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 PROJECT ASSISTANCE
Types of Assistance and Examples of Projects
Conducting COMMUNITY
SURVEYS is a valuable experience for Miami's public administration students, as well
as the community interested in seeking the level of citizen satisfaction, service
delivery, and/or consumption patterns. Students learn "real world"
applications of their local government and research statistics coursework; while, local
leaders can take a "snapshot" approach to community opinions. Examples where students teams have developed the survey instrument, analyzed the findings,
prepared a final report, and presented findings to local leaders include Oxford Township
(Butler County), Village of Germantown (Montgomery County), and the Village of
Williamsburg (Clermont County). Another survey was conducted in cooperation
with the Hamilton County Office of Economic Development to assist Delhi Township
(Hamilton County) in development efforts
to revitalize the township's major business corridor.
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
demands are a critical issue facing local governments. With the increased used of
data, information management is a challenge. The computerization of accounting
functions, service delivery, utility billing, dispatching, planning, zoning, and
land and site inventories for development opportunities are common concerns. Center staff
have also assisted with cemetery tracking and records management projects.
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
efforts can be provided by the Center for communities that do not have a full-time
development professional or they can support existing personnel or
programs. The Center receives funding from the Economic Development
Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce to provide project assistance to local
governments who are facing either growth or decline.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS are a
tool to aid local government decision-making and many computer mapping applications are
becoming more user friendly; Center staff can help with getting started, managing data,
producing output, and utilizing spatial representations.
One response to change is STRATEGIC
PLANNING. A variety of programs have been developed and facilitated by the
professional staff of the Center. In the City of Clayton (Montgomery County), local
leadership developed an issue agenda; in the Village of Union City (Darke County), a
citizen advisory group was concerned with quality-of-life issues; and in West Milton
(Miami County), the Community Improvement Corporation board members were interested
in establishing goals and objectives.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT AND
PROGRAM EVALUATIONS have been provided to numerous communities, departments, and
agencies. Examples include coordination of an executive search, charter reviews, job
audits and distribution analysis, and forecasting of future financial demands and
personnel needs.
The storage and management of records is a legal requirement for all local governments. The Center can provide expertise and
assistance in developing a comprehensive and compliant RECORDS
RETENTION program for your community.
An important function of local government is PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT; it is often the largest percentage of the
operating budget. Assistance has been provided to numerous communities in the form
of policies and procedures, position descriptions, performance appraisal systems and
compensation schedules; examples include Fairfield Township (Butler County), Spring
Valley Township (Greene County), and Crosby Township (Hamilton County). Other HUMAN RESOURCE management advice has been provided to agencies
that require an external reviewer to perform job audits (Warren County Engineer's Office)
and work distribution analysis (Benham's Grove Facility, City of Centerville).
Communities faced with PLANNING AND
ZONING issues have received the following types of assistance: development of
telecommunications ordinance for the City of Harrison (Hamilton County), review and update
of zoning ordinances and comprehensive plans, training of board members, review of
enforcement capacity, etc.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE
ASSISTANCE can be provided to any community facing the installation, repair, or
upgrade of it's water and sewer facilities; expertise is available to help with the
preparation of capital improvements reports, the qualifications-based
selection of a consulting engineer, conducting an income survey
to determine eligibility for grant/loan assistance, pursuing strategies for seeking
external funding sources, and other phases of any large capital investment.
A WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT service
is available through the Center and in cooperation with the Ohio Township Association; the
Center also develops and maintains a variety of INTERNET WEB SITES that benefit local
governments in Ohio; such as the OTA, SCEIG, ORDP, OAMMA,
OACA,
and our own data server.
WATER SYSTEMS TRAINING for local
officials is provided conjunction with Small Communities Environmental Infrastructure
Group; Center staff is instrumental in developing, delivering, and hosting such
training.
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