2013-2016 strategic plan

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STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2016

NORTHEAST OHIO REGIONAL

SEWER DISTRICT

YourSewer

Keeping our

District...

Great

Lakegreat.

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Ces

Executive Directors Message 3

ExECutivE Summary

Purpose o Strategic Plan 4

Strategic Planning Process and Inputs 4Strategic Planning Process 6

Major Themes o the Plan 9

GuidinG StatEmEntS

Our Vision and Mission 10

Core Values 10

StratEGiC arEaS of foCuS

1 Operational Excellence 12

2 Fiscal Responsibility 16

3 Customer Service 18

4 Community Partnerships 20

5 Organization and Employee Efectiveness 22

C o n c l u s i o n 24

photos: John Quinn

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Eece decs messge

It is with pride that I introduce our Strategic Planor 2013 through 2016. Te Senior Sta eamcreated this Strategic Plan to chart the courseo the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer Districtover the next our years. Our vision is to lead the

region as the premier environmental organizationprotecting our waterways.

o help us achieve this vision, the StrategicPlan consists o fve areas on which we willocus our eorts: Operational Excellence, Fiscal

Responsibility, Customer Service, CommunityPartnerships, and Organization and EmployeeEectiveness.

Tese areas are the oundation o our StrategicPlan and consist o many ambitious objectives.

Tereore, it will require the talent, commitment,and drive o every District employee or itssuccessul implementation.

With the support o our employees, I amconfdent that the Strategic Plan will serve as a

road map to achieve our vision. Our success willbeneft the environment, the region, and thepeople we serve.

Julius Ciaccia, Jr.

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Ppse Segc Pl

Te Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (theDistrict) is a political subdivision o the State o

Ohio. It was established by court order in 1972to convey and treat wastewater in Cleveland andsurrounding communities.

Tis Strategic Plan integrates ContinuousImprovement methods and tools to ensure that

the District will be positioned to meet any uturechallenges, stay true to the Mission and Vision,and provide customers with an environmentalleader that is committed and able to enhance thequality o lie in the region and protect their waterresources.

Segc Plg Pcess ips

During the all o 2012, the District developed

an RFP seeking services to lead and acilitate theDistricts Strategic Planning Process. Te Districtwas seeking a frm that would be able to ensurethat the Mission, Vision, goals, and areas ostrategic ocus continue to be properly aligned,including all necessary elements to meet theorganizations commitment to ulfll obligationsin the areas o wastewater treatment, stormwatermanagement, and capital improvement.

ExECutivE Summary

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O all the frms that responded to the RFP, theDistrict selected local consulting frm Improve

Consulting and raining Group to lead the eort.Improve Consultings Strategic Planning Modelintegrates both Continuous Improvement andOrganizational Change Management methods/tools to ensure that plans are not only operational,but sustainable as well.

Te Strategic Planning Process ocused ongaining insight and input rom two sources: 1)the Districts Senior Sta and 2) the Board orustees. By ocusing eorts on these sources,Improve was able to gain a comprehensive view

o what Senior Sta saw as the strengths and areaso opportunities or the District and confrm thatthe Senior Stas Vision and plans aligned with theBoards Vision.

Tis Strategic Plan clearly outlines a path or theDistrict to ulfll its obligations by leveraging itsstrengths and ocusing eorts on the identifedareas o improvement, thus making the DistrictsVision a reality.

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Segc Plg Pcess

Step 1 Engage Senior Staf: Te Districts SeniorSta have been involved throughout the StrategicPlanning Process. Improve Consulting conductedindividual assessments with eleven (11) keyDistrict Senior Sta rom dierent unctionalareas to better understand, rom their perspective,what is working well and identiy opportunitiesor improvement, prior to engaging in theStrategic Planning Process. Upon completiono the assessments, it was clear that the Districthad as many strengths related to each o the

fve identifed areas o ocus as it did areas oopportunity, implying that while the District doeshave many opportunities to ocus improvementeorts, it also has many opportunities to leverageits strengths to make those improvements.

Step 2 Conduct Strategic Planning Session 1:Upon completion o the assessments, ImproveConsulting acilitated a ull-day session with theDistrict Senior Sta on uesday, October 23,2012, to 1) review and revise the Districts Mission

and Vision Statements, 2) review assessmentfndings, and 3) create strategic actions to alignwith strategic ocus areas and goals. Te resultswere new Mission and Vision Statements, strategicareas o ocus that align with the new Mission andVision, and clearly stated objectives or each o the

fve areas o ocus.

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Step 3 Conduct Strategic Planning Sessions 2-4: Onuesday, November 20, 2012, Friday, December

28, 2012, and Friday, January 4, 2013, ImproveConsulting acilitated hal- and ull-day sessionswith District Senior Sta to 1) review the Visionand Mission Statements, Strategic Areas, andStrategic Objectives, and 2) develop actions andmetrics or each Strategic Objective. Te District

Sta were able to identiy measurable actions andKPIs or all the identifed Strategic Objectives.

Step 4 Engage the Board: On Tursday,December 20, 2012, Improve Consulting madea presentation to the Board o rustees about

the 2013-2016 Strategic Planning Process. Temeeting was held during the Boards regularsession and was held in the Public Meeting Roomat the Districts 3900 Euclid Avenue acility. Aterhearing the presentation, the Board agreed that

the Senior Stas Vision and plan was aligned withwhat they envisioned and subsequently gave theirapproval to move orward.

Step 5 Create Evaluation and Control Methodologies:Upon the Boards approval to move orward,

Improve Consulting worked with District SeniorSta to create a comprehensive strategic planreporting process and ormat that resulted inthe creation o a comprehensive Dashboard. TeDashboard will be used to track the progressor each Strategic Objective and their associatedmetrics each quarter.

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Te Dashboard will be housed in a central locationand each Owner or the Strategic Actions will

access it on a specifed date each quarter to provideupdates. Tese collective updates are carried overand graphically displayed to provide a snapshoto the overall progress made or each StrategicObjective to date.

Tese updates are also synced with a Quarterly

Report that will be provided to the Board.By utilizing this simple tracking report andDashboard, the District will be able to quicklyevaluate its progress on an ongoing basis, hold itssta accountable, and ensure that no actions areoverlooked.

Step 6 Determine Action Plan Follow Up: o ensurethat the District is on track and achieving thedesired outcomes, Improve Consulting willconduct ormal reviews with the District at the

three-, six-, and nine-month marks to evaluateprogress on the fve strategic areas o ocus andtheir associated objectives and actions. Te Senior

Strategic Plan Dashboard

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Sta will be responsible or reporting to the publicand the Board on their progress. Te Executive

Director will provide updates to the Boardthrough the Quarterly Reports pulled rom theStrategic Plan Dashboard.

mj thees he Pl

Trough a comprehensive analysis o the inputrom the Districts Senior Sta and Board, severalthemes emerged to guide the developmento the Strategic Plan. Te Districts devotion

to enhancing quality o lie in the region andprotecting its water resources remains the coreunction o the District. Te District must becognizant o utilizing the right people in theright places to achieve even greater operational

excellence and continue to work towards osteringincreased communication and collaboration withpartners. Te District must also work to ensure asustainable uture by ocusing on organization andemployee elements, such as succession planningand generational alignment. Finally, the Districts

ability to actively enhance the quality o lie inthe region and protect its water resources throughinnovation, fscal responsibility, and communitypartnerships requires the creation o anorganizational culture that encourages teamwork,

innovation, adaptability, customer service at alllevels, and continuous improvement throughrecurring evaluations o its operations and services.

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o vs

Be the environmental leader in enhancing qualityo lie in the region and protecting its water

resources.

o mss

Provide progressive sewage and stormwater

management through innovation, fscalresponsibility and community partnerships.

Ce vles

Te District is committed to:

Environmental Stewardship

Initiating and maintaining eective practices oenvironmental sustainability through commitmentto a better tomorrow, a healthy environment, andstrong communities.

Ethics, Honesty, and Transparency

Maintaining the highest standards with our

customers, our business partners, and each other.

GuidinG StatEmEntS

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11

Customer Focus

Individual and organizational commitment to

providing value-added service to our external andinternal customers. Includes attitude, knowledge,technical support, and quality service in a timelymanner.

Balanced and Informed Decision Making

Quality decisions based on objective metrics,analysis o our systems, customer needs, andorganizational goals.

Progressive Culture

Initiating and acilitating positive changes.

Embracing and promoting innovation thatbenefts the District, our industry, and the region.

Accountability

A consistent willingness to accept responsibility,account or ones actions, and deliver on individual

and collective commitments.

Respect

Demonstrating high regard, value, andconsideration or sel, others, community, andenvironment.

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1 Operational Excellence

Strategic Objective(s)

1.1

Operate and maintain the wastewater

system to achieve regulatory

compliance.

1.2

Adapt business processes to

evolving changes in the industry, the

environment and regulations.

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Strategic Actions Metrics

Develop and implement enhanced control

strategies to meet current permit requirements

as assets are built.

Permit requirements met.

Develop, implement, and manage quality

metrics or construction projects.

80% o quality metrics or complex projects

met.

Execute Project Clean Lake to comply with

consent decree.

Consent decree requirements met.

Implement asset management continuous

improvement process.

Maintenance Key Perormance Indicator

(KPI) target metrics achieved.

Develop and implement automation target

KPI metrics.Automation KPI target metrics achieved.

Implement right-sized Inormation

Technology systems through eective IT

Governance to support the Districts strategic

objectives.

IT Governance ramework to align

inormation technology objectives with

District objectives developed.

95% o the accepted customer

business requirements met in system

implementations.

Enhance interace between Operations,

Engineering & Construction, and Finance

during Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

Planning.

CIP Development Process streamlinedresulting in ewer unplanned process rom

the previous year Capital Project List.

Financial cash ow provided earlier in CIP

process.

Develop standard procedures to enhance

interdepartmental coordination on regulatorycompliance.

Standard procedures ollowed.

Delivering on our commitments, complying with

regulations, improving systems operations and internalbusiness processes, and implementing programs.

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1.3

Increase the unctionality o regional

stormwater assets to resolve and/or

reduce the critical consequence o

ooding, erosion, and catastrophic

ailure.

1.4

Identiy and strengthen key

organizational competencies to run

daily business and implement the

strategic plan.

1 Operational Excellence(cont.)

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1


Implement, operate, and manage thestormwater inspection and maintenance

program.

Baseline inspection o Regional Stormwater

System completed.

External maintenance contracts in place.

Community agreements in place.

Design and construct stormwater projects. Stormwater CIP delivered.

Develop standards and implement masterplans. Regional stormwater system masterplanning activities completed within 5 years.

Design and implement an eective

organization and workorce structure to carry

out the Districts mission.

Annual review o departmental

organizational structures conducted.

Develop and implement a strategy to

determine the proper balance o internal/

external resources.

Business Case Evaluation (BCE) methodologyimplemented.

Delivering on our commitments, complying with

regulations, improving systems operations and internalbusiness processes, and implementing programs.

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1


2 Fiscal Responsibility


2.1 Exercise responsible nancialmanagement.

2.2Utilize unding alternatives to

minimize customer nancial burden.

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1


Operate within the 5-year Rate Study

parameters. Annual budgets operate 95%-98%.

Deliver a cost eective Capital Improvement

Program (CIP).

Engineering & Construction KPI target

metrics achieved.

Evaluate and determine long-term billing &

collection structure.

Long-term billing study completed.

100% o accepted recommendations

implemented.Find opportunities to reduce cost o Project

Clean Lake projects.

>5% reduction rom estimated cost

achieved.

Meet or exceed investment benchmarks.

Merrill Lynch 1-3 Year Index met or

exceeded.

90-day US Treasury Bill met or exceeded.

Improve accounts receivables collection.Billing to collection ratio greater than 95%

is achieved.

Provide annual long-term nancing plan. Annual long-term nancing plan published.

Meet debt service coverage.Senior debt > 1.25 achieved.

Total debt > 1.05 achieved.

Maintain strong credit rating. AA+ or above obtained.

Demonstrating organization and nancial stewardship

in the use o public unds and property.

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3 Customer Service


3.1Provide timely and efective responses

to customer concerns and inquiries.

3.2Connect, respond and incorporate

eedback rom our customers.

3.3 Establish a commitment to customerservice among all District employees.

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Provide 24 hour access to District inormation

resources. 100% service availability.

Provide customers and stakeholders with

timely notication or all known changes, key

events and activities.

Planned and delivered notications

documented.

Develop and implement Customer Service KPI

target metrics.

Customer Service KPI target metrics achieved.

Regularly request eedback on quality o

service.

Develop and implement an evaluation process

to measure the quality o customer service.

Customer satisaction rating increased rom

the current 67%.

Implement key survey recommendations.100% o accepted recommendations

implemented.

Increase utilization o aordability and cost

savings programs.

10% increase (annual) in utilization o

programs.

Educate and inorm employees about District

initiatives, projects and activities.

All-employee sessions bi-annually

conducted.

Develop a district-wide customer serviceawareness campaign to promote a culture o

customer service that is shared by all District

employees.

District-wide customer service awareness

campaign or all employees implemented.

Understanding customer expectations, providing timely

and inormative customer issue resolution, providingeducation, and delivering quality service.

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Ensure timely approval and

disbursement o StormwaterCommunity Cost Share Program unds.

Application and disbursement process completed

within an average o 60 days.

Enhance the benets o Project Clean

Lake green inrastructure projects.

1-2 projects implemented with partnership

unding.

Develop strategic partnerships to attract

uture talent.

Number o participating partners increased

annually.

Partnership driven talent pool increased.

Seek opportunities to grow partnerships

throughout the District.Partnership activity across the District increased.

Promote the District Business

Opportunity Program.

Awareness opportunities provided or small

businesses to compete.

Study completed to dene the optimum number obusinesses in our service area potentially eligible or

Business Opportunity Program certication.

Increase opportunities or business

development or Business Opportunity

Program certied businesses.

MPower Program with the Commission o

Economic Inclusion implemented.

Enhance construction programs Leave

Behind in communities.

Green Leave Behind or all collection systems

projects greater than $50M completed.

Sponsor and/or co-sponsor

environmental education and research

programs and campaigns.

Number o educational and research programs that

provide impact within service area increased.

Eectively administer Titles 1 through 5

o the Districts Code o Regulations.

Annual compliance report or all titles published toenhance compliance.

Communities and customers assisted to achieve

compliance with regulations.

Partnering with a diverse set o organizations and local

communities or mutual benet.

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5 Organization andEmployee Efectiveness


5.1Align, build upon, and sustain key

human resources.

5.2

Create an inclusive culture that

osters diversity at all levels o the

organization.

5.3Develop an innovative, exible and

adaptive organizational culture.

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Develop Succession plan to address current

and uture stafng needs.Succession plan in place or key roles.

Develop and ully administer a comprehensive

Perormance Management Process.

100% o eligible employees perormance

evaluated using the enhanced Perormance

Management Process.Develop Apprenticeship Program or

Operations and Maintenance.Apprenticeship program instituted.

Manage employee development needs

as identied through the Perormance

Management Process.

Managers and supervisors provided with

appropriate level o tools to assess skills and

close developmental gaps.

Develop additional opportunities orInternships and Co-ops.

Number o Interns and Co-ops hired as ulltime employees increased.

Develop and implement D & I Strategic Plan. D & I metrics achieved.

Establish and initiate change management

processes District wide.

Awareness and need or changemanagement expanded.

Opportunities or utilization initiated.

Providing opportunities or employees to develop,

expecting a high level o perormance, aligning human

capital and other resources to accomplish goals, and

developing organizational core competencies.

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2

Ccls

Tis Strategic Plan provides a navigational guideor the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer Districtover the next fve years and the supplementaldocuments provide a means to evaluate andmonitor the Districts progress on the elements

outlined in this plan. o ensure that the goals setorth in the plan are met by 2016, it is imperativethat the Districts progress is reviewed eachquarter. In addition, due to the ever-changingenvironment in which the District operates, theoverall plan must also be evaluated at those timesto ensure that the goals and strategies outlinedremain relevant and useul.

Tis plan outlines many strategies to meet thegoals set orth by the District. Tese strategies

are both actionable and measurable. By makingthe plan not only strategic, but also operational,the Districts path to achieving its goals is clear.Now, it is up to all employees o the District totake action, hold each other accountable, andaccomplish the necessary tasks needed to ensure

that they are able to ulfll their Vision o . . .

Being the environmental leader in enhancingquality of life in the region and protecting its waterresources.

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2013-2016 strategic plan

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