Unions Competing With Private Sector Saves Chicago $1million
In an ongoing experiment to determine the best way of delivering recycling services, the City of Chicago has been divided into six zones, four of which are being serviced by private sector companies and two that are serviced by city employees. During the first quarter of competitive bidding, Chicago has saved $1 million (a 31% [...]
Implementing Customer Service Plans In Government
On April 27, 2011, President Obama issued an Executive Order titled Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service. The Order directed each federal agency within 180 days to develop a Customer Service Plan that addresses how the agency will provide services in a manner that seeks to streamline service delivery and improve the experience of [...]
Creating A Government Innovation Fund
In January of 2011 shortly after taking office as Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order creating the Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission. The purpose of SAGE is to modernize and rightsize government to make it more efficient, effective and accountable through four activities: On December 15, 2011, the SAGE Commission met and approved some interesting recommendations. As a [...]
Bringing Lean Management to New York State
In January of 2011 shortly after taking office as Governor, Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order creating the Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission. The purpose of SAGE is to modernize and rightsize government to make it more efficient, effective and accountable. On December 15, 2011, the SAGE Commission met and approved some interesting recommendations. As a supporter of utilizing [...]
Promoting Meaningful Citizen Engagement
In a previous post I discussed how Faith Gordon requested the City Council in Lackawanna to make available to the public copies of the entire Council meeting agenda not just a summary. Ms. Gordon requested that the entire City Council meeting agenda including resolutions, memos etc. be put on-line, so that the public can see [...]
Do Local Governments Need A Bolder Approach?
Carl Stenberg, professor of public administration and government at the School of Government, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reviewed 246 stories summarized in the International City County Manager Associations News Briefings from April 2009 to April 2011. Stenberg’s review provides an interesting look at how governments across the country are dealing with reduced [...]
How To Be An Effective Elected Official
Recently I wrote a post about the seven habits that unsuccessful elected officials have in common. Today I am writing about what makes one an effective elected official. To Be An Effective Elected Official, You Must Focus On Big Ideas! In a previous position as Chief of Staff to the nine member Common Council in [...]
7 Habits Of Unsuccessful Elected Officials
In January elected officials are sworn into office to begin their terms as village board members on up to the highest public offices. New terms of office always start with such promise but many political leaders fail in their efforts. Eight years ago Sydney Finkelstein a professor of Management at the Tuck School of Business [...]
Best of the Police Blotter Calls
The local Bee newspapers all have a police blotter section of calls that people make to 911. Some of these calls are interesting. My favorites among the best of the calls highlighted in 2011 are: An Amherst resident told police that she saw gold-colored aliens in the distance on Chestnut Ridge Road. She told officers [...]
Applying The Apple Marketing Philosophy To Government
Mike Markkula was employee number 3 at Apple and had a great deal of influence over the success of Apple. The marketing philosophy of Apple has always been very customer focused. Government can and should learn from Apple’s marketing approach. Empathy – Government must do a better job of understanding the needs of the citizens [...]
Are Reverse Auctions A Way For Government To Save Money?
New York State through law and regulations imposes procurement requirements that local governments must abide by. One of the recommendations of Governor Cuomo’s Mandate Relief Redesign Team is to allow local governments to conduct reverse auctions electronically. As I was not familiar with utilizing reverse auctions in government, I did some research into the topic. [...]
Public Access To Governor Records Should Not Be Discretionary
Did you know that New York State Law specifically exempts the governor from any obligation to keep records except “as are deemed by him of sufficient value for preservation” ? As Michael Keller at the New York World (an accountability journalism project covering city and state government, based at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism) [...]
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