Parks Strategic Plan

1

Department Strategic Plan2011-2016

2 Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department Strategic Plan, 2011-2016

Department Strategic Plan2011-2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface: Letter from the Director

1. Introduction 1.1 Hillsboro Community Overview1.2 City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department Overview1.3 Department Funding Model 1.4 Overview of All Plans in Place 1.5 Process Description

2. Mission, Core Values & Vision

3. Summary of Focus Areas

4. Department Focus Areas in Detail

5. Strategic Plan Communication

6. Benchmarking/Measuring Plan Progress

3Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department Strategic Plan, 2011-2016

PREFACE: Letter from the Director

For more than 35 years, the City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department has been providing our community with exceptional parks, facilities and programs. Hillsboro has grown immensely in the last 30 years, and growth trends indicate that we will add an additional 60,000 to our current population of 91,000 by 2030. The population will continue to diversify, the ethnic mix will continue to change, and new trends will emerge to become part of the mainstream. All of this means that access to a wide range of quality and affordable parks and recreation opportunities will continue to grow in importance, and it is critical for our organization to find ways to continue to meet the needs of the community into the future.

Recent changes within our department, including the addition of the Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, and the wide variety of recreational, cultural, nature and educational services we offer, also make it imperative that we are as efficient and effective as possible in everything that we do. Our national accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) also signifies our commitment to high quality management and provision of these valuable services, and we are dedicated to retaining this into the future.

I am extremely pleased to present the City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department’s 5-Year Strategic Plan to our staff, appointed and elected officials, and to the community. This plan identifies who we are as an organization, where we want to be headed based on the needs of the community, and how we will get there. It combines various planning efforts, including the city’s strategic plan, city council goals and departmental plans, and provides tools to help us bridge the gap between long-term vision and day-to-day decisions, enabling us to allocate resources in the best way possible for the community. This is essential so that as we move forward we can continue to efficiently serve the recreational needs of citizens and positively impact the livability of Hillsboro.

We look forward to the challenge of continuing to uphold our mission to provide our community with diverse, innovative and exceptional recreational, educational and cultural opportunities that enrich the lives of our citizens.

Steve Greagor, Director City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department


1. Introduction

1.1 City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department and the Community of Hillsboro Overview

Hillsboro, located 18 miles west of Portland, is the 5th largest city in Oregon. Incorporated in 1876 and originally an agricultural community, today Hillsboro is in the heart of the “Silicon Forest,” Oregon’s high technology cluster. Pioneer churches and high-tech industry, small town charm and busy shopping centers all come together in this community.

As stated in the 2009 Parks and Trails Master Plan, the City of Hillsboro is experiencing rapid growth which will significantly impact the focus of the Parks and Recreation Department:

“Hillsboro has grown from a quiet farming community into a technology and employment center that is vital to Oregon’s economy and is home to nearly 90,000 residents. With the rapid population growth, Hillsboro has seen the development of significantly more housing, as well as the creation of several new district and neighborhood centers that have resulted in significant changes to Hillsboro’s built environment. Hillsboro has nearly tripled in population in a generation and could expect to grow to more than 150,000 people by 2030. Hillsboro is expected to continue to experience steady population growth, particularly in the Latino community, as the Portland metro area continues to attract new residents. By definition, growth will require the City to expand services and operations to meet the needs of more residents. Physical growth through annexation, population growth, and demographic changes will all have direct impacts on the delivery of Parks and Recreation services in Hillsboro.” Demographic information also supports increased ethnic and economic diversity in the community, a growing number of seniors, and changing family structures and lifestyles.

The future addition of South Hillsboro with the anticipated urban growth boundary expansion will significantly impact the need for services, although the timing on this as well as the pace of economic recovery from the current downturn is uncertain.


1.2 City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department (internal) The City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department is a complex service organization including six distinctly different divisions with around 73 full-time employees and a $10 million annual operating budget.

The Department was established in 1975 and since then has grown from three parks and one recreation coordinator into a CAPRA nationally accredited full-service Parks & Recreation agency providing the community with:

• more than 800 acres of park land, including 30 developed parks and specialty areas, seven undeveloped parks, 66 open spaces, and a 725-acre wetland preserve.• seven facilities, including an outdoor sports complex/stadium, an aquatic & recreation center, and a cultural arts center.• a multitude of programs including recreational, educational and cultural classes for all ages, ten adult sports leagues, and after-school programs.

The department has expanded, as have the services and offerings provided, as a result of the rapid growth and diversification of the Hillsboro community. The department has refined its organizational structure and has increased full and part-time staffing significantly. It has also taken on new responsibilities, such as overseeing Jackson Bottom Wetlands and management of the Celebrate Hillsboro annual family festival.

The department’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges (SWOC) are outlined in the 2007 marketing and communications plan, and were addressed in an all-staff survey in mid-2010. Opportunities and challenges are clearly addressed in sections 3 and 4 of this plan, but a snapshot of the department’s SWOC is as follows:Strengths: talented and dedicated employees, positive philosophy/mission, wide range of services, quality/value and affordable offerings, partnerships, community support (including City Council, Parks & Recreation Commission, Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council and city administration support), and reputation.Weaknesses: keeping up with growth, research/measurement/evaluation, inter-departmental communication, opportunities for staff improvement (training/advancement), guiding procedures and policies, distance from city hall, lack of facilities/sports fields, deficient in internal cultural diversity/ethnic outreach.

The Parks and Recreation department has developed many innovative services and programs to meet the needs of the community. However, because of the broad range of services, increasing demand and limited resources, we need a strategic and consistent approach to prioritizing and making sure we are focusing our efforts in the best way possible for the community. While the department has been guided by strategies and initiatives included in the plans listed below (more details on each provided in section 1.4), to date there has been no formal strategic plan guiding the department.

Parks and Trails Master Plan (updated in 2009) •Parks & Recreation Marketing and Communications Plan (created in 2007) •Hillsboro 2020 Vision and Action Plan (developed with intense citizen involvement in 2000 •and updated in 2010)City of Hillsboro Strategic Plan (adopted in 2010)•

Our unique challenge is to accomplish our public service mission while at the same time balance efficient use of resources and cost recovery goals. A strategic plan is critical to achieving our mission and vision, and remaining relevant and effective in a changing community.

The purpose of this strategic plan is to create a clear, comprehensive and strategic document that examines where we are today, where we want to be in the future, establishes opportunities and goals, and creates a road map for achieving those goals through day-to-day implementation.


1.3 Parks & Recreation Department Funding Model Hillsboro has consistently invested in its park system and services and has utilized diverse funding sources. As a General Fund department, Parks & Recreation operations have primarily been supported by the city’s General Fund, which derives revenues from property taxes, local option levies, hotel/motel taxes, franchise fees and various other sources. Park development has overwhelmingly been funded by system development charges (SDCs) generated from residential, commercial and industrial development fees that are earmarked for capacity-expanding capital improvements.

Other sources of revenue are:User fees (for recreation programs, facility use, rentals)•Grants (corporate, foundation, state and federal – for park/facility development and •renovation, and recreation programs)Sponsorships (from local corporations and organizations)•Donations (individual and corporate, monetary and in-kind product or services)•Intergovernmental Agreements (Hillsboro School District, Clean Water Services, Washington •County Commission on Children & Families)Bonds (Metro Greenspaces/Natural Areas)•


1.4 Overview of All Planning EffortsA combination of plans and planning efforts by multiple stakeholders influences the actions of the Parks & Recreation Department. The goal of this strategic plan is to focus and funnel these planning efforts into one succinct plan that can be both easily understood and efficiently implemented. The Parks & Recreation Department’s strategic plan describes the values, goals and objectives to guide department development and operations for the next five years. Aligning multiple plan goals from critical stakeholders is vital to the success of this plan.

The following plans/goals are interconnected and serve as complementary documents to the Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Strategic Plan:

Hillsboro 2020 Vision• Plan – a community-driven plan based on a 20-year vision for the city. City Council Annual Goals – • a council-driven set of goals for the city each year. The 2010 goals focus on transportation, marketing the city, economic development, sustainability and diversity. City of Hillsboro Strategic Plan• – an internally driven and focused plan created to guide the direction of City management and operations.City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department Master Plan• – a detailed and heavily-researched plan outlining critical services and community needs.Supplemental Division Plans• – various divisions of Parks & Recreation have created and follow specific plans to guide their actions. These plans include the marketing, maintenance, recreation, natural resources, and trails plans. Divisional plans support and overlap key strategies of this strategic plan.Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council Strategic & Community Plan • – a community-based plan outlining the vision, values, mission, roles, and initial priorities for the Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council (HACC).

The City of Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Department strategic plan focuses on the day-to-day management of operations, providing staff with direction on the “how and when” decision-making as well as departmental processes and tactics.

The following diagram illustrates how these multiple plans interact with one another:


1.5 Process OverviewWith the completion of the City of Hillsboro’s strategic plan process in early 2010, the Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department began a strategic planning process to guide the department specifically. Keeping the overall city plan in mind, the objective was to involve all staff, Parks & Recreation Commission, and various key stakeholders in creating a simple, concise and to-the-point strategic plan to help the department bridge the gap between long-term vision and day-to-day activities, ensuring that decisions are made and resources are allocated in the most efficient manner to reach the department’s goals.

The plan was developed over five months in three phases: Research and information gathering 1) – collected input from staff, Parks & Recreation Commission, key “stakeholders” including community members, other city staff, sports and arts group representatives, and service partners, incorporated key information from already existing plans including the City’s strategic plan and the department’s master plan and marketing plan, and utilized existing elements to become part of our overall strategic plan (February – May).Draft plan creation and sharing 2) – utilized all of the information from #1 above and created a draft plan for further review and input from key staff and the Parks & Recreation Commission (June – October).Final plan sharing and implementation 3) (November 2010 - January 2011).

Ideas and input from the following key groups were utilized in creating the department’s strategic plan:

Staff – • department staff were invited to provide input into the plan through:Small group brainstorming activities at a staff retreat, which provided a creative venue - for feedback from staff on the department’s strengths, challenges and envisioned future.An 18-question online survey, including ratings and open-ended questions.- Various small staff group meetings to discuss and provide input on various key focus - areas of the plan.Review of drafts of the plan.- An open invitation to provide input or ideas at any time during the plan creation process.-

Parks & Recreation Commission –• presentations were given to the commission at three separate meetings during the process. These included an overview of the plan purpose and planning process, key concepts/focus areas, and a draft plan. Commissioners were invited to review and provide feedback through an online survey, a written/email questionnaire and at these three commission meetings.Key Stakeholders – • Over 35 key community stakeholders were invited and 22 attended a half-day planning session in early April to provide input on key issues and needs affecting the department’s service delivery. In addition, a separate meeting was held with the Hillsboro School District to obtain their feedback on key issues and opportunities to help with the plan.


2. Parks & Recreation Department Mission, Core Values and Vision

Mission Statement:Hillsboro Parks & Recreation is dedicated to providing diverse, innovative and exceptional recreational and cultural opportunities that enrich the lives of our citizens.

Core Values:Hillsboro Parks & Recreation is made up of a dedicated team of professionals who believe in and are guided by the following core values:

Quality Service to Community - • we believe in being connected to and anchored in the community as we aspire to provide solutions to community challenges and work to create positive opportunities and value for residents. We strive to serve residents through responsiveness, honesty, flexibility, equitability, and access to high quality, innovative parks, facilities and services.Responsible Use of Resources• – we are committed to being responsible with public resources. We endeavor to achieve efficiency and cost effectiveness in everything we do, and to strive for open communication and transparency with the community.Community Health & Wellness• – we strive to provide recreational, educational, nature and cultural experiences that encourage healthy living and human development for residents of all ages and abilities. Environmental Stewardship • – we make every effort to be good stewards of the environment including protecting natural resources and focusing on sustainability.Culture of Respect and Teamwork• – we foster a supportive and collaborative internal and external working environment and welcome those with diverse backgrounds and ideas. InnovativeProblem-Solving• - we remain open to possibilities, seek out creative and dynamic solutions to opportunities and issues, and utilize our ever-changing environment as a mechanism to achieve higher levels of service to our community.

All of these support and reflect the city’s overall core values of ExcellenceinPublicService,StewardshipofthePublicTrust,RespectforDiverseVoicesandIdeas,TraditionofReliability,EmphasisonInnovation,LeadershipwithEthicsandIntegrity,CultureofTeamworkandCommunicationandResponsivenessinCustomerService.

We believe that these core values are key elements in the past and current success of the city and the department, and that they will continue to be critical to our future success in serving the needs of the diverse and growing community.


Vision:Hillsboro Parks & Recreation’s long-term vision is to be a leading, progressive and well-respected agency providing exceptional and widely accessible facilities and services that meet the needs and contribute to the health and strength of the community. We will be recognized for providing a community service that is critical to the prosperity and quality of life in Hillsboro. We will retain highly skilled and motivated staff who understand and believe in our mission, core values, vision and goals.

Envisioned Future Narrative:The department’s long-term vision (see previous section) describes our aspirations of being a progressive, well-respected agency that is known for providing exceptional, widely accessible facilities and services, and contributing to the strength and quality of life of our community. To paint a more detailed picture of this vision for the future, following is a descriptive illustration of specific impacts and accomplishments we will strive to achieve:

Access to and preservation of nature…We offer an impressive range of well-maintained and uniquely designed parks and natural areas spread equitably throughout our system. We bring nature into neighborhoods with an expanded Rock Creek Trail and other nature trails along the city’s stream and wetlands corridors. Our expanded offerings of valuable outdoor education opportunities include Jackson Bottom Wetland’s Camp Madsen where local school groups, clubs and youth have access to memorable and educational outdoor experiences right here in their own backyard. We are a leader in sustainable practices, wetland restoration and stewardship, and balancing nature preservation and development. All of this is key to supporting our focus on maintaining the integrity of our natural world so future generations may experience all that nature and recreation in the great outdoors have to offer.

Recreation facilities that unite community…There are recreation centers serving multiple neighborhoods and needs throughout town, a few located adjacent to school sites and providing safe and valuable recreational opportunities during and after school. Coordinated partnerships and programming are in place at “community school sites” at local schools, with recreation, activities, after school programs and resources for residents available after regular school hours. We continue to work with our school district to efficiently share public resources to serve the needs of our even larger and more diverse community. Along with the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex featuring the Hillsboro Stadium, an award-winning indoor Recreation Center is in place at the 53rd Avenue Park. These both serve as energetic hubs for the community, hosting a wide array of recreational opportunities, programs and special events that complement opportunities available at SHARC. The Community Senior Center is a gathering place for and supports the social and recreational needs of the senior population.


Vital recreation programs for the health and human development of a diverse and growing community…Our programs and services enable and encourage a more active community and contribute to improved physical and mental health of residents. Residents of all ethnicities, ages and disabilities are welcomed into programs ranging from sports to art to nature exploration. These provide for personal growth, creative expression, reduced obesity and connection with community, and are ever-changing with the needs of the population, changes in the economy and recreation trends. We offer meaningful volunteer opportunities that provide residents with various ways to give back to their community. Our seniors are connected, valued members of our community. Our programs for older adults and our partnership with the Hillsboro Community Senior Center help to provide support networks that empower this age group and increase their connection to the greater community. Our qualified, creative and committed staff are in touch with the needs of residents, work to maintain that connection, and are constantly striving for innovation and excellence in services.

A vibrant arts and culture scene…The regionally-known Walters Cultural Arts Center anchors the robust arts, culture and music scene that has developed in the downtown Hillsboro area. Arts and culture also has a presence through public art and art displays in parks and other town center areas where people congregate such as Orenco and Tanasbourne. The Hillsboro Arts Master Plan, supported by the Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council (HACC), is being realized and a vibrant Public Art program has developed. Various impressive pieces have created memorable places around Hillsboro, transforming previously unremarkable locations into inspiring and thought-provoking spaces that create a community identity and connect people to the place they call home. HACC is a widely recognized authority on and catalyst for the arts. The council provides opportunities that support local art groups and artists, which contributes to the growing awareness of Hillsboro’s thriving arts scene throughout the region.

Invaluable community-supported after school and youth development programs…With the support and help of various community partners, after school programs are available to every Hillsboro elementary and middle school student. Program statistics illustrate and support the value of these vital programs in helping to solve youth/community problems. This includes keeping youth positively occupied during non-school/non-supervised times, providing leadership skills, improving academic performance, instilling confidence, teaching the value of physical fitness, and connecting kids to community through service-learning opportunities.

Community collaboration and problem solving…Key partnerships, some that have been in place for many years and some brand new, continue to help us unite various businesses and community organizations in solving key societal problems and improving quality of life. We continue to work with elected and appointed officials and partners to work toward community-identified goals, including Hillsboro 2020 Vision and Action Plan and the city’s strategic plan. Our commitment to reaching out to the various ethnicities and age groups within our community contributes positively to increased cultural and generational understanding and unity in Hillsboro. We maintain strong partnerships with the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce and the Washington County Visitors Association and work together to build a vibrant and economically sound community.


3. Summary of Strategic Focus Areas

GrowthIssue: Continued population growth in the City of Hillsboro will have great impacts on the parks system, facilities operations, programs, and staff resources.Outcome: The Parks & Recreation Department will have strategies and processes in place to address the growth issues that will potentially challenge the resources of the department and its ability to effectively offer and grow services over the next five years.

FundingIssue: Funding for Parks & Recreation has become more challenging and must be diversified to proactively plan for the future.Outcome: Currently, Parks & Recreation is largely supported by the City General Fund. We will proactively prepare for a more diversified set of funding options in case a changing financial environment reduces General Fund support.

BalanceofUseandPurposeIssue: In many cases, we have more demand for use of our facilities and resources than supply, and it is becoming increasingly challenging to strike a balance to meet all the needs in the community. Staff need a clearer picture of priorities of projects and programs so more efficient and effective use and programming decisions can be made. Outcome: Clearer parameters are identified and supported by the leadership, to provide staff better direction when making decisions on key topics. We will have, utilize and measure balance through written philosophies, standards and benchmarks that will help guide us when a new program or partnership opportunity arises.

SustainingtheCurrentHighLevelServices&FacilitiesIssue: The City of Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department currently handles a high volume of work and produces it with great skill and exceptional customer service and quality. Sustaining or increasing the current level of quality is critical and will help the department maintain CAPRA national accreditation.Outcome: Recognize what caused the department to achieve this high level of service so that it can be maintained throughout the five years of this plan. We will maintain and improve our ability to provide high quality, exceptional parks and recreation services to our community.

PromotingtheValueofParks&RecreationIssue: The department does an exceptional job serving the community’s parks and recreation needs and does so without requesting accolades from the city leadership or the community at large, a scenario that could cause a lack of understanding when the department encounters a challenge and needs support.Outcome: Parks & Recreation’s leadership continually promotes the department’s successes to elected officials, city administration, other departments and to the community to increase education and awareness of the relevance and progress of services, as well needs in order to continue to meet the demands.

FosteringCollaborationIssue: The Parks & Recreation Department has a unique ability to foster collaboration with like-minded organizations and other city departments. This attitude and practice must be documented and maintained so it continues.Outcome: In a continued effort to build key relationships and partnerships, the department will remain dedicated to collaboration with major partners like the Hillsboro School District to expand opportunities and maximize revenue and reach. In the same spirit of collaboration, Parks will also focus on inter-departmental collaboration, cross promotion and information sharing.


Sustainability and the EnvironmentIssue: While the Parks & Recreation Department is a leader in sustainability, there are more opportunities to build community awareness of these practices and to continually increase efforts.Outcome: The Parks & Recreation Department leads the way in sustainability efforts and maximizes the opportunities to let the community know about these practices.

StaffandOrganizationalExcellenceIssue: Parks & Recreation staff members meet exceptional standards and produce above-average services and experiences which is critical to providing an exceptional park system. These levels of quality must be maintained and exceptional staffing must be sustained.Outcome: We will maintain high-quality staff who are vested and energized about working for the department and positively serving the community.


4. STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS

The following seven pages outline strategies and actions for each of the eight focus areas that will receive dedicated attention throughout the next five years, beginning in 2011.

The timing identified for actions are consistent with the city strategic plan and are defined as follows:

Short Term – action initiated by July 1, 2012•Medium Term - action initiated by July 1, 2014•Long Term - action initiated by July 1, 2015•Annually – continue existing efforts or perform new efforts annually.•


4.1 GrowthStrategy Action & Timeline

4.1a Forecasting ACTION 1: Create a procedure and analysis for regular review and adjustment of programs and services based on performance, organizational capacity and new needs and demands of the community. (Also relates to City Strategic Plan Goal 2: Anticipate and prepare for change and its potential opportunities and challenges.)Timing: Short term, then annually Lead: Recreation Services

ACTION 2: Assess staffing and operational needs in the early planning stages for all new programs and facilities. Timing: Short term Lead: Recreation Services

4.1b Proactive Plans and Actions to Serve a Changing Population

ACTION: Address programming and services for diverse changing community including ethnic groups (Latinos, Asians, etc.), seniors, and those with disabilities.Timing: Short termLead: Recreation Services

4.1.c Follow Master Plan for Expansion of Programs and Services

ACTION 1: Set times for review of master plan and track progress.Timing: Short term Lead: Operations & Development

ACTION 2: Initiate and document an ongoing research and analysis program (program stats, feedback forms, surveys) to keep in touch with community needs.Timing: Short termLead: Community Resources

ACTION 3: Create a concept and development plan for provision of parks and recreation facilities in the South Hillsboro area.Timing: Short termLead: Operations & Development ACTION 4: Create an updated plan for development of indoor recreation facilities.Timing: Medium termLead: Operations & Development

ACTION 5: Create community garden master plan.Timing: Short term Lead: Operations & Development

ACTION 6: Create trails master plan. Timing: Medium term Lead: Operations & Development

ACTION 7: Create land acquisition plan. Timing: Medium term Lead: Operations & Development


4.2 FundingStrategy Action & Timeline

4.2a Maintain A Healthy Revenue Base

ACTION 1: Incorporate an overall funding review as part of annual budgeting process and identify funding needs for high priority issues.Timing: Short term

Lead: Administration

ACTION 2: Create a sponsorship plan and to generate new funding and support for programs from the community. Timing: Short term Lead: Community Resources

ACTION 3: Create a memorialization/donation policy and program to generate new funding and support for programs from the community. Timing: Medium term Lead: Community Resources

ACTION 4: Refine grant plan to assess inventory and more efficiently coordinate inter-departmental grant resources. Timing: Short term Lead: Community Resources

ACTION 5: Update and continue to utilize the marketing plan to aggressively promote programs and services.Timing: Short term Lead: Community Resources

ACTION 5: Work with Finance to identify/develop innovative future funding sources for capital projects. Timing: Medium term Lead: Administration

ACTION 6: Establish general cost recovery goals for departmental areas.Timing: Short term Lead: Administration

4.2b Find Cost Efficiencies

ACTION: Review internal department operations for efficiency. (Also relates to City Strategic Plan Goal 3: Maximize operational efficiency and effectiveness across all departments.) Timing: Short term, then annuallyLead: Administration

4.2c Budgetary & Fiscal Education

ACTION: Identify key areas related to city budgeting, taxation and fiscal operations to use in educating employees and elected/appointed officials and the need for continued revenue generation (bond measures, levies). (Also relates to City Strategic Plan Goal 6, Strategy 6.2: Budgetary and fiscal education.)Timing: Medium term Lead: Community Resources


4.3 Balance of Use and PurposeStrategy Action & Timeline

4.3a Economic Impact vs. Community Use

ACTION: Develop a written philosophy for balance to annually compare programs and services focused on the department’s mission (recreation, culture and nature for the community) as opposed to revenue generation (economics). Timing: Medium term Lead: Administration

4.3b Balance of Program Type

ACTION: Complete annual review of programs and services to ensure a diverse range of offerings including product type as well as competitive vs. recreational offerings.Timing: Medium term Lead: Recreation Services

4.3c Natural Preservation/Conservation vs. Revenue Opportunities

ACTION: Develop a position statement to define nature’s priority when it conflicts with revenue opportunities or needs.Timing: Long term Lead: Administration

4.3d Role Identification and Clarification

ACTION 1: Create a report of events the department currently produces or supports, identify and classify what strategic role they fill for the department and what role Parks & Recreation plays (provider, partner, etc).Timing: Short termLead: Community Resources

ACTION 2: Create a written policy and parameters to better define and make decisions on the department’s roles for events (strategic partner, provider, facilitator, sponsor, participant or venue only).Timing: Long term Lead: Community Resources


4.4 Sustaining the Current High Level Services and FacilitiesStrategy Action & Timeline

4.4a Recording and Increasing Successes

ACTION 1: Produce an Annual Report that demonstrates and documents the department’s current high-level of service. Timing: Short term Lead: Community Resources

ACTION 2: Develop a system to record and document the evidence of meeting CAPRA certification standards. Timing: Short termLead: Administration

4.4b Staff Ratios ACTION 1: Create a realistic staffing plan for all new services and facilities as part of the development process.Timing: Medium term Lead: Recreation Services

ACTION 2: Maintain properly trained staff to uphold quality and meet program and service needs. Timing: Medium term Lead: Administration

4.4c Customer Service Practices

ACTION 1: Create an internal customer feedback/complaint logging system to improve responsiveness and internal communication, and developing public information materials and a departmental report card. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 5: Ensure city services are responsive, equitable and accessible.)Timing: Short termLead: Administration

ACTION 2: Implement a quality assurance program to assess customer service strengths and weaknesses and ensure continual improvement. Timing: Medium term Lead: Administration

ACTION 3: Review current customer service results and practices and plan training opportunities for each division’s staff to create high level customer experiences. Timing: Medium term Lead: Administration

4.4.d Maintain High Quality Facilities

ACTION 1: Continue to make proactive maintenance a high priority in Master Plan, CIP and annual budgeting process.Timing: Short term Lead: Operations & Development

ACTION 2: Create procedure for department-wide communication of maintenance projects and issues to prevent promoting less-than-ideal facilities or services.Timing: Short term Lead: Maintenance

ACTION 3: Create plan for inclement weather procedures (closures, cleaning, safety) that includes a decision-making procedure, priorities, and internal communications plan.Timing: Short term Lead: Maintenance


4.5 Promoting the Value of Parks and RecreationStrategy Action & Timeline

4.5a Public Communications Strategy: Outreach, Engagement, Education and Transparency

ACTION 1: Update Department Marketing & Communications plan to further enhance communications, include more comprehensive external communications. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 4: Nurture a culture of trust and engagement with all Hillsboro residents and community partners.)Timing: Short termLead: Community Resources

ACTION 2: Develop print, web and other materials that educate the community about volunteer opportunities with Parks & Recreation. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 4, Strategy 4.4: Public Engagement and Outreach.) Timing: Short termLead: Community Resources

ACTION 3: Develop and implement a volunteer recognition program to honor, thank and encourage volunteers.Timing: Short termLead: Community Resources/Volunteer Services

ACTION 4: Assess current programs and services for focus on health and wellness and increase communication in marketing messages. Timing: Long term Lead: Community Resources

4.5b Internal Communications Strategy

ACTION: Update Department Marketing & Communications plan to include a more comprehensive internal outreach/communication strategy to address communications with staff, other city departments and city leadership.Timing: Short termLead: Community Resources


4.6 Fostering CollaborationStrategy Action & Timeline

4.6a Creating a spirit of collaboration – dept/city-wide/external

ACTION 1: Create and maintain an inventory of staff leadership roles and involvement in professional organizations, non-profit boards, task forces, etc.(Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 7: Demonstrate collaborative leadership.)

Timing: Short term Lead: Administration

ACTION 2: Create and maintain an updated yearly inventory/database of all collaborative partnerships. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 7: Demonstrate collaborative leadership.)

Timing: Short term Lead: Community Resources

4.6b Coordinated Planning and Information Sharing - Internally

ACTION 1: Create a procedure or checklist for conducting coordinated planning efforts internally and externally that identifies process, roles and responsibilities, etc. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 3, Strategy 3.3: Internal information sharing.)Timing: Short term Lead: Administration

ACTION 2: Create an internal communications plan for high-priority projects. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 3, Strategy 3.3: Internal information sharing.)Timing: Short term Lead: Community Resources

4.7 Sustainability and the EnvironmentStrategy Action & Timeline

4.7a Promote environmentally sustainable practices

ACTION: Create an inventory of current sustainability practices as well as planned initiatives for use in public communication. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 8, Strategy 8.2: Community sustainability)Timing: Short termLead: Operations & Development

4.7b Increase Sustainability Efforts

ACTION: Assess and identify sustainability issues and opportunities, and implement enhanced sustainable practices (including increased recycling for the public within parks, staff recycling programs within facilities, etc). (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 8, Strategy 8.1: Internal sustainability)Timing: Medium termLead: Operations & Development

4.7c Create Environmentally-Relevant Programs & services for Community

ACTION: Inventory current environmental/sustainability/nature-related programs and services offered to educate the public and look to enhance/expand offerings. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 8, Strategy 8.2: Community sustainability.)Timing: Medium termLead: Recreation Services


4.8 Staff and Organizational ExcellenceStrategy Action & Timeline

4.8a Retention and Professional Development

ACTION 1: Establish a committee to recommend options for staff recognition and incentive programs. (Relating to City Strategic Plan Goal 1, Strategy 1.3: Retention and professional development.) Timing: Short term Lead: Administration

ACTION 2: Create yearly training and professional development plans for each employee as part of the annual budgeting process.Timing: Short term Lead: Administration

ACTION 3: Develop mentorship and cross training programs.Timing: Medium term Lead: Administration

4.8b Organizational Structure

ACTION 1: Evaluate organizational structure and roles and responsibilities of staff due to increased workload and turnover. Timing: Short term Lead: Administration

ACTION 2: Create a succession plan for identified staff positions to ensure the retention of knowledge for the department and provide opportunities for staff growth. Timing: Short term Lead: Administration


5. Strategic Plan Communication

The following are tactics that will be utilized to share and communicate the final plan to staff, the Parks & Recreation Commission and other stakeholders:

Share with all Parks staff through:•All-staff email- What’s Happening email- Support from Division Managers-

Present final print copies to Division Managers•Present final print copies to City Admin•Present final print copies to Parks & Recreation Commission•Email PDF to stakeholders who attended the stakeholder input meeting•Post PDF to Parks & Recreation Website•Managers to share document with all new staff members as they are hired.•

6. Benchmarking and Measuring Plan Progress

A critical component to a useful strategic plan is to establish and implement benchmarks and progress measurements throughout the life of the plan. This follow-up is paramount to the department’s success in implementing, tracking and measuring the plan’s success over its five-year life.

The Parks & Recreation Program & Support Manager will be responsible for overseeing the implementation and tracking of the overall strategic plan progress as well as working with the Director and Assistant Director to assign the leadership team. Assigned staff including Division Managers and cross-divisional staff will serve as a leadership team to assure accountability and defined assignments. This team will annually review the plan to ensure that the strategies and actions outlined in the plan are still relevant and are being addressed within the time frames established in section 4.


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Documents

Parks Strategic Plan