City of Kirkwood Strategic Plan

The City of Kirkwood exists for only one purpose and that is to serve the needs of its citizens. Having said this, the simplicity stops. Serving the needs of citizens requires the provision of services such as public works, police, fire, leisure opportunities, and the behind the scene support necessary to allow these services to be provided. In the case of Kirkwood, services such as retail electric and water are provided, along with household refuse and curbside recyclable collection. In order to meet these needs and others, planning, particularly longer term strategic planning is essential. With all of this in mind, the Kirkwood City Council undertook an extensive strategic planning process in August of 2010.

The City Council – the direct representatives of the residents – spent many hours discussing and establishing a vision, mission, and goals for City government. These three statements form the basis for all tasks and initiatives that must follow in order to make this happen. In support of the City Council and staff’s planning, several citizen focus groups were conducted along with citizen surveys. The City Council, having accomplished the above, tasked the City’s management staff with the responsibility of proposing specific objectives and initiatives necessary to achieve the established goals. Finally, the work of the management staff was discussed and consensus reached by the City Council on the content of the City of Kirkwood’s five year strategic plan. Many hours of work by Council Members and management have gone into creating this document.

The following plan is truly the work of the City Council, and all deserve appropriate recognition for their contribution. City department heads were involved in all aspects of identifying the actions necessary to fulfill the City Council’s vision. The managers’ involvement was broad and transcended departmental boundaries. Certainly, one of the most beneficial steps was fulfilled by the hundreds of citizens who shared their time and opinions, which are reflected in this plan.