battle creek commission goals 2008-2010

8/12/2019 Battle Creek Commission Goals 2008-2010

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City of Battle Creek

Commission Goals

2008-2010

Mark A. Behnke, Mayor

Susan Baldwin, Commissioner

John Godfrey III, Commissioner

Ryan Hersha, Commissioner

Chris Simmons, Commissioner

Sherry Sofia, Commissioner

Diane Thompson, Commissioner

Tony L. Walker, Vice Mayor

Andrew Yankama, Commissioner

Wayne D. Wiley, City Manager

& A s s o c i a t e s , I n c .S T R A T E G I CP E R F O R M A N C EC O N S U L T I N G


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CITY OF BATTLE CREEK CITY COMMISSION GOALS 2008-2010

1& A s s o c i a t e s , I n c .S T R A T E G I C

P E R F O R M A N C EC O N S U L T I N G

Table of Contents

Introduction ..............................................................................................................2Planning Participants ..................................................................................................3Goal Summary...........................................................................................................41. Strive for a higher quality of life for all citizens...........................................................52. Continue making Battle Creek an attractive place to live and work ...............................63. Residents and visitors feel safe in Battle Creek...........................................................74. Foster economic vitality...........................................................................................85. Provide accessible and responsive customer service for the entire community................96. Develop and maintain reliable and up-to-date infrastructure ......................................107. Practice and encourage environmental stewardship ..................................................118. Operate a progressive adaptive city government at the most effective and efficient levelpossible ..................................................................................................................12Next Steps ..............................................................................................................13Current Survey Sorted per Goals................................................................................14Summary of the Goal Setting Process .........................................................................16Contact Information .................................................................................................23

This document is available in alternative formats upon requestby calling (269) 966-3378.


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Introduction

During the winter of 2008, the Battle Creek City Commission and the Citys strategicleadership staff met together in a series of three meetings to review and refine its current

strategic goals for the City organization. The results of these meetings are contained in thisdocument.

These eight goals will guide the City staff as we take our organizational performance up to

the next level. The key performance indicators described here will help us measure our

organizations performance, and identify both successes and areas for improvement.

This process launched the second year of a transition toward a performance measurementculture for the City of Battle Creek. Measuring performance is not new; tying together City

Commission goals, key performance indicators, and administrative action plans in a top-to-bottom comprehensive way, however, is new for us.

Particularly exciting is the intended next step to report status information in a dashboardformat that will allow for increased transparency, clarity, and sense of purpose. Eventually,

this dashboard will be available to the public and to employees as a powerfulcommunications tool providing high-level information about our complex organization.

Additional information about the health of our community, the critical environment we liveand work in, will also be available.

As this work continues, communication within the City organization and with the public willbe important to ensure goals and key performance indicators maintain the same significance

for improving service quality as they carry for us today. One way to do this is to clarify theCitys mission and vision in clear, concise statements. This is expected to occur in a future

process that will build on the excellent teamwork reflected in this report.

On behalf of the City Commission and City staff, we would like to thank everyone for their

contributions to the success of this process and the overall excellence of the City of BattleCreek.

Mark A. Behnke Wayne D. WileyMayor, City of Battle Creek City Manager, City of Battle Creek


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Planning Participants

City Commission

Mark A. Behnke, Mayor, At-Large

Susan Baldwin, At-Large

John Godfrey III, Ward 4

Ryan Hersha, At-LargeChris Simmons, Ward 1

Sherry Sofia, Ward 3Diane Thompson, At-Large

Tony L. Walker, Vice Mayor, Ward 2

Andrew Yankama, Ward 5

City Staff

Wayne D. Wiley, City Manager

Susan Bedsole, Licensing and Compliance Director

Cherise Brandell, Neighborhood Services Director

Mike Buckley, Planning and Community Development Director

Russ Claggett, Employee Relations DirectorChris Dopp, City Engineer

Larry Hausman, Fire Chief

David Headings, Police Chief

Rick Hensley, Risk ManagerJeff Hovarter, Parks and Recreation Director

Ken Kohs, Utilities Director/ Environmental Services

Judy Mudge, City Assessor/Revenue Services Group ManagerMichelle Reen, Assistant to the City Manager

Jim Ritsema, Finance Director

Clyde Robinson, City Attorney

Dan Ryan, Chief Information OfficerKen Tsuchiyama, Assistant City Manager

Eileen Wicklund, Interim City Attorney

Greg Zanotti, Transportation Director

Facilitation

Dr. Peter Dams, Dams & Associates, Inc.


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Goal Summary

Residents and

visitors feel safe inBattle Creek

Continuemaking Battle

Creek an attractiveplace to live and

work

Develop andmaintain reliableand up-to-dateinfrastructure

Fostereconomic

vitality

Operate aprogressiveadaptive city

government at themost effective and

efficient levelpossible

Practice andencourage

environmentalstewardship

Provideaccessible and

responsivecustomer service

for the entirecommunity

Strive for ahigher qualityof life for all

citizens

Residents and

visitors feel safe inBattle Creek

Continuemaking Battle

Creek an attractiveplace to live and

work

Develop andmaintain reliableand up-to-dateinfrastructure

Fostereconomic

vitality

Operate aprogressiveadaptive city

government at themost effective and

efficient levelpossible

Practice andencourage

environmentalstewardship

Provideaccessible and

responsivecustomer service

for the entirecommunity

Strive for ahigher qualityof life for all

citizens


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1. Strive for a higher quality of lifefor all citizens

Performance Indicators Potential Data Sources

1. Citizen perception of quality of life Survey questions (quality of city services)

2. Resident confidence in City government Survey data/communications plan outcomes (tobe developed)

3. Housing data: Code analysis report, rentalviolations

Department data

4. Opportunities for healthy activities List of city services that help residents engage in

healthy activities

Community Health Indicators Potential Data Sources

1. Housing data: Ownership ratio Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek

2. Property values Code enforcement, crime rates, change inSEV

3. Employment rate Tax abatement info (see also goal 4),

felony re-entry data

4. Note: City performance in other goals support achievement of this goal.

Examples of Current City Services and Partnerships Contributing to Goal Area

Festivals and downtown activities

Recreation programs participation and partnerships

See examples of services and partnerships for goals 2 7

Performance Indicatorsare measures of the results of City government operations.

Community Health Indicatorsare measures of general interest regarding the overallwell-being of the community not directly impacted by specific City services.

Examples of Current City Services and Partnershipsrepresent a small sample of City

services and partnerships. Staff will develop complete listings for future reports to the CityCommission.


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2. Continue making Battle Creek anattractive place to live and work


1. Resident perception

Why live/not live in the city

Satisfaction with community orneighborhood

Resident-reported sense of community

Perception of community aesthetics -gateways

Survey to be developed

Survey in organized neighborhoods

2. Visitor perception, including people whowork in city but live elsewhere

Community aesthetics - gateways

Survey to be developed (explore online surveyfor all departments)

3. Business location decisions (come/dontcome)

Survey to be developed

4. Cost of city services Department data

5. Compare against National Park Associationstandards for recreation facilities per capita(such as acres of public green space)

Department data

6. Percent of structures meeting health andsafety codes

Department data


1. Realtor data See also housing data for Goal 1


Leila Arboretum Society BC Green program

Neighborhood Services resident windshield survey


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4. Foster economic vitalityPerformance Indicators Potential Data Sources

1. Business satisfaction with City services Survey to be developed

2. Business retention data Battle Creek Unlimited

3. Effectiveness of tax abatements in creating

jobs

Department data on corporate activity (Tax

Abatement Report)

4. Number of requested infrastructure projectssupporting economic vitality

Department data

5. Economic impact of tourism dollars

generated by visitors to Parks & Recreationfacilities (Arena/Bailey/Binder Park Zoo, etc)

Parks & Recreation (Convention & Visitors

Bureau data)


1. Levels of homelessness Homeless Coalition data

2. Hourly wages Data source to be determined

3. Employment level Data source to be determined

Note: City performance in other goals support achievement of this goal.


Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce

Battle Creek Unlimited contract

Cereal City Development Corporation

Convention & Visitors Bureau

GIS mapping services


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5. Provide accessible and responsivecustomer service for theentire community


1. Customer perception of city services:

Quality

Accessibility

Responsiveness

Satisfaction

Satisfaction with online information andservices (web site design)

Business perception of responsiveness(e.g., licenses, inspections)

Point-of-service surveys

Golden Service data

Specific surveys and/or questions to bedeveloped

Secret Shopper program for City services

2. Response & resolution times (e.g., treeremoval, code responses, etc.)

Golden Service data, other reports

3. Resident perception

Service equity (by neighborhood)

City departments responsiveness

Survey

Currently tracked

4. On-time & missed appointments (e.g.,

inspection)

Data from BS&A software

5. Performance against other municipalities(benchmarks)

Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)

International City/County ManagementAssociations (ICMA) Center for PerformanceMeasurement

MCPM

6. Percent of city services offered online Department data; will have a maximum

7. Usage of online services Department data

8. Number and quality of citizen participation

projects (street design, master planning)

Department data, surveys to be developed


Golden Service customer service management software

Online assessment data

Website


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6. Develop and maintain reliable andup-to-date infrastructure


1. Customer Perception

Satisfaction with communicationregarding construction begin

Citizen survey after re-construction

Survey after construction project (to bedeveloped)

Currently surveyed for large projects

2. Professional quality standards Professional standards used for all infrastructureprojects

3. Up-to-date on technology (benchmark)

4. Street quality index Department data

5. Park Assets Maintenance Management Index Department data

6. Number of sanitary sewer overflow incidents Department data

7. Number of water interruptions/restrictions Department data

8. Number of areas with storm sewer flooding Department data

9. Structural integrity standards for structures

such as parking ramps, bridges, etc.

Department data

10.Progress toward conduit development

master plan

Department data

11.Percent of Priority 1 CIP projects

funded/completed

Department data


Battle Creek Unlimited

Battle Creek Tax Increment Financing Authority

Binder Park Zoo

Clean Water Partnerships with schools

Downtown Development Authority

Leila Arboretum Society


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8. Operate a progressive adaptive citygovernment at the most effective andefficient level possible


1. Benchmarks for cost per level/unit of service

Internal benchmarks over time

External benchmarks

To be developed. Potential benchmark sources:

GFOA

ICMA Center for Performance Measurement

MCPM

2. Employee indicators

Satisfaction survey

Access to email

Overtime data

Baseline: 1995, follow-up surveys 2007, 2008

Department data

3. Citizen survey Survey every other year

4. Innovative programs (example:collaborative justice programs, POPs)

Department data

5. Awards received Department data

6. Community engagement To be developed

7. Financial stability (bond rating, ratio fundbalance to operating revenue, budget toactuals comparison)

Audit letter, quarterly financial reports

Financial index to be created

8. Note: City performance for goal 5: Provide accessible and responsive customer service for theentire community supports performance for this goal


Area Metropolitan Service Agency

AccessVision

Battle Creek Unlimited

Binder Park Zoo

Cereal City Development Corporation

e911 committee

Interlocal police/fire mutual aid agreements

Leila Arboretum contract

MDOT partnership for trunkline/signalsmaintenance

Monday Morning (gang violence) group

Neighborhoods Inc. of Battle Creek

Springfield vehicle maintenance

Savings Those Oppressed by Prostitution (STOP)initiative


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Next Steps

Adoption of final report: April 15

Key Performance Indicators

o Develop baselines

o Set targets

What is our standard for doing well?

Build upon existing baselines; develop as data become available

o Develop data collection and reporting process

o Fine-tune key performance indicators over time

Develop Departmental Dashboards

o What departments do to influence the overall (City Commission) dashboard

o Collect data, develop and administer surveys as needed

Develop City Commission Dashboard

o Clarify how Commissioners will use the dashboard

o Clarify how the City Manager will use

City Manager

o Use data to help departments improve service delivery

City Commission

o Make funding decisions based on programscontributions to fulfill mandates and/or achieve

commission goals per City Managers

recommendation

Updates and Annual reports

o Focus on dashboard contribution

o Utilize both data and anecdotal evidence

o Show multi-year datao Consider trends over time


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Current Survey Sorted per Goals

For several years, the City of Battle Creek has been surveying residents in a number of

quality of life and service areas. The table below categorizes these question along the eightCity Commission goals set forth in this report.

In the past, the survey did not specifically target questions pertaining to Goal 4 foster

economic vitality. As noted on page 8, however, the Citys performance in all other goalareas strongly contributes to success in economic development.

Goal Survey Question

Goal 1: Sustain ahigh quality of life

for all citizens

1. What are the three things you like about living in Battle Creek that you would notwant to lose?

2. What are the top three issues or concerns facing your neighborhood?

Goal 2: Continue

making BattleCreek an attractiveplace to live andwork

3. On a scale of 1-5, how would you characterize your level of satisfaction with life inyour neighborhood?

4. On a scale of 1-5, how do you rate the following factors in your neighborhood:personal safety, neighborhood friendliness or sense of community, streets androads, conditions of housing, parks or playgrounds, traffic level, sidewalks, streetlighting?

5. What is the one area or factor most in need of improvement in your neighborhood?

6. In the past year, how often have you visited downtown Battle Creek?

7. On a scale of 1-5, how easy is it to find parking in downtown Battle Creek?

8. What could the City of Battle Creek do to encourage you to visit downtown BattleCreek?

9. Do you strongly disagree, disagree, agree or strongly agree that the CodeCompliance Department improves neighborhood housing conditions?

10. For those who have contacted City Code Compliance in past year: rate thefollowing: professionalism, responsiveness.

11. How would you rate the overall quality of housing in your neighborhood (within twoblocks of your home)?

12. Does the City do a good job of enforcing zoning and laws designed to protect publicsafety and health in your neighborhood?

Goal 3: Residents

and visitors feelsafe in BattleCreek

13. The Police Department is an important city service. Using a scale of 1-5, pleaserate the Battle Creek Police Departments: professionalism, responsiveness,community involvement and race relations.

14. In the past year, have you called 911 for assistance? If yes, please rate the overallperformance of 911 staff: poor, fair, good, excellent.

15. Do you strongly disagree, disagree, agree or strongly agree that the PoliceDepartment improves community safety?

Goal 5: Provideaccessible andresponsivecustomer servicefor the entirecommunity

16. In the past year, how many contacts have you had with City of Battle Creek staff,in person or by telephone? Did you receive prompt response from City staff?

17. If contacted in past year, did you experience the level of professionalism youexpected from City staff?

18. Have you noticed an increase, decrease or no change in the level of servicesprovided by the City of Battle Creek in the past year?


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Summary of the

Goal Setting Process


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Planning Timeline

February 22 Pre-planning meeting (Mayor Behnke, Commissioner Thompson,

City Manager Wiley, Assistant City Manager Tsuchiyama,

Assistant to the City Manager Reen; Consultant Dr. Dams)

1 February 26 Planning session # 1: City Commission Strategic planning overview

Reviewed prior and drafted new City Commission goals

Identified key performance indicators

February 29 Follow-up work meeting #1

2 March 5 Planning session #2: Strategic Leadership Team Reviewed Commission draft goals and performance metrics

Developed additional key performance indicators

March 6 Follow-up work meeting #2

3 March 12 Planning session #3: Joint Session Review final draft goals and performance indicators

Tweak as needed

Adopt goals and metrics

April 3 Follow-up work meeting #3: Review of draft report

April 7 Dams & Associates, Inc. submits final report

4 April 15 City Commission adopts report


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The City Government of Battle Creek:

An Organizational System

The City of Battle Creek, like any organization, uses resources such as staff, money,

information, and equipment to conduct activities resulting in specific services. The Cityscustomers benefit from these services, both in the short- and the long-term.

Understanding the City from this systems perspective helps organize our thinking about

performance measurement at three different levels process, output, and outcomes. Thisyears goal setting process focused on developing outcomes related goals and identifying

corresponding key performance indicators.

Mission | Vision | Values | Strategies

Resources InternalProcesses City

Services Customer

Benefits Community

Benefits

Resourcesneeded for

internalprocesses

What the Citydoes to generate

services

Services andproducts the City

provides

Short- and long-term benefits for

City customers

How City servicesimpact the

community atlarge

Process

MeasuresOutput

MeasuresOutcome Measures

Measurement

informationbecomes inputfor continuousimprovement

Process & Output Measures

Does the City provide services andproducts at the right level, for the rightpeople, with the lowest possible use ofresources, and at the highest qualitypossible?

OutcomeMeasures

Are City services and products achievingthe planned benefits for residents,businesses, and the community at large?

Measuring internal performance and serviced outcomes allows City Commissioners and City

staff to respond to the changing needs of its customers and the community while improvingservice efficiency and customer service.


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Measuring Effectiveness

The Logic of Process Output Outcome Measures

Examples from Planning Session 2, March 5, 2008

Department Level Commission Level

Process Output Outcome

Code Compliance Exterior propertyassessment

Number of propertiesinspected

Number of ticketswritten

Number of unsafe

houses demolished

Perception ofneighborhoodattractiveness and

safety

Houses in compliance

Reduced crime inarea (Broken

windows theory,1982)

Streets 2 crews repairing

pavement for

specified amount oftime

Street miles repaved

$ per mile

Street quality index

Customer feedback

Police Number of citizen

contacts

Number of arrests

and tickets

Percent residents

reporting that theyfeel safe


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Relationship of Goals to Service Delivery

Residents of Battle Creek

Statutes/Mandates/Needs/Demands

City Commissioners

Strategic Goals

City Manager

Communicate Strategic Goals

City Departments

Set Department Goals and Policies

City Staff

Daily Tasks and Service Delivery

Contribute toQuality of Life

CommissionDashboard

OutcomeFeedback

Achievestrategic goals

Fulfill statutesand mandates

ContinuousOutput andProcessFeedback


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History of Goal Development

Final Goal StatementsDraft Statements per

Session 1Prior Goals (est. 2007)

1 Strive for a higher qualityof life for all citizensImproved quality of life forall citizens

Improved quality of life forall citizens

2 Continue making BattleCreek an attractive placeto live and work

Make Battle Creek anattractive place to live andwork

Population Growth thatValues Diversity

Increased Prosperity

Increased Property Values

Thriving Downtown

Attractive Community andStrong Neighborhoods

3 Residents and visitors feelsafe in Battle CreekResidents and visitors feelsafe in Battle Creek

Decreased crime

4 Foster economic vitality Foster economicdevelopmentN/A

5 Provide accessible andresponsive customerservice for the entirecommunity

Accessible and responsivecity government that worksfor the entire community

N/A

6 Develop and maintainreliable and up-to-dateinfrastructure

Reliable and up-to-date

infrastructure

Reliable and up-to-date

infrastructure

7 Practice and encourageenvironmentalstewardship

Practice and encourageenvironmental stewardship

N/A

8 Operate a progressiveadaptive city governmentat the most effective andefficient level possible

Operate a progressive citygovernment at the mosteffective and efficient levelpossible and that manageschange.

Financial Stability andBalanced Budget

Job Satisfaction and Stabilityfor all City Employees

This information is for historical purposes and shows how the current City Commission goals

build upon and expand previous goals.


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Additional Suggestions from Session 1

Suggestions (initial considerations) Recommendations

Economically successful

Breaking down barriers to employment

Economic development

Broadly-shared economic security, prosperity, andopportunity

Became Goal 4

Protect environment; promote conservation, preservegreenspace

Create a Green vision for Battle Creek

Environmental stewardship

Environment

Became Goal 7

Competitive school systems (Goal 2) Goal 3: School police officer liaison

program

Create tourism (Goal 4) Goal 4: KPI and CVB partnership

Increase voter participation (Goal 5) City Clerk, ongoing effort

Cooperation with surrounding governments (Goal 8) Included in Goals 1 through 8

Lower taxes / cut taxes (Goal 8) Part of budget process

Keep police and fire protection separate (Goal 8) Completed

This information is for historical purposes and shows how suggestions for additional goalsdeveloped during Planning Session 1 were addressed.


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Contact Information

Contact: Wayne D. Wiley, City Manager

Phone: (269) 966-3378

Fax: (269) 966-6654

Email: [email protected]

Web Site: www.battlecreek.org

Address: 10 North Division

Battle Creek, Michigan 49014

& A s s o c i a t e s , I n c .S T R A T E G I C


Contact: Dr. Peter Dams, President

Phone: (269) 501-3000

Fax: (866) 472-0554 toll-free

Email: [email protected]

Web Site: www.damsandassociates.com

Address: 8449 35th Street South

Scotts, Michigan 49088

battle creek commission goals 2008-2010

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