During the Board of Commissioners 2022 Retreat, the Board authorized staff to create a comprehensive Five-Year Strategic Plan for Orange County to lay out the priorities that will guide policies and budget decisions from 2024 through 2028.
The board directed staff to use a data-driven strategic planning process grounded in the principles of equity and responsive to the concerns and priorities of the community. The process should position the county to address the challenges of the future in a fiscally sustainable manner.
“To make the plan as effective as it can be, we need to hear from the public about their priorities,” said Orange County Chair Jamezetta Bedford. “We want this process to be as inclusive as possible. It is critical that any plan be viewed through an equity lens and our goals for climate action as we make important decisions about education, economic development, public health and safety, land-use and other quality of life issues.”
BerryDunn, a consultant with nationwide experience in local government strategic planning, was chosen to lead the process after a formal request for proposals process in fall 2022. They will interview elected officials, county leadership, department managers and supervisors, and advisory boards and commissions through the coming months. The consulting team will also survey all county staff and will engage residents, businesses and a broad array of community stakeholder groups identified by the Board of Commissioners.
BerryDunn has created a website for the public to learn more about the process, fill out a survey identifying their priorities and provide input (berrydunn.mysocialpinpoint.com/orangecounty). Interested community groups can find a Meeting in the Box link on the site with the tools and information needed to host a meeting with their constituents.
Community groups who host their own meeting are asked to submit their feedback by May 31.
The information collected will be used to create a long-term vision, strategic priorities, goals and objectives and performance metrics to define our direction and measure our progress. The outcome of this process will be a comprehensive strategic plan that presents:
- a clear planning process and approach
- a community engagement process
- relevant data and analysis of trends
- identification of opportunities and strategies
- a process to prioritize and focus county programs and services
- an implementation plan with performance measures that track progress on achieving the goals of the plan