2018 2023 bg strategic plan final bp rev

Village of Buffalo Grove

2018-2023 STRATEGIC PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS Buffalo Grove at a Glace…………………………………………………………………………………..01 Vision, Mission, and Core Values………………………………………………………………………….02 Village Board Priorities……………………………………………………………………………………….03 Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………………….05 Strategic Planning Process…………………………………………………………………………………06 Strategy Map………………………………………………………………………………………………….07 Plan Overview………………………………………………………………………………………………...08 Strategic Planning Priorities…………………………………………………………………………………12 Service Optimization Financial Stability Collaboration Economic Development Infrastructure Sustainability Buffalo Grove Action Plan………………………………………………………………………………….18 Service Optimization Financial Stability Collaboration Economic Development Infrastructure Sustainability Appendix A: Previous Strategic Accomplishments…………………………………………………....35 Service Optimization Organizational Culture Revenue Growth Economic Development Infrastructure Sustainability Appendix B: Employee Survey Results……………………………………………………………………40

BUFFALO GROVE AT A GLANCE

Estimated Population* Population: 41,663 Estimated Education Levels* High school diploma or higher: 96.6% Bachelor's degree or higher: 62.4% Estimated Employment Status* Population in Labor Force: 24,185 Employed: 93.5% Unemployed: 6.5% Population not in Labor Force: 8,935 Estimated Housing Units* Households: 16,167 Single Family: 11,599 Multi-family: 5,065 Average Household Size: 2.57 Estimated Household Income* Median Household Income: $94,391 US News and World Report School Ratings Stevenson High School: #5 HS in Illinois Buffalo Grove High School: #18 in Illinois Parks and Open Space Acres of parks and open space: 400

B

uffalo Grove is proud to be one of the finest communities in Illinois with a diversified mix of retail, business, and residential development.

The Village’s current population is 41,663 and covers 9.25 square miles. The Village is located approximately 35 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The Village is governed by the councilmanager form of government that combines the strong political leadership of elected officials in the form of a Village Board, with the strong managerial experience of an appointed Village Manager.

Quality of Life Awards The 46th Best Place to Live in the US

by Money Magazine-the only Illinois community recognized in 2013 The 20th safest community in the United States and the 2nd safest in Illinois in 2017 The 4th most family-friendly community in Illinois in 2017 Best Chicago suburbs for young professionals in 2015.

Recipient of a 2014 Sunshine Award by the Illinois Policy Institute for transparency * Source: 2009-13 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau

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VISION, MISSION, AND CORE VALUES The Village’s Management Theme is “Achieving Excellence.”

MISSION Excellence in Service Delivery: Continuously evaluate programs and services to ensure they are carried out efficiently and effectively.

Excellent Community Focus: Promote programs and services which focus upon enhancements to family values, social amenities, and enhanced opportunities that contribute to business expansion and success.

Excellent Organizational Dynamics: Ensure that the organization remains accountable as it addresses change and transition. We shall remain committed to competent, dependable, and efficient service delivery by all of our staff.

Excellent Fiscal Responsibility: Deliver valuable public services in a responsive manner within the parameters of adopted tax and fiscal duties.

Furthermore, we remain committed to managing and maintaining public infrastructure and assets with proactive services

CORE VALUES Strategy: The Village’s core strategy focuses on fiscally prudent, high quality and differentiated services to residents.

Ongoing operations and future services are defined in terms of short, intermediate, and long-term strategies that reflect the high-level service requirements, expectations, and demographics of the community.

Efficiency: The Village strives to deliver products and services in the most cost-effective manner, seeking to minimize time and resources obligated to core services and to lower the cost of service delivery through competition, collaboration, and innovation.

Culture: The Village maintains a culture of service, loyalty, and dedication to our competencies through adherence to a series of performance metrics and accountability.

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Technology: The Village’s priority is to launch technology as a means to provide better and more efficient services to our internal and external customers.

We evaluate and implement the newest technology as an ongoing effort to improve efficiency and enhance communications.

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VILLAGE BOARD PRIORITIES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Goal The Village will encourage and foster economic development as a means to provide resources for operational and capital needs as well as to improve the quality of life of the community.

Policy Implication Economic development requires systemic reinvestment in existing and new commercial areas.

The Village Board will explore and adopt financial mechanisms that allow needed reinvestment to occur – in the planning and development phases of redevelopment.

Prior Actions The Village has previously approved revenue sharing agreements for sales tax producing entities (Hines Lumber, Connexion, auto dealers).

The Village considered a proposal to redevelop the Buffalo Grove Golf Course property for a downtown project.

The Lake Cook Road Corridor Study is under development.

Specific Actions The Village Board will assess successful projects in other communities to gain an understanding of financial, legal, land use and other tools available to develop successful local projects.

The Village Board will explore establishing a commercial brokerage relationship to seek and vet potential projects.

For obsolescent, underutilized, environmentally challenged and/or vacant commercial properties, the Village Board will identify and make available development finance mechanisms for the redevelopment of the property, dependent upon specific site/trade characteristics.

The Village Board will implement the goals adopted in the Economic Development Strategic Plan.

FINANCIAL Goal The Village will allocate state shared revenues to fund Tier II and Tier III services within five years.

Policy Implication State shared revenues will be allocated to one-time and non-essential services based upon the availability of funds.

Prior Actions The Village Board previously allocated its non-debt service levy to public safety expenditures, ensuring a stable revenue source for this program area.

Capital reserve transfers are made at the end of each calendar year, providing maximum flexibility to the Village in allocating resources for programs.

Services have been assigned priority by Tier I, II and III, and further used as a guide to develop resource allocations.

Staff developed a comprehensive fee and fine survey and rate analysis, which is used to compare rates to comparable service providers.

Specific Actions Generate revenue allocation profile by service. As part of the program based budget, each service will show its corresponding revenue source(s) The Village Board will assess and provide direction on any identified local revenue sources that can be enhanced or implemented.

The Village will continue to pursue entrepreneurial arrangements to sell external services to other units of local government, where a net benefit can be realized.

The Village will continue to provide services based on core competencies, seeking alternate service delivery models where practical and Page | 3

LEADERSHIP/ COMMUNICATIONS Goal The Village Board will strive to communicate effectively and work cooperatively to achieve common goals. The Board will respect and accept differences of opinions and will work together in a constructive manner that is both essential and necessary to achieve its goals for the residents of the Village of Buffalo Grove. The Village President will take every opportunity to share information regarding the President’s activities and communicate matters of important substance to the Village Board, including summaries of meetings attended.

Policy Implication Effective cooperation is essential for the success of the Village Board and the achievement of identified goals and to accomplish what is in the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan.

Leadership The Village President will reach out to the members of the Village Board to provide information on various agenda items. The Village President will listen to Trustees and work collaboratively with them to build a shared vision.

Prior Actions N/A

Specific Actions Village President/Trustee Communications: In order to improve communication, the Village President will make every effort to communicate with Trustees. The Village President will share information with Trustees on an ongoing and continuous basis.

To build relationships and mutual support, interaction with Trustees will be a number one priority. The Village President will always be available to Trustees. Communication can take place through telephone calls, emails, one-on-one meetings and any additional ways to achieve the goal of successful communication. Trustees will contact the Village President with questions that might arise.

Trustee/Trustee Communications: Trustees will work well together by respecting and accepting differences of opinions to enhance the decisionmaking process. Trustee liaisons will provide updates of committee/board/commission activities to the Village Board that they feel are important to share at Village Board Meetings on an ongoing basis in sufficient detail to allow the Board to have a reasonable understanding of the issues.

The Village Board will periodically review the Code of Conduct as a guide for Board activities.

The Village Board will promote the Village of Buffalo Grove and inform the public of its actions through the Village News, ENews, FACEBOOK Page, Community Development Information, etc.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Strategic planning is a comprehensive and systematic management tool designed to help organizations assess the current environment, anticipate and respond appropriately to changes in the environment, envision the future, increase effectiveness, develop commitment to the organization’s mission and achieve consensus on strategies and objectives for achieving that mission.

Strategic planning for public organizations is based on the premise that leaders must be effective strategists if their organizations are to fulfill their missions, meet their mandates, and satisfy their constituents in the years ahead. An important component of this process is evaluating the success of past planning initiatives.

In 2012, the Village of Buffalo Grove embarked on the development of its first Strategic Plan. As part of the project, the Village contracted with the NIU Center for Governmental Studies to assist in the facilitation of the process. The majority of the plan coordination and development was done internally

by Village staff. This lead to the adoption of the 2013-2018 Village of Buffalo Grove Strategic Plan.

Five strategic planning priorities were identified in

this process, which were Service Optimization, Organizational Culture, Revenue Growth, Economic Development, and Infrastructure Sustainability.

As the first plan was coming to an end, the Village Board directed staff to update the 2013-2018 Plan through the development of revised strategic planning priorities; an assessment of organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; and the identification of strategic initiatives, goals, and action steps to achieve the strategic priorities.

Goals achieved through the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan are described in Appendix A of this document.

The Strategic Plan involved the hard work and dedication of many individuals. The Village Board led the way with the support of the Village management team. Village staff members from all segments of the organization spent countless hours developing a plan that would be outcome-specific and measurable. Special thanks to Trustees Joanne Johnson and Lester A. Ottenheimer III who served as the Trustee Liaisons to the planning process.

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STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS The Village Board directed staff to update the 2013-2018 Plan through the development of revised strategic planning priorities; an assessment of organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; and the identification of strategic initiatives, goals, and action steps to achieve the strategic priorities.

Employee Feedback

Development of Priorities

representative sample of all village departments participated in a series of three face-to-face workshops.

These meetings were facilitated by Village staff members Jennifer Maltas and Evan Michel, to assess the organization’s current strategic direction, organizational capacity, and specific obstacles to the development. A questionnaire that included the same questions that were posed at the employee workshops was developed and distributed to every village employee to assess the Village's core competencies as well as competitive advantages. The information from the responses provided keen insight into the Village's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The results of employee meetings and the survey are listed in Appendix B of this document.

he results and conceptual themes of the Management Team’s data collecting initiatives were compiled and grouped into the following overarching Strategic Planning Priorities: Service Optimization, Financial Stability, Collaboration, Economic Development, and Infrastructure Sustainability. The employee feedback focused upon career development and more opportunities for collaboration. Employees were happy with their compensation and were focused on the next steps in their career. This feedback is a major shift from the information collected in 2012. During this period there was a great deal of uncertainty in the organization.

The current employee feedback demonstrates that the strategic changes during the past five years have improved overall employee morale.

A

Employee Feedback

Development of Priorities

Senior Staff Feed Back and Review

J

ennifer Maltas and Evan Michel then met individually with the senior leadership of each department to analyze the employee data, discuss departmental goals, and identify any other areas for improvement.

The results of these meetings were discussed with all of the members of the Village Board of Trustees. These findings were used as the central tool in the identification of Strategic Initiatives and Action Steps to achieve the identified Strategic Priorities. These items are not intended to be a comprehensive list of all goals rather, the Initiatives, Goals, and Acton Steps, that are the highest priority and provide specific direction for the advancement and improvement of the village.

T

Senior Staff Feedback and Review

Village Board Review and Approval

Village Board Review and Approval

T

rustee Joanne Johnson and Trustee Lester A. Ottenheimer III served as the Trustee Liaisons to the planning process. They participated in senior staff’s evaluation of the employee data and proposed priorities. A final draft of the 2018-2023 Buffalo Grove Strategic Plan was presented to the Village Board during the October 2, 2017 Committee of the Whole meeting with approval of the plan taking place in December of 2017.

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STRATEGY MAP In order to achieve the board’s directive to identify Strategic Initiatives, Goals, and Action Steps staff developed the following plan definitions and plan structure. ithin each Strategic Planning Priority, there are Initiatives, Goals, and Acton Steps that are developed by staff based on direction from the Village Board and feedback from employees. Each Action Step contributes to the performance of a Goal. Each Goal promotes the effectiveness of a Strategy.

Initiatives enhance the village’s ability to promote the achievement of a Strategic Planning Priority. Each Action Step includes the department responsible for its accomplishment, the Budget Program that funds achievement of the goal, and a timeframe for completion of the goal.

W

•A broad statement about what the village is striving to achieve.

Strategic Planning Priority

•An area of focus that will enhance the village's performance related to a Planning Priority.

Strategic Initiative

•Defined activities that are measurable and contribute to the success of the initiative.

Strategic Goal

•Specific projects, processes, or programs that are required to achieve the goal.

Action Steps

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SERVICE OPTIMIZATION: Based on needs and expectations of the community and prioritization of core services, provide optimal service enhancing processes both internal and external to the organization.

FINANCIAL STABILITY: Maintain a positive financial position with a longterm perspective by diversifying revenue sources, aligning fee structures to adequately reflect service demands, reducing the Village’s reliance on property and state shared taxes, and ensuring revenues adequately fund services and infrastructure needs.

COLLABORATION: STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITIES

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he plan is comprised of five overarching Strategic Planning Priorities based on feedback received from employees, senior staff, and the Village Board.

These priorities direct the development of the annual budget and guide the Village’s work throughout program areas. The five overarching Strategic Planning Priorities are as follows:

Create and maintain an environment that engages and empowers all employees, residents, and organizations that serve the community in the mission of the Village as well as encourage the development of human capital and resources. .

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Maintain and enhance the quality of life in the community through on-going assessment, public and private partnerships, and by leveraging resources to meet community objectives. Create an inviting environment for doing business in the community through targeted communication and marketing methods, consistent with the needs and values of the village.

INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY: Infrastructure, which includes Village buildings, streets, utilities, information assets, vehicle fleet, and other assets necessary for maintaining service levels. Plan for the financial resources necessary to maintain current infrastructure, upgrade for efficiency or enhanced capabilities, and plan for the future infrastructure needs of the community.

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PLAN OVERVIEW

SERVICE OPTIMIZATION

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

External Service Provisions

FINANCIAL STABILITY

Intergovernmental Partnerships

Cost Control

Revenue Diversification

Internal Operations

GOALS

Explore opportunities to improve customer experience Implement an expanded portfolio of Eservices Achieve economies of scale through inter-agency cooperation Investigate opportunities to sell services to other communities Work with other agencies to provide increased public safety services Instill a culture of continual process improvement

Reserve Growth

GOALS

Evaluate village programs Streamline village administrative processes Appropriately fund reserves Streamline village administrative processes

Undertake regular review of village fee, fines, and rates

MAJOR UPCOMING ACTION STEPS Implement an online benefit administration program

MAJOR UPCOMING ACTION STEPS Evaluate opportunities for revenue enhancements and cost containment strategies for BG Days.

Develop a comprehensive plan to utilize existing data collection practices to implement intelligent policing practices

Establish a strategy to fund the building reserve at appropriate level

Investigate opportunities to sell water services to smaller agencies and unincorporated areas

Examine dedicated funding source for Police and Fire Pensions

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PLAN OVERVIEW MAJOR UPCOMING ACTION STEPS Implement a plan to interview current staff members to identify employee concerns and opportunities

COLLABORATION STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Citizen Engagement

Employee Development and Recognition

Develop plan to increase citizen engagement with the Police Department through neighborhood meetings Implement a refresh of the village website

Relationships with Buffalo Grove Entities

GOALS

Develop plan to improve internal communication between employees and management

Encourage employees to grow and develop in each stage of their careers Foster an environment where employees can gather knowledge, learn best practices, and new skills

Establish enhanced public outreach for road projects Develop and implement a formal employee onboarding program Develop and implement a formal Village wide employee recognition program Develop a comprehensive plan to centralize and standardize employee training Develop and implement more opportunities for departments to collaborate Develop strategies to use a 501(c)3 to partner with local agencies on programming Establish elected official liaisons to local taxing bodies

Support and recognize employee needs, growth, and achievements Assist other agencies with preparing for emergencies Enhance communication and cooperation with area agencies

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PLAN OVERVIEW

INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Economic Growth

Land Use and Development

Environmental Sustainability

Planning and Programing

Program Funding

Quality of Life

GOALS

GOALS

Develop business-friendly processes, programs, and practices Help broaden and enrich the labor pool for local businesses Improve communications businesses, owners, and the development community Create a vision for community Facilitate commercial development and redevelopment opportunities Update the Buffalo Grove Municipal Code Improve accessibility to, from, and around the Village Maintain and enhance the Village’s housing stock and market MAJOR UPCOMING ACTION STEPS Update the Comprehensive Plan

Encourage environmentally sustainable development Participate in reginal environmental planning Review and evaluate current environmental actions Improve accessibility to, from, and around the Village Ensure that village facilities meet the needs of employees and the public Review current work cycles Utilize information technology Develop programs to assist residents with infrastructure costs Evaluate new sources of revenue

MAJOR UPCOMING ACTION STEPS Develop a comprehensive facilities study and plan

Develop a vision for subareas and consider creating a central business district

Implement new RMS and CAD System

Schedule on-site visits at businesses or brokerages and include the Police Department in visits

Convert the Buffalo Grove Environmental Plan to a Sustainability Plan

Enhance administrative forms and processes Page | 11

STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITY: SERVICE OPTIMIZATION Below is a high level snapshot of important action steps within the area of Service Optimization.

Data Driven Decision Making Performance Management Consortium

Sell Water Services

Evaluate Technology Infrastructure

Online Benefit Administration

Service Optimization

Streamline Travel & Training Process

Share Administrative Adjudication Services

Shared Incident Command Vehicle

Administrative Adjudication Payment Online

Sell Overweight Truck Enforcement Services

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STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITY: FINANCIAL STABILITY Below is a high level snapshot of important action steps within the area of Financial Stability.

Break Even Strategies for BG Days

Complete Water Rate Study

Fund Building Reserve

Financial Stanibility Update Fee & Fine Schedule

Fund Public Safety Pensions

Streamline Fire Billing Ordinance

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STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITY: COLLABORATION Below is a high level snapshot of important action steps within the area of Collaboration.

Employee Onboarding

Trustee Liaisons to Local Taxing Bodies

Village-wide Employee Recognition

Develop 501(c)3 to Enhance Programming

Collaboration

Departmental Collaboration

Comprehensive Training Program

Supervisor Training Program

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STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITY: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Below is a high level snapshot of important action steps within the area of Economic Development.

Unified Development Ordinance Diversify Housing Stock

On-Site Visits

Business ENewsletter

Vision for Subareas

Economic Development Meet and Greet for New Businesses

Update Comprehensive Plan

Recognize Business Achievement

Enhance Forms and Processes

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STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITY: INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY Below is a high level snapshot of important action steps within the area of Infrastructure Sustainability.

Revenue for Infrastructure

Sustainability Plan

In-Squad Technology

Infrastructure Sustainability

Comprehensive Facilities Plan

Implement New Records and Dispatch System

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ACTION PLAN: SERVICE OPTIMIZATION Based on needs and expectations of the community and prioritization of core services, provide optimal service enhancing processes both internal and external to the organization.

External Service Provisions Strategic Goal: Explore opportunities to improve customer experience Action Steps Develop plan to educate the community regarding false alarm billing procedures to increase compliance Implement a plan to streamline liquor licensing process Explore opportunities for streamlining administrative and customer service process in the Police Department

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Finance

Fiscal Services

Mid

Finance

Administration

Mid

Police

Administration

Long

Strategic Goal: Facilitate citizen participation in village programs Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Develop a comprehensive plan to utilize existing data collection practices to implement intelligent policing practices

Police

Tech Services

Mid

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Finance

Administration

Near

Finance

Administration

Near

Strategic Goal: Implement an expanded portfolio of E-services Action Steps Explore the implementation of an online portal for the purchase Real Estate transfer stamps Explore opportunities to facilitate online payments of administrative adjudication payments

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ACTION PLAN: SERVICE OPTIMIZATION Based on needs and expectations of the community and prioritization of core services, provide optimal service enhancing processes both internal and external to the organization.

Intergovernmental Partnerships Strategic Goal: Achieve economies of scale through inter-agency cooperation Action Steps Implement investment tracking software to provide additional oversight of the village's investment portfolio Investigate opportunities to sell water services to smaller agencies and unincorporated areas

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Finance

Administration

Long

PW

PW Admin.

Mid

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Human Resources

Risk Mgmt.

Long

Police

Traffic Unit

Near

PW

PW Admin.

Mid

PW

PW Admin.

Long

Strategic Goal: Investigate opportunities to sell services to other communities Action Steps Explore shared services opportunities with other municipal HR Departments Investigate other opportunities to provide overweight trucking enforcement and overnight parking enforcement to other communities Investigate opportunities to sell sign shop services to smaller agencies Continue to investigate opportunities to share or contract snow and ice activities with other communities.

Strategic Goal: Work with other agencies to provide increased public safety services Action Steps Explore a shared services model for Incident Command Vehicle with other fire agencies Explore opportunities to share Administrative Adjudication services Improve communications with other communities to streamline Joint Major Incident Command

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Fire

Administration

Near

Police

Tech Services

Near

Police

Patrol

Mid

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ACTION PLAN: SERVICE OPTIMIZATION Based on needs and expectations of the community and prioritization of core services, provide optimal service enhancing processes both internal and external to the organization.

Internal Operations Strategic Goal: Instill a culture of continual process improvement Action Steps Develop and implement a retention and scanning policy for all village records Develop a plan to streamline travel and training reimbursement Explore the standardization of all village forms Evaluate the role and structures of the Fire Protection Bureau Evaluate the role and structures of the EMA Seek accreditation of Fire Department Implement an online benefit administration program Evaluate the use of Citrix versus locally installed programs Assist in the creation of a performance management consortium Explore the current structure of Police command staff

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

CD

CD Admin

Long

Finance

Fiscal Services

Near

Finance

Administration

Mid

Fire

Administration

Near

Fire Fire Human Resources

Administration Administration

Mid Long

Benefits Admin

Near

OVM

Administration

Near

OVM

Intergovernmental Relations

Near

Police

Administration

Mid

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ACTION PLAN: FINANCIAL STABILITY Maintain a positive financial position with a long-term perspective by diversifying revenue sources, aligning fee structures to adequately reflect service demands, reducing the Village’s reliance on property and state shared taxes, and ensuring revenues adequately fund services and infrastructure needs.

Cost Control Strategic Goal: Evaluate village programs Responsible Department

Budget Program

Tem

Finance

Budgeting and Reporting

Near

Finance

Administration

Mid

OVM

Innovation and Analytics

Mid

Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Use Cartegraph to benchmark costs and services

PW

PW Admin.

Mid

Action Steps Evaluate opportunities for revenue enhancements and cost containment strategies for BG Days Evaluate opportunities to streamline the payroll process Review non-core services the village provides

Strategic Goal: Streamline village administrative processes

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ACTION PLAN: FINANCIAL STABILITY Maintain a positive financial position with a long-term perspective by diversifying revenue sources, aligning fee structures to adequately reflect service demands, reducing the Village’s reliance on property and state shared taxes, and ensuring revenues adequately fund services and infrastructure needs.

Reserve Growth Strategic Goal: Appropriately fund reserves Action Steps Establish a strategy to fund the building reserve at an appropriate level Examine dedicated funding source for Police and Fire Pensions

Responsible Department Finance Finance

Budget Program Budgeting and Reporting Budgeting and Reporting

Term Near Near

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ACTION PLAN: FINANCIAL STABILITY Maintain a positive financial position with a long-term perspective by diversifying revenue sources, aligning fee structures to adequately reflect service demands, reducing the Village’s reliance on property and state shared taxes, and ensuring revenues adequately fund services and infrastructure needs.

Revenue Diversification Strategic Goal: Undertake regular review of village fee, fines, and rates Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Finance

Administration

Near

Create procedure to update fee and fine ordinance Develop a listing of all locally controlled taxes and fees the Village currently does not assess Complete Water Rate Study

Finance PW

Budgeting and Reporting PW Admin.

Near

Mid

Strategic Goal: Streamline village administrative processes Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Streamline fire billing ordinance

Fire

Administration

Near

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ACTION PLAN: COLLABORATION Create and maintain an environment that engages and empowers all employees, residents, and organizations that serve the community in the mission of the Village as well as encourage the development of human capital and resources.

Citizen Engagement Strategic Goal: Enhance current communication tools Action Steps Evaluate the cost associated with starting a "block party wagon" program Explore the development of a Citizen’s Academy which covers all village services Develop plan to increase citizen engagement with the police through neighborhood meetings Evaluate the National Night Out Program Investigate the opportunity to host "pop-up" city halls to share economic development information Implement a refresh of the village website Implement strategies identified through the Citizens Survey Establish Village Manager blog to address current issues in the community Investigate an information technology platform for citizen feedback/engagement Complete Citizen Survey in 2020 to compare data from 2017 results Establish enhanced public outreach for road projects Evaluate the cost associated with starting a "block party wagon" program

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

OVM

Administration

Mid

OVM

Communications

Mid

Police

Community Relations Administration

CD

Planning and ED

Mid

OVM

Communications Innovation and Analytics

Near

OVM

Communications

Mid

OVM

Communications

Long

OVM

Innovation and Analytics

Long

PW

Engineering

Near

OVM

Administration

Mid

Police

OVM

Near Mid

Mid

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ACTION PLAN: COLLABORATION Create and maintain an environment that engages and empowers all employees, residents, and organizations that serve the community in the mission of the Village as well as encourage the development of human capital and resources.

Employee Development and Recognition Strategic Goal: Encourage employees to grow and develop in each stage of their career Action Steps Develop and implement a formal Succession Plan for all departments Develop and implement a formal employee onboarding program Develop and implement a formal Village wide employee recognition program Develop and implement a formal program which assists retiring employees Develop and implement formal recruitment strategy Develop and implement formal employee mentoring program Establish a plan to encourage a culture of innovation

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Fire

Administration/Training

Mid

Human Resources Human Resources Human Resources Human Resources Human Resources

Recruitment and selection Training and Org Development

OVM

Benefits Admin Recruitment and selection Training and Org Development Innovation and Analytics

Near Near Mid Mid Mid Mid

Strategic Goal: Develop plan to improve internal communication between employees and management Action Steps Develop and implement a budget seminar to educate all employees on the budget process Develop an employee budget committee to provide input in to the process Explore opportunities for senior management to engage with village staff Enhance employee communication through employee portal and newsletter Evaluate and make necessary changes to the employee compensation program Develop strategies to enhance communication with employees about general Village business Develop a comprehensive cross training program between all village departments

Responsible Department Finance Finance Human Resources Human Resources Human Resources

Budget Program Budgeting and Reporting Budgeting and Reporting Training and Org Development Training and Org Development

Term Mid Mid Mid Mid

Benefits Admin

Long

OVM

Communications

Mid

OVM

Administration

Long

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ACTION PLAN: COLLABORATION Create and maintain an environment that engages and empowers all employees, residents, and organizations that serve the community in the mission of the Village as well as encourage the development of human capital and resources.

Employee Development and Recognition Strategic Goal: Foster an environment where employees can gather knowledge, learn best practices, and new skills Action Steps Develop a comprehensive plan to centralize and standardize employee training Develop a comprehensive training and advancement plan for new supervisors

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Human Resources

Training and Org Development

Near

Police

Training

Near

Strategic Goal: Support and recognize employee needs, growth, and achievements Action Steps Develop a strategy to highlight employees accomplishments via the e-news, newsletter, and social media Implement a plan to interview current staff members to identify employee concerns and opportunities Develop and implement more opportunities for departments to collaborate

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Human Resources

Training and Org Development

Near

Human Resources

Training and Org Development

Mid

OVM

Communications

Near

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ACTION PLAN: COLLABORATION Create and maintain an environment that engages and empowers all employees, residents, and organizations that serve the community in the mission of the Village as well as encourage the development of human capital and resources.

Relationships with Buffalo Grove Entities Strategic Goal: Assist other agencies with preparing for emergences Action Steps Standardize pre plans for all buildings in the village Standardize all Emergency Plan’s for schools

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Fire

FPB

Long

Fire

FPB

Long

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

OVM

Administration

Near

OVM

Village Board

Near

Strategic Goal: Enhance communication and cooperation with area agencies Action Steps Develop strategies to use a 501c3 to partner with local agencies on programming Establish elected official liaisons to local taxing bodies Explore opportunities to share facilities with local agencies Explore shared services opportunities with local taxing bodies Establish a comprehensive list of services provided to the community by local non-profits and taxing bodies

OVM OVM OVM

Intergovernmental Relations Intergovernmental Relations Administration

Near Mid Long

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ACTION PLAN: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Maintain and enhance the quality of life in the community through on-going assessment, public and private partnerships, and by leveraging resources to meet community objectives. Create an inviting environment for doing business in the community through targeted communication and marketing methods, consistent with the needs and values of the village.

Economic Growth Strategic Goal: Develop business-friendly processes, programs, and practices Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Enhance administrative forms and processes

CD

Building and Zoning

Near

CD

Planning and ED

Near

CD

Planning and ED

Near

CD

Planning and ED

Mid

Recognize businesses that are new, expanding, or are making a notable contribution to local economy and quality of life Provide welcoming package and schedule a meet and greet for new businesses Evaluate opportunity to provide flexible work space for entrepreneurs

Strategic Goal: Help broaden and enrich the labor pool for local businesses Action Steps Facilitate partnerships between the workforce development providers and local businesses Work with local businesses (particularly manufacturing businesses) and high schools to foster awareness of advanced manufacturing industry and other budding industries Enhance workforce accessibility through partnerships with local businesses

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

CD

Planning and ED

Mid

CD

Planning and ED

Long

CD

Planning and ED

Long

Strategic Goal: Improve communications and relations with current and potential businesses, owners, and the development community Action Steps Create a business e-newsletter Schedule on-site visits at businesses or brokerages and include the Police Department in visits Develop regularly scheduled roundtable discussions Continue to work on the branding and marketing campaign

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

CD

Planning and ED

Near

CD

Planning and ED

Near

CD

Planning and ED

Mid

OVM

Communications

Mid

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ACTION PLAN: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Maintain and enhance the quality of life in the community through on-going assessment, public and private partnerships, and by leveraging resources to meet community objectives. Create an inviting environment for doing business in the community through targeted communication and marketing methods, consistent with the needs and values of the village.

Land Use and Development Strategic Goal: Create a vision for community Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

CD

Planning and ED

Near

CD

Planning and ED

Mid

CD

Planning and ED

Long

Update the Comprehensive Plan Develop a vision for subareas and consider creating a central business district Evaluate opportunities to expand municipal boundaries

Strategic Goal: Facilitate commercial development and redevelopment opportunities.

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

CD

Planning and ED

Mid

CD

Building and Zoning

Mid

CD

Planning and ED

Mid

Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Revise the Sign Code

CD

Building and Zoning

Mid

CD

Planning and ED

Long

CD

Planning and ED

Long

Action Steps Create and update an inventory of commercial properties Continue to refine Buffalo Grove’s planning, development, and permit processes Continue to offer site-specific economic development incentives, while exploring opportunities to offer economic development incentives for multi-site districts

Strategic Goal: Update the Buffalo Grove Municipal Code.

Consider developing a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Update Zoning Code to reflect community vision articulated in the comprehensive plan

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ACTION PLAN: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Maintain and enhance the quality of life in the community through on-going assessment, public and private partnerships, and by leveraging resources to meet community objectives. Create an inviting environment for doing business in the community through targeted communication and marketing methods, consistent with the needs and values of the village.

Quality of Life Strategic Goal: Improve accessibility to, from, and around the Village Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Participate in regional transportation projects

CD

Planning and ED

Near

Strategic Goal: Maintain and enhance the Village’s housing stock and market.

Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Diversify housing stock

CD

Planning and ED

Long

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ACTION PLAN: INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY Infrastructure, which includes Village buildings, streets, utilities, information assets, vehicle fleet, and other assets necessary for maintaining service levels. Plan for the financial resources necessary to maintain current infrastructure, upgrade for efficiency or enhanced capabilities, and plan for the future infrastructure needs of the community.

Environmental Sustainability Strategic Goal: Encourage environmentally sustainable development Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Promote energy efficiency programs

CD

Building and Zoning

Mid

Establish sustainable standards for buildings and forestry

PW

PW Admin.

Long

Strategic Goal: Participate in regional environmental planning Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Implement Greenest Regions Compact 2

Finance

Purchasing

Long

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Finance

Purchasing

Near

PW

PW Admin.

Long

Strategic Goal: Review and evaluate current environmental actions Action Steps Convert the Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Plan to a Sustainability Plan Review fleet purchases against green options to determine optimal approach

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ACTION PLAN: INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY Infrastructure, which includes Village buildings, streets, utilities, information assets, vehicle fleet, and other assets necessary for maintaining service levels. Plan for the financial resources necessary to maintain current infrastructure, upgrade for efficiency or enhanced capabilities, and plan for the future infrastructure needs of the community.

Planning and Programing Strategic Goal: Improve accessibility to, from, and around the Village Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Maintain, enhance, and promote multimodal infrastructure.

PW

PW Admin.

Long

Strategic Goal: Ensure that village facilities meet the needs of employees and the public Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Develop a comprehensive facilities study and plan

OVM

Administration

Near

Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Develop formalized replacement schedule for capital equipment

Fire

Administration

Mid

Reduce tree trimming cycle to 5 years

PW

Forestry - Tree Services

Long

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Police Police

Tech Services Tech Services

Mid Mid

PW

PW Admin.

Long

Strategic Goal: Review current work cycles

Strategic Goal: Utilize information technology Action Steps Evaluate opportunities for new in-squad technology Implement new RMS and CAD System Implement Cartegraph pavement asset management module

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ACTION PLAN: INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY Infrastructure, which includes Village buildings, streets, utilities, information assets, vehicle fleet, and other assets necessary for maintaining service levels. Plan for the financial resources necessary to maintain current infrastructure, upgrade for efficiency or enhanced capabilities, and plan for the future infrastructure needs of the community.

Program Funding Strategic Goal: Develop programs to assist residents with infrastructure costs Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Explore low interest loans for residents facing water/sewer repairs

Finance

Fiscal Services

Mid

Action Steps

Responsible Department

Budget Program

Term

Investigate revenue sources for infrastructure improvements

PW

PW Admin.

Long

Strategic Goal: Evaluate new sources of revenue

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APPENDIX A: 2013-2018 STRATEGIC PLAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS Strategic planning is a comprehensive and systematic management tool designed to help organizations assess the current environment, anticipate and respond appropriately to changes in the environment, envision the future, increase effectiveness, develop commitment to the organization’s mission and achieve consensus on strategies and objectives for achieving that mission. Strategic planning for public organizations is based on the premise that leaders must be effective strategists if their organizations are to fulfill their missions, meet their mandates, and satisfy their constituents in the years ahead. An important component of this process is evaluating the success of past planning initiatives.

In 2012, the Village of Buffalo Grove embarked on the development of its first Strategic Plan. As part of the project, the Village contracted with the NIU Center for Governmental Studies to assist in the facilitation of the process. The majority of the plan coordination and development was done internally by Village staff. All of this hard work leads to the adoption of the 2013-2018 Village of Buffalo Grove Strategic Plan. Five strategic planning priorities were identified in this process, which were:     

Service Optimization Organizational Culture Revenue Growth Economic Development Infrastructure Sustainability

In this Appendix, a detailed description of each priority is provided as well as a list of the major strategic accomplishments for each priority that was achieved though the life of the plan.

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SERVICE OPTIMIZATION Based on the needs and expectations of the community and prioritization of core services, provide optimal service by supporting an adaptive and efficient work force.

Below are the major strategic accomplishments: 

 



       

Staff categorized all Village services into “core” and “non-core” categories (Tier 1 through Tier 3 – Tier 1 being core services such as public safety, provision of utilities, and maintenance of infrastructure and Tier 3 being value-add services the Village provides such as special events and public relations) which was approved by the Village Board.

Staff costed out all Tier 3 services, which assisted with necessary budget balancing strategies for FY 2014.

The Village joined the GIS Consortium in January 2013. GIS Analysts met with each department and put together a 5-year plan that laid out project priorities. This plan is updated every year. As a part of this project, the Community Portal is now available for residents and the BG Connect application has been launched.

Implemented Cartegraph, a work order and asset management program for the Public Works department. All activities that the Department manages are tracked in the system in order to get an accurate accounting of the cost of all services the Department provides.

Assisted with the creation and is a charter member of the GovITC, which provides opportunities to leverage technology assets and gain highly skilled support services.

Implemented online police reporting for minor incidents so that residents can go online and submit reports in lieu of coming into the Police Department.

Revised the communications strategy, which included the use of social media allowing the Village to reach out to its residents and businesses in a number of ways.

Went live with online payments for business licensing, parking permits, and Police and Fire test sign up.

Increased social services outreach to the community due to the increase in Police calls related to mental illness.

Completed a citizen survey of all residents that included benchmarking to other communities and a presentation on strategies on how to improve ratings and resident experiences.

Investigated the opportunity to deploy mobile tablets in the field for Public Works.

Implemented a revised vehicle utilization plan in the Fire Department.

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ORGANIZATIONAL DEVEL OPMENT Create and maintain an environment that engages and empowers all employees, residents, and organizations that serve the community in the mission of the Village as well as encourage the development of human capital and resources.

Below are the major strategic accomplishments:

       

 Launched an employee Pay for Performance Plan and developed a mid-year performance review program.

Fully deployed a new electronic performance evaluation system.

Developed an Online Applicant Tracking system for new hires and volunteers.

Established an employee Health and Wellness Program and provided participation incentives.

Staff formulated a cross-training plan that will combine the Building & Zoning and Finance customer service counters. The combined counters were launched in 2014.

Identified and deployed scheduling software for all Departments that integrate with the Village’s financial software.

Developed an employee intranet with one location to host all support documentation for employees.

Established a compensation strategy that includes a commitment to review all non-represented positions every 3 years against the Village’s comparables.

Implemented a comprehensive employee appreciation program.

REVENUE GROWTH: Maintain a positive financial position with a long-term perspective by diversifying revenue sources, aligning fee structures to adequately reflect service demands, reducing the Village’s reliance on property and state shared taxes, and ensuring revenues adequately fund services and infrastructure needs. Below are the major strategic accomplishments:  

  

 

Through cost cuts and revenue enhancements, the General Fund reserve is now above the Village Board’s goal of 35%.

Implemented an administrative adjudication program that allows residents to attend court locally rather than going to the County. This program also allows the Village to recoup court costs and enhance revenues collected.

Successfully utilized performance contracting for the installation of AMI water meters and LED streetlights by partnering with other municipalities to drive down costs Reviewed the Village’s fleet and eliminated vehicles based on operational needs.

Staff presented the Village Board with a 5-year general fund pro forma that mapped out expenditure and revenue profiles based on current trends, which exhibited what needed to be done to both expenditures and revenue to reach the corporate goal of increasing general fund reserves to 35 percent by January 1, 2016.

Implemented a program based budget for FY 2018.

Reviewed and revised the Village’s fee and fine structure, comparing the Village’s fees and fines to 14 other Chicagoland municipalities. Fees and fines were revised such that they reflected the Village’s cost to provide the service or were comparable to other communities. Also updated the Code to implement a comprehensive fee schedule.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Maintain and enhance the quality of life in the community through on-going assessment, public and private partnerships, and by leveraging resources to meet community objectives. Create an inviting environment for doing business in the community through targeted communication and marketing methods, consistent with the needs and values of the village.

Below are the major strategic goal accomplishments:



     

Evaluated the development review process and created a streamlined approach to the Village Board that includes process improvements and ordinance modifications. This included the merger of the Planning & Zoning Commission, creating a one-stop shop for developers and residents. This merger took several weeks off of the development review process making it more efficient for residents and developers.

Reviewed and updated the Development Ordinance to streamline processes.

Worked with a Steering Committee to develop an Economic Development Strategic Plan.

Developed an annexation strategy.

Began the implementation of corridor planning and market analysis for Lake Cook Road corridors.

Presented to the Village Board example projects that demonstrate how a variety of economic development tools that can be used to assist with successful projects.

Initiated several economic incentive agreements to assist the relocation and/or expansion of several new businesses.

INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY Assess and maintain reliable high quality infrastructure, which includes Village buildings, streets, utilities (including water, sanitary sewer and drainage systems), information assets, vehicle fleet, and other assets necessary for maintaining service levels. Plan for the financial resources necessary to maintain current infrastructure, upgrade for efficiency or enhanced capabilities, and plan for the future infrastructure needs of the community.

Below are the major strategic accomplishments: 

   

Implementation of a Stormwater Utility Program in order to create a capital-funding source for stormwater utility improvements. Created a 20-year Stormwater utility proforma to identify potential future capital needs.

Approved a Bike Plan and reviewed the Village’s Bike System and Bike Plan to identify priority connections and develop a plan to make connections.

Developed and executed a plan for BGGC clubhouse and restaurant improvements.

Assessed costs and benefits of a green fleet program.

Evaluated the Village’s facilities and develop a long term strategy for space needs and location of facilities.

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APPENDIX B: EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS

A representative sample of all village departments participated in a series of three face-to-face workshops, which were facilitated by Village staff members Jennifer Maltas and Evan Michel. These meetings assessed the organization's current strategic direction, organizational capacity, and specific obstacles to the development, as well as implementation of the strategic plan. These meetings facilitated discussion of the Village's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The participants were then divided into small group to brainstorm possible internal process improvements, cost savings, potential revenue enhancements, prospective new programs, and opportunities for employee engagement.

A questionnaire that included the same questions that were posed at the employee workshops was developed and distributed to every village employee to assess the Village's core competencies as well as competitive advantages. The information from the responses provided keen insight into the Village's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The questionnaire was open from April 14 through 28, 2017. During this period there were 72 responses submitted by Buffalo Grove employees.

Jennifer Maltas and Evan Michel then met individually with the senior leadership of each department to analyze the employee data, discuss departmental goals, and identify any other areas for improvement. The results of these meetings were reviewed and discussed with the Executive Team and Trustee Liaisons Lester Ottenheimer and Joanne Johnson. These findings were used as the central tool in the identification of Strategic Initiatives and Action Steps to achieve the identified Strategic Priorities.

The results and conceptual themes of these data collecting initiatives were compiled and grouped into the following categories: organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The results of the data collecting initiatives were visualized as Word Clouds. They are visual tools that are composed of words used in the survey responses, in which the size of each word indicates its frequency or importance.

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What do you think are the greatest strengths of the Village?

The employee feedback from this question coalesced around the following topics: Employees: The overwhelming majority of respondents believed that the village's employees were its greatest strength. Individual responses stated that the level of customer service provided was a key factor. They likewise credited the high level of individual dedication and community pride that many employees possess as an organizational strength.

Organizational Attributes: Many of the respondents credit the organization’s culture and sound financial footing as a key strength. In previous SWOT analyses, this was considered a weakness. However, the Village of Buffalo Grove has made a concerted effort over the past five years to stabilize its financial health. These efforts have allowed the village to strengthen and expand many programs including training, tuition reimbursement, and equipment replacement.

Community Amenities: Respondents recognized that the greater Buffalo Grove community has many quality amenities that strengthen the village as a whole. The most identified feature was the quality schools in Buffalo Grove. Both Adlai E. Stevenson and Buffalo Grove High Schools are consistently ranked as two of the best schools in Illinois. Likewise, the Buffalo Grove Park District, Indian Trails Library District and Vernon Area Library District were noted as amenities that contribute to the strong quality of life in Buffalo Grove.

What do you think are the biggest weaknesses of the Village?

The employee feedback from this question coalesced around the following topics: Lack of Business and Development: The vast majority of respondents identified the historical lack of economic development and business/retail support in the Village of Buffalo Grove as the most pressing weakness. They noted that although much work had been done to correct this deficiency in recent years, there were still many areas that needed improvement.

The respondents specifically noted that the lack of retail options, empty storefronts, and central business districts as areas of weakness.

Aging Infrastructure: Some respondents expressed concerns regarding the aging of village infrastructure as well as equipment. They noted that many of the village’s facilities are becoming too small to keep pace with the current needs of the village. Likewise, they noted that many of the facilities currently need or will soon need a great deal of maintenance.

Communication: Respondents indicated that there was a compartmentalization of communication between individual departments as well as between management and front line employees. They feel that messages and the rationale for decisions are not communicated to a satisfactory level. This left many employees unsure of the long-term vision for the Village or confusion on what was happening with economic development.

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Over the next 5 years, what do you think are the three greatest opportunities for the Village?

The employee feedback from this question coalesced around the following topics: New Economic Development: The survey respondents identified the Village of Buffalo Grove greatest’s opportunity over the next five years is new business development. Many were excited about the new revenue generated by the incoming Woodman’s Food Market.

Likewise, respondents were encouraged by the preliminary results of the Lake-Cook Road Corridor Study. They recognized that although these initiatives were still in process that they would have long reaching benefits to the future of the village.

Expanded Municipal Service: Many respondents viewed the expansion of current municipal services as a major opportunity for the village over the next five years. These services include the selling of services to other agencies, increased EMS billing, Mobile Integrated Health Care, and development/annexation.

Community Outreach: A key opportunity identified by respondents was increased community outreach. They felt that the Village of Buffalo Grove could engage its citizenry through the expanded use of social media.

Likewise, many in the facilitated group discussion recommended new concepts for programs such as a ride along program, activities for families, and services that cater to the village’s changing demographics.

Over the next 5 years, what do you think are the three biggest threats to the Village?

The employee feedback from this question coalesced around the following topics: Dysfunction of the State of Illinois: The most pressing threat identified by the respondents was the dysfunction of the state government. Although Illinois’ budget crisis, which was still ongoing during the information gathering process, has been resolved; the long-term effects of the crisis will likely have long lasting negative effects on the fiscal health of all municipalities in the state. Likewise, the underlying issues that caused the crisis in the first place have yet to be resolved by state lawmakers.

Aging Organization: Respondents identified the aging of the organization over the next five years as a major threat to the Village of Buffalo Grove. Many noted that long-time village employees are eligible to retire. These retirements will cause the loss of institutional knowledge. One similar fear is the threat of being unable to find qualified candidates to fill positions specifically in the Police Department given the current climate surrounding policing.

Changing Expectations: Some respondents cited the changing expectations of the community as an ongoing threat to the village. Many stated that the mantra of “do more with less” is unsustainable. The increasing need for service without the corresponding resources will lead to staff burnout in the eyes of respondents. Likewise, many were uneasy about the loss of control and customer service that is associated with the privatization of services.

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IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVER Y THROUGH EMPLOYEE E NGAGEMENT Part of the facilitated group discussions as well as the employee survey included questions that assessed internal process improvements, possible cost savings, potential revenue enhancements, prospective new programs, and opportunities for employee engagement. This process provided an opportunity for front line staff, which interacts with the public on a day-to-day basis, to share their insights on how to improve service delivery and increase value to the village's internal and external customers. Many of the participants and survey respondents identified similar themes and methods for potential improvement. Below are the most common areas that were incorporated into the formation of Strategic Priorities, Strategic Initiatives, and Actions Steps.

Are there any internal processes that you think could be improved to create efficiencies for either employees or the public?

Two major themes for internal process improvement emerged from the facilitated group discussions and survey responses. The theme of centralized communication was repeatedly mentioned as a process in need of improvement. Respondents stated the method in which information is disseminated by management was often compartmentalized and did not include an adequate level of detail.

Many suggested that more opportunities for face-to-face interaction with Department Directors to discuss pressing employee concerns could begin to mitigate the problem.

Likewise, many believed that communication through technology, such as an improved employee portal, online services, and enhanced website could improve the communications process.

The second major theme for internal process improvement was cross training. Many believed that their departments were understaffed and did not have the same level of resources they once had. However, in this time of diminishing resources and increased public demand, most recognized that increasing staffing was not a sustainable solution. Several survey respondents identified cross training of employees as a method to minimize the impact of lower staffing levels.

Do you see any opportunities for cost savings in an area that you work?

The predominant method the facilitated group discussions and survey responses identified for cost saving were through the elimination or restructuring of programs. Representatives from the Public Works Department identified the Holiday Tree Lighting Program and Light Pole Banner Program as esthetically pleasing but require a great deal of staff time to perform. Likewise, many felt that the duration of Buffalo Grove Days could be shortened.

Other respondents identified vehicle fleet management as an opportunity for cost savings noting that enhancing the Village’s preventative maintenance program for the Fire Department fleet to catch small repairs before they become large, costly ones could save money. Likewise, other respondents suggested the outsourcing of vehicle maintenance to a third party.

Do you see any opportunities for revenue enhancements in the area you work?

Currently, the Village of Buffalo Grove provides limited inspection, water, and snowplowing services to surrounding communities. Many of the employees that participated in the group discussions and the survey identified the growing trend of selling services to other units of local government as an excellent opportunity to enhance revenue. They believe that the village could sell these services to other surrounding communities and units of government. Several opportunities were identified and are listed in the Strategic Plan.

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Are there any programs the Village offers that you think could add more value to residents or the business community?

The entrepreneurial spirit of the employees of the Village of Buffalo Grove was demonstrated through their responses. Many of the respondents identified service gaps that were negatively affecting the residents of the village. Several employees suggested the creation of programs that serve Buffalo Grove’s growing aging population.

Additionally, staff identified the growing need to assist members of the community who are suffering with mental health issues. Employees, specifically in Police and Fire, were very happy with the addition of the social worker in the Police Department but noted that as the state continues to cut programs for the mentally ill more services will be necessary.

Similarly, employees identified an opportunity to increase civic engagement in the community by building off the success of the Citizens Police Academy and the former Citizens Fire Academy to other municipal services.

The program model could be used to educate the residents of the Village of Buffalo Grove how the Public Works, Community Development and Finance Departments work. This program would provide residents a greater appreciation the value of the services provided for their tax dollar.

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