by John Crawford, MTAS
The Tennessee Municipal Benchmarking Program is in full swing again this year in preparation for the 2012 report.
UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) program representatives Frances Adams-O’Brien, Sarah Young and John Crawford, along with MTAS Municipal Management Consultant Gary Jaeckel, met recently with Goodlettsville leadership to present the program and discuss the city’s potential participation in this year’s project.
City Manager Tim Ellis, Public Information Officer Mary Laine Crawford and representatives from all of the city’s service areas were in attendance. In addition to a thorough review of the process of data collection and service area measurables, the group discussed the value-added benefits of sharing best practices and lessons learned with other comparable Tennessee cities. The ability to make apples to apples comparisons to cities in Tennessee was a key factor in driving the city’s interest in the project.
“After reviewing the program and determining all of the benefits it could provide to the city of Goodlettsville, it became very clear that it would be advantageous for us to take part in the TMBP,” Ellis said.
The TMBP is a municipal benchmarking consortium of Tennessee cities interested in tying performance measurement to performance management and is facilitated by MTAS. With 10 years of history under its belt, the program is currently reaching out to potential participants through a dedicated marketing campaign to further assist cities in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of services to their citizens. ■
