Town of Middletown Strategic Management Review

Abstract

The population of Middletown, Delaware, has more than tripled from 3,834 in 1990 to an estimated 13,868 in 2005. Its population is projected to double again by 2020, as the Town develops into a commercial center for lower New Castle County and adjoining areas of Delaware and Maryland. This growth will cause significant and irreversible qualitative change for the residents and government of Middletown. At the town’s request, the Institute for Public Administration (IPA) conducted a strategic management review to recommend a strategy by which the Town and its public officials can design and implement a proactive organizational response to the challenges associated with this rapid growth and development. The purpose of the project and this report is to provide a framework and strategic roadmap for the town to use in structuring and administering the management capacity–related aspects of its transformation from a small rural town to a growing regional center.