Commissioners Set Next Steps in Strategic Planning Process

The County Board of Commissioners adopted a mission statement, vision statement and core values in July 2007 as the first action in a two-year process of strategic planning and goal setting. The process will result in the Board establishing a clear destination with measurable outcomes to guide their progress in the years to come.

Mission: Through visionary leadership and good stewardship, we will ensure public safety, administer state requirements, determine county needs and provide services to continually enhance quality of life.

Vision: Our vision for Cabarrus is a county where our children learn, our citizens participate, our dreams matter, our families and neighbors thrive and our community prospers.

Core Values: Board members identified four core values to guide how county government should carry out its mission:

• Accountable/Responsible
• Collaborative
• Integrity (Principled)
• Respect

In March 2008, the Board of Commissioners continued its strategic planning process by providing descriptions of its established core values and by refining its five goals. The Board also discussed 1-year, 2-year, and 3- to 5-year outcomes for each goal statement. These outcomes include initiatives that will support and achieve each goal.

County departments will implement strategies and performance measures to achieve these goals in addition to identifying budget, policy, resource and timeframe implications of achieving these goals. County resources will be prioritized based on the extent each county program or service is related to the Board's chosen outcomes. Therefore, performance measurement is tied into the budget each year.

Commissioners will review the strategic plan each year to ensure the county is moving in the right direction to meet current and future needs. In January 2009, the Board of Commissioners finalized its goals for the coming fiscal year.

2009 Goals