By Jeffrey Bean
April 27, 2009

As stimulus funding makes its way to local governments, municipal leaders must ask: “Are we getting the most out of each dollar?” A well-defined, targeted approach toward stimulus spending can help turn short-term “ready-to-go” projects into opportunities that build better, more sustainable cities.

Quick Start, Smart StartStimulus projects require a quick start, but they also must be structured correctly and managed effectively. The true winners in this process will be those who take a critical look at their enterprise technology, processes and organization, and establish solutions that consider the long term.

“This is an opportunity for municipal leaders to go further than the quick start and short-term fix to incorporate broader solutions that also address the sustainability of their cities,” said Judithann Cascio, leader of municipal government services for management and technology consulting and services firm EMA, Inc. “This is about building better cities now and for the future.”

EMA, a Platinum Partner of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, has helped municipal governments through technology, best practices, process improvement, and performance measurement for nearly 35 years.

Keys to Sustainable Stimulus Spendingconducting the business of government, particularly during a recession, means every stimulus dollar spent must make a difference. Building a stronger municipality through best practices, integrated technology, and streamlined processes follows a strategic approach that best serves the city and its citizens.

“It also sets up a whole new level of accountability and transparency,” Cascio said. “That translates into significant cost savings, improved service, increased return on investment, greater efficiency, and new and better ways to do our work.”

There are three key elements that EMA recommends municipalities integrate into their stimulus projects to help strengthen their cities for years to come:

By developing strong asset management practices you are taking a strategic approach toward maintaining your assets now and down the road. It ensures that your existing assets are properly identified, monitored, and routinely maintained, and it supports your capital improvement planning decisions. A robust asset management program will also reduce capital and operating costs, extend asset life, and identify opportunities for improvement.

The value of your performance data cannot be overestimated. Setting performance measures enables you to use real-time performance data to benchmark and establish continuous improvement initiatives that make your municipality more efficient and effective. The data you measure helps you better manage your assets, justify projects, and make informed, data-driven business decisions. It also keeps your citizens more informed and engaged.

Maintaining a strong citizen connection through multiple channels has tremendous value and mutually benefits your municipality and its people. Integrating technology, best practices, performance measures, and improved processes gives citizens more and better ways to communicate with their municipality, providing them with improved service and just as important, a better understanding of municipal issues and their significance. This connection also provides municipal leaders with valuable feedback about those issues that matter most to citizens.

For more information on how EMA can help your city, contact Judith Cascio at 651-639-5600 or jcascio@ema-inc.com. You can also contact Kathryn Kretschmer-Weyland at the United States Conference of Mayors at 301-460-5251 or kweyland@usmayors.org.