This is the second in a series of outtakes from ongoing discussions and meetings between Jamestown’s Council, staff and community partners re the town’s proposed 2026-27 budget. This post presents more information on the Council’s 2026 Strategic Plan which was briefly mentioned in the April 23rd, budget planning meeting.
The town manager opened the April 23, 2026 Budget Planning session with remarks about how he and the town staff arrived at the first draft of the 2026-27 preliminary budget.
About 13 minutes in, he talks about how the Town Council’s “Strategic Plan” is used as a tool to “align staff work with council priorities.” [All North Carolina municipalities create a 3-5 year Strategic Plan to align with their budget cycle, identifying key focus areas, objectives, and action steps.]
In making those remarks, he referenced a 2021 Strategic Plan instead of the 2026 Strategic Plan the current Council diligently worked on throughout the month of January as its first collaborative item of business. These are the seven Focus Areas that resulted from a series of individual discussions and two all-day group work sessions, in order of priority:
I. Communication & Engagement
II. Amenities
III. Resource Stewardship
IV. Public Health & Safety
V. Infrastructure Resiliency
VI. Planning & Economic Development/Main Street
VII. Staff Excellence
Two weeks later, on Jan. 22, 2026, another public work session was held at Town Hall, at which time the Council discussed and shared these Focus Areas with Jamestown staff and citizens. The meeting brought more details and structure to the Plan as items were added, edited, combined and moved.
As the town manager stated during his remarks, the Strategic Plan is an important budget planning, direction-setting and monitoring tool. As such, the Focus Areas and Outcomes that resulted from the January work sessions are presented below, with details. Please note that the Strategic Plan is a living document, subject to changes, modifications and updates as the needs of our Town change.
Jamestown Town Council 2026 Strategic Plan Focus Areas
Focus Area I: COMMUNICATION & ENGAGEMENT
Outcome: Improve transparency, citizen engagement and understanding of operations
Increase opportunities for citizen engagement
Enhance citizen access to public meetings
Outcome: Improve access to public records and information
Evaluate feasibility of hiring a Public Information Officer to oversee, manage and make public records more readily available; and manage website content, social media, press releases and e-newsletter
Focus Area II: AMENITIES
Outcome: Continue to provide meaningful, high-quality amenities to the citizens of Jamestown
Support programming that showcases Jamestown’s social, cultural and historic heritage
Evaluate and support activities for all ages, categories and life stages (recreation programs, youth programs, veterans, seniors, etc.)
Evaluate and support family events (Music in the Park, holiday events, consider an annual festival)
Evaluate opportunities to provide recreational access to Deep River
Complete in-process connectivity projects (sidewalks, crosswalks)
Focus Area III: RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP
Outcome: Ensure tax assessments, valuations and revenues are equitable
Review town, county and municipal tax contracts, property tax maps, land valuation methods
Focus on options to lower tax rate with 2026 revaluation
Evaluate feasibility of hiring a full time tax specialist
Outcome: Reduce the need for property tax and utility fee increases
Expand efforts to identify funding sources and grant opportunities for capital projects across all departments
Conduct review of all town service agreements and contracts
Explore options to grow tax base
Evaluate feasibility of hiring a fulltime funding specialist to explore grant opportunities across all categories
Focus Area IV: PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY
Outcome: Provide support and resources to community partners and organizations that work to ensure the safety, security and health of our citizens.
Support emergency response, fire, public safety and public utility partners (EMS, PSFD, GCSO, PTRWA)
Expand code enforcement to all landowners, industrial sites and businesses
Support environmental and public health programming to include citizen-based air, water quality and river keeper education and stewardship.
Outcome: Strengthen pedestrian and traffic safety
Evaluate and add street lighting in public and targeted areas
Evaluate adding more street and safety signage
Focus Area V: INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCY
Outcome: Support maintenance upgrades and require regulatory compliance with respect to drinking water, stormwater, flood control, wastewater and sewer systems.
Prioritize stormwater and wastewater monitoring, repairs, management programs and NCDEQ compliance
Review, update and publish town zoning map, stormwater map, FEMA flood map and Land Development Ordinance to reflect changes, annexations, current regulations and current watershed and waterbody classifications
Require the use of updated Land Development Ordinances, federal and state regulations, and current watershed and waterbody classifications on all zoning and permit applications submitted to the Town.
Provide realtime, accurate public water usage and billing system data for Jamestown public water customers
Evaluate feasibility of hiring a fulltime stormwater director
Focus Area VI: PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Outcome: Define economic vision and goals for Town and business district(s)
Conduct a comprehensive study of town to include assessment of infrastructure, traffic flow, zoning, pedestrian safety, accessibility, industrial sites, environmental factors, historic sites and municipal boundaries.
Evaluate abandoned, neglected sites for hazards, code enforcement and re-use opportunities.
Develop and publish a long-term master development plan
Develop and publish a Main Street style guide
Outcome: Increase outreach and alliances with business community
Provide programming/services to attract new businesses and support existing businesses
Outcome: Improve overall maintenance, upkeep and aesthetics of targeted areas
Increase regular maintenance and roadside trash pickup of Main Street district and key roadways into Town
Establish citizens and business owners committee for Main Street beautification
Focus Area VII: STAFF EXCELLENCE
Outcome: Improve the administration of Town government
Define expectations
Conduct annual performance reviews of staff management and department heads
Annual review with Council of policies and organizational structure
Evaluate staff leave and Town Hall closure policies
More on Jamestown’s 2026-2027 Preliminary Budget, property taxes, and fees: