gmhTODAY 20 gmhToday June July 2018 | Page 106

City Beat Sustainable Vision and Strategic Priorities By Maureen Tobin, Communications & Engagement Manager E very year the Morgan Hill City Council meets to review the past year and set priorities for the year ahead. The priorities that are determined guide the budget development and guide the decisions made throughout the year. Additionally, the priorities focus the work activities of all City Teammates. In early 2017 the Morgan Hill City Council adopted the Strategic Morgan Hill Vision as the lens that would guide all future priorities and decision making for the City. At their 2018 Annual Goal Setting Workshop, the Morgan Hill City Council perfected the vision and the ongoing priorities and established the 2018 Strategic Priorities. MORGAN HILL CITY COUNCIL ONGOING PRIORITIES • • • • • • • • Enhancing public safety Protecting the environment Maintaining fiscal responsibility Supporting our youth, seniors and entire community Fostering a positive organizational culture Preserving and cultivating public trust Preserving our cultural heritage Enhancing diversity and inclusiveness MORGAN HILL 2018 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Community Engagement and Messaging The City of Morgan Hill will tell our story through outreach and by working closely with our community in presenting our vision, priorities, and financial needs, and by engaging citizens and business owners to find affordable and sustainable solutions. The City’s communications, services, public spaces, and projects will embrace all community members as partners, encouraging public participation. Economic Development and Telecommunications The Economic Blueprint will continue to be implemented, with a primary goal of attracting jobs and investment into our community. The City will collaborate with the private sector to explore ways to provide fast, reliable access and wireless connectivity for residents and businesses. The 2016 Telecommunications Infrastructure and Economic Blueprint 106 GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN reports will be the foundation for continuing discussions with broadband providers, public utilities, and other infrastructure service providers in developing an implementation plan for growing our telecommunications infrastructure with private sector partnerships. The plan will be used to signal Morgan Hill’s support for business expansion. Financial Stewardship We will be financial stewards of the City’s assets to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. New revenue sources, including a possible tax measure, will be considered to fund increasing costs to deliver services and complete infrastructure projects. The City will closely manage its expenditures to maintain its general fund reserve. The labor contracts will be negotiated using the City’s adopted Employee Compensation Guiding Principles.   Infrastructure The City will review its streets, parks, and public facilities infrastructure needs to quantify the funding gap. We will identify potential funding options, as ongoing revenue is insufficient to fund our vital community assets at a sustainable level without significantly impacting existing service levels that our community has come to expect. Morgan Hill will actively work with the Valley Transportation Agency, the County, and the State to secure funding for transportation projects and road maintenance. For High Speed Rail, we will strongly advocate for the route with the least impact on Morgan Hill. Regional Initiatives City Council and staff will focus on influencing regional decisions that benefit Morgan Hill. A regional approach will be employed to address many priorities, including but not limited to, homelessness, animal services, teen suicide, High Speed Rail, and land use (Catholic High School, Outdoor Sports Center, agricultural preservation, and city limits). This regional involvement will include partnering with the League of California Cities, Valley Transportation Authority, Caltrain, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Cities Association of Santa Clara County, the City of Gilroy, Santa Clara County, Morgan Hill Unified School District, the Local Agency Formation Commission, the Open Space Authority, and Silicon Valley Clean Energy to advance projects that further Sustainable Morgan Hill. JUNE/JULY 2018 gmhtoday.com