meijer Singleton (listed in the transcript as Commissioner Singleton) suggested moving the community survey earlier so departments could use results during budget planning.

Commissioner Jones Dixon thanked staff and asked about hiring for a continuous improvement manager. Samuel Ashby, director of strategic initiatives, said the role has been posted and that the hire would work with departments to link strategy to the budget and operational plans.

Concerns flagged by commissioners

- Geographic specificity for safety: Commissioner Brim Edwards and others said countywide averages could mask neighborhood disparities in crime and gun violence and asked that indicators be disaggregated by geography.

- Measurable targets and control: Commissioners asked staff to distinguish between indicators the county can directly influence and broader community outcomes the county can only affect in partnership with others.

- Disability services example questioned: Commissioner Moyer raised concern about an example listed in the draft measures''"increased number of licensed homes serving individuals with developmental disabilities." Moyer said many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities prefer noncongregate, community-based housing and warned that increasing licensed congregate settings could run counter to service users' preferences. Presenters acknowledged the comment and said the example would be reviewed.

Next steps

Presenters said they will incorporate board feedback, finalize the draft and return to the board in November with proposed one-year and three-year goals (presenters indicated the November return will include draft measurable goals). Staff also plan to align indicators with existing data collected by departments and to convene department leaders to set top strategies within each focus area.

The briefing did not include any formal votes or adopted actions.

Ending

County leaders described the plan as the beginning of a multi-year process linking strategy, budget and performance data. Board members said they expect more specific targets, clearer measures tied to county authority, earlier community outreach and geographic breakdowns for indicators before the plan is finalized.