Strategic Priority: Governmental Leadership and Innovation

Strategic Focus Areas:

  • Collaborative Town Government | Elected officials, Town staff, volunteers, residents, and businesses work together to respond positively and proactively to the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors.
  • Sound Fiscal Management | The Town thrives financially over the long term because of its decision-making and budgeting based on accurate and relevant data, it sets organizational priorities across all government services, considers needs, and bases its fiscal policies on governmental accounting best practices.
  • Cooperative Relationships | Actively engage with federal, state, and local governments and agencies to protect home rule and promote cooperative relationships that affect the quality of life for the Town of Palm Beach.

Strategic Objectives:

  • Maximize technology to deliver streamlined information and continual access to Town information and processes by producing user-friendly interfaces.
    • Continued website enhancement to facilitate better public access to records and information.
    • Develop intradepartmental collaborative communication platforms and offer training on how to use them effectively.
    • Develop a change management plan to support staff through transitions and technological upgrades.
    • Enhance public access to records and information.
    • Enhance Laserfiche and other digital tools for better record management and searchability.
    • Establish a standardized lease format and automate annual lease renewals.
    • Optimize self-serve options and information resources on TownNet.
    • Implement various projects, including deploying a policy manager application, migrating town data to SharePoint, migrating Laserfiche data to a cloud environment, implementing a new ERP system, a new agenda and meeting management software, CAD/RMS software application, an online permit and land use management system, and recreation data into the Lucity software.
    • Streamline and increase ease of parking registration for residents.
  • Advance organizational operations by fostering collaborative efforts across departments to plan for future challenges proactively.
  • Value and invest in a professional Town workforce that receives competitive compensation, recognition, and rewards for exceptional employee achievement in support of a culture of continuous improvement.
    • Develop training programs and succession planning to build skills and prepare for future needs.
      • Create a professional development plan with training programs and workshops relevant to current and future job roles.
      • Encourage staff to participate in external training and certification programs.
      • Continue Office 365, Outlook, and SharePoint training.
    • Reinforce the importance of Town values concerning performance.
    • Sponsor cross-departmental learning events to build collaboration and operational effectiveness.
    • Conduct annual employee engagement survey and use results to inform policy development.
    • Implement monthly, quarterly, and yearly employee recognition initiatives.
    • Launch fellow employee recognition program.
    • Expand the TOPB Concentra Wellness Center and employee lead-Wellness Program.
    • Continue ongoing policy review.
    • Initiate leadership development program.
    • Ensure professionals’ salaries and benefits are competitive with the local marketplace.
    • Maintain Town facilities and buildings to provide a safe and functional working environment. 
  • Support and enhance open, two-way communication between the Town, its residents, and businesses.
    • Develop a comprehensive formal communications program and allocate resources to address the information needs of community residents and Town employees.
    • Optimize communication platforms and tools.
    • Assess, develop, and implement a system for tracking and addressing complaints related to road closures and other high-visibility issues.
    • Internal communications should be distributed by the town manager to keep town employees informed so they can serve as information ambassadors for the community.
    • Optimize the emergency call software Prepared Live, which allows Police to access real-time events through a caller’s cellphone.
  • Enhance relationships between Town employees, residents, and businesses.
    • Optimize the partnership opportunities provided by Palm Beach Police and Fire Foundation and SafeGuard to deliver events to the community, including the annual document destruction and medication disposal event, the Public Safety Forums, the Citizen’s Academy, Teen’s Academy, and the opportunity to develop new initiatives.
    • Develop a community outreach program that educates the public on realistic drills, expands fire rescue drills, and identifies community threats. 
    • Ensure the Marina establishes a premier brand that attracts global customers while aligning with the Town’s focus on quality of life.
    • Continue the Volunteer in Police Service Program (VIPS), enabling citizens to collaborate with PD staff and provide essential support to the department. 
  • Lead residents towards living happier, healthier, and longer lives through public education, campaigns, and program offerings. 
    • Focus public education efforts on common medical emergencies in Town, such as falls, stroke, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attacks. 
    • Enhance and expand emergency medical care provided within the Town of Palm Beach by exploring specialized ambulances for stroke and cardiac patients.
  • Embrace a workforce culture that promotes being proactive and anticipatory. 
    • Facilitate workshops and training sessions to help staff adapt to new technologies and processes.
    • Promote an open communication and feedback culture to address concerns and build a unified team front.
    • Develop the Innovation Award.
    • Conduct contingency planning for a hybrid workforce.
  • Deliver exceptional services to the community with optimal resource utilization. 
  • Optimize interoperability and coordination of technology platforms to reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency.
  • Market Town-owned properties in West Palm Beach for potential ground leases to enhance and diversify revenue streams. 
  • Ensure the Town remains competitive in staffing levels, compensation, and benefits across all employment categories.
  • Invest sufficiently in the Town’s internal infrastructure to maximize productivity, enhance performance, develop technical and leadership skills, and create an optimized staffing structure. 
    • Develop a succession plan to prepare for future leadership needs. 
    • Identify potential future leaders within the team and provide them with mentorship and training opportunities. 
    • Project workforce needs into 2028.
    • Skills inventory and 2028 future planning.
    • Develop a comprehensive training program for board, commission, and council members on procedures and use of new technologies. 
    • Regularly update training materials and sessions based on feedback and evolving needs. 
    • Expand training for purchasing cards, contract administration, and procurement.
    • Prepare staff and future leaders by providing specialized training in confined space operations, small engine, and hand tools.
    • Strategize reclassifications and promotions to encourage career growth.
    • Continue development programs, i.e., Internship, apprenticeship, etc.
  • Promote transparency practices.
    • Publish the Annual Financial Report, Popular Annual Financial Report, and Annual Budget Reports and submit them to GFOA for review and feedback.
    • Develop dashboards for Fire and EMS calls and publish them on the Fire Rescue SharePoint page.
  • Enable a sustainable future by proactively managing the overall costs of the Town government. 
    • Review department budget and functions to achieve cost savings and revenue sources for future budgets.
  • Implement cost-effective strategies and resource management practices within Fire Rescue to ensure long-term sustainability while maintaining essential services. 
  • Assess and implement legal strategies to allocate resources effectively to mitigate risks. 
  • Evaluate, update, enact, and follow sensible fiscal policies.
  • Develop, implement, and operationalize dashboards.
  • Evaluate risk complements for resiliency.
  • Align and integrate the strategic planning process, budget cycle, and operations.
  • Pursue grant opportunities.
  • Participate in intergovernmental coordination processes and consider the impacts of proposed comprehensive plan amendments and future developments.
    • Maintain a public-facing Future Land Use Map and GIS Map Series on the Town’s website. 
    • Intergovernmental Plan Amendment Review Committee (IPARC) participation on the Executive Committee and Issues Forum.
    • Request to appoint Town representatives to County advisory committees. 
    • Participate in the Lake Worth Lagoon Steering Committee in relation to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s program for the Lake Worth Lagoon Ecosystem Management Area.
  • Participate in the County’s Multijurisdictional process and planning framework to provide for a county-wide vision for transportation and mobility that safely connects people to places.
  • Address regional and state significance issues in coordination with the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, South Florida Water Management District, and state and federal agencies. 
    • Continued coordination with the United States Coast Guard to reduce bridge openings during rush hour. 
    • Pursue appointing a member of the Town Council or a Commission member to the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce. 
    • Coordinate with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, and other communities to minimize transportation impacts to the Town through active participation in the Palm Beach TPA Technical Review Committee. 
    • Coordinate with the Palm Beach School District.
  • Create an informed community about emerging topics within the Town, County, and State. 
    • Develop and implement a system for legislative tracking to monitor and manage policy changes effectively. 
    • Train and update staff on legal and regulatory compliance.
    • Develop website content for county, state, and federal resources.
    • Network and collaborate with Palm Beach County professional peers through participation, education, and coordination.
    • Create two southbound lanes on North County Road from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM to improve traffic flow and prevent blockages, with appropriate staffing and resources.