Richfield, MN

Richfield debuts Strategic Planning Dashboard

 Richfield, Minn. (March 10, 2023) – Beginning today, residents will have an inside look on how city policymakers and staff are striving to make change. Building on the work of the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan that was approved last fall, an interactive Strategic Planning Dashboard is now available to help explain and track the city’s five strategic priorities.

“The strategic plan laid out a roadmap for us, in terms of where we are heading,” explained councilmember, Ben Whalen. “This dashboard adds the little "you are here" star so we know if we're making progress towards those goals identified as part of the plan.”

Those goals, or strategic priorities, identified during the strategic planning process include: Operational Excellence, Community Development, Sustainable Infrastructure, High Quality Workforce and Equity and Inclusion.

The dashboard outlines the steps needed to meet those priorities through specific initiatives, targets and outcomes. Other data points will also be tracked over time on the dashboard to provide supporting information to residents.

“The Strategic Planning Dashboard is going to provide residents with better insight into how staff are working towards the strategic priorities set by our community,” noted Chris Swanson, Management Analyst. “On the flip side, it also allows residents to see how outside factors may impact our work, such as through the ebbs and flows of the economy or labor market changes.” 

The dashboard will be updated by staff on a quarterly basis, and available to citizens at any time via the website. Initial targets have been identified and will be adjusted as needed over the course of the next four years. Status indicators on the dashboard are differentiated by color to help residents identify work that is completed, underway, delayed or upcoming.

“We recognize that this is a big undertaking and a lot of work to accomplish in the coming years,” noted Swanson. “We set ambitious goals and know our staff will do its best to achieve them during the next four years.”

In addition to increasing the transparency of local government, the tool also provides staff with a modern and efficient way to provide updates, share information and analyze outcomes.

Whalen added: “I encourage residents to use the dashboard anytime they are curious about what the city is working on, or if they want to track the progress of something specific that was identified during the strategic planning process.”

To view the Strategic Planning Dashboard, and related documents, residents can visit: https://www.richfieldmn.gov/strategicplan.