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Will County Board hears consultant’s four‑month strategic plan proposal; $12,000 contract proposed
Summary
Consultant Lorie Swilly of Leap HR Consulting presented a four‑phase, four‑month strategic planning process to Will County Board members on March 19, proposing a $12,000 package that includes a board survey, stakeholder interviews, an off‑site workshop and a final strategic plan and onboarding materials. Members asked that the final product be presented to the full board rather than only the executive committee.
Leader Williams introduced a proposed strategic planning effort for the Will County Board on March 19, presenting a three‑person team led by consultant Lorie Swilly of Leap HR Consulting LLC and asking the board to approve a four‑month engagement starting in April.
Swilly outlined a four‑phase approach that would gather quantitative and qualitative data through a board survey and one‑on‑one stakeholder interviews, hold a leadership workshop, and draft a strategic plan report. She described the deliverables as a compact strategic plan (up to 30 pages), an onboarding/offboarding framework for board members and a presentation to the executive committee. Swilly said the vendor estimates the project investment at $12,000 and suggested the work could be completed by the end of July.
"When we talked with Sherry and just taking a look at your materials, there is an opportunity for us to come up with a plan," Swilly said, adding that the effort would include a SWOT analysis and an off‑site leadership workshop. She also emphasized the consultant team’s local familiarity: "I am based in Bowling Brook and I have a familiarity with the county."
Members generally welcomed the idea but pressed for clarity about scope and next steps. Member Burke asked that the final report be presented to the whole board rather than only the executive committee: "I don't understand why that would not be done to the entire board," she said, urging wider access rather than limiting the presentation to committee chairs. Leader Williams and Swilly said the plan is adaptable and can be shared with the full board or a committee of the whole.
Board discussion also covered the plan’s stated goals: formalizing priorities, improving onboarding for new members, and tailoring recommendations to Will County’s mix of large urban communities and rural areas. Several members suggested the plan emphasize practical goal setting and clear metrics. Swilly said the consultant would offer an anonymous option for board feedback to encourage candid input.
Next steps: Swilly said a board survey would be distributed in April, stakeholder interviews would follow and an off‑site workshop would be scheduled during the engagement. The consultant expects to deliver the finished plan in July. No formal approval vote on a contract was recorded at the March 19 meeting; members asked staff to circulate the proposal and to consider presenting the final plan to the full board if feasible.
