Local governments are faced with numerous emerging priorities, and it can be challenging to focus on long-range planning when there are daily needs.
“We have to do today’s work,” Jackson County Clerk/Administrative Coordinator Cindy Altman said. “We can’t always think about 10-years-down-the-road work.”
That’s one of the benefits partnering with University of Wisconsin–Madison students through UniverCity Alliance brought Jackson County. Graduate students pursuing urban and regional planning degrees worked with Jackson County staff to develop a strategic plan to help county departments prioritize their efforts and coordinate their actions.
After approval by the Jackson County Board in January, the county now has an approved strategic plan in addition to new mission and vision statements.
The plan aims to put goals and future county actions within a set of strategies across three areas: county revitalization, strengthened county government, and expanded service provision. Within these areas, the plan addresses issues like job loss, tourism, fiscal responsibility, county staff development, outreach, health, and more.
One area of interest, Altman said, was investigating how the county can build its workforce and retain younger residents. This trend was highlighted by data that students showcased in the strategic plan, which Altman said was “enlightening.”
“The students were very energetic about the project,” Altman said. “It was like having fresh eyes that know nothing about Jackson County come in and tell us all about Jackson County, which was refreshing.”
The strategic planning process included surveying county staff, conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis; and economic, demographic, and health equity data analysis. The students also conducted a strategic planning workshop with county staff to review the survey results and data, and discuss internal and external issues facing Jackson County, strategies for addressing problems, and organizational strengths and weaknesses.
“We learned a lot about the inner workings of local government through the strategic planning process,” Zach Gerras, a second-year student in the graduate urban and regional planning program, said. “We also experienced the dedication of county staff who lay the groundwork for a better future in their communities.”
Altman said another benefit of the strategic planning process was gathering representatives from all county departments and divisions. With many departments, there are often many ideas about priorities, challenges, and solutions.
“It brought all of us together, learning more about each other and where we can help one other,” Altman said.
The process also introduced UW–Madison students to Jackson County and provided a unique learning experience that encouraged the students to put what they learn in the classroom into practice for a community partner.
“We want UW–Madison students to learn about the amazing communities throughout Wisconsin, and this project allowed students to get to know the western part of the state,” UniverCity Alliance Managing Director Megan McBride said. “We aim to provide a deliverable that meets the needs of our community partners and can be implemented. This adopted plan represents how resources at the university can directly impact communities when we listen to the needs of local leaders.”
This article was published in the October edition of the Wisconsin Counties magazine. Read the issue here and view it as a pdf here.
–Abigail Becker