Read this presser carefully . . . It's important and encouraging but I still don't see a Water Services Director . . .
Efficiency: Kansas City launches KCStat and appoints Bill Downey to improve water services
Two innovative programs to improve customer satisfaction are underway
The City of Kansas City, Mo., has announced the launch of KCStat, a data-driven, public-facing initiative focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of city services. KCStat will begin by focusing on the areas the city receives the most public complaints about: Street Maintenance, Water Line Maintenance, Water Billing/Customer Service, Code Enforcement and Animal Control.
KCStat seeks to improve City services and government accountability by publicly outlining and discussing goals and objectives that will be measured against indicators for outcomes, output and efficiency.
The public is invited to the first KCStat internal review session, scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday Dec. 21 on the 10th floor of City Hall. Sessions will occur from 9 to 11 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month thereafter.
“As a public-facing initiative, KCStat will bring data generated through the City’s Performance Management Program ‘into the light,’ so that the City can engage staff and citizens in a conversation that drives improvement in key service areas. I want to know, and I want the citizens of Kansas City to know, where the city is not living up to its expectations. I want to try to solve those problems, and I want the success of the proposed solutions to be evaluated in front of and with the help of the public,” said Mayor Sly James. “I pledged to make our city more efficient and responsive to our citizens. We can be successful if we are open and honest in accessing our programs.”
As part of the KCStat process, between public meetings, Performance Management staff will analyze the most recent data for established indicators and create an agenda and related charts, graphs, and tables for internal discussions between the departments, City Manager, and staff from Performance Management, Information Technology, City Communications and the Mayor’s Office. The internal discussions will focus on operational adjustments necessary to meet the stated goals and objectives.
The public portion of the KCStat process, which puts the measured indicators for outcomes, output and efficiency on display, will allow the public to see the progress made toward reaching stated goals and objectives. All KCStat meetings will be open to the public and media. Citizen input will be invited at these meetings as well as an online. In addition, KCStat will be connected to other citizen engagement efforts also launched this year including KCMomentum (online social media framework) and KCMore (citywide newsletter).
As part of building efficiency and improving the Water Services Department, Mayor James and Manager Schulte are also announcing an innovative approach to address issuing facing the department. Working through Burns & McDonnell, Bill Downey, former President and COO of KCP&L, will be appointed as Special Advisor to the Mayor and Manager with the goal of reviewing and providing honest and sound recommendations regarding the department’s future. Mr. Downey, who led efforts to improve KCP&L, brings a private business background to the public utility.
Active in the Kansas City community, Downey is past Chair of the Kansas City Area Development Council and past Chair of the Greater Kansas City United Way. Mr.Downey will work in conjunction with Burns & McDonnell who has been retained to provide program assistance to the Water Department in preparation for the implementation of the City’s 25-year Overflow Control Program.
These two innovations in efficiency, both the public launching of KCStat, and the review and assessment of the Water Department, are being made to move Kansas City forward in providing the best service to taxpayers.
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You can have all the data collection systems in the world, but if thepeople who are responsible for providing the service don't care, it's not going to matter.
ReplyDeleteAnd KCMO government, starting right at the very top, doesn't much care about what the residents need, want, or think.
Until that changes, this is just the latest expensive toy, just like Corwin's CStar program.
The endless search for the latest excuse for not having the boring job of running an actual municipal government.
Well written. SOS understands that this is all just shuckin and jivin from Sly.
ReplyDeleteI know how to improve these services. Don't cut their budgets. Cut HR, HRD, ITD, etc, you know, NON basic service departments. DUH
ReplyDeleteThe occupy folks should be protesting the 99% of city workers who are lazy turds
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter what the data says. At the end of the day, its political clout that matters. When it comes to public policy, data is either flawed or it supports your objectives. Data that does not support public perception or political objectives is never accepted.
ReplyDeleteSo can sly convince us that all is well?
ReplyDeleteReeelllaaaaxxx ere'body.
ReplyDeleteSly's got this thing handled.
Just look at that EASY SMILE.
Shuckin and jivin indeed.
ReplyDeleteWest Plaza, 46th and Liberty, water line break for going on 4 months now.
Come on by, throw a bobber or duck decoy in... that's what we're doing.
Who the hell is Bill Fuckin' Downey?? He some kinda savior or something??
ReplyDeleteBill is the first step to a privatized Water Dept.
ReplyDeleteThe first step is to get a director of water and new management. Old management is really stale.
ReplyDelete8:34am I agree. Water has run on old old equipment for a long time. Not sexy enough for improvements until EPA and DNR get involved and even then Sly thinks he can get around the consent decree. Fact is the sewer system and wastewater plants need overhauled and upgraded. Rags and ducktape are not enough. Burns and Mac have wanted a hand in private management and looks like they will get it.
ReplyDelete