Livingston council directs staff to draft five‑point strategic plan

The Livingston City Council voted unanimously on May 19 to direct staff to prepare a written strategic plan that will list five priorities and attach measurable objectives for each area.

Councilors said they wanted a concise, living document that sets clear priorities for staff and the community. Council members coalesced around three core priorities — public safety, critical infrastructure (including water and wastewater), and parks and recreation — and agreed to add economic development and community engagement and transparency as additional priorities to be listed with lower precedence.

City staff described a matrix tying department projects to the proposed priorities and the associated funding sources. Staff emphasized that several of the projects on the strategic list are not funded in the requested FY 2026–27 budget and would require either reserve allocations or future rate adjustments or grants to proceed. The council discussed the tradeoffs between one‑time capital spending and maintaining general‑fund reserves.

The motion directs staff to draft a City of Livingston strategic plan organized around the five priority areas and to return to council with a proposed plan that includes concrete objectives and measures for each priority. The council indicated it expects the plan to be short, readable and actionable; staff said the plan would include an exhibit listing priority projects and their estimated costs and funding sources.

Next steps: staff will prepare the draft strategic plan and return it to the council for consideration, at which point council will prioritize specific projects and consider funding choices in the context of the FY 2026–27 budget process.