City of McAllen Recognized for Performance Management Success

McAllen, TX (August 3, 2011) – The City of McAllen has received a Certificate of Distinction for its superior performance management efforts from the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) Center for Performance Measurement™. McAllen is among only 11 jurisdictions receiving the honor this year.

“We are happy to be recognized by the ICMA in our efforts to be accountable and transparent to the citizens of McAllen,” stated Mayor Richard F. Cortez.

The certificate program assesses a local government’s performance management program and encourages analysis of results by comparing to peers and gauging performance over time. Performance management aids in cost reduction, program prioritization, and quality improvement.

Criteria for the Certificate of Distinction, which serves as a checklist of effective, results-oriented management practices, include: reporting of performance data to the public through budgets, newsletters, and/or information provided to elected officials; data verification efforts to ensure reliability; staff training; use of performance data in strategic planning and operational decision making; and sharing of performance measurement knowledge with other local governments through presentations and other networking.

Mike R. Perez, City Manager, stated “An organization becomes stagnant if it does not continue to assess its functions and apply changes where necessary, and that’s what McAllen does and will continue to do.”

ICMA advances professional local government worldwide. Its mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advancing professional management of local government. ICMA provides member support; publications, data, and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to nearly 9,000 city, town, and county experts throughout the world.

The ICMA’s Center for Performance Measurement (CPM) is dedicated to helping local governments use performance information to better the lives of the people they serve, assisting localities with the collection, reporting and analysis of data relating to quality, effectiveness, and efficiency. CPM currently assists more than 160 local governments in the U.S. and Canada with the collection, analysis, and application of performance information.