Consultant to Help City Commission Develop a Strategic Vision

City commissioners will have a full-day workshop Monday, July 29 to develop a strategic vision for Lake Wales. The public meeting is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the James P. Austin Community Center, 315 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Texas consulting firm Strategic Government Resources will facilitate the workshop. The idea developed after commissioners heard a report on a two-day training program SGR conducted for 65 city supervisory personnel or those likely to become supervisors called "A Radical Strategy for Creating an Authentic Servant Leadership Culture."

Deputy Mayor Robin Gibson expressed concerns that the city's vision, mission and core beliefs are not well-defined and understood by all employees and citizens. Staff praised the work of SGR, and City Manager Ken Fields suggested hiring them for a commission visioning session. SGR was founded in 1999 by Ron Holifield, who had two decades of experience in city management. The company now has more than 300 government clients in 41 states and says it exists to help local governments be more successful at recruiting, assessing and developing innovative, collaborative, authentic leaders.

SGR provided questionnaires to commissioners and conducted phone interviews to prepare for the workshop. The consulting firm said during the day they will help identify what is important to the commission; review the current mission, vision and values to ensure they are still valid, and if not, developing new ones and review the current strategic plan.

The company says it also plans to provide the commission an opportunity think strategically about the future by considering such questions as:

- What will our organization look like in 5 years

- What will our organization look like in 10 years

- Where does the quality of services and facilities, engagement with citizens, and general contribution to quality of life fit into this vision.

SGR also will help commissioners identify the reputational drivers for the future by asking the question, "What do we want to be known for?" The workshop also will attempt to identify pressing needs of residents, identify the pillars for the strategic vision and reach agreement on strategic targets and milestones.

The workshop will be open to the public and an audio recording will be available after the meeting.