Goal setting session yields few results

A goal-setting session held Tuesday by City of Sidney administrators and the City Council ended with a rough mission statement and few goals.

During the three-hour discussion at Sidney Hampton Inn, facilitator John Berge, North Platte NRD general manager, explained the importance of setting a mission statement.

A mission addresses the needs of the citizens, Berge said, though those needs are changing.

“For visualization purposes, you have to have a mission,” Berge said. “One that you can measure and reflect against.”

Asked what they see as the role of the city, Ed Sadler, city manager, said it is as a “service provider” and Mayor Joe Arterburn said it is “financial responsibility.”

“The elephant in the room,” Berge said, “is these things are teetering.”

Not only should Sidney be concerned about the Cabela’s sale, Berge said, but also by an anticipated five-year agricultural downturn.

The mission statement, then, should help serve to expand the city’s tax base.

“How do you get people to want to move here?” Berge asked. “Take those assets … and turn them into almost a marketing tool.”

A rough mission statement was outlined: Sidney “embraces quality of life by ensuring opportunities in recreation/cultural, careers and infrastructure.”

Berge suggested the group discuss three goals for each of those areas.

Council Member Roger Galloway proposed setting a goal of creating an uninterrupted trail system for Sidney.

Sadler objected to creating new goals, arguing it would create an unreasonable expectation.

“You had five goals last year. Didn’t even finish them!” he told the council. “What I’ve got on the books now only broke even last year.”

Council Member Bob Olsen agreed.

“Why would you waste your time when you already have a full plate?” Olsen said.

Sadler proposed, instead, taking their vaguely defined goals from last year’s session and giving them more specificity.

“You’re spending every dime doing what you’re doing,” he said, “and you’re not getting ahead.”

Mayor Joe Arterburn advocated using the discussion to set needed economic development goals.

“We need to move on this,” he said.

Sadler said more guidance was needed from the council for himself and the economic development director to move forward.

“What’s a job worth to you?” he asked. “We need to get ahead of who Cabela’s is laying off so we can promote (those people) to other industries.”

Two economic development goals were roughly drawn: Review and prioritize actions outlined in the recently completed target study; and, based on new workforce realities, identify needs to supplement target study findings.

Berge encouraged the group to set mileposts for the city.

“You’ve got to be able to attain things,” he said.

A goal-setting session for economic development is being considered for June.

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