Supervisors get first look at strategic plan

Document will outline county’s future

Inyo County officials are well on their to crafting a vision for the future.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday continued its strategic planning process, which aims to outline clear priorities and expectations, as well as prioritize projects related to those priorities that’s transparent to both county staff and county residents.

Officials hope to clearly articulate a vision for the county’s future and ultimately allocate the resources necessary to execute that plan.

“the trouble with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”

– Lily Tomlin

The county has not conducted a complete strategic planning process since the Inyo

2020 exercise, which took place nearly 25 years ago, according to staff.

Inyo County Chief Administrative Officer Nate Greenberg has said that due to the significant number of projects the county currently has undertaken, especially in light of its limited staff and budgetary resources, developing and adopting a multi-year strategic plan will assist staff and supervisors focus on “the right priorities.”

The plan also will include appropriate resource allocations to ensure that initiatives can be effectively executed.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Greenberg presented the first draft of the 2024 Inyo County Strategic Plan, which has been in the works since November.

In the last seven months, he said, county supervisors and department managers went through a significant data-gathering effort, which included collecting more than 400 comments from staff and the public through the strategic plan web portal.

This effort resulted in the board hosting two workshops earlier this year, as well as ongoing feedback from department heads regarding their concerns.

Greenberg said what he was presenting to the board Tuesday as the plan’s first draft was an interpretation and amalgamation of the collected data and feedback. The plan will be tied closely to the budget process that county officials currently are working on in tandem.

“The way we’re envisioning the strategic plan working this year, and hopefully going forward, is that the focus areas that have been identified in this draft, and more or less memorialized by your board, lay the groundwork for the budget discussions,” he said.

Tuesday’s workshop offered another opportunity for supervisors and members of the public to offer more feedback as to the priorities and any issues they feel might be missing from the plan.

Greenberg said the plan would continue to be developed during the county’s budget process and presented to the board of supervisors as a final draft at a meeting in July.

Tying the plan to the budget process will be crucial in identifying “projects that we can’t afford, that we can afford in terms of capacity and time, as well as dollars” and those projects that might be delayed in consideration of current county priorities and objectives, he said.

strategic initiatives

Based on the first draft presented Tuesday, the plan is broken into three strategic initiatives, each of which are further broken down into goals and focus areas.

The strategic initiatives in the current draft are:

• Thriving Communities: Support Inyo County communities through infrastructure investments, effective service delivery, and thoughtful planning.

The eight goals under this initiative include “Highest & Best Use of Property,” including county-owned property and property owned by Los Angeles Department of Water; improved housing opportunities; enhanced health, social and senior services; enhanced transportation services; and climate resilience and natural resource protection.

• Economic Enhancement: Engage in activities that encourage economic growth for existing industries and promote business and workforce resilience. Goals under this initiative are local business, organizations and workforce; sustainable recreation initiatives; and collaborative regional economic development.

• High-quality Services: Deliver relevant and high-value county government services that are responsive to community needs and prioritize a thriving workplace for staff. The five goals under this initiative include quality county employees; improved county facilities; and public safety and emergency response.

For a complete complete list of goals, focus areas as well as suggested specific projects, vist bit.ly/ InyoStrategicPlan.

During Tuesday’s workshop, supervisors expressed their overall support for the plan, though some said they had concerns it shouldn’t necessarily override staff initiative at completing projects or resolving issues as opportunities arise.

Greenberg said the plan was more about offering a “big-picture” view of priorities and objectives while considering opportunities for efficiency and economy of scale as projects are approached.

According to the county, the delivery of the plan’s final draft to be reviewed by supervisors is scheduled for the July 29 meeting.

The board’s next scheduled meeting is set for May 21 in the County Administrative Center, 224 N. Edwards St., Independence.

For more information about the county and board of supervisors, including agendas, minutes and video of previous meetings, visit www.inyocounty.us.