Williamson County manager previews strategic-plan dashboard, details staffing and program changes

Rebecca Clemons, Williamson County manager, told the commissioners court on May 29 that the county has completed initial work on a strategic plan and will launch an internal and external dashboard to track progress and budgets "this Friday." Clemons described personnel changes, new teams and policy work put in place during her first two quarters on the job.

The dashboard, Clemons said, will list the county's six key goals, project owners, objectives and percentage complete, and include a budget overview for projects with fiscal impacts. "We're going to have an internal dashboard and an external dashboard," she said during the presentation. The external page will mirror the internal view so the public can monitor approved projects, timelines and spending.

Officials say the dashboard is intended to connect department budget requests to the strategic plan and make progress more transparent to commissioners and residents. Clemons said the plan grew from a year‑long consultant process and was narrowed to six pillars: high‑performing government, thoughtful growth, customer‑focused workforce, strong community safety, financial stability and modern facilities.

Clemons outlined personnel and program actions already completed: hiring an executive assistant for the county manager's office; starting a four‑person death/inquest investigator team in January; assisting with an EMS director recruitment; and several internal reorganizations and reclassifications in human resources, pretrial services and veteran services. She said some departments now report administratively to the county manager but noted that "personnel decisions such as hiring and firing must be approved either by a board, an agency partner, or the commissioner's court," reflecting existing code or contract constraints.

Clemons also described policy work and trainings that accompanied new programs, including written policies for the death investigator team and for veteran services. She said the county is planning a countywide office/efficiency review (sometimes referred to in discussion as a "sunset review") and expects an initial report to be available for commissioners in June.

She previewed longer‑range items the county is monitoring: possible creation of a medical examiner's office if a pending legislative change lowers the population threshold, continued discussion about a building in the Lake Creek area, and a potential move to make risk management its own department during the upcoming budget cycle.

Commissioners and other officials who spoke praised the county staff work and said the strategic plan and dashboard should help keep the plan active and link budget decisions to stated goals. Clemons said goal‑area leaders include Julie Kiley (county auditor) for financial goals, Commissioner Covey on safety, Bob Day for growth, Richard Simple for IT, Connie Odom for communications and Alan Frederick for culture and personnel.

The presentation closed with Clemons saying the strategic‑plan process is a "living document" and that staff will review objectives regularly. She said the county will revisit the plan annually "even if it's just a cursory view" to ensure changes in hazards, growth or funding are reflected.