CALACT Business Plan
At the August 10 meeting, the Board of Directors adjusted and adopted a 3 year Business Plan for CalACT. The plan was modified from earlier versions based on member input and additional Board discussion.
The adopted plan redefines its 3 elements such that all are considered to be Core Services, and include Legislation & Advocacy, Professional Development, and Information Referral & Networking. The plan prescribes Expanded Services, and a Higher Profile for our association. The services will focus on achieving specific goals. Committees are charged with preparing annual work plans and budgets to achieve these goals. These will be used to make the annual budgeting process an operating planning process to include detailed program elements for the coming year. These program elements would be tied directly to the annual budget and evaluated in detail by the Finance Committee in the context of the budget. The annual planning process will begin in July/August of each year. For the year 2002, the Planning Process will begin immediately.
In order to operate more efficiently in achieving these goals, Board meetings will follow a consent agenda format, allowing more time for work sessions devoted to the implementation of the plan.
The elements of the plan and their associated goals and focus areas are as follows:
Information Referral & Networking
Goal: This element focuses on refining the core services that CALACT offers members. These services include publishing an annual directory and quarterly CalACTION newsletters; providing information and referral services; communicating with members and prospective new members through the CALACT website; providing endorsement programs to add value to the services provided by member organizations and generating non-dues revenue for the association
The Executive Committee recommended the following focus areas for core services refinement over the next three years:
- Continue CalACTION on a quarterly basis.
- Continue to publish the annual directory on an annual basis, published approximately in August, and incorporating an annual report to membership.
- Continue to offer information and feedback through the CALACT website and electronic roundtable.
- Explore opportunities for sharing CALACT’s transportation association management and development expertise with groups expressing interest.
The Membership Committee and the Executive Committee will develop an annual work program and budget for this element.
Professional Development
Goal: To offer members more professional development opportunities and to offer opportunities to personnel other than transit managers, through the pursuit of major new program initiatives. CALACT promotes professional excellence. It is a cornerstone of our association and our member services. It has been the key component of our growth. There are many opportunities to expand the opportunities offered. These include simple marketing, sponsoring, and/ or endorsing programs of other groups, such as the National Transit Institute, CTAA, APTA, the California Transit Association as well as private consultants. More aggressive opportunities would include developing new programs, based on model programs from other states or a survey of member needs.
The Executive Committee recommends the following focus areas for professional development efforts over the next three years:
- CALACT will continue to provide professional development services to members through conducting annual Spring and Autumn conferences and supporting, refining and expanding the Transit & Paratransit Management Certificate Program to enhance the professional status of members, to keep the program timely and to provide follow-up professional development opportunities.
- CALACT will review and recommend actions on additional opportunities for professional development: he Conference Committee and he Professional Development Committee are charged to jointly develop an annual work program and budget for this element.
Legislation & Advocacy Program
Goal: To increase the effectiveness of CALACT and its members in influencing local, state and federal legislation concerning issues of importance to CALACT and its members. In order to focus our efforts on the “macro” issues and provide information, training and assistance that can be of benefit to all members regardless of their agency affiliation, the Executive Committee recommends the following five focus areas for legislative efforts over the next three years:
- Building a Rural Agenda (statewide)
- Tackling issues concerning Medicaid Transportation (statewide)
- Building a case for keeping the gasoline tax in the Public Transportation Account (statewide)
- Reauthorization of TEA-21 (federal)
- Determining the level and nature of future lobbying activity
The Legislative Committee is charged to develop an annual work program and budget for this element.
