"We tend to focus on day-to-day operations - we need a longer-term plan and vision."

Typically 3-6 months, but it depends on what you want included in the plan, specifically public input.  If your city or county can set pre-determined dates for input and reviews, the time to complete the plan can be reduced.

Again, it depends on what's included, but generally, from $15,000 to $40,000.  The time for planning and public input can increase the costs and the degree to which materials are readily available can reduce the costs.

That's great.  A strategic plan leverages what the Comprehensive Plan requires.  

We work with you to take the community input and core of the plan to then develop a strategy to reach the broader goals such as citizen engagement, key goals, strengths and weaknesses and vision.

Your strategic plan should include a section on "how" you will implement the plan and a performance management system or process helps you do that.  The performance management process takes over once the plan is completed to help you implement it in an orderly and accountable way.

Typically, strategic plans should be widely distributed in the community so that stakeholders know where you're going.  Employees should be keenly aware of the major goals and strategies to ensure their work aligns to it.   A performance management process can then be added to ensure implementation.