Letter: Elmhurst Needs A Long-term Vision for Our Future

I believe that as a city and a council we need to do a better job keeping track of our plans for the next several years. Taxpayers rely on the council to plan for a future beyond simply the next fiscal year. That’s why at the Jan. 22 city council meeting I introduced a strategic planning initiative onto the consent agenda.

Good strategic plans guide organizations and provide a framework for decision-making that connects directly to budgets and budget projections over time. The council and city manager will need to work together to lay out a more comprehensive plan for Elmhurst so we can better plan for the future.

As it stands now, the council evaluates budgets on a year-to-year basis, and although we have a long-term capital projects plan, it is limited in its scope.

The formal request I sent to City Manager James Grabowski suggests the city enter into a long-term strategic planning process. The request passed along with the consent agenda at the council meeting and was referred to the Finance, Council Affairs and Administrative Services Committee. The committee may vote to move the idea forward as soon as their next meeting.

I’ve been an alderman representing the First Ward since 2007, and in December I officially launched my candidacy for mayor. If you’d like to learn more about my plan for the city please visit http://www.Diane2013.com.

—Diane Gutenkauf, Elmhurst 1st Ward alderman and candidate for mayor