Strategic Plan

Over the next decades, Washington County will need to address many changes on the horizon so that it can continue to be a “great place to live, work and play…today and tomorrow.”

The county’s population will be growing, aging, and diversifying in the years to come. As a result of these demographic shifts, transportation, transit, and housing needs will also be changing. Further, people are growing increasingly tech savvy and there is a proportional demand for interface with county functions through technology.

Addressing these and other issues requires strategic thinking and action by the Board of Commissioners, the County Administrator, and departmental leadership. It will also require investment of time and effort by county staff.

For these reasons, Washington County embarked on a strategic planning process in summer 2012 to proactively address the changes to come, while maintaining what is valuable to its residents and communities.

Overall, the strategic plan is built on the foundation of the county's vision, mission, goals, and values.

Six strategies make up the heart of the strategic plan:

Strategies
  1. Identify and provide access to services that meet the needs and expectations of our changing community (public services).
  2. Recruit, hire, develop and retain an engaged and high-performing workforce reflective of our community (workforce and employees).
  3. Enhance our capacity to engage and communicate with the public and employees (communication).
  4. Adopt and use technology to improve service delivery, streamline processes, and improve access to information (technology).
  5. Plan, prioritize and commit to high priority capital improvements needed to protect assets, improve efficiency and maintain affordability (infrastructure).
  6. Create a comprehensive and long-term approach for operational costs and capital improvements that meets the public’s expectations and preserves the county’s strong financial position (finances).
See the full strategic plan.