Suggested new 5-year Strategic Plan workshop reviewed by Menifee City Council

Tony Ault Staff Writer

The Menifee City Council met Feb. 15 in a workshop before its regular meeting to review the latest Strategic Plan draft with staff and consultants making presentations. The information presented was taken under advisement, but no action will be taken on it until March when the final draft is reviewed.

The last Strategic Plan workshop in January followed a number of other workshops and community meetings with personal and written surveys taken with a number of city residents.

Four major components of the proposed Strategic Plan were outlined. They included a listing of each component with proposed objectives and goals.

The Mission Statement

A new Mission Statement recommended by the consultants (Berry Dunn) says “The City of Menifee provides essential services through teamwork, leadership, and transparency to improve the quality of life of our community.”

The major change recommended was adding “transparency” to the statement.

Vision Statement

In the refined Vision Statement, it was recommended to state “Menifee is a safe, thriving and inclusive city that offers vibrant neighborhoods and panoramic scenic vistas with rich history, flourishing arts, cultural amenities and diverse recreational opportunities that make Menifee a desired place to live, work, play and stay.”

In the new Vision Statement it showed why Menifee is a desirable place to live but for others would choose to reside in the community.

Guiding Principles

The proposed guiding principles were broken into four categories. They included: People Focused and Connected; Accountable and fiscally responsible; Responsive and transparent; and SolutionOriented and proactive.

Strategic Priorities

In the next five years, the consultant suggested they be: creating a unique identity; create more community engagement and social infrastructure; provide a thriving economy in a safe and vibrant community; and enhance connectivity and mobility.

Themain goals

Each of the Vision Statements was outlined by the consultants and staff in the meeting with the Council’s recommended main objectives for the next five years as follows: Enhance public safety response times to increase safety in the community.

Develop and implement a citywide safety plan to enhance security and a sense of well-being in the community.

Improve safety infrastructure and technology such as street lighting, speed radar feedback signs, rapid rectangular flashing beacons at crosswalks, and surveillance systems to enhance the sense of se- curity and well-being in Menifee.

Continue to support ongoing professional training and development of the city’s personnel to deliver high-quality services.

Create a community preparedness plan to ensure the safety of Menifee’s neighborhoods, businesses and surrounding spaces. Make progress towards the Vision Zero goal to reduce pedestrian and bicycle fatalities.

Beautification of the streetscapes in the City’s main transit corridors.

Public comments

The other categories were discussed by the Council and a 3-minute-limited public comment time brought several residents to the podium to comment on the plan following other discussions by the Council. One resident suggested the Council make up the goals for the city to build an indoor recreation center to provide year-round athletic activities for the growing population. The comment was taken under advisement by the staff.