Oct. 9, 2008
King County government will perform better and prepare for the future while improving accountability and saving money as a result of a reorganization and staff reductions in the Executive office.
Today Executive Ron Sims transmitted legislation to the council trimming his own offices while implementing a countywide performance management and accountability system called for by the Performance and Accountability Act championed by King County Councilmember Jane Hague.
Executive Sims proposed cutting four Executive staff positions and reorganizing key elements of existing Executive office responsibilities from separate offices into the new Office of Strategic Planning and Performance Management at a savings of more than $830,000 in 2009. The proposal also formally dissolves the existing Office of Business Relations and Economic Development.
"We will do more with less," said Executive Sims. "These savings are in addition to the $3.88 million projected from my proposed relocation of the Executive Offices from Columbia Tower to the Chinook and Yesler buildings.
"Performance management is a lynch pin for accountability." said Metropolitan King County Councilmember Jane Hague. "Decision making becomes more potent when performance management is properly implemented."
The new Office of Strategic Planning and Performance Management will use existing staff to implement the Performance and Accountability Act adopted by the Metropolitan County Council and signed into law by the Executive earlier this year. This includes performance management across county government, along with the remaining staff and functions of BRED, as well as strategic policy, planning and analysis functions currently handled by the Office of Management and Budget.
The reductions were taken from the Annexation Initiative in Management Analysis and Planning Section of the Office of Management and Budget and the elements of Business Relations and Economic Development that are not revenue backed.
"This new, smaller office is an innovative approach based on best practices from around the country that will improve accountability and performance management," said Executive Sims. "The group will also lead countywide initiatives, all while doing more with less," said Executive Sims
The new group will be managed by Jim Lopez, Sims' current deputy chief of staff and key policy strategist. Mr. Lopez has led King County's internationally recognized Climate Initiative and was also one of the staff who helped create King County's award winning Health Reform Initiative. Lopez and his staff lead Executive initiatives and will help provide cross-departmental strategic planning, sustainability and climate change programs; countywide performance standards and measures and criminal and juvenile justice planning.
Collectively, the new office's staff have expertise in: performance measurement and management; data collection and analysis including demographics; public reporting; strategic planning; program evaluation; criminal and juvenile justice system efficiency and innovation; agency and system oriented operational master planning processes; GIS analysis; and community engagement.
The council will vote on the proposal to create the new office later this year.