At the October 25 Village Board meeting, the Board approved a contract with Northern Illinois University’s Center for Governmental Studies to provide facilitation for the strategic planning process. Strategic planning is a process that helps leaders examine the current state of the organization, determine a desired future, establish priorities, and define a set of actions to achieve the desired outcomes.
As part of the Village of Homer Glen’s strategic planning initiative, the Village partnered with National Research Center, Inc. to conduct a National Citizen Survey (NCS). This survey has been used by more than 300 communities in 45 states and is endorsed by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). In April, the scientific survey was administered at random to 1,500 households throughout the community. The Village received 501 responses (34%). Surveys were sent to a representative cross-section of the population, thus ensuring neutrality on who received the survey. The NCS measured eight aspects of community livability including community engagement, education and enrichment, recreation and wellness, economy, built environment, natural environment, safety and mobility. An online (non-scientific) survey was also administered, whereby the entire community could participate. The results of the online survey were kept separate from the scientific survey. The NCS is a critical component of the strategic planning process. The results of the survey will be used as the foundation for the development of a community strategic plan. Over the next several months, the Village Board will examine the input received from the survey and devise an action-oriented road map that will help the Village achieve its vision.