Minutes 03/20/2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 20. 2007 Innovations and Efficiencies in Municipal Services Portsmouth employees work hard every day to improve our productivity. Here are examples of some best practice programs that have been developed: · We have instituted several Web-based Database Management Information Systems that eliminate the need for additional analysts who would manually enter, track and build reports for City Council, citizens and internal managers. By being web-driven, key decision makers can access these tools, anywhere and anytime. · CLASS is a new Recreation Management System that allows for the first time ever our citizens to register for classes or programs at recreation centers. . The new MUNIS financial and human resource system that that is shared with the School System will finally start to come online after two years of intense development. This system integrates with document imaging technology to support paperless financial operations. The System will accelerate and simplify work processes and improve the control and retention of financial documents. . The Police Department's implementation of a monthly problem solving and action-planning meeting called SARAST AThas been developed. This system employees a problem solving model that uses computer statistics to help identify crime trends, prioritize problems, and improve responses. . Police Department's use of MFR (Mobile Field Reporting) takes information with computer speed to the officers in the field. The proposed operating and CIP budget preparation is arguably the most important work done by the City staff each year. It is certainly the most visible document. The budget contains thousands of decisions that bring focus to the challenge of working toward City Council's long-term vision while meeting short-term needs of our citizens and customers. This budget also contains an internal management agenda that is not as visible. However, every day we pursue excellence in public management. There are two ongoing programs on our "Good to Great" journey that we call "PM squared." The first PM is Project Management, a capacity building effort. The second is PM is Performance Measurement. Rather than ask City Councilor the public to accept our words about services or projects, we are committed to measuring work outcomes-a tough-minded version of "walking our talk." Working in close consultation with the International City-County Management Association (ICMA), we are establishing "outcome" measurements in each of our operating departments that are linked to the City Council Vision Statement. As I have mentioned in my last two budget messages, Portsmouth is in the position of catching up in many budget areas because of past decisions to defer spending in important areas. While we have made and are making significant progress in the process of catching up much remains to be done. I am confident, however, that the proposed budgets represent a good measure of good and a realistic balance for FY08 to continue to move us toward the future the City Council envisions. BudQet Calendar Over the next several weeks, we will have significant opportunities to discuss these budget recommendations in more detail, to have dialogue with the City Council and answer your questions and concerns, and to hear from the public in two public hearings. Here is the budget calendar, leading to adoption by the City Council on April 24: