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<br />nities, it might be easy to lose sight of
<br />what pushed them into public service
<br />in the first place. Not so, O'Neill says.
<br />"I started an internship in college
<br />and sort of got hooked on it," he
<br />explains. "It is interesting because
<br />you deal with policy and the imple-
<br />mentation of that policy, and you can
<br />see its impact, whether on an individ-
<br />ual, a group or a whole community.
<br />Being able to work in partnership
<br />with communities to make them bet-
<br />ter and seeing the results of that are
<br />very stimulating."
<br />
<br />"[1 went into it] because it gave me
<br />the ability to [work on] real con-
<br />stituent issues and city council con-
<br />cerns of potholes and trimming trees,
<br />as well as the ability in the same day
<br />to get involved in larger policy issues
<br />of air quality or planning or that kind
<br />of thing," King says. "I've enjoyed that
<br />kind of balance."
<br />At the end of the day, the job is
<br />about fulfilling a collective vision,
<br />Henest says. "A developer recently
<br />came into [Brea] and wanted to put
<br />gates on a high-end residential pro-
<br />
<br />ject, but one of our mission statements
<br />is that we're an inclusive community,"
<br />he says. "I was very strong in saying
<br />that gates do not reflect who we are
<br />and who we want to be as a communi-
<br />ty, and I was able to make a difference
<br />(defeating the developer's request).
<br />When I walked away that day, I was
<br />able to say, 'Hey, I just made this a
<br />better community.' If you can walk
<br />away with a few of those situations,
<br />where you helped bring to life certain
<br />kinds of values, that's a pretty good
<br />deaL" 1;{
<br />
<br />CI%VjCOL:NTY MANAGE:\tENT
<br />
<br />Performance measures: What's the score?
<br />
<br />Are performance measurement systems necessary
<br />competitive tools that finally are catching on?
<br />Cities that use them attest to their usefulness (see
<br />related story on page 28), but many still are reluctant to
<br />adopt them.
<br />"It is a risk," says Norman King, e:xectltive director for
<br />the San Bernardino (Calif.). Associated Governments.
<br />"ObViously, if performance indicators.are comparable or
<br />represented to be comparable to odler cities, you run a
<br />risk of not looking good. On the otherhand, if they're
<br />put in the context of an assessment, they . can assist you
<br />in embarking on a program to improve [in areas] where
<br />you're a little weaker than you should be."
<br />That is what happened in Fairfax County, Va.'where
<br />('-Qunty Executive RobertO'NeiH oversawtheimple-
<br />mentation of a performance measurement system last
<br />year. "There was a lot of apprehension [on the part of
<br />board of supervisors]," he says. "You know, [they worried
<br />about] what happens if you don't nleetYOUf targets."
<br />Their fears were unfounded, however; following the
<br />release of the county's "baseline". report card, community
<br />feedback WdS favorable. "People knew this was a work in
<br />progress," O'Neill says; "We got lots of compliments
<br />from civic organizations and community groups that
<br />appreciated having the information."
<br />The county's measurement system begins at the
<br />department level, where, based on individual perfor-
<br />mance evaluations, department heads submit their rec-
<br />ommendations as part of the budget drn.--ument.. At tlle
<br />executive's office, the recommendations are reviewed "to
<br />see if the sum of the activities is going to get us 'where we
<br />want to go, and we make some adjustments to that,"
<br />O'Neill explains. "Then we focus on the measures them-
<br />selves, focusing on outcomes and rerurn on investment."
<br />The process has proven \Iseful, O'Neill says. "It is
<br />important because it has to do with accountability to the
<br />community. It also helps focus discussion around the
<br />things that are most important and transferring resources
<br />from the less important," he explains. "The more perfor-
<br />
<br />36
<br />
<br />October 1998
<br />
<br />manceinformation you have, the easier it is for the com-
<br />munity and thegoveming body to have that discussion."
<br />Setting performance. indicators also can assist local
<br />governments.in. quantifyingdleir. services, King says.
<br />"With the increased emphasis .on the possibility of priva-
<br />tization,there'saheightened awareness. of the need for
<br />performan. .... ce.... irul........ica...t..o.........r.s,w....h........e. the.r....o..r not.. yo.up.....riva.uz.... e... th.e..
<br />operation,"hesays... > .................. . ...... ....> .......
<br />"Privatization forces some. quantification of what you
<br />expect for rhernoney you're spending," he continues.
<br />"For eXample,ina parks maintenance project, howrnany
<br />square feet are we dealing with? What kind. of treatment
<br />is goingto.occur?What measures of aesthetics and stan-
<br />dardsareyollgoing to apply to hold the finul:hatgets
<br />the bidaccountable?Y OIJ should.knowwhat you're dOing
<br />when.. you privatize, but you . also. should know what
<br />you're doingwhenit's your own service. [Settingirulica-
<br />tors] can help you determine whether or not you should
<br />perfonu dle service. yourself."
<br />The concept . of performance measurement is relatively
<br />llewin the. public sector, King says. "Indicators dearly
<br />are evolving and have really been developing only in the
<br />last five years," he notes.
<br />In the absence of standard indicators, attempting to .
<br />compareone dty's results to those. of another city can be
<br />difficult, O'Neill says. "Communities in different states
<br />classify departments and operations differently," he
<br />explains. "That makes it difficult to pick up a MandaI
<br />statement from San Diego County, for example, and
<br />compare it directly to the financial statement faT Fairfax
<br />County. We tend to compare outselves to the area clos-
<br />est to us because we know the community, and we can
<br />make those translations."
<br />Despite the risks and dle lack of standards, O'Neill
<br />snmds firm on the benefits of performance measurement.
<br />"I think it does two things," he explains. "It tells you
<br />how well you are doing, and it tells you whether you are
<br />focused on the right things." 1;{
<br />- Beth Wade
<br />
<br />AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY
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