Issue of the Month: Kent County Performance Management

Like every good public body, Kent County has focused on getting the most good for the public dollars it receives from taxing its citizens. The County has had an internal performance management and measurement system since 1997, and has gradually tweaked it to become one of the most highly thought of performance enhancing systems in the state. Our system involves every department head developing their own method of measuring output, outcomes, and efficiencies. These measures are reviewed and approved by a countywide Performance Measurement Review Team (PMRT) before becoming that department’s measure of effectiveness and/ or efficiency with county public funds. The department heard provides once per year verbal and written reports to the Legislative and Human Resources Committee of the County Commission. The performance system has received two major improvements since being formally established in 1997. An initiative in 2004 resulted in more of the measurements tracking actual ‘outcomes’ or quality versus only ‘outputs’ or quantity. A further improvement in 2008 involved development of a countywide database so each department head can input data into a database that can be accessed by all departments so there is one consistent format of measuring performance countywide. The new database has been used by the Administrator to merge performance data into his annual budgeting process. The Performance Management System has become the focal point to ensure efforts are being made continually toward accomplishing the County’s mission to “be an effective and efficient steward in delivering quality services for our diverse community.” Check it out at www.accesskent.gov Performance Management System.