Asking why Cuyahoga CountyStat.

• Author: Scofield, Jennifer

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Cuyahoga CountyStat is a well-organized, data-driven accountability system that is used as a decision-making and communications strategy The county measures performance in order to start a conversation about why, and asking difficult questions helps achieve this purpose. The purpose of Cuyahoga CountyStat is five-fold: to gather and report on accurate and timely information; guide the allocation of resources; develop effective goals and objectives; allow for the continual monitoring of progress on measures; and demonstrate accountability and transparency

LEADING UP TO COUNTYSTAT

In November 2009, residents in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, voted overwhelmingly to establish a new charter form of government, moving from three commissioners and various elected office holders to a county executive and an 11-member county council, and the prosecutor as the only other elected office. Cuyahoga County is just the second county in the state to adopt this form of government.

In 2010, some 1,300 individuals volunteered to be part of 13 transition work groups, set up to address each critical component of the new county government. The work groups provided more than 100 recommendations in the following areas: boards and commissions, code of ethics, county council planning, economic development, finance and administration, government collaboration, health and human services, human resources, human capital/quality places, information technology, justice services, procurement, public works, and public engagement. This thorough effort laid a strong foundation, allowing the new government to provide the highest quality services while saving vital resources.

In November 2011, the people of Cuyahoga County elected their new officials. The new county executive had made CountyStat one of his campaign policies. Having implemented CitiStat in his previous position as mayor of a Cleveland suburb, he understood how a Stat strategy could improve efficiencies and save vital public resources without compromising on service quality. It was important that the new government not be satisfied to do things a certain way because that's the way they'd always been done, and CountyStat questions basic assumptions. Through this process, Cuyahoga County is methodically examining its every function and using benchmarks and recognized best practices to become more flexible and more efficient.

Several of CountyStat's key components began to take shape in December...