Bloomfield Township adopts new strategic plan for 2025-2029

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Bloomfield Township has adopted a new long-term strategic plan, which officials say is the most ambitious townshipwide initiative in nearly 20 years.

The township’s last major strategic initiative, according to Supervisor Dani Walsh, was the creation of the township campus nearly 20 years ago, and she said this plan, developed with BerryDunn, represents the next chapter.

“BerryDunn’s work, combined with extensive community input, has created a blueprint that will guide us toward a vibrant and sustainable future,” she said in a statement.

The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a five-year strategic action plan Oct. 28 to outline long-term goals over the next five years.

The plan, according to BerryDunn Project Manager and Lead Facilitator Michelle Kennedy, reflects an unprecedented level of community engagement.

“The engagement from the community in this strategic planning process was really strong,” said Kennedy, who presented the plan virtually on Oct. 28.

“Over 3,000 members of the township were directly involved in this process, which is a much higher number than we see typically in much larger communities. The township should be proud of the level of communication and engagement that led to so many people participating.”

Through surveys, focus groups, and public forums, community input from residents, businesses, employees, and other key stakeholders helped shape the plan’s goals.

“I’m proud of this plan. I’m proud to put my name on it as one of the committee members,” Treasurer Michael Schostak said. “I think that it definitely encapsulates the feedback we received and the input from the community across the different channels that we went to.”

The new strategic plan defines a shared vision for the future and focuses the township’s resources on five priorities — including a vibrant lifestyle, a welcoming community, an enhanced community character, reliable infrastructure and best-in class government.

Walsh said the plan is not just a document; it’s a promise to the community — with goals, objectives and clear measures for tracking purposes and accountability toward each priority.

“It forces accountability. We’ve seen what happens when there is no plan. People shoot from the hip, (focusing on) what is important right now, and we don’t want to go back to that,” she said.

“I am a big fan of actionable items that people are held accountable for.”

As implementation of the plan begins, the Board of Trustees said they are committed to maintaining the high level of community engagement that shaped the plan. Community members can look forward to periodic check-ins, progress reports, and other opportunities to provide input over the next five years.

“What comes next is actually the next exciting part, the development of an implementation plan, which BerryDunn will be helping the township to complete,” Kennedy explained.

“The strategic plan is the what — it’s what you’re going to do and what you’re going to focus your time, capacity and resources on. And the implementation plan is how. It will include things like what particular department is the lead for this particular objective, who will be working on that objective, what are the resources, what’s the timeline for completing that objective, what are all the action steps, and what are the performance measures for completing that objective.”

“If you don’t have that implementation plan, this final product would sit on a shelf and you haven’t reaped the significant investment.”

Walsh said the success of the strategic plan has already garnered national attention and was submitted by BerryDunn to the International City Management Association’s Local Government Reimagined Conference, where it may be showcased as a model for midsized communities striving for impactful, sustainable innovation.

The township hired BerryDunn as its strategic planning consultant — in an amount not to exceed $97,300 to be paid from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Founded in 1827, Bloomfield Township is the oldest charter township in Oakland County, home to approximately 44,000 residents. Regular meetings of the Board of Trustees are held the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium, 4200 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Township.

The complete strategic plan can be found on the township’s website at www.bloomfieldtwp.org.