CIWMB Strategic Plan, November 1997

Executive Summary

Beginning in 1989 with the enactment of the Integrated Waste Management Act, the waste management hierarchy of "source reduction; recycling and composting; and environmentally safe transformation and environmentally safe land disposal" served as the primary prioritization tool for the Integrated Waste Management Board. Yet, since 1989, numerous amendments to the act have added to the Board's responsibilities, while maintaining the same revenue structure based on the solid waste tipping fee.

Now, as the Board is poised to usher in achievement of the 50 percent waste diversion mandate in the year 2000, it is faced with the challenge of continuing to support the waste management hierarchy while also maintaining its regulatory oversight role. 1997 is a critical year in redefining the Board's priorities between now and the year 2000, in order to ensure the success of key waste reduction and environmental protection mandates. The Board's direction regarding priorities will continue to provide a framework for responding to declining resources.

For these reasons, the Board's methodology allowed for development of the plan's key elements by a diverse group of representatives of the organization, beginning with the Board members and the Executive Director, and continuing through the Executive Staff team, and Board member advisors, as well as the first and second line members of the broader management team. In addition, the various elements of the plan have been formally approved by the Board via its formal hearing process, thereby also allowing for broader public participation in the final adoption of the plan. As the Board moves forward to create action plans that prioritize the tasks of staff, Board staff will be involved in the development of these plans. In this way, the Board is striving to create a strategic plan that incorporates all of the thinking of the various levels of the organization, both vertically and horizontally, in order to achieve a plan that is understood and embraced throughout the organization.

The Board's 1997 Strategic Plan contains the following elements: vision, mission, and value statements; a description of Board programs and the internal/external assessment process; four strategic goals; objectives, strategies and performance measures supporting the four goals; an implementation and monitoring plan; resource assumptions; and financial information.

These elements describe a framework for the Board's vital work between now and the year 2001. The plan supports the Board's unique purpose to advocate a shift in thinking and practice that garbage is not a waste but a resource, with the potential to strengthen the state's economy while minimizing threats to public health and safety and the environment. This unique purpose is the focus of the Board's mission statement. As the Board looks to the year 2001, its vision reflects the future outcome of its mission: that solid waste is the sum total of valuable materials with the ability to enhance the economic and environmental climate of the people of California. The ability to provide state-of-the-art technical assistance, training, and information regarding materials management will define the achievement of the Board's vision to become national and international leaders in this arena. Together, the Board's mission and vision statements support the California Environmental Protection Agency's strategic direction to ensure a healthy environment and economy by providing leadership to the state, the nation and the world.

Key Elements of the Strategic Plan

The following are the key elements of the Board's 1997 Strategic Plan:

Mission:

Vision:

Goals:

• To support the Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 (as amended) and the waste management hierarchy, mandates, and objectives the law created.
• To support local jurisdictions' ability to reach and maintain California's waste diversion mandates.
• To ensure compliance with California and federal waste management statutes and regulations while maximizing protection of the public health and safety, and the environment.
• To ensure that the needs of constituents and staff are met through the integrated delivery of quality products and services. The Board does this by constantly evaluating its own programs for effectiveness and responsiveness.

Relationship of the Plan to the Budget

Achievement of the goals, objectives and strategies in the plan is anticipated to be accomplished within existing resources in budget year 1997-98. As noted earlier in this summary, however, it is also true that the Board anticipates declining resources as the Board approaches its 50 percent diversion mandate in the year 2000.

In anticipation of declining resources, the Board may recommend pursuing budget options in future years that could include some or all of the following: augmentation of the Integrated Waste Management Account (IWMA) by revenue transfers from, or reducing revenue transfers to, other Board funds; an increase to the IWMA by changing the Board's fee structure; redirection of personnel or other resources; and/or a reduced level of service based upon the priorities described by the Board's strategic goals, objectives and strategies.

Future Plans for Revisions to the Plan

Performance measurement data will be collected, analyzed by Executive Staff, and provided to the Executive Director on a quarterly basis. The status of the Board's achievements as they relate to the measures will be reported to the Board every four months. Based upon this data, a formal annual revision to the plan will be conducted.

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Current Strategic Plan

Last updated: September 8, 1997