Summary

King County government will set measurable goals to deliver County services that meet or exceed standards of professionalism, efficiency, quality and customer service, under the first-ever King County Strategic Plan unanimously adopted today by the Metropolitan King County Council.

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King County government will set measurable goals to deliver County services that meet or exceed standards of professionalism, efficiency, quality and customer service, under the first-ever King County Strategic Plan unanimously adopted today by the Metropolitan King County Council.

“This plan is a critical step toward a more efficient, more effective and more accountable King County,” said Executive Constantine. “For the first time members of the public, many of our employees, and all of the independently-elected officials of King County have collaborated on a unified vision of performance that will make us more responsive to those we serve, and help us identify opportunities for improved effectiveness and efficiencies in the way we do business.

The five-year plan, entitled “King County Strategic Plan, 2010–2014: Working Together for One King County,” was created with input from thousands of residents and county employees over a period of 18 months. It is a key tool in the Executive’s work to reform county government by collaborating across departments and agencies to bring down the growth in costs, develop specific priorities and strategies to improve services, and focus the county’s resources on those strategies upon which stakeholders have agreed.

The Strategic Plan embodies the priorities of the residents of King County and the values of all of the independently-elected officials in King County government.

“The involvement of the Councilmembers and independently-elected officials throughout this process has made this a clearer, more focused, and ultimately better plan that integrates our efforts across branches of government,” said the Executive. “I especially want to thank Councilmember Jane Hague for her leadership and partnership over the years to bring this plan to reality.”

The adopted Strategic Plan identifies five priorities for implementation in the first year that are central to the Executive’s long-term reforms of county government

1. Set standards and expectations for the immediate improvement of customer service;
   
2. Build lasting regional partnerships;
   
3. Stabilize the long-term structural budget problem by clearly defining King County service levels and giving voters choices;
   
4. Build a culture of performance; and
   
5. Empower our workforce to work together as one King County.

“This plan will be a touchstone document across all the diverse lines of county services,” said Executive Constantine. “Front-line employees, managers, and elected officials will link back to this plan to ensure we are all working toward the same vision and goals to serve the public.”

In adopting the plan, the Council established a clear structure for accountability with specific milestones for the Executive to report back on the progress of implementation and measurement. To ensure accountability at all levels of government, the elected leadership of King County will meet at least twice a year to review the county’s performance on the Strategic Plan and make mid-course corrections as needed.

The Strategic Plan is the first time King County has worked closely with those inside and outside of government to create a single vision of the county’s future and the strategies the county will employ to make that vision a reality.

Related information

• King County Strategic Plan