Workplan Storm, Stormwater - Laserfiche WebLink

New Search

Performance and Planning. The planning process Performance measures arc critical to maintaining provides an opportunity for program administrators and accountability to the public. At a time when the public is policy makers to think strategically about what types, level, increasingly skeptical about the quality and cost -effectiveness and mix of services should be provided. Citizen surveys, of government services, performance measures are a statistical data on community conditions, and other valuable tool in demonstrating what is being accomplished indicators of service demand or need provide vital with tax dollars. Monitoring trends in performance, information that can be used to design programs, establish comparing these measures to established policy targets or program goals, and id tify specific, measurable objectives other relevant benchmarks, and taking. actions to alter to be accomplished over the planning period Performance unfavorable results should routinely be performed by state indicators are then developed to measure whether or not . and local governments. objectives have been met Performance and Budgding. The budget process The planning process also entails a review of how service provides the authority to raise and spend financial resources. delivery and program execution can be improved Increasingly, budget practitioners have recognized that in - Performance measures relating resources to govenunent order to ensure that goals and objectives established in the activities or program results serve as a guide in assessing planning process are translated into r s rlts, the resource service delivery alternatives. These indicators provide allocation . process must explicitly be tied to performance. insight into the total costs associated with various Specifically, this requires budgetary choices to be framed in . alternatives, both capital and operating, and the degree to terms of performance goals and objectives, and resources which each alternative is successful in meeting the objectives distributed in a manner to achieve these goals. Managers of the program. Consequently, the quality of decision also need to be given flexibility to shift resources between . making is enhanced when selecting a preferred alternative. line items, but must in turn be held accountable for - meeting program objectives. This approach differs from the Long -term financial planning is also facilitated through the practices of many jurisdictions in which budgets are establishment of performance goals and appropriate modified incrementally by increasing (or decreasing) line measures. Measures relating financial resources to program item expenditures from one year to the next accomplishments assist policy makers and administrators in evaluating the long -term financial implications of setting An advantage of allocating resources on the basis of various program goals and priorities. Conversely, these performance goals and objectives is that it permits policy same measures can be used to assess the degree to which a makers to make more informed decisions on service tradeoffs program will be able to achieve its goals given funding which are often necessary to operate within existing funding constraints. For example, if a program's financial needs levels. For example, performance measures relating exceed projected revenues, the implications for service resources used to program outcomes show how outcomes delivery can be determined by focusing on how program change with respect to each additional dollar of funding. results change with reduced funding. The government will Using these indicators, policy makers are better able to also be in a better position to prepare for difficult economic evaluate the merits of increasing spending on one program oonditions by conducting "what if' analyses to determine relative to another, both in the current year and over the long how service delivery may need to be altered or curtailed if teen. revenues fall below expectations. To summarize, performance measures are an essential tool Performance and Management The focus of the in public administration. Performance measures are • management phase is program implementation and established in the planning phase after consensus has been acoountability. An important responsibility of managers is to reached on goals and objectives. In management, they are ensure that resources are used to meet program objectives, used by department heads to direct resources and to ensure and that these resources are used efficiently and effectively. that programs are producing intended results. Performance In this regard, performance goals and measures improve measures are also important in the budget process, where : managers' abilities to communicate priorities; direct staff, financial resources are allocated to program and services. financial, and other resources; and devise appropriate When used as an integral part of all three functions, incentives. Performance measures also assist managers in performance measures can improve • the ability of determining where improvements should be made to provide governments to achieve the results that are intended for better or lower -cost service. Through the consistent. use of programs and services. performance measures, program managers are alerted to potential problem areas, and can respond to improve performance. 2