17-2018 Adopting Amended City Strategic PlanCITY OF MERIDIAN RESOLUTION NO. I'? — X�
BY THE CITY COUNCIL: BIRD, BORTON, CAVENER,
MILAM, PALMER, LITTLE ROBERTS
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MERIDIAN, IDAHO ADOPTING THE AMENDED CITY OF MERIDIAN STRATEGIC
PLAN 2016-2020.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Meridian adopted the City of Meridian
Strategic Plan on May 5, 2015 and an amended City of Meridian Strategic Plan on January 12,
2016;
WHEREAS, the City of Meridian Strategic Plan 2016-2020 f u r t h e r r e f i n e s a n d
amends the City of Meridian Strategic Plan in order to establish aclear
vision for the City of Meridian and set appropriate strategic objectives to guide fulfillment of
the vision; and
WHEREAS, the City of Meridian Strategic Plan 2016-2020 aligns appropriate resources and
deployment decisions to achieve the strategic objectives and establishes measures that facilitate
attainment of those objectives within the specified time frames;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN, IDAHO:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Meridian hereby adopts the City of
Meridian Strategic Plan 2016-2020 as set forth in Exhibit A, attached.
2017.
ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Meridian, Idaho, this 11 day of July,
APPROVED by the Mayor ofthe City ofMeridian, Idaho, this [/ day ofJuly, 2017.
O AUGUST'
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2 City of
ATTEST:
By; / - � lor -1
C.J yColes, ity Clerk
APPROVED:
Tammy deW r , Mayor
RESOLUTION ADOPTING CITY OF MERIDIAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016-2020 —PAGE 1 OF I
Page 1 of 15
City of Meridian
Strategic Plan
2016-2020
July ‘17
Adopted:
May 5, 2015
Amended:
January 12, 2016, July 11, 2017
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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Table of Contents
Introduction: New Opportunities, New Horizons ............................................................. 3
Strategic Planning: Purpose and Intent ............................................................................... 3
Municipal Organization ....................................................................................................... 4
City Services ............................................................................................................................. 4
Strategic Planning: The Process ....................................................................................... 5
Our Mission .............................................................................................................................. 6
Our Vision. ................................................................................................................................. 6
Our Values. ................................................................................................................................ 7
Alignment: Goal Formulation .................................................................................................. 8
Execution: Strategic Plan Management and Accountability ....................................... 9
Next Steps: Operationalizing the Plan .............................................................................. 10
Tactical Plan Development ............................................................................................. 10
Meridian’s Strategic Plan: Goals and Objectives ........................................................... 11
1. Strategic Growth ......................................................................................................... 11
2. Economic Vibrancy .................................................................................................... 12
3. Responsive Government.......................................................................................... 13
4. Safe, Healthy, and Secure ........................................................................................ 14
5. Arts, Culture, and Recreation ................................................................................ 15
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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Introduction: New Opportunities, New Horizons
For more than two consecutive decades, the City of Meridian has been the fastest
growing City in the State of Idaho. The City’s population tripled between 1990 and 2000 and
then doubled again between 2000 and 2008. In 2014, Meridian arguably became the second
largest City in the State of Idaho and the 10th fastest growing City in the Nation. Per the
recently posted US Census estimates, Meridian’s population was listed at 95,623 for 2016; a 4.5
percent increase rating Meridian among the top 15 fastest growing cities over 50,000 in the
nation. In April, the Compass Board adopted population totals for Meridian at 98,300.
The City’s population explosion has necessitated the expansion of services, the addition
of staff, and the need to better visualize, organize, and plan its future. While growth has been a
positive, influencing factor in Meridian’s success, the City must do more to guide growth and
the expansion of its services. For the past few years, the City has been conducting surveys of its
citizens and employees to gather information regarding its management and planning efforts.
These inputs have been a valuable contribution in the development of the City’s Strategic Plan.
To truly become the premier place to live, work, and raise a family, the City must be
purposeful and visionary in the establishment of financially sound growth goals and the
identification of community service expectations. It must then align its fiscal and human
resources to achieve those goals. This document endeavors to set, organize, and place a plan
into action to accomplish those goals.
Strategic Planning: Purpose and Intent
Strategic planning is one of the most important responsibilities of the leadership of any
organization. It is the activity that establishes a clear vision for the organization and sets
appropriate strategic objectives to guide fulfillment of the vision. It also aligns appropriate
resources and deployment decisions to achieve the strategic objectives and establishes
measures that ensure attainment of those objectives within specified time frames.
Like all cities, Meridian is continually faced with a myriad of challenges and
opportunities. The demands of growth on budgets, infrastructure, and staffing underscore the
need for a comprehensive and clear strategic plan. Because cities must reconcile the needs of a
community with a diverse service offering, it is challenging to focus citizens, leaders, and staff in
one direction. The role of this strategic plan, therefore, is to provide that focus, facilitate the
successful growth of the community, and provide a platform to purposefully advance the City
as an organization.
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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This strategic plan will serve as a roadmap for the City’s success over the next five years.
It will also serve as a tool to communicate the City’s intentions to the community, focus the
direction of its financial resources and employees, and ensure that short-term goals and
objectives are met in a timely fashion to ensure attainment of the City’s overall vision. This
plan defines specific results that are to be achieved, outlines a course of action for achieving
them, and details measurements to ensure the outcomes of those results. Additionally, this
plan will ensure that the most important City priorities are identified, communicated, and
achieved with direction and effective planning so that all may know what is expected and how
to achieve success. The City will be diligent in focusing its efforts on strategic objectives that it
can control and influence within the scope of its mission and vision. The implementation of this
plan and the decision making around it will align with the City values.
Municipal Organization
The City of Meridian lies at the heart of Idaho’s Treasure Valley. Meridian is one of the
fastest growing cities in Idaho and it is a magnet for people looking for a family-oriented
community in the Intermountain West. A long and vibrant heritage in agriculture has given way
to homes and businesses that share a common goal - being part of a diverse and vibrant
community that is a great place to work, live, and raise a family.
Over the past 25 years, the City has grown substantially. So, too,
have its responsibilities, service expectations, and staffing requirements.
Today, the City of Meridian is a full service city that contains more than 375
staff members distributed between ten Departments, has an operating
budget of more than $90M, and currently
serves a population of more than 90,000
residents. This document represents
the City of Meridian’s first formalized
Strategic Plan.
City Services
Cities are unique organizations because of the diversity and
complexity of their service offerings. Like all cities, Meridian provides
many primary services directly to the community while forming
partnerships with other governmental units to provide the remainder of
services to its citizens. The City of Meridian currently provides the following
services directly to the community:
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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Strategic Planning Team
Leader Title
Tammy de Weerd Mayor
Tom Barry Director of Public Works
Bruce Chatterton Director of Community Development
Jaycee Holman Director of IT / City Clerk
Stacy Kilchenmann Director of Finance
Jeff Lavey Chief of Police
Bill Nary City Attorney
Mark Niemeyer Fire Chief
Patti Perkins Director of Human Resources
Steve Siddoway Director of Parks & Recreation
Robert Simison Mayor’s Chief of Staff
• Police
• Fire and Medical Response
• Land Use, Planning and Building
• Parks and Recreation Services
• Water
• Sewer
• Economic Development
• Administrative Services
Working closely with government and private partners allows citizens to also receive, among
other services:
• Recycling and trash collection through a franchise agreement
• Roads via the Ada County
Highway District
• Libraries via the Meridian
Library District
• Pools via the Western Ada
Recreation District
• Downtown development via
the Meridian Development
Corporation
• Criminal Prosecution Services
through the City of Boise
Ada County, the State of Idaho, and the
Federal Government also directly serve
the citizens of Meridian.
Strategic Planning: The Process
Strategic planning is an iterative but logical process. It involves conducting an
environmental scan or SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) of the
organization, defining or refining the organization’s mission, vision and value statements,
developing goals, establishing objectives, operationalizing and implementing the plan, and
monitoring for results.
To establish the City’s strategic plan, the City
chose Leadership Advisors Group to facilitate its
planning process. The City then developed a
Strategic Planning Team comprised of the Mayor
and the Executive Leadership Team. The Strategic
Planning Team is responsible for the development
and articulation of the overall direction of the
organization. As Chief Elected Officer, the Mayor
will be accountable for the performance and
administration of the Strategic Plan.
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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To guide the planning process, the Team was first trained on the Dimensional Strategy®
framework. This framework helps leaders to navigate their organization’s complexity to create
a unifying, compelling, and achievable strategic plan. Using this framework, the Team
participated in an organization-wide Strengths Assessment. The Strengths Assessment helped
to measure the City’s planning readiness and overall management strength, as well as identify
potential risks during the strategic planning process. Then the Team conducted a SWOT
analysis. This analysis was used to identify the key internal and external factors seen as
influencing or impacting the City organization. Internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) are
controllable by the organization. External factors (opportunities and threats) impact
organizations but are not controllable by the organization. From this exercise, the City gained
insights that were carried into the strategic planning process.
Several Team meetings culminated in the revision of the City’s Mission statement, an
update to its Vision statement, and the review and affirmation of its organizational values.
Our Mission:
We love Meridian; it’s our town and our mission is to cultivate a vibrant community
by delivering superior service through committed, equipped employees dedicated to
the stewardship of our community’s resources.
Our Vision: Where we see ourselves as an organization and community in the future.
By 2035, Meridian will be the West’s premier community in which to live, work, and
raise a family.
• Proactive City policies and well-educated,
capable employees will, together, create a
compelling economic advantage yielding robust
family-wage jobs that will nourish our
welcoming, vibrant, and diverse business
environment.
• Our strategic growth will ensure an orderly
development that balances resources and
leverages partnerships to create a sustainable
and financially viable community.
• A flexible and responsive government will
ensure that services meet demand with financial
prudence and excellence while safeguarding our
community’s health and safety .
• Community members will enjoy a vibrant
downtown and a myriad of diverse arts,
cultural, and recreational offerings to have
meaningful experiences.
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Our Values: The core principles that guide our treatment of one another, our
customers, and our decisions.
At the City of Meridian, we CARE . That means:
• Providing the best Customer Service to our community, colleagues, and
partners by listening and responding in a timely, friendly, professional, and
solution-oriented manner.
• Exemplifying Accountability by understanding our role in the organization,
knowing our jobs, and accepting that each of us is responsible for our own
work, choices, and actions. Acting as stewards of the community’s resources,
our environment, and our relationships.
• Showing Respect by being trustworthy and courteous. We honor, accept,
and include people with diverse opinions and backgrounds.
• Demonstrating continual Excellence through professionalism, going beyond
the parameters of our job while being creative, innovative, flexible, and
adaptable to multiple needs.
Next, the team met with the City Council to discuss the SWOT analysis results, share the
mission, vision, and value statements, and brainstorm future strategic initiatives, focus areas,
and goals for the City. This strategy session helped the Team narrow the City’s strategic focus
areas into five broad categories. By identifying and prioritizing these focus areas, the City has
effectually defined the targets into which the City will invest its time, energy, and resources to
advance.
Strategic Focus Areas
Focus Area Description
Strategic
Growth
Good growth fuels a city. Meridian will promote growth that enhances its
vision and is family-focused, properly planned, financially viable, and diverse.
Economic
Vibrancy
Jobs make a City vibrant. Meridian will recruit family-wage jobs and promote
the growth of existing organizations in employment zones that put work and
life together.
Responsive
Government
The successful government of the 21st century is service driven, approachable,
and responsive. Meridian will embody those qualities by improving efficiency,
enhancing transparency, utilizing technology, and investing in our employees.
Safe, Healthy,
and Secure
For a community to prosper, it must be safe, secure, and healthy. Meridian will
invest in activities and services that enhance public safety and community
health to build a stronger community and promote the quality of life that its
citizens and employees expect.
Arts, Culture &
Recreation
A premier community embraces cultural diversity and promotes an abundant
offering of arts, entertainment, and recreational opportunities. Meridian will
invest in services, facilities, programs, and partnerships to establish itself as an
active and vibrant community that fulfills the diverse cultural and recreational
needs of its people.
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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Department Plans Comprehensive
Plan
Capital
Improvement Plan
Economic
Development Plan
Strategic
Plan
Alignment: Goal Formulation
Three existing plans also played a role in forming this strategic plan. While the strategic
plan will be the overarching organizational and community agenda, the plan is informed and
enlivened by the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Capital Improvement Plan, and Economic
Development Plan.
Comprehensive Plan: Establishes the vision for the City’s development future,
including key elements such as the land use plan and Area of City Impact.
Capital Improvement Plan: Identifies capital projects and equipment purchases,
provides a planning schedule, and identifies options for financing the short-
range plan (usually five to ten years).
Economic Development Plan:
Provides targets for attracting,
retaining, and expanding
businesses in Meridian.
The graphic to the right reflects the
inter-relationship of the various plans. The
other major aspect of the City that must be
reconciled to the strategic plan is the City’s
budgetary plan. The City’s budget must reflect the strategy. The interchange between the
above plans and the new strategic plan is intended to be complementary.
In addition to the aforementioned plans and the City Strategic Plan, each Department
will need to develop a Department Plan that correlates to the Goals and Objectives of the
Citywide Strategic Plan at a
tactical/operational level. Since
this is the first strategic plan for
the City of Meridian, the
connection to the City’s budget
will be done via existing and
future Department Plans. This
means that, as each
Department refreshes its plan,
the focus areas and goals
established within this strategic
plan will be evident in the
Department’s budget.
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Execution: Strategic Plan Management and Accountability
A plan poorly implemented is like having no plan at all. As part of the City’s strategic
planning process, the Strategic Planning Team identified and invited several key staff members
from each of their Departments to participate in a Change Management workshop. The
purpose behind the workshop was to prepare and train key staff on managing change - in this
case, providing staff the perspectives and tools to help implement the Strategic Plan.
The responsibility for the development and execution of the City’s Strategic Plan is
vested with the Mayor. Since the Strategic Plan represents the core agenda of the organization,
it is incumbent upon the Mayor to oversee its development and shepherd its execution. Now
that the Plan has been developed, the administration of the Plan and the accountability for its
execution are paramount. To guide those two aspects (administration and execution), the
following set of responsibilities has been developed:
This Plan is intended to transcend changes in the political environment. Organizational
constancy is critical in maintaining momentum and achieving the desired results. However, it is
important to recognize that major changes in elected leadership, City Council composition or
modification to Council policies, strategies, plans, budget initiatives, etc., may impact the
content, implementation, and successful attainment of this Strategic Plan.
While this Plan itself serves as a guide that describes the strategic and tactical activities
of the City of Meridian, the measure of success for the City in its strategic pursuits will be
marked by the goal achievement contained in the Plan. Just as important will be the extent to
which the City reviews and updates its strategic plan based on changing conditions and
circumstances. In the end, strategic planning is a process, not an event, and it is that process
that will define and ensure a competitive and purposeful organization.
Frequency Activity Responsible
Party
Reporting
Audience
Quarterly Review strategic goal measurements
and execution progress
Mayor City Leadership Team
Semi -
Annually
Execution progress report Mayor City Council
Annually Review and refine the strategic plan Mayor City Council and the
City Leadership Team
Annually Review and refine Department plans Department
Directors
Departments and
Mayor
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Next Steps: Operationalizing the Plan
Tactical Plan Development
The first phase of the City’s approach to developing its strategic plan involved
conducting an environmental scan, aligning its mission, vision, and values statements,
organizing its resource inputs, developing strategic focus areas, and identifying key goals and
objectives to align and advance the City’s resources toward the pursuit of its vision. What must
follow is the development of Department-level tactical plans which align and support the City’s
Strategic Plan. These tactical plans will need to define the activities, resources, timeframes, and
costs required to advance the identified objectives in the City’s Strategic Plan. Performance
measures and routine performance audits will ensure that each Department is appropriately
engaged and aligned in advancing the City’s vision.
TACTIC : Tactic #: Title of the Tactic
GOAL RELEVANCE : Insert Goal Title This Tactic Supports
SUPPORTING OBJECTIVE : Insert Objective Title This Tactic Supports
Priority: Select between 1=Highest and 5=Lowest Estimated Cost: Select Between $=Lowest and $$$$$=Highest
Anticipated Start Date: Identify Start Date Completion Date : Identify Completion Date
Lead Staff: Insert Tactic Lead
Support Staff: Insert Support Groups(s)/Individual(s)
External Support: Identify Those Outside Your Division/Department Required To Advance The Tactic.
Tactical Summary: Insert Brief Tactical Summary Here.
Activities: List All Activities Required to Complete This Tactic in Logical/Chronological Order Below:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Performance Measure(s): List all Performance Measures to be Used.
a)
b)
Status Update:
Provide status updates here.
Example Tactical Summary
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Meridian’s Strategic Plan: Goals and Objectives
1. Strategic Growth
Good growth fuels a city. Meridian will promote growth that enhances its vision and is
family-focused, properly planned, financially viable, and diverse.
Goals:
A. Facilitate the development and growth of Meridian’s downtown culminating in a
strong and diverse community core.
1. Reinvigorate the Destination Downtown plan by gaining broad, strong support
and positioning the plan for implementation.
2. Evaluate and, if appropriate, expand the Urban Renewal District. Complete
3. Reform the Meridian Development Corporation to maximize its use in
developing downtown. Remove
B. Create a growth management system to foster the growth goals of the City in
alignment with the Comprehensive Plan.
1. Define and articulate the City’s growth goals.
2. Identify priority growth areas and incentivize growth and development.
3. Complete rezoning in targeted growth areas to direct types of development in
alignment with the City’s growth goals.
4. Promote and guide desired growth with investments in infrastructure and
services ahead of growth.
5. Develop and implement a sustainable growth management system that includes
the Fiscal Impact Model to inform service levels, staffing, and General/
Enterprise Fund impacts.
C. Preserve and protect land use and zoning plans to promote certainty and
predictability for future development within the adopted Area of City Impact.
1. Codify established Area of City Impact boundaries.
2. Align land use plan with the City’s growth goals.
3. Identify and preserve land(s) for interactive, educational, agricultural-based
destination(s).
D. Develop and sustain the connections that shape and serve our community.
1. Promote a Master Mobility Plan, ensuring that residents and visitors have safe
and efficient mobility options.
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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2. Economic Vibrancy
Jobs make a City vibrant. Meridian will recruit family-wage jobs and promote the growth of
existing organizations in employment zones that put work and life together.
Goals:
A. Influence the location and retention of family-wage jobs in close proximity to where
people live.
1. Identify, develop, and utilize the tools needed for successful attraction and
retention of jobs.
2. Develop and maintain the broad spectrum of partnerships needed to cultivate
diverse businesses and jobs.
3. Promote job growth by identifying and attracting businesses in technology,
agricultural science and technology, health sciences, animal sciences, and food
production.
4. Create a variety of housing options, open spaces, and amenities in order to
provide living choices for a diverse workforce.
B. Partner with others to develop a qualified workforce that meets the needs of
targeted industries.
1. Promote opportunities for and access to entry level and advanced education for
targeted industries.
2. Promote cultural and workforce diversity.
C. Promote a diverse and sustainable economy.
1. Identify targets and gaps in available goods and services.
2. Promote identified special business districts.
3. Pursue key catalyst projects.
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3. Responsive Government
The successful government of the 21st century is service driven, approachable, and
responsive. Meridian will embody those qualities by improving efficiency, enhancing
transparency, utilizing technology, and investing in our employees.
Goals:
A. Elevate the engagement of the community with local government.
1. Evaluate and define the objectives of, and adapt new strategies to elevate
participation in, City activities.
2. Improve citizen access to government.
3. Develop partnerships allowing the City to become an access point to other
government.
B. Establish a comprehensive workforce development and retention program for the City.
1. Develop a cost effective and competitive benefit plan.
2. Identify position specific training needs.
3. Develop a succession planning program.
4. Develop an employee engagement program.
5. Develop and maintain a competitive compensation program that enables quality
recruitment and rewards and encourages high performance.
C. Ensure flexibility, adaptability, and resiliency of government during times of crisis and
recovery.
1. Develop a local Incident Management Team to respond during and after times of
community crisis.
2. Fully deploy and adequately train staff to meet all objectives of the City of Meridian
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).
3. Develop and implement technological and communications contingency plans and
programs for continuity of City operations.
D. Improve operational efficiency and organizational excellence.
1. Align resources, systems, and employees to meet strategic objectives and priorities.
2. Develop and deploy a City-wide performance measurement, monitoring, and
reporting program.
3. Develop and deploy a City-wide continuous improvement program.
4. Evaluate the need for centralized, professional administrative and operational
oversight for City functions. Remove
E. Enhance transparency and decision-making of City government.
1. Establish clearly defined roles and responsibilities of City leadership up to and
including Elected Officials. Complete
2. Conduct a priorities-of-government exercise to identify community expectations
and desired level of service standards. Merge with 3.E.4.
3. Align community programs, City policies/ordinances, and staffing resources based
on community expectations and desired level of service.
4. Institute a priority-based budget system to meet adopted level of service
expectations. Combined with 3.E.2.
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4. Safe, Healthy, and Secure
For a community to prosper it must be safe, secure, and healthy. Meridian will invest in
activities and services that enhance public safety and community health to build a stronger
community and promote the quality of life that its citizens and employees expect.
Goals:
A. Establish Meridian as a premier safe community.
1. Use industry standards and benchmarks to develop and communicate the Safety
Profile of Meridian.
2. Set targets, identify gaps, and deploy programs and services that elevate the
Safety Profile to achieve the desired targets.
3. Align City ordinances, codes, policies, and resources based on the adopted Safety
Profile.
4. Identify gaps and deploy programs and services that enhance the ability of people
to move safely within and through the community.
5. Become among the Top 100 “Safest Cities” nationally the Safest City in Idaho
regardless of size .
B. Establish Meridian as a premier healthy community.
1. Use industry standards and benchmarks to develop and communicate the Health
Profile of Meridian.
2. Set targets, identify gaps, and deploy programs and services that elevate the
Health Profile to achieve the desired targets.
3. Align City ordinances, codes, policies, and resources based on the adopted Health
Profile.
4. Build and maintain a broad spectrum of partnerships to create a healthy
community and improve access to health care services.
5. Become among the Top 100 “Healthiest Cities” nationally.
C. Promote and advance social services that strengthen the socio-economic well-being of
the community.
1. Define the educational, financial, food, shelter, personal preparedness, and
personal security environment (“Socio-Economic Profile”) within the community.
2. Set targets and identify gaps in programs and services to elevate the Socio-
Economic Profile of the community.
3. Build and maintain a broad spectrum of partnerships to create a secure community
and improve the education of and access to social and support services.
4. Deploy programs and services that address social and support services
deficiencies. Remove
5. Align City ordinances, codes, policies, and resources based on the adopted Socio-
Economic Profile.
D. Establish a comprehensive Health and Safety Program for the City of Meridian.
1. Develop a comprehensive Risk Management program inclusive of risk
identification, mitigation, safety audits, training, and proper resourcing.
2. Develop a comprehensive family-focused Health and Wellness Program for City
employees.
E. Advance sustainable and environmentally healthy practices throughout the City.
1. Promote green building designs, practices, and materials that improve indoor air
quality and overall health. Remove
2. Develop sustainability initiatives in the areas of water conservation, recycling, and
energy efficiency.
3. Promote community based eco-sustainable programs, projects, and services.
City of Meridian Amended: July 11, 2017 Strategic Plan
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5. Arts, Culture, and Recreation
A premier community embraces cultural diversity and promotes an abundant offering of
arts, entertainment, and recreational opportunities. Meridian will invest in services,
facilities, programs, and partnerships to establish itself as an active and vibrant community
that fulfills the diverse cultural and recreational needs of its people.
Goals:
A. Spur development of quality, regionally significant facilities for recreation and
entertainment in Meridian.
1. Establish partnerships that foster development of mixed or single use facilities
for performing arts and conferences.
2. Identify desired public sports facilities or complexes and establish partnerships
that foster their development.
3. Evaluate available tools for financing recreation and entertainment facilities.
4. Foster development of Discovery Parks that uniquely blend arts, entertainment,
and culture.
B. Develop, maintain, and foster a portfolio of activities and events that serve the
diverse needs of the citizens of Meridian.
1. Determine, attract, promote, and maintain a “signature” event for the City.
Remove
2. Determine the viability of and, if feasible, develop a “farmers market.” Complete
3. Foster development of vibrant downtown entertainment options to meet the
needs of various generations.
4. Set targets, identify gaps, and deploy programs, activities, and events that
provide family-centered recreational opportunities.
C. Foster the infusion of arts in our community.
1. Research and identify a catalog of long-term funding mechanisms and
contributors for supporting arts and culture.
2. Develop a plan to infuse art in public spaces.
3. Connect to the artisan community and promote the education of utilitarian art
forms and their historical significance/value in our community.