1. Planning for Board Involvement May 7, 2014
AWWU Strategic Plan 2014
Planning for Board Involvement May 7, 2014

2. The AWWU Board is tasked with overseeing the development of the Utility’s Strategic Plan
What will our business look like 15 years from now?
How can we assure the sustainable future of water and wastewater service?
What will benefit our owner’s interest?

3. Our Strategic Planning Process is cyclical over a two year life.
2) SWOT
1) Vision,
Mission,
Values
3) Goals
2-year Strategic Plan Cycle
4) Achievements
6) Evaluate and Celebrate!
5) Measurements

4. Strategic Initiatives
We incorporate long term direction from the AWWU Board in the planning effort.
Long- term Strategic Direction
Strategic Initiatives
Board
Direction
2) Assess current conditions (SWOT)
1) Confirm
Vision, Mission,
Values
3) Goals
2-year Strategic Plan Cycle
4) Achievements
6) Evaluate and Celebrate!
5) Measurements

5. We assess current conditions:
Within AWWU:
And Externally:
Strengths
Opportunities
Weaknesses
Threats

6. AWWU Mission Statement defines what we do.
Supporting the public health, safety, and economic interests of the community by providing quality water and wastewater services in a responsible, efficient, and sustainable manner.
EXCELLENCE THROUGH INNOVATION

7. EXCELLENCE THROUGH INNOVATION
Core values reflect our style of doing business.
Respect
Safety
Teamwork
Continuous Improvement
Integrity
Professionalism
Humor
EXCELLENCE THROUGH INNOVATION

8. AWWU’s strategy is multidimensional.
Service
Synergy
Stewardship
Safety and Satisfaction
Sustainability

9. Service to Our Customers
Goal: To Be a Leader in Providing Exceptional Customer Service.
Definition: Be responsive to customer needs through respect, understanding, empathy, and knowledge of our services.

10. Stewardship of the Environment and Public Health
Goal: To Protect Public Health and Be Environmentally Responsible.
Definition: Provide safe high quality drinking water to our community and provide safe wastewater discharges while enhancing efficiency and environmental stewardship.

11. Sustainability of Utility Resources and Services
Goal: Provide a return to our owners in an amount and form sufficient to attract and retain capital investment necessary to sustain the long-term financial health of the Utility.
Definition: Return to owners can be provided in the form of a cash dividend paid directly to the owners or through retained earnings used to enhance the value of owners’ equity. Long term financial health involves providing resources to sustain operations and support new initiatives that increase value to our customers and owner.

12. Safety and Satisfaction of our people
Goal: To Be an Employer of Choice and Create a Desirable Place to Work.
Definition: Create a work atmosphere where individuals desire to work and a workplace promoting professional development and personal growth.

13. Synergy in Our Business
Goal: To Optimize and Integrate Business Practices to Promote Utility Sustainability.
Definition: Maximize use of existing technologies and optimized data entry by fully integrating IT applications. Expand applicability, accessibility, and employee knowledge of operational information. Pursue sustainability by improving the maintenance, operation, and reliability of the system. Leverage technology while stabilizing expenses at reasonable rates.

14. The Board provided Strategic Direction from a 2010 retreat
Maximize Utility Independence
Expand Certificated Service Area
Explore formation of a Regional Authority
Explore formation of a Stormwater Utility
Build recognition of the Quality of AWWU Products and Services
Explore increase of drinking water market
Encourage Infill and Redevelopment
Maintain Strong Asset Management Program

15. Strategic Initiatives
We need to sync the Utility’s Strat.Plan with the Board’s Long-term Direction
Long- term Strategic Direction
Strategic Initiatives
Board
Direction
2) Vision,
Mission,
Values
1) SWOT
3) Goals
2-year Strategic Plan Cycle
4) Achievements
6) Evaluate and Celebrate!
5) Measurements

16. Next Steps in Strategic Planning
Late May: Engage Facilitator
June 4: Board considers Long-Term Initiatives
July 2: Board considers Goals and Achievements
August 6: Board approves Plan for Budget Prep
September 3: Board recommends 2015 Budget to Mayor

17. 1) Maximize utility independence by fully implementing authority of Title 31.
Complete remaining steps:
Personnel rules
Contract legal services
ERP System
Review Title 31 for Recommended modifications
Identify impediments to complete implementation
Prioritize removal of impediments
Establish intermediate objectives

18. 2) Expand certificated areas of service
Identify candidate developing areas for most likely AWWU infrastructure needs.
Identify policy conflicts – i.e., only go where invited – follow land use planning
Identify and contact affected Community Councils to explain process
Keep Administration apprised

19. 3) Explore basis of support to form a regional authority.
Develop alternative development scenarios
Identify critical infrastructure shortcomings
Explore regulatory implications
Document costs and benefits
Prepare white paper on potential expansion
Brief mayor on the advantages / disadvantages
Set up briefing for leaders of prospective partner communities

20. 4) Explore formation of a Stormwater Utility within AWWU to assume current stormwater utility functions within the MOA
Develop alternative development scenarios
Explore regulatory implications
Identify critical infrastructure shortcomings
Identify prospective rates and billing system
Prepare white paper on stormwater utility administration
Outline pilot project
Brief mayor on the advantages / disadvantages
Set up briefing for Assembly worksession

21. 5) Build greater recognition of the quality of AWWU drinking water (products and services)
Build Marketing/ Communications Plan
Survey customer attitudes and perceptions of AWWU products and service.
(aka Assess current conditions)
Establish goals for public communication
Identify target audience(s)
Match message / media / audience
Produce and distribute the message
Resurvey to determine progress.

22. 6) Explore potential of increasing AWWU drinking water market
Identify prospective users – Export, manufacturing,
Communicate opportunities to AEDC
Complete review of independent and consecutive connected systems
See Expansion of service area (SI#3)

23. 7) Work with and/or partner with MOA and other stakeholders to create and/or participate in processes that will encourage residential, commercial, and/or industrial infill and redevelopment within the current service area.
In other words…

24. 7) Encourage residential, commercial, and/or industrial infill and redevelopment
Map locations of non-conforming systems.
Map underdeveloped properties with AWWU service.
Educate property owners/redevelopers on the requirements for upgrading non-conforming systems. (Water service / I&I)
Identify drainage areas within service area not yet identified for sewerage (e.g, lower Hillside, ER)
Actively assist in planning redevelopment of Kulis and Airport/Port/ARR.
Consider technical support to potential HLB / Mental Health development plans
Identify opportunities from review of records of existing connections
Foster relationships with builder community to improve development design practices

25. 8) Maintain a strong asset management system.
Incorporate Business Case Analysis in CIP/CIB development.
Develop maintenance strategies for optimized reliability.
Develop utility-wide risk framework.
Optimize condition assessment program
Develop energy optimization strategy

26. Achievements Supporting Strategic Initiatives
Service
Develop maintenance strategies for optimized reliability. (8)
Map underdeveloped properties with existing AWWU service.(7)
Actively assist in planning redevelopment of Kulis / Airport / Port / ARR / HLB / Mental Health development (7)
Communicate Development opportunities to AEDC (6)
Sustainability
Incorporate Business Case Analysis in CIP/CIB development (8)
Optimize condition assessment program (8)
Build and Implement Marketing/ Communications Plan (5)
Prepare White Paper on Regional Authority Concept (3)
Complete Transfer of ERP function (1)
Synergy
Develop utility-wide risk framework.(8)
Stewardship
Develop energy optimization strategy (8)
Prepare White Paper on Stormwater utility administration (4)
Safety and Satisfaction
Complete transfer of personnel administration (1)