Milwaukee County Zoo Provides 2013 Performance Measures

On June 2, The Milwaukee County Zoological Department (Zoo) presented its 2013 performance measures to the County Executive’s Cabinet. Detailed information can be found on the Power Point presentation linked below. Highlights of the report include:

• Based on a 2006 Economic Study, the total direct and indirect economic impact of the Zoo on the region is $112 million. This is about 20 times the annual tax levy support.
• The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums – fewer than 10% of licensed animal exhibitors earn this accreditation.
• 83.3% of visitors were accompanied by at least one child 12 and under.
• The Zoo’s YouTube channel and online webcams had over 1,000,000 hits in 2013.
• Visitors spent an average of $14.29 each (including admission, concessions, and souvenirs) in 2013.
• Operating revenues covered 74% of operating expenditures in 2013. The remaining 26% of expenditures were funded with tax levy.
• According to guest surveys, visitors reporting “Excellent” or “Very Good” service 88% of the time.
• 98% of visitors reported being “Extremely Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with their overall experience.
• Started the Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Program. 150 trees were treated and another 150 were removed.
• Animal births in 2013 include a tree kangaroo, four bonobos, and two jaguar cubs.
• The Zoo entered into a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee for fundraising, education, membership and conservation support.

To view the Zoo’s presentation, click here.

County Making Progress towards Implementation of LEAN

DAS-PSB was awarded financing through the 2014 innovation fund to implement a countywide LEAN initiative. LEAN is a process improvement practice that helps organizations function more efficiently by critically analyzing burdensome processes, including those that are administrative and those that directly impact our constituents. By streamlining and improving these processes, the County expects to improve the value and sustainability of its core services.

A cross-department workgroup of individuals involved in a particular process gather and, with the help of independent facilitators, map out the steps of the process and then investigate which steps should be changed to improve that process. Steps that actually provide value to customers and the organization are kept and possibly improved. For instance, a group of individuals who are involved in the process of issuing a permit will gather and look at which steps of the permitting process could be modified so that it requires less time and work to issue the permit.

The County has engaged a consultant to help set up an ongoing LEAN effort. This will include a steering committee, which will review requests for processes to be analyzed; and a group of facilitators who will work with cross-departmental teams to examine processes and develop options to make efficiency improvements. The County’s goal is to emulate the successes realized with LEAN in Brown County, Wisconsin and the City of Denver, Colorado, and to empower employees to provide value to constituents through a culture of continuous process improvement.

You may click here to review a presentation on LEAN management that provides more detailed information on the County’s LEAN journey.

 

Office of Veterans’ Services Provides 2013 Performance Measures

On June 2, the Milwaukee County Office of Veterans’ Services presented its 2013 performance measures to the County Executive’s Cabinet. Detailed information can be found on the Power Point Presentation linked below. Highlights of the report include:

• 99 percent of all information requests received responses within one business day.
• 78 percent of applications submitted to the State of Wisconsin were approved for assistance, up from 66 percent in 2011 and 74 percent in 2012.
• The Milwaukee County Office of Veterans’ Services has two dedicated individuals who provide services and counseling to approximately 51,000 veterans, roughly 12 percent of the Statewide total. By comparison, Dane County has nearly 29,000 veterans and Waukesha County has more than 27,000.
• The Milwaukee County Office of Veterans’ Services has an expenditure budget roughly equal to that of Waukesha County’s Office and approximately one-half that of Dane County’s Office.
• The Milwaukee County Office helped 1,000 veterans submit applications for State programs and the property tax credit in 2013. In comparison, Waukesha and Dane Counties helped approximately 300 and 400 respectively.
• More than 350 Milwaukee County veterans were approved to receive grants, tuition reimbursement and loan programs in 2013; roughly 37 percent of all approved applications Statewide.
• Milwaukee County veterans received nearly $2.25 million in property tax credits in 2013, an increase over 2011 ($1.6 million) and 2012 ($1.9 million).
• Walk-in traffic in the first four months of 2014 has increased by 9 percent over the same period in 2013, thanks primarily to the staff’s diligent effort to increase cooperative referral and outreach programs with the VA, the Milwaukee County Departments on Aging and Family Care, and local senior living facilities.

To view the Office’s presentation, click here.