Brockport implements quality service initiative

Brockport implements quality service initiative

Brockport Benchmarks was introduced as a new quality service initiative being undertaken in the village. "This will be a way for residents to log problems and complaints and for the village to respond and work toward resolution of these problems," Trustee David Wagenhauser said at the July 16 board meeting. "This new administrative tool will track resident concerns and requests for service. An accountability and performance management system will then measure the village staff's timeliness in resolving the problem, concern or service request."

Residents will be able to call the village office at 637-5300 and will be prompted to enter their concern on the Brockport Benchmark line and leave their name, address and other contact information. The calls will be logged into a spreadsheet which will be monitored by Village Manager Ian Coyle. "The board will receive the information," Wagenhauser said. "The data will be beneficial to all the officials and department heads as we work to watch trends in the village, measure resolutions and timeliness of responses by the appropriate village official or employee."
In a conversation following the meeting, Coyle said, "I think with Brockport Benchmarks we have developed an excellent management tool to track and assess the service quality of our municipal operations. It's a customer service program rooted in a performance measurement framework and will no doubt improve the efficiency of village departments."

As the village tracks issues, the board can evaluate problem areas and assign resources or alter policies to address specific concerns, he said. "In the end, dedication to such a program shows the taxpayers in this community that the board of trustees, department heads and staff in the Village of Brockport are striving to espouse, day in and day out, the service side of public service," Coyle said.

"Brockport Benchmarks is a quality service initiative, steeped in the best practices of the private sector where efficiency and "measurable outcomes" have been used to increase efficiency and quality of service," Wagenhauser wrote in a press release.

Brockport Benchmarks was created to streamline customer service delivery, ensure accountability, increase productivity, uncover trends and problem areas, and maintain consistent and timely follow-up for service requests.

Brockport Benchmarks will require no taxpayer dollars nor new equipment.

"Accountability and responsiveness are key," Wagenhauser wrote, "frankly, the taxpayer buck stops here."

There will be a section on the village website devoted to the Benchmark initiative that goes live Monday, July 23.

In other matters the board:

•Heard from residents Marcia Collier and Jack Wahl on their concerns with dust and noise from developers from the Sunflower Landing subdivision. Both residents spoke of the non-responsiveness of the village's code enforcement department and the apparent disregard of village codes. "There have been issues with dust from the site, jack hammering past 8 p.m. and there were also open holes on the site that weren't addressed until OSHA came down," Collier said.

Wahl said the dust and dirt problems had dissipated a bit since he attended the June 18 meeting but said that he is certain the dust will begin flying again. "There is a water truck on site but I haven't seen it being used," he said. "I feel if I come before the board, the issues should be addressed but they have been ignored."

"To say the village hasn't acted is remiss," Wagenhauser said. "The questions and concerns raised were investigated. Village officials have asked for more stringent enforcement."

Code Enforcement Officer Scott Zarnstorff was excused from the July 16 meeting.

•Discussed the use of a tractor to pull wagon loads of people on August 4 during an event being hosted by the Western Monroe Historical Society. Police Chief Dan Varrenti said that while his officers would "use good sense" when it came to the event, they shouldn't ignore the vehicle and traffic safety laws of NY that don't allow for farm tractors to be used as conveyances. "I can't change the laws about farm tractors not being able to be used in the manner that's being proposed for this event," he said.

•Village officials were going to talk to Historical Society members with the concerns at the next village board workshop.

•During the annual appointments and adoptions portion of the board meeting, Trustee Connie Castaneda, who was reappointed vice mayor, requested village officials consider not suspending the first meeting of the month during the summer as has been done in years past. "Our workload remains the same during the summer months," she said of her reasoning to continue holding two board meetings monthly, regardless of the season.

•It was decided to change the date of the village workshops in the summer months so there would not be close to a month between meetings.

•The next village board meeting will be Monday, August 20.