Attachment_4_-_GETT_Draft_Final_Strategic_Plan.docx

Strategic Plan 2021-2025Attachment 4 – GETT Draft Final Strategic Plan

Gettysburg National Military Park Eisenhower National Historic Site

Introduction

The purpose of strategic planning is to provide renewed focus and alignment, increase employee engagement in planning for the future, and build our long-term capacity for planning and strategic thinking in the parks. The need for an actionable and prioritized plan was clearly identified through input and discussions with park staff and a variety of stakeholders. With new and existing leadership, we have a renewed energy and an opportunity to develop and implement a vision for the future.

The leadership of the parks committed to the development of a Strategic Plan using the NPSNext planning process. We engaged our employees as well as connected with our community and partners to identify the most important actions to achieve our shared mission and vision for the parks. This plan will be our guide over the next 5 years and will inform annual work plans, performance standards, projects, staffing, and overall priorities.

With the wisdom and experience of park staff as its foundation, this strategic plan provides a renewed focus for a sustainable future - a new path forward. A path that enables us to prioritize and focus on addressing organizational needs and mission requirements. This plan includes measurable actions so we can properly plan our work and assess our progress. When we achieve our goals, we will celebrate our accomplishments. Thank you for being an active part of this planning process. We look forward to working together to accomplish this important work.

Leadership Team

NPS Mission Statement

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. This agency cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

Shared Mission Statement for Gettysburg and Eisenhower

Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site both have individual purpose statements that identify the specific reasons the parks were established and are grounded in each park’s enabling legislation and legislative history. The development of a single mission statement reflects the fact that while the parks were established for different reasons, we have shared stories, shared resources and shared staff. We operate as one team and one family to preserve and protect resources and create a meaningful and transformative visitor experience.

Mission Statement: We lead sustainable stewardship of these nationally significant parks to inspire public understanding and relevant dialogue.

Shared Vision Statement for Gettysburg and Eisenhower

The shared vision for Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site is a concise, inspiring, and aspirational description of our future. Vision statements generated during the park workshops were narrowed down to three that were then turned back to the staff for consideration. Staff were asked to prioritize and describe what they found inspiring about their preferred vision statement. There was wide consensus that both parks envision a future where resource preservation and inspiring the next generation are core to who we are and what we want to become. Excellence was interpreted in many ways ranging from hiring the best staff, to generating innovative ideas, to implementing superior and sustainable practices….but there was overall consensus that the quality of excelling was an important element of success.

Vision Statement: Preservation and inspiration through excellence.

Core Values

Our core values provide the framework in which we accomplish our mission. They express the manner in which, both individually and collectively, we pursue our work. When we are challenged in fulfilling our mission, our core values sustain us and guide us to succeed.

In 2020, the staff of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site developed the following shared values to frame our overall performance and organizational behaviors as we face the challenges and opportunities of the future.

and transparently fulfilling our responsibilities.

Emphasis Areas

Building from the Core Values, we have identified Emphasis Areas to provide focus for our vision of the future. These broad categories will serve to define and focus the use of our discretionary time, effort, and financial resources.

Within each Emphasis Area, Outcomes are used to identify specific goals that we will work toward over the next 5 years.

Key Actions represent measurable, on-the-ground activities that drive progress toward Outcomes and may take one or more years to accomplish. Key Actions will be used to develop the park’s annual work plan and will be reviewed and updated annually.

All Emphasis Areas, Outcomes and Key Actions are equally important and are presented in no particular order.

EMPHASIS AREA 1: THRIVING WORKFORCE

2. Commit to continual communication and learning among supervisors and support a 360 evaluation for supervisors to promote real changes in our workplace culture

3. Provide opportunities for inclusion of park staff at leadership team meetings and regular communication regarding leadership team activities and decision-making.

2. Development of the organizational chart is transparent, completed with input from staff, and tied to budget realities.

3. Priority assignments and links to the strategic plan are identified in Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAPs).

4. Selection process for new employees is thoughtful, transparent, and inclusive of staff consistent with HR policy (interdivisional, outside park, within division).

5. Investigate potential for increased resource/staff sharing across GETT-EISE to identify potential efficiencies (to include both EISE and GETT "field" staff).

6. Re-evaluate PCS positions to ensure they meet the requirements of this kind of position and the operational needs of the parks.

2. Division meetings are held on a regular basis and key leadership team members are invited to attend at least quarterly.

3. Initiate a Quarterly Operations Newsletter for the parks.

4. Hold quarterly all employee meetings - include opportunity for anonymous questions.

5. Review the internal Park Assessment Reports conducted from 2014 to 2018 and identify relevant strategies for improving communication strategies with staff that can/should be implemented over the next 5 years.

6. Identify ways to promote interdivisional collaboration and understanding.

2. Supervisors will implement a program to recognize and reward employee success that is regular, timely, and appropriate to the task. Recognition and reward will promote use of but not be limited to those awards described in the GETT-EISE Awards Policy and will include innovative methods that promote both supervisor-staff and peer-peer recognition (e.g. kudos, handwritten note, letter of recognition, pizza party, etc.)

2. Identify and train employees, on a volunteer basis, on how to mentor

3. All employees have the opportunity to develop an IDP with their supervisor at beginning of each FY. IDPs are recognized as a beneficial tool for the employee and are tied to training dollars at the park and/or division level.

4. Evaluate out of park assignments to promote understanding of the costs and benefits of such assignments to: (1) individual employees, (2) park, and (3) Service.

EMPHASIS AREA 2: OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

2. Prohibit park uses that damage park resources and do not contribute to understanding park values and resources. Revise the Superintendent's Compendium as needed.

3. Prevent resource problems by limiting use of some sites seasonally, or while repairs are completed, including alternative uses of orchards, trails and other open spaces.

2. Provide supervisors and project managers with timely updates on the status of funds.

3. Provide all employees with a quarterly update on the status of funds, including an end of year funding plan.

2. Conduct a cost benefit analysis of the park Commercial Use Authorizations to determine necessary revenues for program management, resource protection and maintenance needs.

3. Define the volunteer management program needs for both parks to determine staffing requirements and return on investment.

4. Evaluate the volunteer program across both parks to develop a program that supports park management priorities and connects the volunteer’s skill set with the identified priorities.

2. Evaluate open space management including mowed grass, meadows, and farms to define a comprehensive approach to optimize the use of park staff, while improving the quality of natural resources.

3. Establish a 5-year historic structure preservation plan for work that will be done by park staff.

4. Regularly use the NPS Scorecard to evaluate the health of the parks and make informed decisions with regards to staffing and budget.

5. Use the Preliminary Project Planning (P3) process to prioritize transportation improvements at both parks; including the assessment and completion of the Comprehensive Trails Plan.

EMPHASIS AREA 3: STEWARDSHIP IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

1. Parks anticipate, plan for and respond to changing conditions and use the best available science to make informed decisions.

1. Anticipate and understand potential impacts of climate change on natural and cultural resources and develop a strategy to promote resilience.

2. Project design, purchasing, and operations include considerations related to sustainability and climate change.

2. The parks serve as stewards of natural resources that are understood, protected, and/or restored while maintaining and improving, where applicable, the quality and character of the park’s cultural landscape

3. Leverage information gathered in the Resource Stewardship Strategy for EISE and Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) for GETT to identify project needs and priorities that are compatible with the cultural landscape.

4. Complete an Integrated Pest Management Plan with priorities for implementation including a strategy for identifying and prioritizing control of exotic plant species.

5. Work with the National and Regional Wetland Coordinators to identify, map, and restore 50% of historic wetlands.

6. Identify key natural resource inventories to be completed in Inventories 2.0 and on newly acquired properties. Implement long-term monitoring related to key natural resources and management actions.

3. Cultural resources are understood, protected, restored and managed to preserve evidence of human relationships with the landscape over time.

1. Re-assess landscape rehabilitation/ management philosophy within the context of those features that affected the outcome of the battle (GETT) or on the national register (GETT/EISE) in order to prioritize landscape maintenance actions and promote long-term sustainability. Considerations include fences, orchards, field patterns, missing vegetation, agricultural program, mowing regime for habitat and open landscape preservation.

2. Appropriately document the strategy to maintain national register contributing structures in good condition, develop a timeline and key actions for removing non-contributing historic and non-historic structures, and identify alternative materials or technologies to accomplish goals with minimal impacts to historic integrity/character defining features.

3. Identify opportunities to consolidate museum collection storage and find efficiencies through shared staffing across parks and partners.

4. Ensure proper records management activities are undertaken prior to retirement of core staff.

4. We communicate resource knowledge, priorities, and challenges to create partners in resource stewardship both internally and externally.

1. Develop at least two interpretive tools to promote public education, stewardship, partnerships and volunteerism related to natural and cultural resources in cooperation with the Interpretation Division.

EMPHASIS AREA 4: MEANINGFUL AND INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCES

2. Evaluate, improve and expand digital opportunities and resources, such as the NPS app, 3D scans, etc.

3. Create additional maps/guides for trails, avenues and how to use the park.

4. Increase our social media presence to connect with new audiences and youth on both natural and cultural resource topics.

2. Develop strategy for physical and virtual access to Park Library and Research collections.

2. Develop a strategy with the Gettysburg Foundation to reimagine the Museum and Visitor Center Experience.

3. Work with the Gettysburg Foundation to develop an integrated strategy to increase or maintain visitation to the MVC and battlefield based on sound financial practices and sound marketing.

4. Identify core messaging related to resource protection and integrate into interpretive programming wherever feasible.

EMPHASIS AREA 5: STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

2. Facilitate a closer relationship with the Eisenhower Foundation at the Eisenhower Presidential Library to support park initiatives.

3. Update and evaluate relationships with local government entities, Gettysburg Borough, Main Street Gettysburg, and Cumberland, Mt. Joy, and Straban Townships.

2. Identify park needs and priorities that partners can contribute to achieving. Evaluate existing partnerships relative to these needs and priorities.

3. Orient key partners to park operations. Produce a basic toolkit to parks, including a park organizational chart, mission and vision statement, and basic statistics and statements about park operational goals, objectives and projects.

4. Identify and evaluate potential partnerships and collaborative opportunities related to unmet needs and priorities in the parks (e.g. climate change and resilience, Gettysburg Nature Alliance).

2. Frequent and structured conversations with key partners such as the Gettysburg Foundation, Dwight D. Eisenhower Society, Civil War Institute, etc.

3. Evaluate and update the Annual Operations Plans with all formal partners with a Philanthropic Partnership Agreement following NPS Policy.

4. Promote transparency and understanding among park staff of the Gettysburg Foundation finances related to the operation of the Museum and Visitor Center and parks.

2. Update and sign new Philanthropic Partnership Agreement with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Society.

3. Evaluate all stakeholders (American Battlefield Trust, National Park Foundation, Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association, Adams County Land Conservancy) to ensure the appropriate agreement type is in place and that NPS goals/priorities are accurately reflected and can be achieved through the agreement.

5. We educate park staff and partners to provide transparency on partnership management.

1. Create onboarding and refresher training on basic park knowledge and operations for park and partner employees.

2. Create Standard Operating Procedure for communications with partners to create efficiencies in problem solving. Include regional partnerships office as a means of increasing access to training and improving knowledge of NPS partnerships.

Core Planning Team Members

Steve Sims, Superintendent Kristina Heister, Deputy Superintendent Ahna Wilson, Site Manager (EISE) Christopher Gwinn, Chief of Interpretation and Education Zachary Bolitho, Chief Resource Stewardship and Planning Joe Lachowski, Chief of Visitor and Resource Protection Marcus Pratt, Chief of Facility Management Special Thanks Mike Albert Troy Harman Jeff Henry Dafna Reiner Dan Vermilya

For Their Contributions to Development of Outcomes and Key Actions

Deanna Harrison, Chief of Administration Jacob Dinkelaker, Park Ranger (EISE) Barbara Sanders, Education Specialist Winona Peterson, Cultural Resources Program Manager Johnny Holdsworth, Supervisory Exhibits Specialist Daniel Holler, Park Ranger Jason Martz, Communication Specialist/PAO/VIS