FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2002
Contact: Diane Thomas
714.834.6203
National Report Card
Gives OC High Marks In Management
Santa Ana - The County of Orange
ranked among the 13 best-managed counties in the nation
in a study released today by Governing Magazine. The “county
report card,” produced by Syracuse University, also
revealed only one county in California with a better rating
than Orange.
“I am extremely proud of this recognition,”
said CEO Michael Schumacher. “It is an excellent
reward for the hard work that’s been poured into
improving County practices since the bankruptcy. It also
reflects the priorities established by the Board of Supervisors,
and it recognizes the cooperation and effort from County
employees.”
“As a former educator, I recognize the value
in bringing home a good report card,” said Cynthia
P. Coad, Chair, Board of Supervisors. “It’s
a remarkable achievement for the County to earn this prestigious
report card rating after having experienced a bankruptcy,
the shadow of which still looms in the $1 billion of remaining
debt. The results of this study are a testament to the
hard work since emerging from bankruptcy.”
The study reviewed and graded five management areas: financial
management; capital management; human resources; managing
for results; and information technology. Counties were
then ranked on the average of these five grades. The County
of Orange took top honors for its achievements in Information
Technology. Praise was given to collaboration between
departments, accessible data warehouse information and
online customer services.
The lowest grade went to managing for results. Schumacher
explained that an assortment of management tools had been
developed since bankruptcy to improve County practices
and to provide more information to the Board for planning
and policy development purposes. “This area is one
of the latest to be phased in,” said Schumacher.
“It is an area we’re focusing on this year.
If Governing comes back with another look next year, I
think they’ll have much different comments.”
In the other areas, the County was praised in the
following areas:
Financial Management “After reforms that followed
bankruptcy, county’s investment status is ‘squeaky
clean,’ highly visible, continually reviewed and
very conservative.”
Capital Management “Long-term attention to road maintenance,
dating back to late 1980s, leaves infrastructure in excellent
shape.”
Human Resources “Merit system more flexible than
many in California; market-based salary system; developing
HR strategic plan; . . . extensive, successful, pay-for-performance
plan.”
“Most people don’t realize what an important
role county governments play in their daily lives –
from collecting taxes and garbage to providing public
health and economic development services,” said Dale
Jones, Director of the Government Performance Project
which performed the study. “That is why it is important
for citizens to have a way to measure how well their counties
run.”
The study will be the lead article in the February issue
of Governing Magazine.
The Alan K. Campbell Institute is an interdisciplinary
research organization dedicated to linking the worlds
of scholarship and public affairs. This includes the study
and analysis of areas such as public programs and actions,
citizenship and participation, public management and public
administration, and political ideas and political outcomes.
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