03-09-20 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City Council

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Local Economy The City of La Porte is located in the southeast quadrant of Harris County, which is a 1, 723 square mile county is a leading oil, gas and petrochemical areas. The County has more than 3,200 manufacturing plants, the nation’s largest concentration of petrochemical plants, and the third largest United States seaport and is a corporation management center. A significant part of the County’s major employers, manufacturers, education and financial institutions are located in Houston, the County seat. The Texas Medical Center, located in Harris County, is one of the nation's largest, providing medical care and educational opportunities. Higher education facilities include: University of Houston, Rice University, Texas Southern University, St. Thomas University and Houston Baptist University, all offering full four- year as well as postgraduate programs. The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is also located here. Located some 20 miles southeast of Houston on Galveston Bay in Harris County are the three communities that make up the La Porte Bayshore Area: La Porte, Morgan's Point and Shoreacres. The area has a combined population of approximately 40,000. Though much of the image of this area is industrial, the La Porte- Bayshore area is still characterized by an expanse of resort homes. Strategic Plan Overview On October 27, 2012, the Mayor, City Council, City Manager and key staff of the City of La Porte met together in a retreat planning session. The purpose of that meeting was to establish the Council’s Strategic Plan for the next five years. A report was prepared outlining the City Council’s Mission, Vision and Core Values, as well as six overall goals. Each goal had identified objectives and strategies, with time lines for beginning and completing the goals. On March 9, 2013, the City Manager and his key staff met. Their purpose was two-fold. First, staff reviewed and discussed the Mission, Vision and Core Values developed by the City Council and created Leadership Statements for the staff to follow to ensure their work is consistent with the value of the City Council. Secondly, staff reviewed and clarified the goals, objectives and strategies identified by the City Council; if necessary identify additional goals consistent with the overall mission, vision and values; and establish the framework for an action plan. The result of their work is documented in this report. The Strategic Plan will provide a blueprint for action over the next five years. When developing the annual budget, staff will be tasked with making sure that expenditures and programs further the goals and Core Values stated in this document. This provides clear direction to the staff as to what priorities are important to the Council and plans can be made accordingly to make sure that resources are allocated towards those ends. Additionally, this plan is an excellent communication tool that the Council and the staff can use when speaking with residents and businesses. Many times, ad hoc requests can derail longer-term plans. The Strategic Plan outlines a framework for receiving, prioritizing, and budgeting for resident requests. All participants, staff and Council, agreed to commit to the success of this plan. A plan only becomes a useful and working document when all the participants (as a whole and as individuals) make a commitment to review it regularly, use it monthly, and modify it as needed. It is a tool that can and should be used regularly to track progress, make notes of variations between expectations and actuals, of timelines and expenses, to help accomplish each goal, and to hold one another accountable for updates and completion. DRAFT 02.25.2020 iii