Stutsman reconvened the work session on strategic planning. She explained that they would be reassessing their strategic planning goals once a month. Stutsman asked what they were going to do with the department heads and strategic planning. She said in the past the Board of Supervisors had developed their strategic planning goals and then gone over them with the department heads. Jordahl said that's what they had done in the past, but said they might be in a different place now where they could move towards departmental strategic planning. Stutsman said they need to have more input other than just from the Board of Supervisors as to what the strategic planning goals are. Jordahl said they could tell the Department Heads what the Board is working on. He said they could get input from the department heads as to how they see the County fitting together and involve them in the strategic planning goals. Stutsman said if she were a department head she wouldn't be interested. Thompson said they could offer the Board Supervisors' goals as an example for the department heads to use in developing their own goals.

Thompson said that strategic planning was a new thing for the County. Peters said what the Board was looking at was a lot of what was developed last year. Stutsman said last year the department heads gave input on what the County's priorities should be. Stutsman said the department heads did give input as to the final strategic planning goals. She said this was a team approach and the department heads might not feel like it was this year. Jordahl said he would like to draw a distinction on what the Board does on its own authority and what would be overall County strategic planning goals. Jordahl said they were justified to have their own goals for themselves and also receive input from the department heads, that they should listen to the department heads.

Jordahl said the Board should ask themselves if the County Mission Statement says enough. He said they should be looking at the next steps, partially for preparing for the meeting on the 31st and then also into the future and how it will roll into the departments. Thompson said they should've asked for the department heads input before they did all of this work if they were going to share the goals with them. She said she thought these were going to be the Board of Supervisors goals. Thompson said she didn't think it was offensive to ask for their input though, and also to tell them it was important for them to set goals. Jordahl said this could be incorporated into the meeting on the 31st. Stutsman asked if the strategic planning goals would be the Board of Supervisors goals. She asked if the meeting on the 31st would be directed towards writing goals for Johnson County or for the department heads. Jordahl said that would depend on the meeting on the 23rd. The Board went over agendas for the upcoming meetings regarding strategic planning. Thompson said that developing effective goals was not an easy thing to learn and there were varying degrees of skills regarding this with County department heads. Stutsman said she knows there are department heads already doing it and then those who will have to learn.

Jordahl said they should review the summary of the Board of Supervisors strategic planning goals. Jordahl asked if anybody had anything to say about the mission statement. Duffy said they should have "quality of life" in it. Jordahl said they should have "work collaboratively" in it. Thompson said it shouldn't be too long. Jordahl said the mission statement should be, "To enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Johnson County by providing exceptional governmental services in a collaborative fiscally responsible manner." Thompson said she liked this statement. Thompson said the department heads should know to develop their own goals in accordance with the mission statement, and give input to the Board of Supervisors goals.

Stutsman said that technology was a countywide goal, whereas economic development was a Board of Supervisors goal. Jordahl asked if the goal statement for technology, "Plan for technology needs so that the County stays abreast of technological advances and appropriate equipment and infrastructure are available for all County departments and operations," was suitable to the Board. The Board was in agreement that the explanation for this was OK. Stutsman suggested they combine the GIS goals. Thompson said GIS might be the most important thing they do this year, and it might be helpful to have more than one action plan for GIS. Jordahl, agreeing with Stutsman, said they should also have one item on GIS.

Motion by Stutsman, second by Lehman, to enter into executive session at 11:02 a.m. to discuss the purchase of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property. Roll call: aye: Lehman, Stutsman, Jordahl, Thompson, Duffy.

Motion by Stutsman, second by Thompson, to leave Executive Session at 11:55 a.m. Roll call: aye: Lehman, Stutsman, Jordahl, Thompson, Duffy.

Recessed at 11:55 a.m.; reconvened at 12:10 p.m.

Peters went over the procedure the Board of Supervisors used in 1997 for strategic planning with the department heads. Thompson said they were ready for the next step which would be for the department heads to set their own goals. Jordahl agreed, especially in the role of budgeting. Stutsman said she would like the Board to work on the goals, but to have departmental input and then revise the goals if things come up that they didn't think about. Peters said they could provide the department heads with a copy of Strategic Planning Facilitator Tim Shields preliminary report. Jordahl said he didn't want to emphasize the 1997 process too much. Jordahl said he sees this process as an opportunity for the department heads to see where the Board is at and to discuss Countywide goals, and to take a step towards developing departmental goals. He said he wants the ball to roll evenly so there will be momentum coming out of the meeting they have with the department heads. The Board agreed with Jordahl's statement.

Duffy asked how in depth they wanted to get with their goal economic development. The Board decided to change the action plan, "Work with ICAD" to, "Work with ICAD and ECICOG." Stutsman said they should define the County's role in economic development. Thompson said the goal summary defined it. The economic development goal summary is, "Monitor and promote economic development in the County in order to maintain conformance with the comprehensive plan, ensure appropriate infrastructure development and collaborate with cities and towns to enhance housing and workforce resources." Thompson said the Board has an important influence over housing and workforce resources. Stutsman said they should have the first action plan be, "Define economic development as it pertains to the Board of Supervisors." Thompson asked how they would define the County's role. Stutsman said the committee would have to define a role. She said the County can't do it all because there are so many things that enter into economic development. Jordahl agreed with Duffy that economic development touches everything, but also agreed with Stutsman that the Board needs to focus on what they can accomplish and how that is most efficiently done. The Board decided the proper place to start would be to have the strategic planning goal for economic development be to define the County's role.

The Board discussed whether or not to have Deputy Administrative Assistant Deana Pillard be a voting member of the subcommittee for the strategic planning goal, fiscal management and planning. Stutsman said they should define what the finance committee is. She said she thought it was a committee that would look at investing County money. Thompson said she thought the committee was to look at the budget process. Stutsman said she is having a problem with the other department's role in the budget process because the Code of Iowa specifies that the budget is the Board's responsibility with the help of other departments. Stutsman said other departments might want to be on the committee also. Stutsman said she would like the Treasurer and Auditor to be consultants to the finance committee. Thompson thought the Auditor and Treasurer would be voting members of the committee. Thompson suggested they develop a fiscal committee made up of her and Jonathan that would collaborate with the Auditor and Treasurer. Jordahl said this committee might be getting over organized. He said they want brainstorming and input, but he doesn't want department heads to have a vote on how the Board of Supervisors do their budget. Duffy said he liked the idea of input from the Auditor and the Treasurer. Thompson said that Pillard would be more effective in being a staff person to the committee than being a committee member. She said they need staff for the committee and for the budget process who are somewhat neutral. Jordahl said when they hired Pillard they wanted her to be a budget person and not get absorbed into additional support staff for the Board of Supervisors. Stutsman said Pillard doesn't have to be a voting member of the committee but that she should be involved in the budget process every step of the way. Jordahl said the Board should involve other County employees who have budget expertise also. Stutsman said they need to define what the County's role in this committee is. Thompson said this was the committee that would develop the County budget process.

Duffy left at 12:43 a.m.

Stutsman asked if there were any changes to the Board Effectiveness/Public Information goal. She said she was OK with the current goals. Jordahl said they could invite members of the public in to give suggestions as to how the County provides citizen input. He suggested this be an action step. The Board agreed to adding this to the action steps.

Lehman left at 1:15 p.m.; returned at 1:22 a.m.

Jordahl said he wants to hire a consultant to implement the budget process when it is decided on. Jordahl said they need to have a budget debriefing meeting. He said they need to develop a good way of debriefing after the budget process. Stutsman agreed. Jordahl said they should tie the date of the debriefing tightly to the approval of the budget. Stutsman said they need a policy about budget amendments, interest on accounts and capital accounts, what happens to unexpended capital projects funds, and unexpended personnel funds. Jordahl said a personnel policy is on an upcoming department head meeting agenda item. Stutsman said with this process they should get department head feedback on any decisions they make. Jordahl said he would like to have an annualized process.

Discussing space needs, Stutsman said she would like to continue the space needs study, not complete the space needs study. She said they weren't going to complete it any time soon. She said she would add to the action steps, "Develop a finance plan to address space needs," and, "Work to involve the community in space needs decisions." Jordahl said they are representatives of the community. Stutsman said to be successful in passing bond issues they need to have community involvement. Jordahl asked how they would do that. Stutsman said she would like to work out the details later. Thompson suggested they develop a citizens committee, with the jail having its own committee. Jordahl suggested several ways to structure citizen input.

Jordahl suggested that under the goal of comprehensive plan and land use policies it was the role of the Planning and Zoning department to develop ordinances and it was the role of the Board to adopt ordinances. Peters suggested the Board monitor the schedule and adopt appropriate ordinances as one of the actions steps for the Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Policies goal. Stutsman said the Board approved a Land Use Plan not a county comprehensive plan, and they need to remember that in defining their action steps and goals. The Board changed working on their strategic planning document accordingly. Stutsman said they need to begin to work towards the creation of a County comprehensive plan. Thompson said all County departments need to be involved in a County comprehensive plan.

The Board decided to talk about strategic planning again on Thursday, March 11, 1999.

Recessed at 1:40 p.m.; scheduled to reconvened on March 11, 1999 following the formal meeting.

Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor

By Casie Parkins, Recording Secretary