Work SessionItem 1Approved
City Council and Staff Strategic Plan Review and Retreat
The Richfield City Council and staff held a full-day strategic planning retreat on February 1, 2025, facilitated by Craig Rapp of Rapp Consulting Group. Discussions covered maintaining a positive organizational culture, setting measurable performance goals, improving strategic plan communication with the public, and simplifying reporting processes. The session was adjourned by unanimous consent at 11:45 a.m.
Unanimous consent to adjourn
Part of an ongoing matter · 2 related discussions
Potential benefit
A well-structured strategic plan with clearer public communication and simplified reporting can help residents better track how the city is spending resources and meeting its goals. Collaborative goal-setting between council and staff may lead to more accountable and effective city services.
Concern to consider
Retreats and consulting engagements carry costs to taxpayers, and without concrete follow-through on identified improvements, the session may not produce meaningful changes to how the city communicates progress on its initiatives.
What happens next: Staff is expected to incorporate feedback from the retreat into revised strategic plan reporting tools and public communication methods. Follow-up actions would be tracked through the city's ongoing strategic planning cycle, with the next formal review likely occurring at a future council meeting.
Sources: Work Session agenda (city portal) ↗