Mount Clemens commission votes to engage SEMCOG for facilitated strategic plan

The Mount Clemens City Commission voted unanimously to direct the city manager to engage the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) to facilitate a strategic-planning process for the city.

At the meeting, SEMCOG representative Nahid Haq told commissioners that a strategic plan ‘‘is a tool to help an entity develop a road map for the future,’’ typically covering two to five years and built through retreats or multiple work sessions. Haq said SEMCOG’s assistance is available to members ‘‘at no additional cost’’ and described a process that would include goal setting, prioritization exercises and a SWOT analysis.

City staff and commissioners framed the decision as a way to focus long-range goals and better align budgeting and economic-development efforts. The city manager noted the service is a SEMCOG membership benefit and asked commissioners to commit to participating in the meetings and any retreats needed to complete the plan. Haq said SEMCOG could complete a plan ‘‘by early April’’ if commissioners were available for the required sessions.

Commissioners asked for an outline of goals and suggested the city manager and SEMCOG would meet in advance to gather commissioner input. Commissioner Raker moved the directive to engage SEMCOG and Commissioner Hill seconded; the commission approved the motion by roll call with full participation.

The next step is for the city manager to coordinate schedules with SEMCOG and propose dates and a scope for the facilitator-led sessions. The commission did not set final dates at the meeting.