TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas J. Hewett, City Manager
Jeffery Yates, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Chris Lowery, Strategic & Performance Analytics Manager
Andy Brayboy, Senior Corporate Performance Analyst
DATE: January 14, 2026
RE:Title
Strategic Planning Overview - Process, History, Actions Title
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
The City of Fayetteville’s strategic plan is a vital tool for guiding the City’s growth and progress. It sets a clear direction for the future, ensuring vitality and sustainability while driving programmatic performance. As Fayetteville continues to thrive, the strategic plan articulates a long-term vision that informs priorities, fosters data-driven decision-making, and supports continuous improvement. This commitment to strategic planning and performance management strengthens the City, ensuring the delivery of excellent services and enhancing the quality of life for all residents.
Executive Summary:
The City of Fayetteville’s Strategic Planning framework is designed to ensure long-term vision, disciplined execution, and transparent accountability. Grounded in the City’s mission, vision, and core values, the Strategic Plan serves as the roadmap that connects Council direction to organizational performance, daily operations, and measurable outcomes.
At the February 11-12, 2025 Strategic Planning Retreat, City Council gathered to evaluate the City’s current operating and fiscal landscape, celebrate recent accomplishments, and align on a focused set of priorities for FY 2026. The retreat, professionally facilitated by Fountainworks, provided Council with a comprehensive understanding of fiscal pressures, workforce challenges, infrastructure demands, and partnership opportunities, while also strengthening strategic and creative thinking around both short-term and long-term outcomes.
Using an investment portfolio framework and defined decision filters-including alignment with core City responsibilities, resource feasibility, and long-term impact-City Council refined and formally identified five strategic priorities for FY 2026. These priorities were adopted by Council in May 2025 and now serve as the foundation for organizational planning, performance expectations, and resource discussions across the City.
Following Council adoption, the City Manager’s Office directed departments to develop cross-functional Priority Action Plans aligned with each Council priority. These action plans translate strategic direction into executable initiatives and are supported by defined performance measures to track progress, outcomes, and accountability. The Office of Strategy and Performance Analytics coordinates this effort and provides structured, quarterly performance updates to City Council.
This Strategic Planning Overview outlines the City’s planning philosophy, the FY26 retreat outcomes, the adopted Council priorities, and the associated Priority Action Plans and performance measures. Together, these components reinforce a disciplined approach to performance management, support informed decision-making, and ensure alignment between Council priorities, departmental execution, and resource allocation. Through this process, the City of Fayetteville continues to strengthen organizational alignment, advance key outcomes, and deliver high-quality services that support a strong quality of life for its residents.
Background:
The City of Fayetteville is committed to being a data-driven, results-focused organization guided by a comprehensive Strategic Plan and performance management framework. Effective policy and decision-making are supported through stakeholder engagement, transparency, and the use of performance data to inform priorities and outcomes.
As the City prepares for the upcoming Strategic Planning Retreat, this background information is provided to ensure all City Council members-particularly those newly seated-share a common understanding of the City’s strategic planning approach and current framework. Establishing this shared baseline in advance allows retreat discussions to remain focused on future priorities, outcomes, and resource considerations.
Issues/Analysis:
None.
Budget Impact:
None
Options:
1) City Council accepts the Strategic Plan Overview
2) City Council rejects the Strategic Plan Overview and provides additional direction to the City Manager.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
City Council accept the Strategic Plan Overview
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Attachments:
Strategic Planning Overview - Process, History, Actions