how to target and communicate efficiency presented by: diana smith, dir. business development mrb...

How to Target and Communicate Efficiency

Presented by:

Diana Smith, Dir. Business DevelopmentMRB Group

Connie Sowards, Project ManagerStrategic Municipal Initiatives Project

Today’s RoundtableOperations & Budgeting

in the Tax Cap Era

Aying it!Local Government

Local government is

- the best form of government!

• Closest to the people• Most responsive• Most participation / citizen involvement• Most accountable• Most efficient!

Why is this a Secret?

No one’s saying it!

Municipal officials are so busy doing their job…

…that they forget to tell residents what they’ve done!

Today’s Roundtable

• Taxpayer frustration• Increasing costs• State mandates• Fewer funding resources• Finger-pointing!

Other Challenges


Disconnect.

Municipal Challenges


Every community needs a core “nucleus” of trustworthy

information and communication.•Fact-based•Non-political•Understandable•Foundation

Municipal Toolkits


• Community/Government 101• Operational Efficiency• Asset Management• Community Development

Municipal Toolkits


• Training tool for Board members and staff

• Education for residents• “State of the Community” message• Justification for Board action• Justification for budget decisions• Analysis tool for budget review• Capital project / planning aid• Trust-building

Municipal Toolkits


• Community/Government 101• Operational Efficiency• Asset Management• Community Development

Municipal Toolkits


• Demographics / Critical Info

• Public Info Tools

• DRAGNET

Community / Gov 101


• The numbers – baselines for operations

• Analysis tools

• Decision making tools– future budgets– improvements/efficiencies

Operational Efficiency


Understanding what you have – and what it will cost to

maintain…

Asset Management

• Strategic thinking rather than reactionary response

• Troubleshooting / identifying problem areas

• Workflow associated with maintenance and operations


• The character of the community• Vision for the future• Litmus test for all decision-

making•Municipal board•Planning board•ZBA

Community Development


• Surprisingly missing• Versatile tool• Mitigates redundancy• Fosters communication• Addresses the disconnect

Community / Government


1. Demographics / critical info• Population, history, trend• Characteristics• Geographic• Staff composition• Average assessment• Last gen. assessment / valuation 100%? • Percent of tax-exempt properties• Major employers


What’s in the “C/G 101” Toolkit:

Today’s RoundtableCommunity / Government


2. Budget process / definitions• Annual budget / funds• Tax rate• How tax rate calculated• Debt service• Bond rating• Reserve accounts• Revenue• State aid• Impact examples• Static operating costs


3. “How Do We Compare…?”• With our past?

• Tax rate• Projects completed

• With other communities?• Tax rate• Assessments• Services provided• Cost of government services



http://seethroughny.net/benchmarking-ny/#/

Empire Center for New York State Policy, a project of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research,

http://www.manhattan-institute.org/


4. Services & policies• Who does what • Limitations / rules• How to answer

5. Budget impacts by service

6. Contacts




What does the “C/G 101” Toolkit do for municipalities?

Simple But Powerful


• Baseline from which you measure• Allows focus on efficiency• Puts everyone on the same page:

• Understanding the community • Complexity – knowing what CAN change

• Allows you to assess feasibility

• Keeps the factual history / tracks effectiveness of efforts

Positioning for Efficiency


1. The “atomic” level breakdown: the skill set analysis

• NOT a staff development tool• Assessment by management• Identifies underutilized skills• Identifies skill shortages


What’s in the “OE” Toolkit:

Fresh-eyes: rethinking everythingFocus on the indisputable facts


2. The “atomic” level breakdown: the employee cost analysis

• NOT a staff development tool• Assessment by management• Quantifies / defines hourly cost• Includes ancillary costs – no more

speculation



Fresh-eyes: rethinking everythingFocus on the indisputable facts


3. The “atomic” level breakdown: the work-hour analysis – by position

• NOT a staff development tool• Assessment by management• Position-based, informal time study• Prospective estimating - workload• Retrospective logs - history



Flexibility is the key to using this tool. The exercise is as valuable as the finished product.


What does the “OE” Toolkit do for municipalities?

Simple But Powerful


• Allows critical calculations– Cost of services– Underutilized staff are identified– Overtime drivers identified

• Allows focus on efficiency

• Allows you to assess alternatives / costs

• Allows for calculated response to changing requirements



• Improves decision-making in budget process– Informed– Justified– Simplifies public education piece



The enemy of local government efficiency is…

… misunderstanding and misinformation.



Communicationand

Education

Effective Leadership

Today’s RoundtableGet the Word Out

Community / Gov 101


Newsletter

Water Bill “Facts”

Tax Bill Flyer (enclosure)

Website

Counter Handout

State of the Community Address

Budget Cover Sheets

Press Campaign - Newsworthy

Community Meeting

Periodic Progress Reports

Board Meeting Agenda Item


BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE:

Get the Word Out

Talk to staff / employees!!!

The focus on efficiency and tax savings is not anti-employee. It’s an opportunity to:Educate the public about their valueJustify their compensation rateSet the record straight (!)Hopefully make their job easier

Let Them Know: They’re part of your team – and your greatest assets!

Aying it!Local Government

Local government is

- the best form of government!

• Closest to the people• Most responsive• Most participation / citizen involvement• Most accountable• Most efficient!

It’s all Based onCommunication!

how to target and communicate efficiency presented by: diana smith, dir. business development mrb...

Documents

community government

community vision

tax cap era slide

municipal challenges

municipal officials

tax rate projects

best form of government

residents state