HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5a. 2025-2027 Tree Committee Goal Setting
TREE COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
SUBJECT: 2025-2027 Tree Committee Goal Setting
FROM/BY: Walter Gault, Urban Forestry Program Coordinator / City Arborist
Phone Number: 805-781-7578
Email: wgault@slocity.org
1.0 RECOMMENDATION
Review the 2023-2025 Tree Committee goals, take public testimony, and identify
Committee goals and work program items for the 2025-2027 Financial Plan.
2.0 BACKGROUND
Every two years the City adopts a budget and financial plan. To prepare for the budget
process, all City departments and advisory bodies are asked to identify their goals and
major work programs for the next two years. The City Council then uses this information,
along with public comment and other input, to set community priorities and allocate
resources to accomplish the most important City goals. Advisory body members are
involved in the goal setting process to provide important input as representatives of the
community, with special expertise and experience working locally within their specific area
of representation. Below are some key points to consider as the City embarks on the
goal-setting process:
1. The Council is seeking advisory body input focused on the purview of the advisory
body but it is also interested in input on other issues important to the community.
2. Advisory body input is highly valued by the Council and the staff.
3. Goals can include completing projects from a previous work program.
4. Identifying priorities implies recommending fewer rather than more goals to the
Council. The TC should recommend only those activities that can reasonably be
accomplished in the two-year budget period and can reasonably be accomplished
with limited resources.
2.1 Objective
This is a public process, and citizens are encouraged to contribute. The results of this
project will include a list of TC goals and implementation programs or projects that will be
forwarded to the City Council for consideration as part of the 2025-2027 financial planning
and budget cycle.
Meeting Date: October 28, 2024
Item Number: 5a
Tree Committee: 2025-2027 Financial Plan Goal Setting
Page 2
Item 5a
2.2 Previous Recommended Goals: 2023-2025
On December 2, 2022, the TC discussed the future of the Urban Forestry Program for the
2023-2025 budget cycle. This discussion along with a study session with City Council in
January 2023 regarding the results of an Organizational Assessment resulted in a
Community Forest Plan that was presented to the TC on February 27, 2023. New
positions were created in different city departments in response to the results. The City is
still working towards implementing other aspects of the Community Forest Plan.
3.0 DISCUSSION
Future Recommended Goals: 2025-2027
As the City begins the 2025-2027 financial planning and budget cycle, the TC has the
opportunity to review their current goals, update them as necessary, and identify any new
goals, programs and/or project.
Goal Setting Process
At the meeting, staff will provide a brief presentation introducing the budget process,
advisory body role, and status of previous recommended goals. Staff, advisory bodies,
and Council members are now preparing for the next Financial Plan cycle: 2025-2027.
Here are some steps for the TC to follow:
1. Review and understand the goal-setting and Financial Plan/Budget process.
2. Evaluate previous goals and work programs. Determine which goals and programs
were accomplished and can be deleted or ones that no longer reflect the aims of
the TC.
3. Determine which goals or programs have not been completed and should be
carried forward.
4. Identify new goals or programs for possible inclusion in the work program.
5. Prioritize the goals and programs, based on the TC’s goals, community needs and
input, opportunities, or special or urgent conditions; and
6. Identify activities which may require additional resources to accomplish, including
special funding for specific survey, tasks or consultant work (i.e. historic inventories
or research), construction or other implementation costs, additional staff time, etc.
This may include references to possible community partnerships or outside funding
sources.
4.0 NEXT STEPS
The Committee will establish goals for the next two years and identify key tasks or
programs it intends to complete in the period. The Committee should discuss how these
goals and activities relate to important Council goals and at the same time, consider the
fiscal context for the goal-setting process, including resources needed to accomplish the
task. Advisory body goals are due by December 13, 2024. The Council will receive the
final report with all the advisory body recommendations in January 2025 before they begin
the community goal-setting process.