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Newport News reviews draft five‑year strategic plan; staff to translate goals into measurable projects
Summary
Consultant Jane Dittmar presented a draft five‑year strategic plan at the Nov. 12 council work session, outlining four pillars—People, Place, Culture & Connection, and Engaged Government—and asking council to refer the draft to staff to develop metrics, timelines and project plans for adoption by mid‑2026.
At the Nov. 12 Newport News City Council work session, consultant Jane Dittmar of the Virginia Institute of Government presented a draft five‑year strategic plan she described as a policy‑level roadmap for the city.
Dittmar said the plan is intended to be a "living document" that will guide council priorities from July 2026 through June 2030 and be updated as needed. She asked council to refer the draft to staff so departments can build project plans, success metrics and implementation timelines that will return to council for formal adoption, targeting adoption no later than 06/30/2026. "We believe the plan reflects council's vision for the city's future," she said.
The draft is organized around four pillars: "People First: Opportunity and Learning," focused on lifelong learning, career‑connected education and workforce pipelines tied to shipbuilding, health and technology; "Place," emphasizing safe neighborhoods, flood prevention, energy efficiency and multimodal transportation; "Culture and Connection," prioritizing arts, festivals and civic vitality; and "Engaged Government," centered on transparency, operational excellence and modernizing technology. The presentation noted inputs including interviews, a July retreat and review of existing plans.
Council members emphasized the importance of measurable metrics and an interactive dashboard. One council member urged use of an interactive tool such as Power BI to track KPIs; staff pointed to an initial scorecard already posted on the city's website as the first iteration of public performance reporting. Dittmar and staff said council will be able to request semi‑annual or annual progress updates and review implementation at future retreats.
The presentation closed with a request that council refer the draft to staff for the next phase of work, after which staff will return with project plans and timelines for council consideration and adoption.
