Friday, February 1, 2002
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Friday, February 1, 2002 |
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County government gets a C By JOHN
THOMPSON
A new study gives Fulton County's government a C for its overall operations, but said the county is making marked improvement. The Government Performance Project was conducted by researchers at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Since 1996, under the auspices of The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University has rated the management capacity of local and state governments and selected federal agencies in the United States. This yaer's study evaluated the effectiveness of 40 large counties around the nation. The study evaluated five key areas of management. The county received its highest grade, a B minus, in financial management. Researchers said the county maintains a professional staff and they were happy to see the county implement a new five-year financial forecast and operating plan. But the study said the county is still suffering from a legacy of bribery scandals and researchers did not like the fact that all contracts need Board of Commissioners approval. Capital management, managing for results, and human resources all scored C's in the evaluation. The county scored its lowest grade in information technology. Researchers said the county's Web site is weak and there is a frequent leadership turnover. The study also slammed an "archaic" tax information system and said a lack of standards in the past led to a "hodgepodge" of wiring, equipment and software. County manager Tom Andrews did not return calls for comments on the study.
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