WORKSHOP ITEM Michelle A. Wolfe, City Manager
Title
VALUES STATEMENT
Background
City Council reached consensus on a stated Mission Statement at the February 19 Workshop:
“Deliver exceptional public services with the highest degree of professionalism and accountability.”
The final step in being able to move forward with approving the Blaine Strategic Plan is to finalize a Values Statement. Staff received comments the last time this was discussed at workshop (also in February), and developed some new options.
UPDATE: This item was on the agenda for the March 9 workshop and was discussed. Those in attendance reacted favorable to the proposal from staff (Proposal A below), however, some Council members were absent. Therefore, the item was scheduled for March 16 but was removed from the agenda to allow for discussion on the pandemic.
It is important to consider that values are not an action or a goal. They are underlying everything we do as an organization. Therefore one option is to eliminate any kind of opening statement at all and simply list the values as such:
A.
Transparency and Openness
Fairness and Impartiality
Respect and Professionalism
Creativity and Innovation
Accountability and Efficiency
If it is desired to have some kind of introductory statement to the values, a few additional options have been developed:
B.
At the City of Blaine we strive to value
Transparency and Openness
Fairness and Impartiality
Respect and Professionalism
Creativity and Innovation
Accountability and Efficiency
C.
At the City of Blaine in all decisions and interactions we strive to value
Transparency and Openness
Fairness and Impartiality
Respect and Professionalism
Creativity and Innovation
Accountability and Efficiency
D.
At the City of Blaine we commit to value
Transparency and Openness
Fairness and Impartiality
Respect and Professionalism
Creativity and Innovation
Accountability and Efficiency
Next Steps
If City Council reaches consensus on one of the options above, the following next steps can occur:
1. Take action to approve the Blaine Strategic Plan, incorporating the Mission Statement and Values Statement
The Strategic Plan will be placed on the agenda for the next regular city council meeting. Once approved, staff will proceed with work plans for the identified strategic initiatives. Outcome measures will be developed, as will a framework for reporting on progress. At a future workshop or retreat, we will have a formal check-in on overall progress, moderated by the facilitator Craig Rapp.
Work on a Blaine Vision will commence upon approval of the Strategic Plan. (There have been multiple discussions regarding the Vision Statement. It was determined that approval of the Strategic Plan would proceed without the finalization of the Vision Statement, and the process to develop such a statement would be one of the implementation steps upon approval of the plan.)
2. Develop an implementation plan for the Mission and Values
Staff is proposing that the City Manager work with the Communications Manager on a plan. This will include a menu of ways and places that the Mission and Values can be displayed and shared. It will also include a possible training program. In order to have workable, memorable shared values, staff envisions a collaborative process to engage employees in selecting one key phrase from each of the values and developing a logo, graphic, catch phrase, and/or acronym.
REQUESTED ACTION: Confirm consensus agreement regarding a City of Blaine Values Statement.