There's a saying that "failure to plan is like planning to fail."
Another one is "Always have a Plan A. And Plan B."
That's one of the reasons Christiansburg residents were so astounded (as were several Council members) when they learned a business plan for the new Aquatic Center didn't exist prior to breaking ground. Citizens remember the location was town property way back in 2002 with preliminary site work beginning in 2004.
So when it became public the first task for the facility's newly hired director was to develop both a business and marketing plan, everyone was left wondering about the initial justification for proceeding with this endeavor. Where was the public support, or need?
Without these documents, what was reported in Hokie Sports August 15, 2005 about a 20-year lease resulted in a 25-year lease at the same cost. Beginning construction -- anticipated for December 2005 with a presumed and customary 18-month construction period -- kept creeping out, with an opening date shifting from Fall/Winter 2008, to Fall/Winter 2009, to a "real date" of January 30, 2010.
This approach for Christiansburg acting like a business-- getting into activities to generate direct revenue or by influencing its commercial tax base -- was repeated with the regional Tourism Development Council. The trigger was pulled before there was a contract, before there was a business or marketing plan. Nearly four years after agreeing to proceed with the concept, then-new council member Jim Vanhoozier was nearly stunned to learn the Town itself still didn't have any tourism plans.
This extends to another enterprize, the Harkrader Sports Complex, which falls under the town's Parks & Recreation Department and opened in 2006. Did Town Council ever ask for or see a business or marketing plan for what is supposed to be a money generating facility?
Why shouldn't citizens -- and these elected officials -- have an expectation of business and marketing plans for many other town activities? Wouldn't it be prudent for staff members responsible for programs which provide a service in exchange for some fee to manage their budgets like a business would?
Knowing actual costs for services or product (think recreational programs or special events), and net returns (offsetting revenue, divided by number of citizens participating)? How to market or communicate the activity, to ensure the greatest number of "customers" are aware of these opportunities?
Think this is an extraordinary concept for a local government? Well, it is not. Many supervisors or department managers who are responsible for the use of public money are expected to do this. Not once, as an exercise. But to have these plans in place as a regular tool for managing public resources, updating and adjusting the plans per market conditions and customer feedback.
Maybe this is done because it's within their job accountability or performance reviews. Maybe it comes on down from town administration or Council as a requirement.
In Christiansburg, citizens -- voters -- should think about the absence of this practice and wonder "why not"? Even if the Town Manager didn't think it was a hot idea, Town Council could set the expectation. It would provide them with their own budgeting tool, and the ability to see whether assumptions used when initially funding such enterprizes is providing a return of investment to taxpayers. Citizens -- voters -- should understand how applying this simple business practice -- having business and marketing plans -- could have resulted in less confusion with the Aquatic Center.
Maintaining the current approach could produce yet another "Now tell me again, how did we get from spending about $4 million to just about $20 million?" project. Maintaining the current approach -- not treating budget allocations as would an entrepreneur for most town functions -- will not provide clarity or assurance to citizens, or Council members, that resources are being used for their highest and best purpose.
"Failure to plan....."