First 100 Days Blueprint
Mayor Yemi is committed to quick wins and immediate actions to build a world class American city for all Colorado Springs residents. Mayor Yemi has made establishing the right government culture, improving community outreach, and expanding opportunities for public input his top priorities for the first 100 days, while also working to solve our city’s challenges around public safety, infrastructure, and economic vitality.
To show the public how he’ll accomplish this, Mayor Yemi published a blueprint for his first 100 days. Residents can follow the specific progress being made on the dashboard below.
Progress Dashboard
Progress Details
Strategic Direction
1 - Executive on-boarding
Complete
This action item pertained to the executive on-boarding of key employees in the Mayor’s Office including Mayor Yemi, Chief of Staff Jamie Fabos, and executive support staff. This included briefing Mayor Yemi on the transition report and workplan.
2 - Establish communications protocols
Complete
Mayor Yemi met with the city’s leadership team as his first order of business. He shared his direction about the importance of creating a transparent, approachable and proactive City government. Mayor Yemi received input from the City leadership team to develop general guidelines for internal and external communications channels.
3 - Host Mayor's Bi-Weekly community briefings
Complete
To be transparent and proactive, Mayor Yemi is hosting bi-weekly briefings via the City's Behind the Springs podcast to inform the community on current and future activities.
Follow Mayor Yemi on Behind the Springs at coloradosprings.gov/podcast.
4 - Meet one-on-one with each department head
Complete
One of the first orders of business for Mayor Yemi was to get to know each department head and their teams. On swearing-in day, Mayor Yemi convened his leadership team to set initial expectations and communications protocol. He followed that up with one-on-one meetings with each department heads and attendance in at least one staff meeting for each department. It was important for Mayor Yemi to learn City operations, and its challenges and opportunities as quickly as possible.
5 - Put in place a community engagement advisor
Complete
On July 5th, Mayor Yemi announced the creation of the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs. This newly established office of two staff, established using existing positions, is dedicated to building relationships with community stakeholders by engaging neighborhoods, community leaders, partners, interest groups and community organizations.
Read more: Mayor Yemi announces creation of Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs
6 - Launch Mayor's Strategic Planning Process
Complete
A Strategic Plan Development Process has been launched and provides the framework for a strategic plan to be developed by June 2024. The City is currently in Phase 1 of the year-long process, which focuses on establishing its intention of being collaborative and community-driven. One key outcome of Phase 1 is Mayor Yemi and the Colorado Springs City Council's Listening Tour. The tour launched in August to collect feedback from residents, and inform the City’s strategic goals and priorities.
7 - Launch listening tours and town halls
Complete
On July 27, Mayor Yemi announced a seven-stop listening tour with the Colorado Springs City Council to gather input on the City’s Strategic Plan, which will guide the direction of the City over the next four years. The tour launched in August and features collaborative discussions on important issues facing Colorado Springs, including public safety, housing, infrastructure, economic vitality, and other city services.
Read more: https://coloradosprings.gov/ListeningTour
8 - Build Solutions Team around each key initiative
Complete
Four teams have been assembled representing over 60 city and community leaders. These “Solutions Teams” will focus on Mayor Yemi’s top priorities and the tallest challenges facing our city. Teams have been created around Housing, Economic Vitality, Public Safety and Infrastructure. These leaders will share wisdom, ideas and experience to produce a SWOTS analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities threats and solutions) to help the new administration form its initial strategies.
9 - Put in place a community engagement senior advisor
Complete
On July 31, Mayor Yemi announced that Sallie Clark has been appointed as the City’s government and military affairs advisor. In this role, she will engage local, regional, state, and federal government partners, and lead the engagement strategy regarding military and veteran affairs from the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs. Her appointment, which fills an existing vacant position, completes the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs. The office also includes Thomas Thompson, community affairs advisor, and Danielle Summerville, cultural & community outreach programs manager.
More details: Mayor Yemi shares staffing announcement
10 - Initiate improved language access efforts for priority info
Complete
There are a number of efforts underway to improve language access efforts across the City. For example, a Citywide Language Access Plan (LAP) is being developed and, Mayor Yemi will sign an Administrative Regulation that outlines and formalizes the plan. The LAP outlines a number of action items related to language accessibility.
11 - Host Mayor's Monthly Media Briefings
Complete
The Mayor hosted his first monthly press briefing from his office on July 19. He delivered remarks about current hot topics and then opened the floor for questions. Media also had the opportunity to tour the Mayor’s Office, including the “war room,” which is a shared collaboration space for City staff. Creating regular and open access and strong partnerships with local media partners is important as they are a bridge for the City to share important information with residents. These briefings will continue to be held on a monthly basis.
12 - Pursue a joint Mayor & City Council Retreat
Complete
An all-day Mayor and City Council retreat was held on Friday, August 11 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Penrose House. The retreat was professionally facilitated and included the development of strategic priorities, presentations on public safety, annexations, and mental health, and identifying trends that impact City operations. It was a very collaborative and productive retreat.
13 - Develop employee engagement strategies
Complete
Mayor Yemi created an Employee Engagement Committee that has established six initial strategies to enhance work culture and employee engagement as a key priority of the City. This Committee will continue past the initial 100-days and work on executing the identified strategies.
14 - Establish 2024 budget priorities & recommendations
Complete
Mayor Yemi began discussions with City leaders shortly after swearing-in day to outline his key priority areas of public safety, economic vitality, and housing & infrastructure. He also outlined his core tenants of government of being approachable, proactive, and transparent. The City’s Leadership Team and staff have been working diligently to bring forward budgetary requests and measures needed to balance the budget. The draft priorities and budget decisions were discussed with City Council’s Budget Committee on August 29. The Mayor and City Leaders finalized the budgetary decisions on September 1. On October 2, the 2024 proposed budget will be presented to City Council for consideration.
15 - Launch a data-driven government program
Complete
This initiative is focused on fostering a culture of transparency and data-driven government decisions, increasing departmental collaboration through data sharing, and to track, measure and improve key performance indicators for City services and programs. There was a Data Driven Government Team developed and have been diligently working on documenting the current state of data maturity, the future state of what value this program can bring to the City, and the key next steps to get there.
16 - Regional elected official collaboration around legislative items
Complete
Mayor Yemi traveled to Washington, D.C. where, along with staying at the Hickenlooper home, he held visits with the state’s congressional delegation. Further, here at home, Mayor Yemi is in regular conversation with Governor Polis and state representatives and senators. On September 7, 2023, Mayor Yemi held his first State Legislator Meet & Greet at Patty Jewett Clubhouse.
17 - Re-Organize City Administration to maximize efficiency and effectiveness
Complete
On June 22, Mayor Yemi announced the City will adopt a new organizational structure for its departments to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of City services. The new structure will feature two Deputy Chief of Staff roles, along with elevating Housing & Community Vitality as a new department.
Read more: Mayor Yemi announces new City organizational structure to improve city services
Public Safety
18 - Establish a Public Safety Summit
Complete
Mayor Yemi established internal Public Safety Summit’s to hear directly from line level public safety professionals from the Colorado Springs Police Department and the Colorado Springs Fire Department. These meetings have been conducted with good turnout and honest conversations. Mayor Yemi will be using this information to better understand the challenges and opportunities, and how best to address staffing and retention issues.
19 - Refer TABOR retention ballot question for CSPD Training Academy
Complete
Mayor Yemi began discussions with City leaders shortly after swearing-in day to outline his key priority areas of public safety, economic vitality, and housing & infrastructure. He also outlined his core tenants of government of being approachable, proactive, and transparent. The Mayor, Chief of Staff, Police Chief and Chief Financial Officer provided City Council a briefing on the proposed TABOR retention of $4.75 million for the purpose of acquiring property, planning, constructing, and equipping a training facility for the Colorado Springs Police Department. The presentation established the need for a new facility and outlined funding scenarios. On August 22, City Council voted to refer the TABOR retention item to the November 2022 ballot.
20 - Launch First Lady's "Mental Health COS" Campaign
Complete
We have initiated conversations with mental health stakeholders and providers throughout Colorado Springs to gain clarity around the greatest challenges we face in awareness of, and access to, Mental Health Resources. We have targeted October 2023 for a day of strategic planning workshop with these key stakeholders to create a well-defined scope of what this initiative should and can achieve over the next four years, and to focus on achievable solutions to eliminate access barriers and mobilize resources to improve the mental health of Colorado Springs residents. The formal launch of the mental health initiative set for November.
21 - Develop a 5-year plan for Public Safety Facility Expansion
Complete
Police, Fire, and the City’s facility team worked closely to identify the City’s future needs for expansion for Police Stations and Fire Stations over the next 5 years due to anticipated city projected growth. Based on those needs, future costs associated with each new location were estimated. The Police Station and Fire Station lists were combined along with the existing Facilities Master plan (Building COS) in the same location so that the information can be referenced when prioritizing facility needs during each year’s budget process.
22 - Launch a Homelessness & Mental Health Summit
Complete
The summit will be hosted by Peak Vista Community Health Centers and will take place on 10/11/2023. Attendees will be presented with a timely overview of the unique mental health challenges faced by the unhoused and hear from a panel working directly with individuals and families through street outreach, crisis intervention, and an educational setting.
23 - Research additonal homeless outreach team officers
Complete
Shortly after swearing-in day, Mayor Yemi met with CSPD Chief Adrian Vasquez to identify priorities and brief the Mayor on the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) program. The HOT program is represented by the full time HOT, as well as CSPD’s Patrol division’s HOT Subject Matter Experts (SME), which are in each patrol division. These HOT SME’s ensure coverage across the City of Colorado Springs. With the staffing challenges and the fact that the HOT program is successful at the current staffing levels, it was determined to pivot the strategy to align with Mayor’s goal of addressing homelessness. This includes efforts to expand Homeless Outreach to the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center and partner with the Municipal Court to implement an ID Voucher Program.
Housing & Infrastructure
24 - Put in place a chief housing officer
Complete
On June 22, Mayor Yemi announced that Steve Posey will serve as the new Chief Housing & Community Vitality Officer, elevating Housing & Community Vitality as a new department. Posey previously served as the Community Development Division Manager, which was part of the Planning Department.
25 - Convene stakeholders to support a "middle housing fund"
Complete
On October 4, 2023, developers and potential funders will convene to discuss missing middle housing projects in the pipeline and alignment with resources becoming available through Proposition 123, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka, and Affordable Housing Investment Funds managed by the Pikes Peak Real Estate Foundation.
26 - Investigate feasibility of 3D printed home pilot project
Complete
Housing & Community Initiatives worked with an architectural firm to produce a 3D printed home design with an optional ADU and explored collaboration with non-profit housing providers to develop the plan on a City owned lot.
27 - Convene an affordable housing roundtable with faith leaders
Complete
On June 30, the Housing & Community Vitality Department in partnership with COSILoveYou hosted a developer's roundtable for faith-based organizations. Pastors representing congregations from different areas of the city came together to learn from each other about planning and carrying out affordable housing development. A 2nd roundtable is being planned for Fall, 2023.
28 - Provide leadership around the regional water conversation
Complete
The Mayor’s Office has engaged in regional water conversation in partnership with Colorado Springs Utilities. This is only the beginning, as there are many more discussions and collaboration to be done, particularly as it pertains to the smart growth of our City.
29 - Investigate a Lodgers and Rental Car Tax proposal
Complete
Investigate a lodgers and rental car tax proposal – There have been on-going discussions around the Lodgers and Rental Car Tax (LART) from various community leaders pertaining to the possibility of increasing LART. Mayor Yemi and key City leaders have been briefed on the status of LART and have explored various scenarios for a proposal. Although there is a possibility of a LART ballot measure in the future, there will not be a ballot initiative at this time.
Economic Vitality
30 - Initiate Business License Code & City Sales Tax Rules revisions
Complete
The City Clerk’s Office, Finance Department and the City Attorney’s Office have initiated review of business license codes, and City Sales Tax Rules revisions. Pertaining to business license codes, there is on-going work in City Code – Chapter 2, which addresses business licensing and there are drafts being reviewed to revise specific license types. Regarding City Sales Tax Rules, the Chief Financial Officer initiated revisions by briefing City Council, introducing an ordinance to City Council, and ultimately having the revised rules ordinance passed by City Council on August 8th.
31 - Promote the City's new digital tool "Permit Partner"
Complete
Permit Partner – an online tool that streamlines the permit process for entrepreneurs looking to start a business in Colorado Springs – is being promoted in several ways. It’s featured in printed collateral, on the City webpage, through social media posts and has been and will continue to be highlighted at various conferences, workshops and networking events for small businesses. Posters and acrylic displays are in production, and continued efforts are underway to engage with key stakeholders by sharing information about the tool with their audiences.
32 - Actively recruit new companies with local Chambers
Complete
Through significant collaboration with local economic development partners including the state, county, city, utilities, airport, and local chambers, ongoing efforts have been completed for recruiting new companies to Colorado Springs. These efforts included prospect meetings to discuss attraction (new companies) and business retention and expansion (local companies) projects, along with presenting proposed Economic Development Agreements to City Council. Additionally, planning efforts are implemented continuously in order to provide companies with development aspects and site locations within Peak Innovation Park.
33 - Continue work to retain Space Command in Colorado Springs
Complete
After nearly three years of work, the announcement to keep U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs was made on July 31. In a statement, Mayor Yemi thanked Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Congressmen Doug Lamborn and Jason Crow, Governor Jared Polis, the El Paso County Commissioners, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, defense industry leadership, and former mayor John Suthers for their efforts to keep Space Command where it belongs, here in Colorado Springs.
Read more at https://coloradosprings.gov/SpaceCommandAnnouncement
34 - Put in place a Workforce Administrator
On Hold
Put in place a Workforce Administrator (ON HOLD) – As a proactive measure to mitigate the impacts of a reduction in sales tax numbers, the City has implemented a hiring delay. As a result, recruiting for a Workforce administrator has been put on hold at this time.
35 - Engage K-12 school district superintendents on career exploration and training programs
Complete
Mayor Yemi has met with some of the local K-12 school district superintendents individually to start discussions pertaining to career exploration and training programs. Additionally, the Mayor is scheduled to meet with all local K-12 school district superintendents as a group on Friday, September 15 to discuss these topics.
36 - Meet with area college and university presidents to explore career-training programs
Complete
Mayor Yemi has met with all area college and university presidents individually to start discussions pertaining to career training programs. Meetings included Pikes Peak State College (PPSC), University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), and Colorado College (CC). These meetings were completed as of August 2023.
Urgent and Emerging Issues
37 - Ensure successful implementation of extension of 2C, PPRTA, and TOPS
Complete
Ensure successful implementation of extension of 2C, PPRTA, and TOPS – One of Mayor Yemi’s key values is transparency. As it relates to ballot measures, it is especially important to be transparent with the community on exactly where their tax dollars are being spent. The City has a reputation for doing this well, and Mayor Yemi is committed to continuing that tradition. Mayor Yemi is fully supportive of 2C, PPRTA, and TOPS, and their on-going successful implementation.
38 - Identify opportunities to better connect residents to city services
Complete
Identified several opportunities to engage residents with City services such as optimizing the user experience and content of existing digital engagement tools such as ColoradoSprings.gov and the GoCOS! app; through development of best practices “user communities” for social media and graphic design; improving review processes for public-facing tools; and by identifying technology applications that could be used to better connect residents to City services.
39 - Support efforts to temporarily lower property taxes
Complete
For property taxes payable in 2024, there is a temporary mill levy credit extension included in the Mayor’s budget proposal, pending City Council approval.
40 - Support efforts for Home Rule city campaign contribution limits
On Hold
There are no on-going efforts for Home Rule city campaign contribution limits to support. Therefore, this item is on hold at this time.
41 - Focus efforts on repairing deteriorated public curbs and missing sidewalks
Complete
The City has set goals in 2023 to address deteriorated public curbs and missing sidewalks. For example, the Public Works department is on track to replace 1,100 pedestrian ramps, replace 600,000 square feet of sidewalk, construct 225,000 linear feet of curb & gutter, and construct 30,000 square feet of missing sidewalk in 2023. Repairing, replacing, and constructing public infrastructure will continue to be a key focus area for Mayor Yemi’s Administration.
42 - Launch AnnexCOS program
Complete
Determining the best strategy and tactics to grow in a responsible way is a challenging proposition. That is why developing a formal plan for the growth of Colorado Springs is so imperative. That is exactly what the AnnexCOS program will provide to our community. An RFP was conducted, and proposals are currently being reviewed, with a formal launch date occurring before year-end.