County staff review adopted strategic plan, identify early accomplishments and next steps

Assistant County Manager Bridal Hart gave a high‑level review of the county’s strategic plan (adopted February 2024), describing the plan’s vision and mission, organizational values and five strategic focus areas: (1) economic opportunity and growth, (2) capital investment, (3) lifelong learning, (4) service excellence, and (5) quality of life. Hart noted that goals are a two‑to‑four year view while strategies are intended for the next one to two fiscal years and typically assign departmental ownership.

Staff identified near‑term accomplishments: the Raleigh Regional Airport runway strength project was completed (noted as checked in the plan), Person Industries (PI) and the recycling center merger is nearing completion, the county implemented an online public‑records request platform and is recruiting participants for a Citizens Academy. The presentation said departments tied budget requests to strategic objectives for FY25 and that quarterly progress reports are being prepared for the board.

Several commissioners proposed edits to plan language during discussion: suggested changes included stronger, more active language around economic development (replace “facilitate” with “catalyze”), a clearer, less subjective mission paragraph and added strategies to evaluate water/sewer capacity and transportation/rail capacity for future growth. One commissioner asked staff to provide the suggested wording in writing for the board to consider; staff agreed to circulate proposed revisions and consider them in future quarterly updates.

Hart said the strategic plan functions as a guiding document for elected officials, staff and volunteers and that departments are advancing most of the strategies through assigned ownership; the next formal update and second quarterly report will be presented to the board in the spring.