The Plan
A strategic plan is a roadmap for our city’s future. It sets out the community’s vision, goals, and priorities, and helps guide decisions about where we focus our time and resources. The plan looks at key areas like growth, public safety, infrastructure, and quality of life. By following the plan, the city can work toward shared goals, track progress, and make sure projects and services reflect what matters most to our community.
Our strategic plan is built around the vision of being a City with a Heart. It’s about people. The plan reflects our commitment to Heartfelt Living, where neighbors look out for one another, families feel supported, and everyone has a place to belong. Each goal is shaped with care to strengthen the spirit of community that makes Bessemer City special and to ensure we continue growing with the right way for generations to come.
Download the Full Plan Document
Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals
Bessemer City strives to be a unique and welcoming community that connects people to economic opportunities and a higher quality of life.
Bessemer City provides high quality public services in a responsible manner that creates success.
- Accountability
- Ethics
- Respect
- Commitment/Dependability
- Open-Mindedness
- Honesty
#1 Promote a desirable place to live and work that provides a healthy quality of life.
#2 Ensure a safe and secure community for residents and visitors.
#3 Invest in high quality infrastructure to support a thriving and diverse economy.
#4 Provide opportunities for citizen engagement and promote volunteerism.
#5 Foster organizational sustainability that embraces innovation and creativity.
FY 2025-2026 Strategic Plan
GOAL 1:
Promote a desirable place to live and work that provides a healthy quality of life.
Goal 1 Strategies
Tactics
•Review the land development code and implement changes.
•Streamline code enforcement operations and enhance citizen education of regulations.
Tactic
•Provide funding to implement a walkability plan.
Tactic
•Develop partnerships to secure outside resources to fund public art projects.
$50,000 included in the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year Budget for sidewalk repair/installation.
City partners with Meritage Homes to add additional sidewalk at Stinger Park improving the existing nature trail. The sidewalk installed by Meritage Homes will also connect to their new subdivision, Stewart Crossing, located off Costner School Road.
City established partnership with the Ella May Wiggins Memorial Committee (501) c(3) to commission public art project in downtown of Ella May Wiggins.
Funding approved in the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year Budget for public art partnership project for the Ella May Wiggins Mural.
City Staff and Ella May Wiggins Committee finalize art easement agreements with property owner and agreement with artist.
GOAL 2: Ensure a safe and secure community for residents and visitors.
Goal 2: Strategies
Tactics
- Conduct a needs assessment.
- Identify funding resources.
- Develop strategy for addressing pay and classification.
Tactic
- Identify revenue sources for Police and Fire public safety projects.
Continuous review of needs assessment for police and fire services.
the 2025-2026 FY budget includes additional fire personnel funding for three (3) full-time firefighter positions.
City hires additional part-time code enforcement officer to assist with case loads, minimum housing standards, and nusiance issues impacting quality of life and City desirability.
GOAL 3: Invest in high quality infrastructure to support a thriving and diverse economy.
Goal 3 Strategies
Tactics
- Allocate resources for an enterprise fund study in the annual budget.
- Assess capital needs to address in CIP.
Tactic
- Review and update Land Development Code.
Tactic
- Continue engagement with NCDOT, Gaston County, school system and other stakeholders to discuss growth-related needs and opportunities to meet those needs.
Staff work with developers and stakeholder to improve the City’s Land Development Code (LDC) and review opportunities for partnership for public improvements.
Creation of Planning Department office hours to provide more streamline service for high demand of permit, application, and development questions/review.
GOAL 4: Provide opportunities for citizen engagement and promote volunteerism.
Goal 4 Strategies
Tactics
- Adopt an advisory board appointment and implementation strategy.
- Continue educational sessions for advisory board members.
Tactics
- Gather insights from other local governments and input from community members.
- Draft programming plan that identifies engagement topics and formats.
- Develop a citizens academy test pilot program with small group of engaged citizens.
- Create Bessemer City University in-person and online resources.
Tactics
- Disseminate information through communication channels.
- Redevelop City website.
- Assemble citizen focus group to test redeveloped City website.
Continued develop of communication plan that includes social media, website, newsletter, phone tree, etc. protocol.
GOAL 5: Foster organizational sustainability that embraces innovation and creativity.
Goal 5 Strategies
Tactics
- Implement pay and classification plan.
- Implement personnel policy review.
Tactics
- Continue staff engagement programs.
- Strengthen communication efforts to all staff.
- Identify and allocate resources for professional development in the annual budget.
Tactics
- Maintain a high level of customer service.
- Identify opportunities to adapt, accept change, and adjust to new situations.