• Develop and employ advances in communication technology to achieve effective, high-quality customer service 

• Communicate with and involve Vermonters in our mission to protect, sustain, enhance, and enjoy our natural resources in the most effective way possible. 

• Focus special attention on priority issues, and use all opportunities to increase awareness and deepen appreciation of Vermont’s natural resources. 

• Develop a broad-based education and public involvement plan to better inform Vermonters of environmental issues, each individual's potential contributions to improving the health of our natural resources, and the Agency's mission and goals. 

• Foster positive relationships with the media and effectively communicate with the public through them, as well as through more direct means such as the Agency's presence on the World Wide Web and advisory committees. 

• Through continued improvement in our processes, training, and technology, enable all Agency employees to make decisions and provide services that meet the needs of our external and internal customers. 

• Provide advice to private landowners and others which will enable them to protect, sustain, enhance, use, and enjoy the natural resources within their stewardship. 

• Manage the Vermont State Parks and other facilities and services so that customers are pleased with their experience. 

• Improve Vermonters' ability to acquire permits and licenses and promptly respond to their inquiries. 

• Seek continual feedback from Vermonters and guests in order to understand their needs and preferences, their levels of satisfaction, and their suggestions for improvement in our performance. 

• Create partnerships with other public and private agencies to work cooperatively on natural resource issues of common concern. Exercise leadership in these partnerships when appropriate. 

• Develop an interagency team to coordinate the State of Vermont's policies and concerns on patterns of growth and development throughout Vermont. 

• Improve the process for coordinated review of development projects of state-level concern. Advance the Agency's strategic interests through coordinated participation in all appropriate legal and administrative proceedings. 

• Establish partnerships with the business community and state agencies to ensure that environmental goals are achieved and development is well managed without creating an undue burden on businesses or the economy. 

4 These partners include Vermont’s municipalities, regional organizations, other state agencies, adjoining states, the Province of Quebec, federal agencies, land trusts, non-profits, businesses, and other private organizations.

STRATEGIES:

• Use the Agency as a communication, coordination, and decision-making tool in the debate of issues related to our natural resources. 

• Ensure that the valuable human and financial resources entrusted to us to fulfill our mission are well utilized. The necessary coordination of services and processes are effectively accomplished through: 
Identification and coordination of policy issues that cut across departments.

Analysis of opportunities to partner with public, private and non-profit entities to achieve optimum accomplishment of the Agency's mission.

Integration of the Agency Strategic Plan, department plans, technology plans, and other plans that relate to our mission in order to achieve optimum common success.

Linking the Agency’s budget request, tracking, and analysis to the performance measures that we select through our strategic planning process.

Analysis of business functions that cut across departments to determine ways to deliver services to our internal and external customers with greater efficiency and quality.

• Include performance measures in annual work plans and in the Agency’s financial management system. Report annually on how departments and divisions are doing in all significant aspects of their operation. 

• Develop employee work plans that are realistic and relate to strategic and operational plans. Include training needs and review regularly. 

• Support and reward appropriate empowerment at every level by: 
Providing and supporting appropriate professional development.

Encouraging communication, coordination, and informed decision-making to take place at the appropriate levels of the Agency.

Measuring personal and organizational performance on the effectiveness with which we have empowered the Agency's staff in decision-making.

Back