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Message 2023 Strategic PlanWho we are and what we want our Town to be in the future

Elected OfficialsMayor Jessica DayMayor Pro Tem Ben McDonaldCouncilor Stephen EvansCouncilor Stephen MorganCouncilor Latatious MorrisCouncilor Mark SwanTown Manager Bill Summers, ICMA-CMAssistant Town Managers Dustin Tripp Suzanne Yeatts, ICMA-CMProject Consultant: fountainworksFACILITATION • MANAGEMENT CONSULTING

Table of ContentsWhy Think Strategically ....................2Creating Our Plan .........................3Our Core Values ...........................4Vision & Mission ...........................5Focus Area & Objectives ...................5Safe ..................................6Connected & Inclusive ..................7Sustainable ............................8Active & Healthy .......................9Organizational Excellence ..............10Implementation ...........................11Putting The Pieces Together .............11Handling Emerging Issues .............. 12Strategic planning is important because it provides a sense of direction and reaches organizational goals more efficiently. The Knightdale Strategic Plan, realized over months of collaboration between our citizens, town staff, and the Town Council, provides the guiding framework for the future direction of Knightdale.The Knightdale Strategic Plan establishes “who we are and what we want our Town to be in the future,” by setting our priorities, defining our actions and investments, and directing the achievement of short- and long-term goals. 1

The Knightdale Strategic Plan provides the framework for the activities and operations that are performed by all Town Departments. The sections below provide an overview of the plan including the Town’s core values, vision and mission statements, and areas of focus with defined objectives. Finally, the plan outlines implementation strategies and responsibilities. These pieces together provide the overall framework for the direction of the Town of Knightdale moving forward for the betterment of future generations. Why Think Strategically?North Carolina state law charges the Council with the responsibility to adopt policies that set the general direction of the Town. Strategic planning provides clarity, direction, and focus, with a forward-looking emphasis. These beneficial areas are crucial to high-growth environments. This plan clearly communicates the message of “who we are and what we want our Town to be in the future.” The strategic plan identifies organizational priorities and subsequent objectives to successfully meet these goals. The purpose of the Knightdale Strategic Plan is to: 1. Set the focus for the Town (establish priorities)2. Define the Town’s actions and investments; and 3. Direct the achievement of short-term and long-term goals The Knightdale Strategic Plan will be used to: 1. Focus the Town’s organizational eorts and resources2. Set priorities for annual retreats and sta work plans 3. Evaluate progress toward achieving its vision4. Assess/adjust the Town’s direction in response to our changing environment 5. Serve as a decision-making filter for the consideration of legislative actions2The Knightdale Strategic Plan is the Town Council’s overall guiding framework for activities and operations moving forward.

To develop this plan, Town leadership consulted employees, citizens, and business leaders for guidance into the future direction of Knightdale. Robust input was received from a myriad of community stakeholders. Feedback was received through various avenues including, civic and employee focus groups, community forums, online survey responses, as well as meeting with the elected ocials. The current plan reflects the cumulative ambitions and expectations of these stakeholders. The resulting Knightdale Strategic Plan outlines five primary Focus Areas. These areas represent the foundational elements that all stakeholders identified as crucial for our community’s successful development. Each Focus Area was further defined to include primary objectives. These objectives are activities to ensure successful achievement of the broader focus areas. CreatingOur Plan3

Our Core ValuesWhat Accountability means to us… • Accepting the responsibility to fulfill our mission • Demonstrating behavior that is commensurate with the highest standards of professionalism • Ensuring that the actions and performance of our employees is consistent with the high standards associated with public serviceCore values describe how we behave; they guide our everyday decision-making and how we treat each other and our customers. These values guide how we, the Town of Knightdale, will eectively serve the community in the fulfillment of the Strategic Plan. Our Core Values are central tenets that identify what we believe to be most important in our role as public servants, and they are the belief system that drives our overall mission – serving the citizens of Knightdale. By its very definition, an ARC is a geometric element critical to connectivity. These tenets are meant to provide us with a sense of solidarity that comes with serving a common purpose that is bigger and more important than ourselves. What Customer Service means to us… • Striving to fully meet the needs of our citizens while being good stewards of our resources • Understanding that the manner in which we treat our citizens is a direct reflection on the Town and ourselves • Committing to a course of action and meeting agreed upon outcomes and expectationsWhat Respect means to us…• Exhibiting positive esteem for ourselves, our peers, our subordinates, and for our citizens • Working to give, build, and maintain positive relationships over time• Being empathically sensitive to the needs of all stakeholdersARCAccountability – Respect – Customer ServiceOur Core Values4Our core values guide how the Town of Knightdale will effectively serve the community. Sta CouncilCitizens

Vision & MissionThe Knightdale Vision and Mission statements define our purpose and align the people within our organization, ensuring that we are all working towards a single purpose. This commitment helps to increase eciency and productivity in our organization. The Vision Statement articulates a long-term view of the ideal future for the Town of Knightdale. The Mission Statement describes why the Town of Knightdale exists and what it will do to help achieve its vision. The vision and mission statements will guide the work of the Town of Knightdale, ensuring that all activities it undertakes will help achieve the vision. Focus Areas & ObjectivesThe Strategic Plan identifies the following Focus Areas that will serve as the primary decision-making priorities for the Knightdale. Each Focus Area is comprised of objectives that define primary key indicators of success for each area. Knightdale is an inclusive and connected urban small town with unique gathering places that foster a sense of community.We serve all residents of Knightdale by providing a healthy and safe environment and opportunities for a high quality of life.VisionMissionSafeConnected & InclusiveSustainableActive & HealthyOrganizational Excellence5

What it means to us…Safety is the foundation of a great community. The Town is committed to ensuring that safety is our foremost priority now and for future generations. Objectives• Ensure resources are aligned with growing, community needs • Adequately fund and sta public safety resources • Actively engage and educate citizens in public safety eorts• Continue legacy of strong citizen connection• Continue to proactively develop regulations and codes to ensure citizen safety as Knightdale grows• Maintain and educate the public around the available safe zones for trade • Support the Town’s Vision Zero approach to eliminate all trac fatalities and severe injuriesFocus Area: SafeKnightdale is a safe community, where residents feel secure throughout the Town, the crime rate is low, and public safety personnel have a positive relationship with the community.6

What it means to us…A Connected Knightdale is a community where we know our neighbors. It is recognizing that our connectivity to one another serves as the foundation of what makes Knightdale a special place. We are connected in the manner in which we embrace technology and through our proximity to the Triangle region.An Inclusive Knightdale is a community where our residents feel safe, respected, and comfortable.Objectives• Continue legacy of transparent and inclusive government committed to two-way communication with all stakeholders• Build on our “Start Something” identity• Augment our small-town feel and appearance through the creation of unique spaces as we grow• Stay connected to our historical roots with an inclusive outlook for our future• Serve as a leader in regional collaboration for Eastern Wake County • Remain committed to “Diverse Neighborhoods are Made of Diverse Housing” to ensure access for all• Communicate important information to residents in a timely manner • Oer a diversity of quality community events • Create the infrastructure necessary to cultivate and foster the small business community • Embrace opportunities for physical connectivity through the transportation network• Ensure multimodal transportation choices to connect to the region• Advocate for quality educational opportunitiesFocus Area: Connected & InclusiveKnightdale actively pursues balanced growth with exceptional design to maintain its small town feel and appearance. Through the creation of unique community spaces and a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and small businesses, we are creating a connected and inclusive town.7

What it means to us…A Sustainable Knightdale is a community with a healthy environment and a strong economy that is focused on the well-being of its citizens. Our community will endure over time, ensuring prosperity for future generations.Objectives • Ensure regulations adapt to environmental change• Endeavor to preserve and protect our environmental resources • Promote financial sustainability and balanced growth between residential and commercial development• Embrace ways to reduce Town government energy consumption• Lead by example in reducing emissions from town operations• Encourage quality commercial and residential development that ages well over time• Execute the KnightdaleNext Comprehensive Plan Focus Area: SustainableKnightdale promotes the stewardship of its environment, the resiliency of its resources, and the maintenance of a financially sustainable government. 8

What it means to us…An Active and Healthy Knightdale embraces opportunities to make it easier for citizens to live healthy lives. We provide opportunities for people to be physically active and socially engaged as part of their daily routine, improving physical and mental health. We strive to allow our citizens to age in place and remain all their lives in a Knightdale that reflects their changing lifestyles and changing physical capabilities.Objectives• Recognize that regular physical activity directly contributes to improved mental health and better overall health and well being• Oer a variety of health, fitness, and cultural opportunities to meet the needs of a diverse population• Work to eliminate societal stigmas surrounding mental health issues• Help those with mental health conditions get access to treatment• Provide access to healthy, fresh foods and connectivity to local farms • Encourage non-vehicular transportation• Recognize cultural, social, and economic value of public artFocus Area: Active & HealthyKnightdale brings people together and boasts happy residents by promoting and sustaining a high quality of life and providing recreation and leisure activities to meet diverse interests.9

What it means to us…Organizational Excellence means a Knightdale that places the interests of our citizens first. Employees’ behaviors and decisions are firmly rooted in our ARC values. The Town is comprised of a highly talented workforce that embraces best-practices in public administration.Objectives • Provide friendly and accessible customer service • Recruit and retain a diverse, highly-talented town workforce• Continue dedication to cultural awareness and appreciation• Embrace technology to improve internal and external service delivery• Invest in employees’ skills and professional developmentFocus Area: Organizational ExcellenceKnightdale’s government is operated eciently and transparently by outstanding employees who focus on excellent customer service and open communication.10

Putting the Pieces Together The illustration below articulates how all of the building blocks of the Knightdale Strategic Plan work together to achieve the future Town our citizens’ desire. ImplementationThe Town Council will endeavor to successfully implement the Knightdale Strategic Plan. The Council will use the plan to guide its decision-making to ensure that their decisions are aligned with the objectives laid out in the plan. The Manager will facilitate an annual strategic planning retreat for the Council to ensure that the Knightdale Strategic Plan is a living document which continually evolves to fulfill the mission and vision of the organization. The retreat will serve two primary purposes. First, the Manager will work in conjunction with the Department Directors to recommend projects/programs/initiatives that advance the Strategic Plan’s Focus Areas. These departmental recommendations will be formalized in an Annual Implementation Plan adopted by the Council. Secondly, the Manager will present an annual report on service delivery eectiveness. Performance metrics will be established to apprise the Council of organizational performance. The Manager will endeavor to help the Council understand how the impacts of their decisions aect service delivery and align with the Strategic Plan. These guiding qualities are further supported by the Town’s Core Values, which represent the beliefs that are shared among the stakeholders of our organization and in turn drive and sustain our culture.Defines our ideal futureArticulates our direction and commitment to realizing this futureDefine community expectations that are universal to all of Knightdale’s citizenryProvide the key activities to achieve successMeasures our service delivery performanceVisionMission5 Focus AreasObjectivesPerformance MeasureCore ValuesBuilding Blocks11The Town Manager has the overall responsibility for implementing the plan and will work in conjunction with the town staff to achieve results envisioned by the Council and the community.

DecisionAlignment with Strategic Plan (or other adopted plans) Does the issue fit into one of our Focus Areas?Does the issue fit into priority areas for Departmental Strategic Plans or other guiding documents?Cost / Available FundingDo we have the money to do this? Is it fiscally responsible to do this?Opportunity; Urgency / TimingIs this a onetime opportunity? Is this an urgent or impending issue for the Town?Magnitude of Impact on Knightdale Will this have a strong, positive impact on the Town?Does this impact a large or small area of Knightdale?Level of Community Support or DemandIs this an issue that the community wants prioritized? Has there been a lot of demand for this issue?Opportunity Cost Do we lose another potential priority if this is chosen?Return on InvestmentIs this an ecient use of our time and money? What is the ratio of net profit over the cost?Do we anticipate a non-financial return on our investment (e.g. building a sense of community or setting the stage for the kind of Town we want to be)?Capitalizing on Strengths and Addressing our WeaknessesDoes this emphasize a strength we have? Does this fix or address a weakness we have? Decision filters are designed to help evaluate and respond to emerging priorities. Handling Emerging IssuesAs the strategic plan is a living document, the following decision filters define how the Council will adhere to established priorities while being prepared for emergent issues at the same time. The Council and sta will apply the following criteria to reevaluate priorities that should be considered outside of the strategic plan and/or annual budget process. While it is unlikely that any issue will meet all of the criteria, the decision filters will help Council and sta evaluate emerging opportunities. The criteria include: Emergent IssueEmergent Issue Emergent Issue12

In the months since Officer Ryan Hayworth’s tragic line of duty death, we have learned that the loss of hero can cut a community to its core. It generates feelings of unrivaled pain and grief, leaving those in its wake searching for answers. For many, those answers are shallow, and for some they never come at all. But Ryan’s death was very different. His passing helped an entire community understand just how impactful his life had been. From his death emerged an inspiring story of unyielding, selfless service to others. The more we learned about Ryan, the more we were reminded that it is still possible to make a difference…one day at a time, one act at time, one relationship at a time. Ryan’s story is so powerful and inspiring that we must share it with future generations. His service and sacrifice can never be forgotten if we do our part to carry on his legacy. As members of the Knightdale community, we must always take time to utter his name, pay homage to his memory, call attention to his example, and challenge others toknightdalenc.gov2023LIVE LIKE RYAN.