[MassHistPres] Performance Measures

[Young, Andrea]

Thanks for your suggestions, Ralph.  I agree that turnaround time for Certificates of Appropriateness isn't useful except, as you said, to measure the amount of time from decision date to certificate issue date.  Turnaround time has worked well for Certificates of Non-Applicability. Applications are approved on the same day received - unless the information is inadequate. It's great for PR, and for dispelling the myth that HDC's are just another layer of bureaucracy.    

Andrea Young 
Administrator 
Hingham Historical Commission 
Hingham Historic Districts Commission 
Community Preservation Committee 
210 Central Street 
Hingham, MA  02043 
781-741-1492 
younga at hingham-ma.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Ralph Slate
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 11:15 AM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Performance Measures

Springfield uses turnaround time, but it's a ridiculous metric because 
the factor that most affects turnaround time is the submission date in 
relation to your meeting schedule.

If every applicant submits an application the day before your meeting's 
submission deadline, you will have a very quick turnaround time. If 
every applicant submits an application the day after the submission 
deadline, you will have a very slow turnaround time. There is a 
mandatory 14 day notice for applications.

Springfield has tried to "improve" the turnaround time from 25 days to 
20 days. It is impossible unless we only accept applications on certain 
days, preventing someone from submitting a day after the deadline, 
because an application filed the day after the deadline can take 30 days 
before the next scheduled public hearing is scheduled, even though we 
meet twice a month.

You could try and measure the turnaround time from decision to mailing 
of the certificate.

You could also track the number of items tabled for lack of information, 
as a way to measure the performance of the staff working with the applicant.

Ralph Slate


Young, Andrea wrote:
> Hingham town government is switching from level funding to zero-based
> budgeting.  In conjunction with that change, departments have been asked
> to identify their key performance measures.  I would appreciate finding
> out how other Historical and Historic District Commissions measure
> performance.  Turnaround time for issuing C of A's and Certificates of
> Non-Applicability, the elapsed time from application for a C of A to the
> hearing are measures that I track for my CLG report.  What other
> measures do you use to show results?  Thanks for your help!
>
> Andrea Young 
> Administrator 
> Hingham Historical Commission 
> Hingham Historic Districts Commission 
> Community Preservation Committee 
> 210 Central Street 
> Hingham, MA  02043 
> 781-741-1492 
> younga at hingham-ma.com 
>
>  
>
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