City Looking To Improve Strategic Plan’s Image
By Robert Thomas Opinion/Commentary
For those of you who aren’t aware of it at the present time the City is conducting an online survey that is designed to gauge the public’s thoughts on the latest iteration of the Community Strategic Plan.
Called the framework of the future by its supporters the strategic plan is suppose to point the city in a combined vision.
A vision that is suppose to flow in unison but sadly often goes off the rails within weeks of being adopted.
It’s a plan that is supposed to instill a feeling of openness but at the same time the document was developed in a major opaque box.
The plan is to adopt the plan in an air of transparency while at the same time prohibiting the majority of the general public - people like you and me - from participating in a document that is suppose to bring the community together.
It’s a recipe for failure and another seeming waste of time put into a strategic plan.
Whether they like it or not removing the stigma of opaque policy decision making is deeply rooted in the corner of Fairford Street West and Main Street North.
It’s like the true story of a councillor who asked her colleagues to no longer send emails or notes regarding things they were working on because they could become part of a Freedom Of Information request.
That is what you call secrecy and hiding things from the general public at its finest.
In light of this stating there will be transparency when it comes to the Strategic Plan isn’t going to breed much confidence in the public.
To come out now and state all we want to be open and transparent after that and nothing was done about it doesn’t create a lot of confidence in this scribe’s mind.
The City asking questions about their image could signal they are simply looking to tweak their communication’s strategy to a realization it’s been an abject failure.
It’s not a good look.
Take a look at the survey, fill it out, if you still choose to do so, and allow your thoughts to be added with it.
Who knows maybe we’ll get lucky.