Collaborative Efforts Result In Cost Cutting Partnerships

Every community has a choice in how it will approach the many issues and problems they must face. In fact, it can easily be demonstrated that all levels of government are regularly challenged to meet the demands of the constituents.  Regardless of whether those challenges relate to logistics, finances or policy, their impact is often to slow progress, stop innovation, or place obstacles in the path of making good decisions. The choice each community must make is whether it will give in to the temptation of power, territory and control in its decisions, or will it embrace a culture of collaborative effort and strategic partnership to efficiently solve problems.

 

Collaborative efforts between governments, the private sector, and individual citizens can, when genuine, lead to improved services, lower taxes, better decision making and increased public support for needed programs or projects. Nevertheless, many communities choose to approach their problems with a go-it-alone attitude that is most often driven by desire to hold power, or, in the mistaken belief that having partners somehow dilutes their authority or power.  Observers almost unanimously agree that the opposite is, in fact, true. Those collaborative efforts are the best way for the individual member to achieve success.  Partnerships that seek to cooperate and coordinate efforts and resources are most likely to develop long-term viable solutions to problems. Additionally, when those collaborative efforts are developed between local units of government (states, cities, and counties) they are much more likely to reach common goals and bring efficiencies among governments that serve the same constituents.

 

An example of one of those collaborative efforts can be found in a 1992 decision that brought the City of Owasso and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections together to develop a program that allowed the city to utilize state prison inmates to provide labor for repair, maintenance, and construction projects. Over the past 17 years the City of Owasso has benefited from the daily use of between eight and fifteen DOC inmates to assist with a variety of public service tasks at a very low cost to the taxpayers of Owasso. At the same time, these workers are being reintroduced to society. They are gaining valuable experience as potential future employees. All parties win. The citizens of Owasso have had the use of approximately $3,700,000 in labor value, the DOC has had fewer hours of required supervision and more opportunities for job training, and inmates have increased their chances for future success.

 

Partnerships can provide a continued or improved level of service, at reduced cost. Equally important is that partnerships can also provide the capital needed for construction of a communities major facilities. Each citizen benefits from the availability of shopping or doing business in Owasso without having to leave their home town. It is important to recognize the priority that citizens have placed on maintaining the quality of living that brought them to Owasso in the first place. Over the past 20 years, the City of Owasso has partnered with various land developers to create development opportunities that led to the home building, retail expansion, and friendly business environment that exists today.  One recent example is the Smith Farm Market Place.  In the early 2000’s a city staff member traveling from Owasso  to Dallas, Texas, noticed an attractive retail shopping complex. City Officials met with the developer of the shopping center to discuss development opportunity in Owasso.  As a result of those discussions, and the collaborative efforts that followed, expanded retail opportunities were no longer a dream but a reality for the citizens of Owasso. This strategic partnership between the city and the private sector has increased the City’s sales tax by $2,000,000 per year, allowing for increase of  police officers, fire fighters, and street and drainage improvements for Owasso residents.

 

Additionally, collaboration between governmental entities allows for the coordination of their individual resources. Over the past several years, the City of Owasso and Tulsa County have become strategic partners in an effort to provide improved levels of service at a reduced cost to the taxpayers. This partnership has provided both entities with an ability to repair and construct major roadway improvements to the benefit of our shared constituency. Since April, 2006, these efforts have improved over 30 lane miles of roadway within the City of Owasso reducing costs by 40% to the citizens of Owasso and Tulsa County. These efforts would have not been possible without Tulsa County Commissioner John Smaligo’s and Tulsa County Engineer Ray Jordan’s willingness and foresight to allow the use of county labor and equipment to make significant improvements to roads that are used by both residents of Owasso and Tulsa County. That kind of collaborative effort recognizes that efficiencies in the expenditure of tax dollars must be a priority. The goal of any partnership between governmental entities is to 1) improve services for the benefit of taxpayers and 2) combine resources in order to realize a cost savings to the taxpayer.

 

Here in Owasso, the City recognizes and acts to create strategic partnerships with other governmental entities, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations for the sole purpose of developing solutions to mutual concerns, avoiding duplication of efforts, and improving the efficiencies of how tax dollars are expended.

 

In the first week of January, Owasso residents will notice Tulsa County crews in our neighborhoods overlaying streets. That project is costing taxpayers about half of what would have been paid had Commissioner Smaligo not been the kind of public official who believes in making the most of every tax dollar. This collaborative effort is a win-win for all parties and results in almost twice as much road repair work being completed as could have been done by only one of the parties.

 

To meet the demands of a growing constituency, the city must develop creative solutions to problems. Thinking in other terms lends itself to the collaborative mindset that is embraced by local officials to the benefit of citizens.

Feedback from readers is welcomed. If you wish to contact the City Manager regarding this blog, send an email to cmanager@cityofowasso.com.