September 8, 2015

FYI Memo: Year 1 Look Back for City Manager Harry Black

Harry Black took office as City Manager of the City of Cincinnati on Sept. 8, 2014. Over the past year he has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of City government in Cincinnati.

Tuesday marked the one-year anniversary of Black being sworn-in to office. The following FYI memo to Mayor John Cranley and City Council highlights what has taken place in Cincinnati over the past 365 days.

Today marks my one-year anniversary of being sworn in as Cincinnati’s 15th City Manager.

It has been a busy but very productive year. I am proud of the progress we have made, but much remains to be done. I sincerely thank the Mayor and City Council and the residents of Cincinnati for this opportunity and the confidence you continue to have in me. We have a terrific team of policymakers and City employees, which has made all the difference in working toward the priority goals that we have laid out for the city. All facets of City government are working well together. This makes us a strong collective, poised for even greater success.

I have spent many days and evenings getting to know Cincinnati and City employees. Our efforts to make Cincinnati the best managed city in America have included filling a number of key staff positions including two Assistant City Managers and directors of Law, Budget, Citizen Complaint Authority, Community and Economic Development, Economic Inclusion, Communications, Emergency Communications Center as well as an Assistant Police Chief and City Prosecutor.

I have met with 79 different civic, corporate and nonprofit organizations representing the varying constituencies of Cincinnati. I have tried to fulfill my promise to "intentionally over-communicate," issuing over 170 formal FYI memos to the Mayor, City Council and the general public on virtually every topic of interest facing the City. In addition, I remain committed to always being accessible and responsive to your ideas, concerns and interest.

In less than a year, with your backing, which is absolutely critical, substantial progress has been made in implementing our 5 Priority Goals. Highlights include:

Innovative Government

• Recommended, and City Council approved, the creation of the Office of Performance & Data Analytics designed to make Cincinnati a national leader in performance management by stretching resources further, working smarter and improving service levels.
• Developed performance management agreements with each Department Director that will be used to measure results and improve service.
• Developed and built our first Innovation Lab, a place City employees are using to solve problems and enhance service integration. So far the Lab has identified ways to shorten permitting times from 10.5 weeks to 3-5 weeks, and already eliminated $130,000 in late fees by consolidating utility bills.
• CincyStat is up and running, holding three meetings a week focused on eight Administrative departments, working on a bi-weekly and monthly schedule. These meetings enable senior staff to identify and track performance and service measures. Meetings have been held continuously since CincyStat’s May launch.
• Together, we have launched the City’s new open data portal, Open Data Cincinnati, which is giving the general public unfettered access to City data sets. It is enhancing transparency and inviting the public to partner on creative solutions.
• Overhauled the City’s all-purpose customer service app for mobile devices that makes it easier for residents to file and track service requests. This is scheduled to be launched prior to October.
• Launched the new Parking app, CincyEZPark, which allows citizens to use their mobile phone to pay meters and pre-pay in advance, in addition to an overhaul of City parking meters with over 3,000 new “smart meters” and dozens of multi-space meters. We anticipate adding an additional 500 new “smart meters” and multi-space meters in the coming months.

Fiscal Sustainability and Strategic Re-Investment

• Recommended, and City Council approved, a structurally balanced 2016-2017 budget. The budget was informed by the 5 Priority Goals and for the first time includes department performance management agreements.
• The pension system will be balanced through the hard work, perseverance and good faith efforts of retirees, labor unions and City staff. After implementation of the Settlement Agreement, the funded ratio of the pension plan is expected to increase from 64% (as of 12/31/14) to approximately 80% (as of 12/31/16) and 100% in 2044 if all assumptions are realized. This addresses a long-term threat to the financial well-being of the City for years to come and allows us to move forward with strategic investment opportunities. I am appreciative for having been able to play a small role in this. The leadership of the Mayor and City Council is what got this deal done.
• In his 2014 State of the City address, the Mayor charged me with coming up with a solution that strategically addressed the City’s fleet and infrastructure deficit. The Administration recommended, and City Council approved, the innovative Capital Acceleration Plan (CAP) to improve City assets and save taxpayer resources. The additional $97.5 million investment over the next 6 years will improve city streets and bring our fleet of vehicles into life cycle. The goal is to raise the average pavement condition index from 65 to 70 in 6 years, and reduce the fleet from an average age of 55% out of lifecycle to an average of 11% out of lifecycle. We will now be able to increase street repaving from 110 lane miles per year to 160 lane miles, as well as move from 0 miles of street preventative maintenance per year to 65-75 lane miles per year. This will allow us to significantly decrease maintenance costs and improve service delivery. This is a truly collaborative effort involving all segments of City government.
• Developed, and City Council approved, a fund balance stabilization policy to improve the City’s financial footing and prepare for economic downturns by responsibly growing our reserves. The current Fund Balance as of June 30, 2015 is 11.7% of revenue, or $43.1 million; the goal is 16.7% of revenue, or $61.8 million.
• We have achieved an upgraded bond rating outlook (from negative to stable) from Moody’s for the City’s General Obligations Bonds. Another indication of the City’s steadily improving financial position.
• Implemented an administrative decoupling of MSD and GCWW which has the potential to increase revenue opportunities, reduce ratepayer pressure and enhance performance results for both utilities, which are both under new leadership.
• Working together, we avoided lengthy and costly arbitration through successful resolution of labor negotiations with the City’s two largest employee unions, Police and Fire.

Safer Streets

• With your full support, we stabilized and improved Police and Fire staffing levels. Seventy eight police recruits have graduated and another class of 30 is set to begin training this winter.
• Fire staffing levels approved at 850, which means fire company “brownouts” are no longer being utilized as a budget savings device.
• Maintained the City’s commitment to leading in data-driven policing including a recommitment to the Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV) initiative, as well as the Manager’s Advisory Group and the Partnering Center.
• Utilizing the CincyStat program to improve police officer efficiency through improved use of and investment in technology. We are accelerating the enhancement of in-car technology that supports the patrol function. In addition, we are supporting CPD with looking at technology in general.
• Currently pursuing body camera program for police officers through grant applications and the establishment of an internal implementation committee, in an effort to expedite implementation of a program.

A Growing Economy

• Restructured a third of the City workforce to make it easier to do business with the City, and faster and more efficient to obtain permits or initiate development projects. As approved by City Council, the Department of Trade and Development has been reorganized as Community and Economic Development. Also, the Department of Buildings and Inspections Inspections has been reconstituted and a stand-alone Planning Department is now in place. We are working hard to re-launch the City’s One-Stop Permit shop by focusing on the physical environment, technology utilization and the deployment of streamlined processes.
• Building on the Mayor’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Council Recommendations (EIAC), the Administration recommended, and City Council approved, the creation of the City’s first Department of Economic Inclusion and hired the first director.
• Continue to assist the Mayor and City Council with driving strategic economic development projects including redevelopment of Hamilton and North Bend in College Hill, Wasson Way Bike Trail, the MedPace Campus in Madisonville, and the Fourth and Race and Eighth and Sycamore in Downtown.

Thriving & Healthy Neighborhoods

• Recommended, and City Council approved, a new Community Engagement Challenge Grant program whereby community groups can apply for grants up to $10,000 to create unique community engagement strategies to bring people together in new and innovative ways.
• As part of the recommended budget, Neighborhood Support Program (NSP) funding was increased. These resources are used by community councils for neighborhood improvement.
• Through the vision and leadership of the Mayor and City Council, we have been able to tackle neighborhood blight through stepped up enforcement efforts and restructuring of the Private Lot Abatement program as approved by City Council.
• The Administration worked with the Avondale Community Council and the Community Builders to bring a 20,000 square-foot grocery store and more than 70 apartments to Avondale on Reading Road next to the Avondale Town Center. The project breaks ground next year and is part of a broader transformation effort to remake the Town Center.

At the end of the day, a healthier and effective City government will support a growing economy, safer streets, thriving and healthy neighborhoods, innovative government, and fiscal sustainability and strategic reinvestment.

It’s been a remarkable year full of highs such as hosting a world-class Major League Baseball All-Star Game event, and some sorrowful lows as we still mourn the loss of two of our heroes – FAO Daryl Gordon and Police Officer Sonny Kim. I would like to particularly thank the dedicated and talented City workforce who demonstrate a high degree of commitment to Cincinnati on a daily basis.

I am excited with where we are headed and look forward to working with you, and other stakeholders, to build on the momentum the city is experiencing. None of this would be possible without your support and commitment to building a better Cincinnati. We are just getting started.