[Durham INC] Citizen Input Sought for Durham's First-Ever Strategic Plan; deadline is Dec 18

[John Schelp]

>From the City of Durham...

Citizen Input Sought for First-Ever Strategic Plan -- Online Survey Available Until December 18
 
Durham residents who want to give input on the future direction of the City of Durham now have their chance thanks to an online survey.
 
As part of the process to create the City’s first-ever strategic plan, the City is reaching out to Durham residents, City Council members, City employees, and other community stakeholders for input on the organization’s strengths and weaknesses and where it should be focusing its resources.
 
>From now until December 18, 2009, residents are encouraged to visit www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hUuXs3FrV2hWzpYiyqncAw_3d_3d and complete an online survey to give input on how the City should define its strategic direction and allocate its resources going forward.  
 
According to City Manager Tom Bonfield, an honest assessment of the organization will enable the City’s leadership to understand the numerous environments in which the community exists, establishes consensus about a shared vision for Durham, and will ultimately illuminate the actions and resources required to make that happen.  
 
"Resident input at this juncture in our process is critical to our understanding for where we, as an organization, are at right now as well as where our residents think we should focus our resources to achieve community-wide, desired outcomes," Bonfield said.  "Input from these submitted online surveys will be compiled with data from our Coffee with Council meetings, annual citizen survey, staff forums, Boards/Commissions/Committees forum, departmental surveys, and a Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau analysis to complete our information gathering and analysis period.  All of this data will go into a draft strategic plan, which will be presented to City Council for their final input and approval in June 2010 and put into place immediately beginning with the FY 2010-2011 budget year."
 
In addition to the online survey, residents can also pick up hard copies of the survey from the Durham One Call desk, located in the lobby of City Hall.
 
To learn more about the City’s first-ever strategic planning process, visit the City’s Web site at www.durhamnc.gov/departments/bms/strategic_planning_process.cfm or contact Bertha Johnson, director of the City’s Department of Budget and Management Services, at (919) 560-4111, extension 20285 or via e-mail at bertha.johnson at durhamnc.gov.