From Better Roads to Enhanced Parks: Strategic Plan Focuses on Making Saline a More Livable City for Everyone

Photo: Downtown Saline from https://www.salinemainstreet.org/

At the Saline City Council meeting on September 9, Mayor Brian Marl and other city officials presented a new strategic plan designed to guide the community’s future development and priorities. The plan, which was in development for over a year and a half, aims to set a clear roadmap for the city’s growth, enhance services, and improve the overall quality of life for residents.

Mayor Marl began the presentation by emphasizing the importance of this strategic plan. “Think of it like a GPS for our community’s future,” Marl explained. “A strategic plan outlines the city’s visions and priorities for the future, setting a roadmap for projects and specific initiatives. The purpose guides decision-making and resource allocation, both financial and staff time, crafted by the community for the community.”

The plan’s development involved significant community input, with participation from citizens, stakeholders, city staff, and council members over several public meetings and work sessions. “The city of Saline has always maintained goals and objectives specifically for each individual fiscal year,” Marl said. “However, the process that was recently adopted is by far the most thoughtful, the most thorough. It has target areas, specific goals and objectives, timelines, and then it assigns tasks to specific individuals or groups.”

City Manager Colleen O’Toole elaborated on the plan’s foundation, noting it is driven by a “curated mission, vision, and set of core values.” She explained, “Our mission is really the driver behind the action steps that are outlined in the plan…The vision is more of the where, which is both where we are today and where we’re headed with these actions. And then finally, our values are the standards that we set for ourselves as we go about meeting the goals in the plan.”

The strategic plan identifies eight priority areas deemed crucial for aligning the city’s outcomes with its long-term vision. Deputy City Manager Elle Cole highlighted some of these priorities, including effective asset management, fostering open communication, and maintaining fiscal stewardship. “The heart of our strategic plan is effective Asset Management,” Cole stated. “Our goal is to proactively maintain and manage the city’s assets to prevent costly repairs down the road.”

The plan also emphasizes open communication, with the creation of a Communication Task Force to develop a strategy ensuring “transparency and inclusivity” in city operations. “We believe that communication is the foundation of trust between the city and its residents,” said Cole. Other priorities include organizational effectiveness, supporting a viable community, community and economic development, and community health, wellness, and safety.

A notable initiative under the plan is the creation of an Economic Development Department within the city budget, aimed at streamlining development standards and enhancing business retention and expansion efforts. Additionally, a new community wellness initiative is already underway, focusing on both internal and external aspects of community health.

City leaders stressed the need for diligence and thoughtful action to implement the plan successfully. “This plan is no simple task,” O’Toole acknowledged. “To execute it properly will require diligence and thoughtful action on the part of all city leadership.”

The plan will be reviewed quarterly and updated annually to ensure continuous progress toward the city’s goals. The first staff quarterly report is expected to be shared with the council by October 30.

Mayor Marl concluded by encouraging residents to engage with the plan and participate in discussions through various city boards and committees. “We think it is absolutely essential that those citizens who serve on our boards and committees… are well aware of what our specific goals and objectives are for the ensuing months and years,” he said.

Residents interested in viewing the strategic plan in full can request a copy from city officials. As Saline looks ahead, this strategic plan serves as a guiding document to ensure the city’s growth is aligned with the community’s values and needs.