Minnesota spreads the word about efficient programs.Take a local government service, any service: street sweeping street sweep An investment strategy in which large amounts of a company's stock are quickly purchased. Street sweeps generally occur in the stock of a company involved in a takeover attempt. Also called market sweep. , road maintenance, property assessment for tax purposes - now, how can you make it better? That was a question Minnesota legislators asked. The answer was to get the word out to other counties, towns and cities about efficient and effective programs in the state. "The topics are mundane (jargon) mundane - Someone outside some group that is implicit from the context, such as the computer industry or science fiction fandom. The implication is that those in the group are special and those outside are just ordinary. , but have lots of potential for improvement," notes Senator Phil Riveness, who helped sponsor the "better practices" legislation that passed in 1994. Mundane? Well, sometimes. Did you know there are 52 ways to sweep streets? That was found in a pilot program conducted in the wake of the new state law as policymakers tried to define what could and should be studied and how it should be done. Today, the Minnesota Best Practices Review is run by an advisory council of representatives from the Association of Minnesota Counties, League of Minnesota Cities The League of Minnesota Cities, founded in 1913, is an advocacy, research and insurance association for cities in the U.S. state of Minnesota . It represents about 800 municipalities in the state. References
In the United States, Canada, and like jurisdictions, "metropolitan municipality" can mean one or more of the following: "The council tries to identify effective and efficient service delivery methods," Riveness explains, "and share that information with local jurisdictions." Initially, he adds, cities and counties needed to be convinced that this was a program geared to improving quality and efficiency - not "an attempt by the Legislature to impose new mandates." "The Legislature wanted a way to highlight the successes of local governments so others could pick up on good ideas," says Jody Hauer, Best Practices project coordinator, who spoke about the program at NCSL's annual meeting in July. So far, the council has studied effective property tax appraisal methods and snow removal practices - an important issue in a state in which keeping town, county and state roads clear of snow and ice can be a six-month effort. The council currently is reviewing effective and cost efficient ways to prosecute To follow through; to commence and continue an action or judicial proceeding to its ultimate conclusion. To proceed against a defendant by charging that person with a crime and bringing him or her to trial. misdemeanor misdemeanor, in law, a minor crime, in contrast to a felony. At common law a misdemeanor was a crime other than treason or a felony. Although it might be a grave offense, it did not affect the feudal bond or take away the offender's property. By the 19th cent. crimes. Wisconsin Wisconsin, state, United States Wisconsin (wĭskŏn`sən, –sĭn), upper midwestern state of the United States. It is bounded by Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, from which it is divided by the Menominee followed Minnesota's lead with its own "best practices" program, sending a representative in 1995 to study the Minnesota process. Wisconsin is currently examining how locals use privatization privatization: see nationalization. privatization Transfer of government services or assets to the private sector. State-owned assets may be sold to private owners, or statutory restrictions on competition between privately and publicly owned - contracting with private businesses for government services. Pennsylvania and Texas also are exploring the idea of starting best practices programs. |
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