Springfield looks for efficiency

By Peter Goonan

05/01/2008- The Republican

SPRINGFIELD - A data-driven program known as CitiStat Springfield, launched in January, is helping local officials confront issues ranging from teen pregnancy in the community to better management of sick time among employees.

During a press conference yesterday at City Hall, local officials praised CitiStat, and said it will result in more effective and efficient city services, ultimately saving millions of dollars. Similar programs in cities ranging from Baltimore to Syracuse have shown such improvements and savings, officials said.

The focus is on gathering a wide array of data and statistics extracted from city systems or provided by departments, analyzing the computerized data, tracking trends, meeting regularly to discuss the data, and coming up with solutions to detected problems and shortcomings, said Paul N. Foster, CitiStat's director.

"The big thing is about a quantitative look at the numbers," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. "This drives strategy, directs the resources that we have to better give results to our residents, taxpayers and our business community. It has been very effective."

Springfield Finance Control Board Executive Director Stephen P. Lisauskas said CitiStat "is a great tool to improve government."

The four principles of CitiStat, as identified under Baltimore's CitiStat program, are: "accurate and timely intelligence; effective tactics and strategy; rapid deployment of resources; and relentless follow-up and assessment."

In Springfield, Foster, whose annual salary is $70,000, is assisted by a senior analyst and two analysts. They regularly meet with department heads in compiling data and making assessments, and preparing monthly reports.

"CitiStat has given department heads data to be able to manage our departments more effectively," said Helen R. Caulton-Harris, the city's director of health and human services. "It is a think tank. It feeds us back information that is critical in terms of us knowing."

As part of CitiStat, a team of city officials looked at high trends on teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in Springfield. The team then looked at School Department data, comparing the city's strategies on health education with young people and found "there is simply a disconnect," Caulton-Harris said.

Sarno said adjustments will be proposed in the health education strategies.

"We are going to have be bold," Sarno said.

Patrick J. Sullivan, director of parks and facilities, said his department was reviewing sick leave time among its employees twice a year in the past, but has increased to monthly reviews under CitiStat. In some cases, it has resulted in employees being steered to help and services quicker, he said.

Sick leave in the facilities department has dropped by 10 percent since January, and sick leave in the Library Department has also fallen since that department implemented a new sick leave management program resulting from CitiStat, Foster said.