The idea of reading the Town of Okotoks Corporate Business Plan is probably as exciting as going to the dentist (unless you are like me and love going to the dentist). So, I thought I would share the reasons I think you should know what’s in it.
You might be asking, what is a Corporate Business Plan? Well, Town council is responsible for laying out the strategic vision for our community and for defining the “what” and the “why” we need to do things. The Corporate Business Plan is administration’s response to council’s vision and outlines the work that needs to be done to make council’s vision a reality.
It is essentially the road map for much of the work you will see occurring and initiatives being moved forward, all to continually enhance our community.
Some reasons I think you ought to read this plan:
1. It is the first time the Town has ever created a Corporate Business Plan.
2. It lays out the action plan for how the Town is going to move the needle on council’s strategic priorities (you should read that as well – it is only two pages).
3. This is the accountability link between council, administration and you, the residents of Okotoks.
4. It will provide you with a sense of where we are going and which paths we are taking to get there.
5. If people like you understand the Town’s plan, you may find creative ways to support and contribute to the future of our community.
6. It will give you a sense of what to expect to occur in Okotoks in the next three years.
7. It creates transparency about what we want to accomplish and the expected timelines.
8. It is one of the best plans in the province (I may be biased but I have heard that feedback).
9. It creates the framework for budgeting and outlines what resources, money and people are likely to be required.
10. It lays out a foundation on how we intend to measure whether we achieved our outcomes, or if a different strategy is required.
11. It links actions and deliverables to the several master planning documents we have.
So, with these reasons in mind, I hope you will take the time to visit the Town’s website and download the plan for a quick, easy and informative read. You can find the plans at okotoks.ca/business-plan. I would love to hear your thoughts afterwards.
The long and short of it is executing on the Corporate Business Plan allows us to continue to strengthen our vision of “A vibrant, resilient, connected community that fosters the well being of land and people, a community to call home.”
Tanya Thorn is the mayor of Okotoks.
