Strategic Development Plan

INTRODUCTION

Satu Mare city has made a brave step when it decided to take part at the input of the project called “The managerial capacity development of the Local Public Management from Romania “, which was financed in common by the Romanian Govern , The Canadian Agency of International Development and PGF/GTA International. Just three cities, Satu Mare, Arad and Timisoara were chosen and agreed to take part at this new and bold approach of the local public management in this country.

In concordance to the objectives of the project and the strategic planing process , the local officials , and the chosen and elected ones , met to discuss the actual problems and identify some of the challenges which the City Hall of Satu Mare has to cope. This rehearse of the actual situation has began in may 2001. The gathered information formed an important base for the SWOT analysis ( Strong Sides, Weak Sides , Opportunities and Menaces ) which was coordinated both by external groups and organizations and local officials elected and named in the autumn of 2001.

The necessary means and instruments for the accomplishment of an efficient project of external consultation were developed under the advice of PGA/GTA International , the Canadian consultancy firm as a part of the project. The project of the Local Coordination Committee has prepared a list of the groups and organizations which were about to take part in the external consultancy, after which the Mayor has invited the groups to participate at the consultancy meeting organized by the City Hall.

The employees of the City Hall took part at qualification sessions in acquaint with the abilities and tasks necessary insuring the success of the consultancy process. Those people shaped both the consultancy sessions being assisted by Canadian partners. Those who participated at the training programs referring at the public consultancy gain the necessary abilities to continue this process also after the end of the Canadian partnership.

The results of the consultancy process have generated a large vision over the Satu Mare city , owing of the fact that the participants were elected from all the activity domains of the city. Teachers, pupils, business men, manufacturers, people from different cultural associations and public services, pensioners, men and women from divers domains, local officials elected and named, all have contributed at the processed results in the Strategic Plan. The Strategic Planning Process depends on the contribution type from the Romanian citizens of Satu Mare.

The decision of the Local Council to take part at the Canada – Romanian common project offered both to councilors and citizens the opportunity to be acquainted with the open and transparent model of local management. The Local Council , the most important local decision factor , took part at the sessions in which the consultors were offered the results referring to the development of the city and the future directions that need to be adopted. The received suggestions and comments received during these sessions are integrated in the Strategic Plan elaborated for Satu Mare City Hall.

The situation in Satu Mare from 2002 is presented lower likeness the SWOT'S analysis ( Strong Sides, Weak Sides , Opportunities and Menaces). The results led at the elaboration of a VISION and an action plan for the future of our city. Everyone in this city must now commit itself to respect a set of VALUES who will coordinate both the government and the administration activities. Joining at the strategy described in this Plan will serve in future to the wealth of the citizens. And now, may we all carry on with our activities in harmony to realize the ideal City we all want.

At the elaboration and realization of the our Strategic Plan contributed more persons. All those who took part or contributed at this effort, they are either from the local public management board or from the public at large , deserve thanks for their efforts. It is justified the special mention of the Project Coordination Committee valuable contribution . Three members have completely dedicated themselves to this process and deserve a special appreciation : Mr. Mayor Iuliu Ilyes, Mrs. Anamaria Biris and Mrs. Adriana Lenghel were key members within the process and contributed with their knowledge, logistic support and necessary resources for the accomplishment of this operation. Mr. Vice-mayor Viorel Solschi , Mrs. Lucia Ursu and Mr. Cristian Erdei from the Mayor Office participated recurrently within The Coordination Committee Project.

SATU MARE CITY 2002
(SWOT ANALYSIS)

The numerous meetings with the canvassers of different institutions and local organizations led to the forming operation of a list of facts and opinions on which they all agreed within the interpretation of the actual existing situation. This will form the base of the Strategic Plan for Satu Mare City and also in within forming a obvious vision about the future. It will remain up to all the interested ones in our city to make utilize this Plan to build a better future.

Strong sides:

• Satu Mare, a city strategically situated near the Hungarian border , is the district's residence of a rich region. The international Airport and the Railway allows the opening towards the European markets and towards other country regions. Somes river and it's natural beauties of the region represent advantages that may be exploited.
• The well qualified and accessible work amain at rather low costs represent attractive characteristics of the city. The rather low unemployment rate reflects the population's solid morality towards work .
• The existence of ethnic, multicultural groups strongly represented which live in harmony ,as well as the existence of strong cultural and religious traditions which are demonstrated threw a large number of cultural events.
• The population, including the youth , which is decided to improve the actual situation. A receptive and opened to knew ideas management .
• A clean city , with fresh air, a pure area with fine quality water sources .

Weak sides:

• Satu Mare doesn't have a clear vision over its future , doesn't have a University, doesn't have an industrial or touristic solid base . Also it doesn't have the necessary assets to modern the old infrastructure , including the historical buildings. It is not accorded the same importance to the equal development of different parts of the city.
• The organized political and economical lobby is missing, also the private initiative is missing and there is a negative image presented by the mass media. The communication is adverse between all those who are involved in the local activities.
• There are not enough conveniences for the youth. The Educational Institutions don't have global communication strategies ; the schools , libraries and hospitals are confronting lacks in the space and endowment areas.
• The green spaces and the recreation facilities are missing.

Opportunities:

• Setting up an image of Satu Mare that allows the capitalization of the strong side : the proximity to Hungary and Ukraine , the good quality of the ground, proper for practicing agriculture , the unpolluted industries existence, the existence of an historical patrimony.
• Finalizing the planing of the industrial park, restructuring the engine works Unio; concentrating on the economical problems to create an proper background; facilitating the partnerships between the local and the foreign enterprisers ; developing the tourism ; exploiting the existing thermal waters ; conserving the historical buildings from the Old Center of the City.
• The establishment of a social dialogs. ( ex: continuing the public consultancy process)
• Developing a captious information system referring to the legislative changes.
• Developing an educational strategy and training for keeping the youth inside the city.

Menaces :

• The City is situated outside the European economical centers.
• The brain migration: the qualified workers go west ; the youth migrate in foreign countries;
• The decline of life quality can lead to political instability ; the lack of higher educational institutions;
• The lack of long term solutions for the socio -economic problems ; the limited development of the industrial sector ; unfavorable investment climate ; unsatisfying public transportation ; high costs of utilities ; effects of privatization
• The Public Local Management politics ; low quality of urban management ;
• The involvement of the community absence in the development of the city; difficult access to information;

SATU MARE CITY
VISION for 2010

The participants were encouraged to dream about their future town. The next VISION is the result of all participants contribution

In 2010, Satu Mare is a city which promotes modernity ; a city with a great future. As a district's residence with a rich cultural diversity it created harmony between it's citizens and it constructed a positive image of itself. The development of the city is the result of a collective initiative where the community organizations and citizens contribute with certain efforts and resources. The public participation at the civic activities is considered as a basement of success. The official persons of the city have gave an initiative spirit proof in creating a favorable environment for a high quality of life for the city citizens. There has been improved the quality of services available for the citizens and the management practices within the City Hall are solid and efficient.

The Industrial Park from Satu Mare is a prosper center which offers good payed jobs , and the city is proud with a low rate of unemployment. New business centers were initiated in the key zones of the city. Satu Mare promoted in an aggressive manner the economical rise simultaneously with the needs of the population. The industries are ecological and based on partnerships between foreign investors and local ones. The new center for depositing the solid wastage is an example of the solid attention given to the Environment Protection. The success was built by including all the represented groups in the region.

Conserving the patrimony , together with an efficient and solid urban development plan , led to a mixture between old and modern. Threw all seasons there are organized major communitary and cultural activities.

After some efforts and sustained activities , the infrastructure of the city was brought to an acceptable standard level. Green spaces and recreation spaces were put at the citizens disposition. The Traffic Plan which was adopted together with a solid plan referring at the major infrastructures , improved the traffic and insured the safe circulation of pedestrians.

Satu Mare City Hall is engaged in assuring a strategic and dynamic plan and will continue to elaborate it's improved versions by realizing some increased meetings with the citizens.

VALUES for governing and administrating SATU MARE CITY

Each official of the City Hall – chosen or named – must engage in respecting the lower values. They are very important for Satu Mare if we want to realize the vision we have about the future.

• Leader function : Satu Mare will exploit the strong point of having a multicultural population from the viewpoint of becoming a regional leader economically and socially. The purpose will be an efficient civic management.
• The decisional process : City Hall of Satu Mare will encourage the maximal participation of it's citizens at everything that concerns the locale's public management decisional process . The decisions will be taken in a correct and well-balanced manner.
• Durable development : All the decisions and actions of the local public management will respect the circumstance , while the protection of our natural resources and patrimony will be insured.
• Transparency and fairness : The decisional process and government will be realized in an open manner offering to all of us equal access to all the services of the City Hall. Each person will be treated with respect and dignity. The final objective will be : creating a grown base for building the confidence of the population in the local government. All cultural , ethnic and religious groups will be insured complete access at the local public management.

KEY DOMANINS AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The consulting sessions had as a result a long problem list which need to be resolved. Not all the needs will be satisfied. The available resources and the future ones are limited and they need to be used in the most efficient and efficient way possible. This is the reason why it is necessary that purposes and objectives are established. These were put in a priority order which will be presented lower. Five domains were submitted to our attention. This doesn't mean that other important problems need to be neglected. On the contrary , the existent services solicited by citizens need to be performed at a high , professional level. This purposes and objectives are destined to be used for a better planning and performing all services , mostly those which were outputted as a priority. Each purpose and objective resulted after the SWOT analysis was included within the Key Domains. The Strategic Objectives which result from each Key Domain are presented in a priority order. We tried to present all the related problems from the consulting process. The Strategic Objectives are presented as having a major priority , they need to be realized in short and medium therms. The signaled problems that can't be solved right away because of lack of necessary resources and circumstances are comprised in within Other Objectives . These should be reviewed yearly to determine their relevancy and practicability.

NUMBER 1 KEY DOMAIN

THE COMUNITY'S INFRASTRURE AND PATRIMONY

• Developing and implementing the urban plan
• Developing the local infrastructure ( roads, bridges , parking places , utilities , etc.)
• Conserving and putting in good use the spiritual and material patrimony of the community

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Reviewing and improving the urban plan of the city;
• The capital investment plan will be elaborated until 01.01.2003 ;
• Developing a ten year plan for the main capital invests and reconstructing the infrastructure of the city , organizing the priorities hierarchically ;
• Developing a plan which will value the rich human capital of Satu Mare city represented by the existence of numerous ethnic groups ;
• Insuring the conservation and preservation of the historical patrimony.

OTHER OBJECTIVES

Consulting the population and community referring to the urban plan recension;

• Soliciting the finance from different agencies and departments to cover the reconstruction costs ;
• Founding a Modern Art Section within the actual Art Museum ;

NUMBER 2 KEY DOMAIN

ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Developing an economic strategy for the city ;
• Creating an favorable economical medium to attract the foreign investors ;

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Continuing the development and planing activities of the industrial park and attracting potential investors ;
• Developing a “business incubator” concept for the existing companies and for the potential ones and the way they can contribute at creating new jobs ;
• Organizing a forum for all economic agents interested in chancing the city's strategy of economic development and the way they can contribute at a general strategy ;
• Sustaining the IMM-s and tourism in creating new jobs in the city ;

OTHER OBJECTIVES

• Evaluating the agricultural potential of development and other key sectors which might contribute to the economical development of the city and the region

NUMBER 3 KEY DOMAIN

THE ENVIRONMENT

• Adopting politics to improve the durable development of the community ;
• Improving the quality of water and sewerage supply service ;
• Elaborating a coherent program wastage management ;

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Elaborating lasting politics and principals referring to the actual and future development of the city;
• Continuing actions and strategies of improving the air and sewerage system quality ;
• Elaborating a regional strategy of wastage management ;
• The immediate initiation for finding an adequate position in replacing the actual cesspool ;

OTHER OBJECTIVES

• Developing a coherent plan referring to the recreation and green spaces ;

NUMBER 4 KEY DOMAIN

GOVERNING AND ADMINISTRATING THE CITY

• Partnerships between the public management and the private sector;
• Improving the management and administration practices ;
• Insuring a local professional administration ;

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Inputing a continue consultation process, both internal and external ;
• Improving the continue communication and consultation between departments, institutions and civil society ;
• Examine the procedures and processes of Locals Council politics adoption ;
• Reviewing the Locals Council operating and decisional process ;
• Developing a teem of management model created for the managers of each City Hall department , mandated to input the strategic plan ;
• Developing a training and perfecting plan based on evaluating the necessities and compatible with the initial actions ;

OTHER OBJECTIVES

• Developing a strategy to inform the population about the activity of the City Hall having as a target the youth ;
• Developing a strategy for improving the City Hall and the local public authority employees image. Developing the co-operation relations with twinned cities and other ways which bring benefits and support development of the city;

NUMBER 5 KEY DOMAIN

LIFE QUALITY

• Improving the social and cultural politics of young citizens integration ; .
• Educational and training strategy ;
• Inputing a strategy for developing the collegiate education in the city ;

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Initiating the dialog between the City Hall and different cultural organizations for the development of a cultural strategy in Satu Mare ;
• Establishing solid collaboration relationships between the City Hall and Non Profit Organizations to improve the social statement of all citizens ;
• Establishing the regionals educational necessities and classifying the existent opportunities in the higher educational system to intensify and improve the education at all levels ;

OTHER OBJECTIVES

• Finding additional opportunities to offer accommodation in favorable and adequate conditions which will replace and supplement the existent inventory.
• Fonding an system within the City Hall which will promote and coordinate the cultural, artistic, recreation and spending the free time activities.

STRATEGIES

Within realizing the vision and this priorities, the following strategies need to be involved :

• Distinguishing the importance of the youth and educational strategy ;
• Rising the City Hall incoming level ;
• Improving the administrative and budgetary cycle for the local management ;
• Creating a new team of management at the City Hall level , which will have the responsibility to monitoring and input the Strategic Plan;
• Supporting the volunteering and communitary groups and organizations ;
• Improving the services quality offered by the local public administration to the citizens of the city ;
• Governing and administrating in a manner that permits the creation of new connection relations between the SOCIAL, ECONOMICAL and the ENVIRONMENTAL aspects within all the unfolded activities , like it was presented in the lower graphic.

EVALUATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN

For the periodical plan evolution evaluation and its content , a process of evaluation was inputed. This plan will have two principal dimensions , a forming and a strengthening dimension. Both the approaches will measure the achievements comparing to the objectives. The habit- forming will be done each year to realize the improvements and corrections imposed by the canned progress.

There will also be examined the comparable results by evaluating results of the three cities where was implemented the Canadian partnership project. The Local Council will initiate a commission founding , which will be formed by five counselors . They shall supervise the of the plan. An annual report will be presented to the Local Council on the plan evolution and on the necessary actions for adjustments in certain domains.

Data Ultimei Modificări: 2005-04-14 12:34:33.0

Data Publicării: 2004-12-28 12:28:00.0

Adresă Document: http://www.satu-mare.net/primarie/plan.html.en