Organized Outsourcing
| Author | Michael C. Van Milligen |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2012.02638.x |
| Published date | 01 November 2012 |
| Date | 01 November 2012 |
Commentary
Michael C. Van Milligen has served
as city manager for Dubuque, Iowa, since
January 1993. He previously served as
assistant village manager for the Village
of Skokie, Illinois from 1987–1993. He
holds bachelor’s degrees and a master’s
degree from Southern Illinois University.
Van Milligen was named 2003 Outstanding
Manager of the Year by the International
City/County Management Association and
National Academy of Public Administration
Fellow by the Academy’s board of directors
in 2010.
E-mail: ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org
Organized Outsourcing 817
Public Administration Review,
Vol. 72, Iss. 6, pp. 817–818. © 2012 by
The American Society for Public Administration.
DOI: 10.111/j.1540-6210.2012.02638.x.
Michael C. Van Milligen
City of Dubuque, Iowa
The analysis in this study is important and
timely. Professors M. Ernita Joaquin and
omas J. Greitens, in their article “Contract
Management Capacity Breakdown? An Analysis of
U.S. Local Government,” have done us all a great
service by seeding the discussion with some impor-
tant analysis. All levels of government are under
intense pressure to operate more effi ciently while
not sacrifi cing eff ectiveness—eff ectiveness looked at
through the prism of outcomes instead of outputs.
e entire concept of contracting is very complex. It
runs the gamut of contracting a service in its entirety
to a private entity, another government agency, or a
not-for-profi t organization to partnering with others
on shared delivery or operation models in which there
can be joint governance or simply components of a
service off ered through other companies, organiza-
tions, or agencies.
I have been the city manager of Dubuque, Iowa
(population 57,637) for almost 20 years. During
that time, every department has had to conduct a
rigorous and thorough formal process to review its
operations. e process included a seven-member
team of employees. is set process was conducted to
determine whether the department was operating as
effi ciently as possible: how did other cities operate a
similar service, and what were the privatization and
partnership opportunities? e process focused on
effi ciency and eff ectiveness to improve outcomes.
Having a formal evaluation process that involved
department employees ensured that there was
sensitivity to how changes would aff ect existing
employees and would also consider the structure
needed to manage a new service delivery model.
Comparing fi scal year 2013 with fi scal year 1981,
the city has 31 (5.3 percent) fewer full-time employ-
ees today. is is in spite of the fact that the city
has added many new and expanded services, such
as separate weekly recycling collection, combined
countywide public safety emergency communica-
tions, geographic information system management,
a neighborhood development specialist, a workforce
development coordinator, a Multicultural Family
Center, a horticulturist, 16 additional police offi cers, a
Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, Bridges Out of
Poverty, a city-owned ice arena, and other activities.
e city of Dubuque has privatized the operation of
the Five Flags Civic Center, Grand River Convention
Center, Jule Transit System, and Dubuque Ice Center.
e city partners with Dubuque County on landfi ll
and recycling operations through joint governance of
the Dubuque Area Solid Waste Agency.
e city has not only contracted out services, but
also has partnered with others to accomplish tasks
instead of adding city staff . is includes working
with the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation
on economic and workforce development; with
the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
on health care for the poor, improving youth
services, improving third-grade reading scores, and
sustainability; with the Dubuque Area Chamber of
Commerce on tourism, legislative advocacy, and com-
munity improvement; with Dubuque Main Street on
downtown events and redevelopment; with Dubuque
Initiatives on industrial park development, workforce
housing, and downtown revitalization; with the East
Central Intergovernmental Association on grants,
transit operations, and transportation planning; with
the Dubuque Community School District on after-
school activities and park development; and with
Sustainable Dubuque on implementation of commu-
nity-wide sustainability initiatives.
Mayor Roy Buol and the Dubuque City Council
update the City Comprehensive Plan (fi rst approved
in 1995, replacing the previous 1936 Comprehensive
Plan) every fi ve years and hold an annual two-day
strategic planning process. It was at this annual
session in 2006 that Mayor Buol championed
sustainability as the city’s top priority, and it now
permeates everything that we do. e creation of a
community collaboration called Sustainable Dubuque
Organized Outsourcing
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