Strategic Planning Initiative
The Wheatland Town Board has undertaken a Strategic Planning Initiative referred to as “Wheatland 2030” to help our community achieve its “best possible future” through the development of a well-defined community vision and roadmap to success. As part of this initiative, the Wheatland Town Board has approved key foundational elements of a strategic plan for the Town of Wheatland. These elements include an aspirational vision of our community by the year 2030 and a set of strategic directions intended to facilitate successful realization of this vision.
Background
This strategic planning initiative DOES NOT REPLACE or SUPERSEDE the TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN as a legal planning document as defined in the “Town of Wheatland, Village of Scottsville Comprehensive Plan 2004 – 2024". The "Wheatland 2030" initiative and associated Strategic Plan augments and leverages, but does not replace the valued and legal content of the Comprehensive Plan.
The primary function of the Comprehensive Plan is to provide “guidance in the municipal decision making process”. The Comprehensive Plan generally provides considerations and recommendations versus strategies of how these objectives can be satisfied (i.e., funding mechanisms, resource allocations, timeframes). The development of this Comprehensive Plan was a significant cooperative effort, jointly developed by residents from the Town of Wheatland and the Village of Scottsville.
The "Wheatland 2030" Strategic Plan defines foundational elements of the strategic planning process, such as an updated community vision (for the year 2030), an updated baseline environment assessment and Town assets inventory, a Town Government mission statement and core values which are applied within a strategic framework that supports active realization of the vision and associated objectives. This Strategic Framework includes the development of strategies for objective achievement in combination with incremental action plans.
Vision
“The Town of Wheatland is a safe, clean, friendly and prosperous community that is welcoming to visitors, with a vibrant small-town, rural atmosphere, great natural beauty and amenities that facilitate a high quality of life for residents of all ages and interests. Wheatland strives to be a model of contemporary small-town America, seamlessly touching the past through its rural and historic character,
while actively embracing a bright future.”
Strategic Directions
Four synergistic, broad statements of strategic direction have been defined as a set of high level goals intended to steer subsequent elements of the planning and executional processes, including objectives, detailed strategies and related actions.
Progress Items
Communications
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Vision - As viewed above, a vision statement was established and approved by the Wheatland Town Board that represents a long term, enduring, aspirational view of Town of Wheatland community by the year 2030.
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New Town of Wheatland Website - Provides a robust, rich content user experience that is fully mobile compatible and designed to be accessible to the widest possible audience. The Town of Wheatland website is managed in accordance with a set of established policies and procedures, including a formal privacy policy for the collection, handling and use of personal information. Website usage is tracked and reviewed on at least an annual basis.
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Electronic Notification Service - Provided through the Town of Wheatland Website as a courtesy to subscribers who would like to receive e-mail notifications regarding Town Government notices, events, programs and activities. Users of this service may unsubscribe at any time.
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Electronic Town Newsletters - Delivered via email to subscribers of the electronic notification service. An archive of electronic newsletters is available on the Town of Wheatland Website. [NOTE that this service has been temporarily suspended during the pandemic]
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Town of Wheatland Facebook Page - Provides the Town of Wheatland municipality with a social media presence for sharing of information such as Town Government news, notes and articles, including public notices, recreation department notices, lost dog information, town history articles, event and activity schedule reminders and changes. The Town of Wheatland is committed to practicing appropriate social media etiquette, only sharing relevant information and handling all provided input in accordance with professionally developed policies.
Community Engagement
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Community Hall of Fame - Recognizes and honors Wheatland’s most outstanding citizens who have made significant, positive, notable and/or lifetime contributions to the Town of Wheatland in the areas of community, education, recreation, civil and social services. Community Hall of Fame inductees are recognized for their contributions in a public setting, on the Town of Wheatland Website and with a plaque on a wall in the Wheatland Municipal Building. [NOTE that the Community Hall of Fame nomination process was suspended for 2020 due to the pandemic]
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Volunteers of Distinction - A second level of recognition was established as part of the Wheatland Community Hall of Fame to focus on community volunteerism, and is referred to as Volunteers of Distinction. A Volunteer of Distinction is defined as a citizen who has made positive contributions through demonstrated excellence as a volunteer in support of the Town of Wheatland community. Volunteers of Distinction are also recognized in a public setting, on the town of Wheatland Website and as part of an honor roll on a wall in the Wheatland Municipal Building. [NOTE that the Volunteers of Distinction nomination process was suspended for 2020 due to the pandemic]
Community Branding
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Branding Plan - Specification of a branding approach for the development and marketing of a unique name that represents the Town of Wheatland community in a consistent manner, promoting broader recognition of our community and facilitating a sense of local identity with an experiential focus (i.e., "put Wheatland on the map, let people know who we are").
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Brand Establishment - Developed a municipal brand for the Wheatland community that represents Wheatland's unique combination of high value experiential amenities and support services, specifically "A Distinctive Small Town Experience". This core brand is augmented with the application of a suite of taglines that further describe the Wheatland experience (i.e., "minutes from the city, miles from the ordinary").
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Brand Marketing and Promotion - A new logo was developed for the Town of Wheatland that is compatible with today's electronic formats, including for use online and in documents.
Economic Development
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Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative - A "Trail Town Committee" has been established to engage as part of the regional Genesee Valley Trail Town program to identify, promote and preserve our community's unique recreational assets in support of a regional initiative to put the Genesee Valley on the map as a premier outdoor recreation destination. Evidence suggests that a coordinated effort between communities that share common threads can bring needed restoration, investment and opportunities for our residents and businesses. Read More....
Help shape the future of our Community!
We have the opportunity to transform today’s visions into tomorrow’s realities, helping build a thriving future that is sustainable for the next generation and beyond, becoming the next great small town success story!
Thanks to those who have already contributed, stay tuned for updates as the "Wheatland 2030" journey moves forward.
Call (585) 889-1553 or email the Town of Wheatland with comments, questions and suggestions, all input is welcome.