AGENDA DATE: 8/19/2026
TITLE:
Title
Strategic Plan Execution Analysis & Reporting (SPEAR) FY26
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Presentation of the FY26 SPEAR report
ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Shifflett, Brother, Giacalone
PRESENTER (S): Kristy Shifflett, Gabriel Giacalone
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Board of Supervisors adopted the FY24-28 Strategic Plan in October 2022. Since the adoption of this plan, staff have been working to track and report on the County’s efforts, challenges, and successes related to the Strategic Plan goals through a performance measurement program titled SPEAR: Strategic Plan Execution Analysis & Reporting. The staff determined to model the business operating principle to collect and evaluate performance measures as a high-performance organization and support analysis and reporting as part of long-range planning. The first report of its kind was presented to the Board in August 2024. The FY26 SPEAR report will be the third SPEAR report presented to the board.
STRATEGIC PLAN: To enhance the well-being and quality of life for all community members through provision of the highest level of public service consistent with the prudent use of public funds.
DISCUSSION: SPEAR operates on a revolving yearly cycle, culminating in an annual status report at the end of every fiscal year. Staff created targets and metrics that align with each goal for FY26. This presentation informs the Board about the County’s third yearly cycle of the SPEAR program. Beginning with the FY26 reporting cycle, the SPEAR report introduces a refined approach to strategic performance reporting. In previous years, the report tracked a broad range of metrics associated with each of the six Strategic Plan Goals. Based on feedback from the Board, staff have narrowed the focus to a smaller set of key performance indicators that best reflect the fundamental measures of success for each goal.
Public safety remains a top priority, and while emergency response times continue to present challenges and are not yet where we want them to be, we are encouraged by early signs of improvement. Investments made through the FY25 and FY26 budget processes have strengthened staffing for both Police and Fire Rescue, and we are beginning to see positive impacts on emergency response performance as these resources are put into place.
FY26 was a transformative year for economic development in Albemarle County, marked by a series of major announcements and milestones that underscored the region's accelerating momentum. Leading the way was AstraZeneca's record-breaking $4.5 billion investment at Rivanna Futures. Alongside Afton Scientific's major facility expansion and AgroSpheres' commercial manufacturing milestone, these projects reinforced Albemarle County's role as a hub for advanced manufacturing and biotechnology.
FY26 was also a significant year in terms of the County’s investment toward public education, with construction nearing completion on Mountain View Upper Elementary and on Albemarle Career Exploration (ACE) Academy Lambs Lane, the first school facilities to be opened by Albemarle County Public Schools in over 20 years.
Affordable housing continues to be at the forefront of the County’s strategic prioritization, with continued prioritization of funding for affordable housing in the FY26 Budget and sustained staff efforts to advance affordable housing initiatives throughout the fiscal year.
SPEAR’s FY26 annual report highlights the intention, transparency, triumphs, and challenges of the organization, and above all, shows County staff’s dedication to service. There are areas where we have hit our targets, and there are areas where we have fallen short of our targets. The report is a transparent approach to SPEAR reporting, and overall, the County has met or exceeded expectations in its work towards achieving the Strategic Plan goals in FY26.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommend that each Board member share feedback and ask questions about the SPEAR FY26 report.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - FY26 Strategic Plan Execution and Analysis Report