The Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved its 2018 strategic plan, which outlines 20 goals and 66 strategies to guide the port’s activities and budget for the next decade.
The plan was developed over 11 months with broad public and stakeholder input, including advisory panels, public open houses, commission meetings, public workshops and hundreds of public comments, the board said.
The port first developed a strategic plan in the early 2000s and updated it each year as necessary. By 2017, the port needed a new plan to address organizational change, including completion of many key initiatives; marine and industrial business growth; identification of new projects; and changes in staff and elected leadership, the board said.
The port hired Vancouver-based Maul Foster & Alongi in the summer of 2017 to assist in creation of the new plan. The process included interviews with each commissioner and nearly all port staff; stakeholder research interviews; four advisory panels with more than 80 participants; two public open houses; seven public workshops; more than a dozen commission meetings; and hundreds of public comments.
Community input was incorporated in the plan in a variety of ways, including the new vision statement and goals and strategies aimed at:
• Supporting job creation and economic development;
• Supporting regional economic development organizations and identified priorities, including workforce development;
• Focusing on full utilization of property and infrastructure investments;
• Taking a leadership role in supporting Columbia River channel maintenance and infrastructure;
• Adopting a climate action plan;
• Pursuing innovative business opportunities and renewable, clean energy projects;
• Additional transparency and regular, two-way communications with the community;
• And increasing opportunities for public access, including the Columbia River waterfront.
The 2018 strategic plan is available here.