In what was the first meeting of its kind in over 20 years, the Durham County Board of Commissioners convened in special session Monday and Tuesday to discuss the next phase of Durham County’s strategic plan process.
The BOCC laid out goals to redefine its critical services, customers, mission and vision, as well as core organizational values. In addition, the board plans to develop new specific objectives and performance measures in order to evaluate progress and refine the plan over time.
The Monday meeting was held downtown at the Durham County Administrative Complex. Deputy County Manager Wendell Davis started the meeting with a slideshow presentation detailing the specifics of the strategic plan’s development over the upcoming year. Afterwards, Dr. Tyrone Baines, a former professor at North Carolina Central University, led a discussion to formulate a new mission statement for Durham County Government.
Commissioners said they believe a reformulated strategic plan is necessary in order to reflect changing realities around the nation and, specifically, in Durham.
“Today is a new day—the dawning of a new era,” Davis said. “We have a political and economic environment that is completely different. The old plan from 20 years ago simply cannot work anymore. Therefore, we are looking forward; we aren’t looking in the rearview mirror.”
The largest challenge in formulating and implementing the strategic plan may involve the budget, Baines said. Like numerous other cities, Durham is faced with the challenge of maintaining and improving upon the high quality of its services and programs despite extensive federal budget cuts. Since there is already a lack of available money to sustain current programs, the deficit is likely to get worse.
“The federal government is taking billions from state budgets,” Baines said. “Accordingly, we are going to need to figure out how to do more with less.”
BOCC Vice Chairman Ellen Reckhow said despite budget cuts, however, the BOCC intends to continue to provide quality services.
“In Durham County, we strive to be the best,” she said. “Our programs are funded at high levels.”
While the strategic plan’s development will be a complicated, drawn-out process, the BOCC said it hopes to ensure that all citizens have an equal chance to participate and voice concerns.
“Whether they live in the northern part of the county or downtown, we need to make sure everyone can contribute,” Davis said.
Approximately the first hour and a half of the meeting was spent going over the logistics of the strategic plan. Afterward, Baines led a discussion to create a provisional mission statement based on the suggestions of the commissioners and other government members.
The combined statement, which is likely to change over time, took elements from other mission statements of county governments throughout the state.
“Durham County Government provides fiscally responsible, quality services necessary to promote a healthy, safe and vibrant community,” Baines read from a draft of the mission statement.
Although the commissioners made progress on Monday, further development and implementation of the strategic plan will unfold slowly over the remainder of the year. The process will rely heavily on statistics and will especially entail performance measurements, surveys, polls and focus groups.
“We have to set short-term goals with the long-term vision in mind,” Davis said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.