02-08-11 CM Agenda PacketAGENDA
Council/Manager Meeting
Golden Valley City Hall
7800 Golden Valley Road
Council Conference Room
February 8, 2011
6:30 pm
1. Dog License Survey Results
2. Livable Communities Act -Housing Action Plan
3. Fence Regulations
4. Innovation and Redesign Guide
Council/Manager meetings have an informal, discussion-style format and are designed
for the Council to obtain background information, consider policy alternatives, and
provide general directions to staff. No formal actions are taken at these meetings. The
public is invited to attend Council/Manager meetings and listen to the discussion; public
participation is allowed by invitation of the City Council.
=`" ~~~~ This document is avaiiahie in alternate formats upon a 72-hour request Phase calf
'~ ~ 763-593-8006 (~hTY: 763-593-3968) to make a request. Examples of alternate formats ` ~"
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Police Department
763-593-8079 / 763-593-8098 (fax)
Executive Summary
Golden Valley Council/Manager Meeting
February 8, 2011
Agenda Item
1. Dog License Survey Results
Prepared By
Stacy Altonen, Chief of Police
Summary
Some cities have discontinued dog licensing due to the cumbersome nature of staff
involvement and the lack of compliance in registering dogs with the City. The City currently
licenses approximately 600 dogs per year and there are many more dogs residing in the city
that are not registered. The $6.00 annual registration fee does not offset the staff time
involved in documenting and tracking registrations combined with the mailing costs and
purchasing of the tags themselves.
Some surrounding cities with dog parks require a permit for park use, while others are open
to the public free of charge. Surrounding cities with dog parks require owners to present proof
of rabies vaccination, but do not require a dog to be licensed by the city in which the park
resides. Based on the data, there would be no adverse impact to Golden Valley residents
who wish to use a dog park in another city, as a dog license in those parks is only required if
the individual's home city has dog licenses. Staff is still recommending eliminating the dog
license requirement based on the high level of micro-chipping and low level of identification of
stray dogs from dog license information. Staff is requesting Council direction on whether to
revise Section 10.30 and discontinue dog license registration.
Attachment
2011 Metro City Dog License Fee/Requirements (1 page)
2011 Metro City Dog License Fees/Requirements
c~c
Crystal
Hopkins
Minneapolis
Minnetonka
New Hope
Plymouth
Robbinsdale
St. Louis Park
Three Rivers Park
License Required? Doq License Fee Doq Park? Doq Park Fee/Requirements
Yes $15- 1yr (spayed/neutered) Yes None
$30- 1yr (unaltered)
Yes $10- 1 yr (spayed/neutered) No
$16- 2 yr (spayed/neutered)
$20- 3 yr (spayed/neutered)
$25- 1yr (unaltered)
Yes $30- 1 yr (spayed/neutered) Yes $60- 1st dog (non-residents/no city license required)
$50- 1yr (unaltered) $35- each additional dog
$200 (lifetime)
No No
Yes $15- 1yr (spayed/neutered) Yes
$30- 1yr (unaltered)
No Yes
Yes $15- 1yr (spayed/neutered) No
$20- 1 yr (unaltered)
Yes $25- 1 yr Yes
$37- 2 yr
$50- 3 yr
N/A N/A Yes
None
None
$55- 1yr (non-residents/no city license required)
Included in license fee for residents
$5- day pass
$35- annual pass
(owner must possess proof of rabies vacc. on site)
Golden Valley
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Planning
763-593-8095 / 763-593-8109 (fax)
Executive Summary
Golden Valley Council/Manager Meeting
February 8, 2011
Agenda Item
2. Livable Communities Act -Housing Action Plan
Prepared By
Joe Hogeboom, City Planner
Summary
The City recently adopted a resolution electing to continue its participation in the Metropolitan
Council Livable Communities Act Local Housing Incentives Account (LCA LHIA). The
program, aimed at creating and maintaining quality workforce and affordable housing in
suburban Minneapolis/St. Paul communities, has been in place since 1996. The City has
participated in the program since its inception. Participation in the program has made the City
and organizations within the City, eligible for various funding opportunities.
As part of the continued program participation, the Metropolitan Council has asked the City to
establish the goal of adding 68-104 new affordable housing units and 100-200 life-cycle.
housing units by 2020. The City Council adopted a resolution in August affirming its
commitment to do so. However, as a component of participation, the Metropolitan Council is
requiring Golden Valley to create a Housing Action Plan.
The Housing Action Plan (draft attached) outlines specific goals and objectives that can be
implemented by the City in obtaining its program goal of adding new workforce and lifecycle
housing. The language in the draft plan is based upon the "Housing" chapter of the City's
Comprehensive Plan.
Staff seeks input from the Council on the Housing Action Plan. The Metropolitan Council has
requested that the City submit an approved housing action plan to them as soon as possible,
and no later than June.
Attachment
Draft Livable Communities Act -Housing Action Plan (7 pages)
Livable Communities Act- Housing Action Plan
City of Golden Valley, Minnesota
I -Introduction
In August, 2010, the City of Golden Valley passed a resolution that renewed its
participation in the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act Local Housing Incentives
Account Program (LCA LHIA). The program, aimed at creating and maintaining quality
workforce and affordable housing in suburban Minneapolis/St. Paul communities, has
been in place since 1996. The City of Golden Valley has participated in this program
since its inception. Participation in the program has made the City eligible for various
funding opportunities.
The City has elected to continue its participation in the program through 2020. As part of
the continued participation, the Metropolitan Council has asked the City to establish the
goal of adding 68-104 new affordable housing units and 100-200 life-cycle housing units
by 2020. This Housing Action Plan, a required component of the City's participation in
the LCA LHIA program, will aid the City in achieving its affordable and life-cycle housing
goals. The Housing Action Plan is a required to be on file with the Metropolitan Council
in order for the City to receive LCA grants.
This document identifies various goals and objectives, identified through the City's
Comprehensive Plan, that aid in preserving affordable housing in Golden Valley. Livable
Communities principals that are achieved by each item are highlighted within the report.
II -Housing Quality
Promote ahigh-quality living environment, the preservation of stable residential
neighborhoods, and where necessary, improvement of the condition of existing housing
stock in the City.
Supports Livable Communities principles 4 and 5.
Objectives
All housing meets or exceeds the quality standards established in City ordinances.
Identification and removal of substandard housing units that are economically
unfeasible to rehabilitate.
Elimination or appropriate buffering of blighting influences such as unkempt yards,
glaring lights, unscreened storage, and inappropriate vehicle storage on residential
properties.
Policies
1. The City will use the Residential Property Maintenance Code (RPMC) and other
quality standards established in the Golden Valley City Code to determine whether a
house is substandard or in need of repair, except where a particular funding program
or regulation specifies an alternate definition.
2. The City will routinely evaluate the RPMC and amend as necessary in order to
maintain or improve the quality of the City's housing stock. A study will be conducted
to investigate including in the RPMC processes for handling problems associated
with vacant or abandoned residential properties or those residential properties for
which the owner cannot be contacted or does not make necessary improvements to
the property.
3. The City and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority will work with property
owners to ensure that all housing units are of high quality construction. The City will
ensure that all housing units adhere to applicable City Maintenance Codes, which
work to enhance the quality and visual appearance of the property.
4
5.
6
7.
The City will, if necessary, use its legal authority to remove substandard housing for
which rehabilitation has been determined to be economically unfeasible.
The City will continue enforcement of the Lighting Ordinance to promote resident
safety and appropriate lighting in residential neighborhoods.\
The City will help
occasions when
give high priority
appropriate use
Busing stock by promoting to real estate
lers the practice of contracting for private
3olden Valley home. Promotional efforts
odic educational items in City publications
c by City staff.
.f qualifying criteria to serve as a selection standard on
-mmunity Development Block Grant funds. The City will
ting its aging housing stock when determining the
ty Development Block Grant funds.
8. The City will seek out or develop financial assistance programs to help low and
moderate income property owners address deteriorating housing problems.
9. The City will continue its relationship with Center for Energy and Environment or
similar agency to assist residents in locating resources and financial assistance for
home rehabilitation.
10.The City will continue to work with owners and managers of multi-family housing
using the rental licensing and Safer Tenants and Rentals (STAR) programs. The
City will consider developing a similar program to cover single- and two-family rental
housing to ensure that housing quality standards are met for all rental units.
11.The City will investigate and promote resources for aging and disabled residents to
safely remain in their home as desired.
III -Housing Variety
Promote a variety of housing types and designs to allow all people a housing choice.
Supports Livable Communities principles 1 and 3.
Objectives
^ At least 10% of the city's housing supply designed for, or designated exclusively for
seniors.
At least 40% of the city's housing supply should be multiple family and attached
single-family homes.
Policies
1. The City will continue to offer the flexibility of the Planned Unit Development option
to housing developers who demonstrate an ability to successfully apply
contemporary design philosophies.
2. The City will guide for infill areas and redevelopment sites for single-family attached
and multiple family residential uses along major streets and adjacent to commercial
or other high activity areas that help meet the City's senior and multiple family
housing objectives.
3. The City will assist in attempts to obtain any applicable funds for city approved
development proposals designed to maximize the opportunity of providing a variety
of housing types, costs, and densities that meet City objectives. Sources may
include, but are not limited to, federal programs such as the Home Investment
Partnership Program (HOME) or Section 202 financing for senior housing, state aid
such as the Low Income Tax Credit Program or the Low/Moderate Income Rental
Program, Metropolitan Council funds such as the Local Housing Investment
Account, or nonprofit assistance such as the Family Housing Fund or Habitat For
Humanity.
4. The City will identify underused, nonresidential sites where the vacant area may be
suitable for higher density residential use.
5. The City will work with state legislators to establish more specific rules regarding
placement of legally protected residential facilities to ensure the appropriate
integration of these facilities into neighborhoods.
6. The City will research techniques used in alternative dispute resolution processes,
such as mediation, for assistance in formulating citizen involvement guidelines that
channel discussion of housing development proposals along a productive course.
7. The City will encourage owner-occupied, multi-family housing, whenever possible, to
provide an alternative for those who are unable or unwilling to maintain a traditional
single-family type property.
IV -Affordability
Housing opportunities at a cost low and moderate income households can afford
without compromising essential needs.
Supports Livable Communities principles 1 and 6.
Objectives
^ At least 20% of the City's housing supply in quality units that are affordable to low
and moderate income households.
Policies
1. The City will annually reapply for reservation of funds through the Minnesota City
Participation Program, providing low-interest mortgages to qualifying first time home
buyers.
2. The City will consider any potential housing affordability impact prior to adopting or
amending any development-related or construction-related regulation. Negative
impacts will be balanced against concerns for the general public health, safety, or
welfare. Where possible, strategies for mitigating negative affordability impacts will
be identified.
3. The City will meet with owners of subsidized properties eligible to leave the subsidy
program, to learn about their plans and to discuss any obstacles that may keep them
from renewing their program contract.
4. The City will meet with owners of market rate rental properties to discuss
participation in the federal Section 8 voucher program and to ask what might make
vouchers more acceptable.
5. The City will use the Livable Communities definition of affordable housing, except
where a particular program specifies an alternate, as the standard for defining
modest-cost or affordable housing: owner occupied housing should cost no more
than 30% of the income of a household earning 80% of the median income level as
estimated annually by HUD, and rental housing should cost no more than 30% of the
income of a household earning 50% of the median income in the Twin Cities
Metropolitan Area.
6. The City will require that at least 20% of each new housing development of more
than 30 units contain affordable units until the percentage designated in the
objective above is reached. Thereafter, each new development of more than 30
units must contain a percentage of affordable housing equal to the objective above.
The City may consider payments in lieu of actual units so that the City can use such
payments to make units affordable in other housing developments.
7. The City will consider and attempt to reasonably mitigate the loss of or impact on
housing affordability and quality of the existing supply of modest-cost single family
homes of any new development or redevelopment proposal that requires removal of
modest-cost homes or would significantly increase traffic, noise, or other negative
characteristics near those homes. However, such considerations will not necessarily
override other legitimate development concerns.
V - Sustainability
Housing development maintains or enhances economic opportunity and community
well-being while protecting and restoring the natural environment. Housing
Development meets current needs while leaving future generations as many options for
resource use and development as possible.
Objectives
^ New housing developments meet or exceed energy efficiency standards and
implement sustainable design features where possible.
^ Improvements made to existing housing meet or exceed energy efficiency standards
and implement sustainable design features where possible.
1. The City will encourage energy efficient and sustainable development that meets
standards established by programs such as Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED), Mayors Climate Initiative, MN GreenStar, and Energy
Star.
2. The City will encourage development that saves or increases green spaces, parks,
and trails.
3. The City will review new housing development projects for adequate public or private
parkland, open and natural space, and recreational space.
4. The City will accommodate energy conserving technologies and construction
techniques, including active and passive solar energy features, by advocating their
use in application for new residential development and by amending City Code or
City policies as appropriate to allow residents to take advantage of new approaches.
VI -Nondiscrimination
Promote and encourage equal opportunity in home ownership and renting.
Supports Livable Communities principles 1, 2, and 3
Objectives
^ No discrimination against persons seeking housing based on age, religion, race,
ethnic origin, sexual preference, sex, or disability.
Policies
1. The City's Human Rights Commission will continue its role as a forum for discussion
of discrimination issues, and will remain available to participate in the grievance
process of the Minnesota Department of Human Services as requested, so that any
allegations of housing discrimination can be promptly addressed at the local level.
2. The City's Human Rights Commission will conduct ongoing education efforts as
necessary to promote equal availability of housing opportunities and fair treatment of
all renters and buyers regardless of age, sex, income level, ethnic background, or
religion.
3. The City will work with state legislators to reform regulations regarding the location
of residential facilities.
4. The City will establish a process for early citizen involvement in the siting of new
subsidized housing developments.
5. For as long as the City remains in the Livable Communities program, a Livable
Communities impact evaluation shall be included as part of the consideration of any
housing-related development application. Potential impacts on all Livable
Communities benchmark areas shall be considered, but those areas need not all be
weighed equally, nor will this evaluation necessarily take precedence over other
concerns that may be voiced in connection with the application.
VII -Implementation
The implementation of the Housing Action Plan will be achieved through various
controls. The primary controls that are available to enable housing action policies are
zoning, subdivision regulations, building code, and potential design requirements for
public improvements.
Official actions are done through the Planning Commission, Housing and
Redevelopment Authority, and City Council. The City's housing goals are ongoing
measures and will be continually monitored through the Planning Department. The
Planning Department staff can be reached at 763-593-8095 for questions or requests
for additional information.
Golden Valley
~`~$~
Planning
763-593-8095 1763-593-8109 (fax)
Executive Summary
Golden Valley Council/Manager Meeting
February 8, 2011
Agenda Item
3. Fence Regulations
Prepared By
Joe Hogeboom, City Planner
Summary
At the December 14, 2010 Council/Manager meeting, staff and Council discussed the
possibility of establishing the requirement of a fence permit. At that time, staff conveyed that
a fence permit may help in reducing the number of illegally constructed fences.
Since that time, staff from various departments met to discuss the logistics involved with the
creation of a permit for the installation of fences. Staff has identified several issues that have
called into question the possibility of establishing a fence permit and the ability to enforce a
permit once established. These issues include the cost burden of permits and survey
documents to residents, the need for staff to identify easements for each permit application,
and the difficulties surrounding the inspection and enforcement of fence permits.
Staff now recommends that, in lieu of establishing a permitting process, the City create a
communication plan to educate residents on fence requirements and issues involved in fence
construction. The communication material would include possible enhanced handouts and
brochures, updated information on the City's website, and possible articles and diagrams in
CityNews. As part of this plan, staff would identify and seek-out local fencing contractors and
provide them with the educational material.
Staff seeks direction from Council in eliminating the plan to establish a fence permit in favor
of creating a communications plan to address fence construction-related issues.
Golden Valley
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Finance
763-593-8013 / 763-593-8109 (fax)
Executive Summary
Golden Valley Council/Manager Meeting
February 8, 2011
Agenda Item
4. Innovation and Redesign Guide
Prepared By
Sue Virnig, Finance Director
Summary
In 2010, a Council on Local Results and Innovations was created by the Minnesota
Legislature. Their goal was to establish 10 performance outcome measures for Minnesota
cities and counties. Once established, the Council will create a model local government
performance management system. They are still working on the final recommendation to the
State Legislature. All minutes and agendas are located at www.osa.state.mn.us.
Cities and counties submitting results with the attached performance measures could receive
up to $25,000 from the state and be exempt from levy limits. Staff feels that the performance
measures can be collected except for the citizens rating by a community survey. The survey
costs vary depending on the survey mechanism and the margin of error. The last survey was
conducted in 2002 by Decision Resources for about $43,000.
Attachments
Excerpt from the Minnesota Local Government Innovation and Redesign Guide (8 pages)
Measures for Cities (12/15/2010 Draft) (2 pages)
Excerpt from the
Minnesota Local Government
Innovation and Redesign Guide
Tools: Performance Accountability
In the age of knowledge and information, we should regularly
collect data regarding organizational performance and analyze it.
This is extremely important because innovation and redesign is
nearly impossible without adequate performance management
data. How does a local government know if an innovation was a
success unless specific outcomes were projected at the outset and
results gathered at the end? Performance measurement is critical to
quality management of local governments in the information era.
The industrial era of the last century was characterized by
management that was:
• Mechanistic
• Centralized
• Limited in its view of the organization
• Oriented toward rational and structural solutions
• Overly focused on certainty and control
• Reliant on one right answer
However, times have changed. Modern organizations are not as
rigidly hierarchical and centralized as their predecessors. In today's
knowledge and information era, we find management that is:
• Organic or humanistic
• Decentralized
• Demanding of a holistic, systems framework
• Interested in an array of options, including culture
• Intent on finding the right question
• Valuing principle and flexibility
The Minnesota Commission on Service Innovation. contrasted the
bureaucratic (similar to industrial) era and the new knowledge era
as follows:
Bureaucracy _ _`_______ _______
Statute & rule directed Mission & results directed
Hierarchy driven Team & network driven
Centralized control Decentralization & empowerment
Primarily accountable for
conformance to rules Primarily accountable for results
Manage costs Manage value
Assume people cheat; control them Assume people perform; empower them
Quality defined as adherence to
standards Quality defined as meeting or exceeding
expectations of those served
Exclusive service mandate Choice & competition
Focus on what's best for the
organization Focus on what's best for those being
directly served & for citizens
The Knowledge Era
The knowledge era offers managers flexibility in how work gets
done while strengthening organizational, managerial and individual
accountability for results. However, many of us in the public sector,
for a variety of reasons, have been unable to make this shift in
managerial thinking. One of the largest shortcomings of local
government is the lack of actionable data as compared to the
private sector.
In the private sector many look to stock
price, sales results or quarterly profits as
indicators of performance or organizational
success. For many public organizations,
performance measurement can be more
difficult-or at least more time- consuming
-for managers to quantify.
First, there's the question of what is the desired result. Next, when
the appropriate data exist, there is rarely a performance
management system in place that ties performance, budget,
evaluation and strategic priority information together. Other times,
we have the opposite problem: Too much information is provided,
and we're left with decision- makers suffering from "analysis
paralysis." It is important to remember that strategic selection of
performance measures is the way to improved results.
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Did you know?
In 2010 the Minnesota Legislature created a Council on Local
Results and Innovation. By February 2011, the Council will
establish 10 performance outcome measures for Minnesota
cities and counties. Upon the establishment of these
strategically chosen performance outcome measures, the
Council will create a model local government performance
management system. If cities and counties create performance
management systems and submit results on the 10
performance measures, they can receive up to $25,000 from
the state and be exempt from levy limits.
Moynihan and Pandey (2010) did an analysis "seeking to
conceptualize and empirically test how external environmental
influences and internal management factors combine to create
performance." They found that the following factors were positively
associated with organizational effectiveness:
• Support of elected officials
• Support of the media
• A developmental organizational culture
• Establishing a focus on results through goal clarity
• Decentralizing decision- making authority
In light of these findings, performance management systems make
sense. The following figure shows a systems approach to
leadership through performance measurement for Minnesota State
Government (Kiedrowski and Collins 2010):
3
HF 3862 5- 6- 2010. Minnesota Civic Compact, was introduced in
the 2010 legislative session by Representative Marquart and others.
This legislation prescribes a performance management system for
the State of Minnesota. The following is a description of a similar
system for local governments.
Strategic plan
Periodically, an organization needs to define or redefine its
mission, goals and strategies. It needs to have an active strategy
for what it is trying to accomplish. How is this city, county or
school different? This strategy needs to articulate organizational
goals expressed in measurable terms. For example, reduce crime
rate by 25 percent, increase annual progress to 90 percent of
students, help 75 percent of individuals on welfare become fully
employed, etc.
In the second phase of this exercise, each department and unit
should create their own strategic plan with their own mission, goals
and strategies aligned with those of the overall organization.
Performance budget
Based on the organization's strategic plan,
each department and unit will develop
performance measures (both output and
outcome) as part of their budget
submissions. Decisions on the allocation of
resources in the final budget should be
based on alignment with the strategic
planning, the likely success of program goals and the quality of the
proposed performance measures. Decision- making should be
about service levels and accomplishment of goals, not the
traditional line- item analysis. These performance measures are
best developed by frontline staff and reviewed by key decision-
makers.
Employee objectives and learning
A key to performance A key to performance management is having all employees of the
management is organization aligned with the strategic plan and program goals.
having all employees From the senior executives to frontline staff, all managers should
of the organization set personal performance objectives that will be assessed in their
aligned with the annual performance appraisals. A part of the employee appraisal
strategic plan and will be a learning and development plan for each employee in the
program goals. organization. This will help to get all employees engaged in
developing and using performance measures.
4
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employees. Periodic employee surveys are a useful way to ensure
that employee morale is high and that they are enthusiastic about
providing improved services.
Local government Program operations and improvement
employees are Each local government department or unit must continually
typically high-
l
b improve its program operations. Some of the improved productivity
will come from better technology use, improved operational
ca
i
er and can
contribute processes and employee suggestions for improvement. Local
significantly to government employees are typically high- caliber and can
progress if engaged contribute significantly to progress if engaged appropriately. Local
appropriately. government needs to ensure that state accounting and information
s
stems
id
h
y
can prov
e t
e performance data needed by its
employees.
Customer impact
Local government organizations need to get better at formally
measuring citizen satisfaction with local services. Surveying local
customers to determine service success is necessary to ensure that
government priorities are correct and that service delivery is
meeting expectations. These survey results should be available for
any citizen or employee to evaluate. All local government
employees need to understand that the customer is their focus, and
that they will be judged in part by the service they provide. While
helpful, surveys do not negate the need for strong citizen
participation with their elected officials.
Program evaluation
One of the greatest organizational sins is to assume that new or
continuing programs are delivering promised benefits. Evaluations
must be undertaken. All departments and agencies should do this
periodically as part of their performance management efforts. All of
the evaluation information should be fed back into the strategic
planning process and the setting of program goals and
performance measures. A good source on program evaluations is
Mattessich (2003).
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Performance leadership through performance measures
Central to the performance management schematic is the phrase
"performance leadership through measures." Leadership is critical
to innovation and redesign and is addressed in the implementation
chapter. Performance measures are the life- blood of a performance
management system. Data-about the problems, whether
strategies are working, outputs are matching expectations,
employees are meeting their objectives, productivity is increasing,
citizens are satisfied, and programs are meeting needs as desired
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-is necessary to draw insights on results. Innovation and redesign
efforts can be evidence- based with performance measures.
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Leaders of an organization need to be clear about what results are
to be accomplished. People in the organization need to know the
specific annual goals or what outcomes are desired-not only for
their organization, but also for their unit and themselves. And,
citizens need to know what their local government is trying to
accomplish.
The elected officials and executives should hold at least bi- annual
results reviews with all of the departments to ensure that they are
utilizing this performance management system and reviewing their
performance beyond the budget deliberations.
By implementing a high quality performance management system
in local governments, citizens can expect more cost- efficient and
effective solutions for the dollars they're paying in taxes and fees.
The performance measures can be used to track performance year-
to-year, and even benchmark a jurisdiction with similar
jurisdictions. The credit- rating agencies also value performance
management in their ratings, so jurisdictions can save interest
costs as well.
To illustrate the prob/em to redesign methodology for this section,
an example of implementing a performance management system
follows:
Step 1. Clearly define the problem
Need to improve efficiency and effectiveness of local services to
reduce costs or get more value for dollars spent.
Step 2. State the desired
measurable outcome
Better, more cost- effective local
government services.
Step 3. Investigate why
traditional approaches are not G
working
Blanket trust in government to do the right thing is presumed.
Command- and- control approach to ordering activities to get the
work done is used. No clear performance measures to judge the
results of government services exist. Presumptions of success
predominate.
Step 4. Identify alternative theories or assumptions that address
the problem
Performance information will help clarify underlying problems, set
measurable outcomes and help improve efficiency and
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effectiveness. Evidence matters, not merely assumptions about
what works. Both elected and appointed officials can demonstrate
results from services provided.
Step 5. Innovate and redesign
Implement a performance management system.
Limitations of performance management systems
• Implementation is burdensome: Collection of certain
performance measures is costly. The federal government
often requires the collection of certain performance
measures that are not useful. Furthermore, grant funding
often requires the use of performance measures. Smaller
governments should focus on the 10 or so key
performance measures they want to track.
• Determining outcome measures is difficult: Outcome
measures consider the societal benefits of services
provided. For example, strong K- 12 education results in
graduates going on to college or a trade school and
contributing to a strong Minnesota workforce and a
robust economy. It is difficult and costly to track students
from a given school over time. An alternative is to use
output measures as proxies for outcomes. An output
measure for K- 12 education would be the progress
students make during their time in the school district.
• They need political support: Some politicians worry about
setting measurable goals because they may be measured
on whether they accomplish them or not. On the other
hand, elected officials who can demonstrate measurable
results may find it easier to get reelected.
Examples of performance accountability
• Hennepin County Public Health and Human Services
Performance Management System: Includes not only
objective performance measures but also a robust process
for assessing citizen's satisfaction with county human
services.
• St. Louis Park Strategic Planning: Uses citizen input to
determine community values and priorities that guide its
budget, management and evaluation activities.
• Woodbury Performance Measures: Provides Woodbury
citizens with 20 years worth of performance analyses in a
user- friendly, actionable format.
• "Results Minneapolis".Performance Measurement: A
system created by the City of Minneapolis that provides
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by
City leadership with information on program and business
unit performance.
• Bloomington School District Budget for Success: A
program that sought out student, parent, teacher and
community input in determining budgeting values and
priorities, as well as ideas for savings that resulted in
more than $3 million saved.
• Minnetonka Performance Bonuses: Awarded to employees
who exhibit superior performance and contribute to
overall organizational performance.
• Olmsted County Online Marriage Applications: Program
allows Olmstead County residents to apply online for
marriage applications, speeding up the processing time
and allowing for greater customer convenience. This is a
good example of continuous improvement through the
use of performance measures.
• Dilworth Citizen Survey: An annual survey that helps the
city of Dilworth better understand citizen concerns and
views on service delivery.
• St. Paul School's Student Progress Measurement: St. Paul
Public Schools makes its performance and evaluation
information available to the public and researchers alike
via the St. Paul Public Schools website.
• Crow Wing County Customer Survey: An online survey tool
that allows citizens to provide feedback on the county
services they receive.
• Mankato's "Your Take": A section of the city website that
allows citizens to easily respond to questions to which the
city would appreciate feedback.
• Click, See, Fix: An online program used by the City of
Falcon Heights that allows residents to submit pothole
information online and allows the city to more quickly
respond to infrastructure needs.
Further readings and examples of performance accountability
are available at the Humphreys School of Public Affairs Local
Government Innovations Website.
°{:::,~ 8
Measures for :Cities (12115/2010 DRAFT)
General•
1. Rating of the overall quality services provided by your city
(Community survey: excellent, good, fair, poor)
2. Citizens' rating of the overall appearance of the city
(Community survey: excellent, good, fair, poor)
Police Services:
3. Part 1 and II crime rates
(Submit data as reported by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Part 1
crimes include murder, rape, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle
theft, and arson. Part II crimes include other assaults, forgery/counterfeiting,
embezzlement, stolen property, vandalism, weapons, prostitution, other sex offenses,
narcotics, gambling, family/children crime, D. U.I, liquor laws, disorderly conduct,
and other offenses.)
and/or
Citizens' rating of safety in their community
(Community survey: very safe, somewhat safe, neither safe nor unsafe, somewhat
unsafe, very unsafe)
Output:
Police Response Time
Time it takes on top priority calls from dispatch to the fast officer on ..scene.
Fire Services•
4. Insurance industry rating of Fire services
(1'he Insurance Service Office (ISO) issues ratings to Fire Departments throughout
the country for the effectiveness of their fire protection services and equipment to
protect their community. The ISO rating is a numerical grading system and is one of
the primary elements used by the insurance industry to develop premium rates for
residential and commercial businesses. ISO analyzes data using a Fire Suppression
Rating Schedule (EBBS) and then assigns a Public Protection Classification from 1 to
10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection and Class 10
indicates that the .area's fire suppression program does not meet ISO's minimum
criteria.)
and/or
Citizens' rating of the quality of fire protection services
(Community survey: excellent, good, fair, poor)
Output:
Fire Response Time
(Time it takes from dispatch to apparatus on scene for calls that are dispatched as a
possible fire).
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Response Time (answer if applicable)
(Time it takes from dispatch to arrival of EMS)
Streets•
5. Average city street pavement condition rating
(Provide average rating and the rating system program/type. Example: 70 rating on
the Pavement Condition Index (PCI))
and/or
Citizens' rating of the road condition in their city:
(Community survey: good condition, mostly good condition, many bad spots)
6. Citizens' rating the quality of snowplowing on city streets
(Community survey: excellent, good, fair, poor)
Water
7. Citizens' rating ofthe dependability and quality of city water supply (answer if
applicable -centrally provided system)
(Community survey: excellent, good, fair, poor)
Outpnt:
8. Operating cost per 1,000,000 gallons of water pumped/produced (answer if applicable
-centrally provided system)
(Actual operating expense for water utility / (total gallons pumped/1, 000, 000))
Sanitary Sewer:
9. Citizens' rating of the dependability and quality of city sanitary sewer service (answer
if applicable -centrally provided system)
(Community survey: excellent, good, fair, poor)
Output:
Number of sewer blockages per 100 connections (answer if applicable -centrally
provided system)
(Number of sewer blockages reported by sewer utility / (population/100))
Parks and Recreation:
10. Citizens' rating of the quality of city recreational programs and facilities (parks, trails,
park buildings)
(Community survey: excellent, good, fair, poor)