Scottsdale is among a select group of jurisdictions honored recently for performance management by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
Only 28 local governments earned a 2013 Certificate of Excellence from the association’s Center for Performance Measurement. Scottsdale is among four Arizona cities receiving the designation, the center’s highest recognition.
Scottsdale’s performance management program is an initiative to measure, analyze and report on the performance of city services. The goal is to improve results by integrating objective evidence with decision-making processes.
For example, the Scottsdale City Court analyzed its workload and found a backlog of more than 200 driving-under-the-influence cases that were over the 180-day processing target. Court staff developed an initiative to reduce the backlog through increasing use of temporary judges and reopening a fifth courtroom mothballed during the recession.
The association’s certificate program assesses a local government’s program and encourages analysis of results by comparing to peers and gauging performance over time. Performance management aids in cost reduction, program prioritization and quality improvement, according to the association. It also encourages accountability and transparency.
“The certificate program recognizes the principles of performance management,” said Wayne Sommer, the association’s director of U.S. programs. “Jurisdictions meeting the qualifications have demonstrated leadership in continuous improvement and community engagement, and they serve as examples for other governments to follow.”
To learn more about Scottsdale’s performance management program, visit:
www.scottsdaleaz.gov/departments/citymanager/performance
To learn more about the International City/County Management Association’s Center for Performance Measurement, visit: www.icma.org/performance.
