by Chrissy Meyer
Extension to Communities
Iowa State University
Tighter resources and changing technology are beginning to catch up with local governments in Iowa. Many county and city governments are beginning to take a more proactive approach to changes and "reinvent" the way they approach government.
"In 100 years, when we look back at the governments that we operate under today, they will be like the horse and buggy. With tighter resources, governments require reinvention," said ISU Extension to Communities specialist Jerry Stubben.
Local governments are learning to change technology instead of just coping with it through training classes sponsored by ISU Extension and the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC). The classes are taught by Stubben and former ISU Extension political scientist Jack Whitmer. In 1995, more than 100 county officials attended classes for two to three days and learned a process for changing their governments that they could take back to their courthouses and implement.
The classes focused on what could be implemented into existing governments to make them operate better, more efficiently and more effectively. Participants had the opportunity to change an exiting program or devise a new one that would fill a need that was previously not addressed.
For example, when citizens became outraged at the 1990 Fisher Commission proposal that would have forced them to travel 50 to 100 miles to one of 19 regional driver's license centers, the Iowa State County Treasurers Association proposed that county treasurers' offices provide motor vehicle services to the public. This solution was first presented in a reinventing government class.
With help from Sen. Jack Kibbie, D-Palo Alto County, and Sen. Eugene Fraise, D-Lee County, legislation was passed to pilot the project in Adams, Cass, Fremont, Montgomery, Mills and Page counties. The fall after the legislation was passed, the new equipment was installed and staff were trained. In January 1994, the six counties began issuing driver's licenses, motor vehicle titles and registrations. In 1995, the program was made permanent in the six pilot counties.
In addition, at a reinventing government class in 1993, a group of northwest Iowa suggested that counties employ "gate-keepers" for mental health services. Today, that position exists in every county as the Central Point of Coordination Administrator.
Other examples of proposed projects included county consolidation and a project that would provide small communities with nonprofit services such as law enforcement and ambulances. Also, some counties devised plans for drive-up tax payment windows or plans to allow taxes to be paid by credit card.
After deciding on a project, participants demonstrated their projects first to the class and then took their ideas home to get feedback from other county officials. They worked out how the program could be implemented and tried to find a plan of action. Then participants came back to the conference and presented how the program had been implemented.
"The biggest problem is that local officials feel powerless against state and federal mandates. However, within those mandates there's room for innovations," Stubben said.
In addition, Stubben said that the innovative government would become a resource for state and federal governments as an information source and example.
According to Whitmer, the classes were very successful in making governments aware of other ways of functioning.
Contacts:
Terry L. Besser, ISU
Extension Sociology, (515) 294-6508
Del Marks, ISU Extension
Communication Systems, (515) 294-9807
