Boise leaders look at plan to enhance quality of life

Article published Oct 8, 2006
by Kathleen Kreller @ Idaho Statesman

Boise leaders look at quality of life
Long-term plan tries to improve air quality and fund a detox center

Boise leaders are working on a long-term plan intended to improve the quality of life for residents and maintain it for the next generation.

Over the next several months, city leaders hope to finish up a detailed plan to govern everything from funding a new detox center to building sewer lines to improving air quality.

The strategic plan was one of Mayor Dave Bieter's top goals when he took office in 2004. In part, Bieter called for a strategic plan to avoid future scandals like the travel and spending debacle that sent former Mayor Brent Coles and his chief of staff to jail.
"The council was marginalized by the Coles scandal," said Councilwoman Maryanne Jordan. "We have a responsibility to break some of those habits."

Creating and implementing a strategic plan is not an easy task. The plan is broad and encompassing. And the city still has a long way to go before the document is honed down to specific tasks, timelines, costs and accountability.
The goals are tied a real-world budget and the plan provides an avenue for staff to give input and to measure its success.

The city has hired a consultant team to keep it focused and help nail down details.

"The next two-year budget is when we start this. I want to see some progress," Councilwoman Elaine Clegg said during a Friday workshop. "No organization can change immediately."
The city budgets for two years at a time, so Bieter's administration inherited the 2005 budget from former interim Mayor Carolyn Terteling-Payne.

Bieter's goals for fiscal year 2007 include finishing Boise Blueprint, which addresses redevelopment and city expansion, funding a detox facility and launching a 10-year plan to end homelessness.
To achieve those goals, the strategic plan lays out focus areas for each city department, like healthy urban environments or new transportation systems.

The business world regularly creates similar plans. The strategic plan — which is typically used for years — is basically a business plan for city departments. The goals and objectives in the plan were generated from an in-depth 2005 citizen survey.

Next steps include the consulting team meeting with departments to finish up work plans on how they will implement the strategic goals.
"The city should be doing this," said Chris Blanchard, assistant to the city council. "How are we performing for the citizens? If we aren't thinking in that way, we are really off the mark."