Making Change Happen – What it Takes

By now everyone is aware of the financial turbulence we’ve been experiencing. Everyone is also aware that the solutions provided by many of our political leaders are woefully inadequate and prospects of useful solutions seem to be as elusive as lower taxes. In the Town of Greenburgh, our failed leaders have stumbled meekly with marginal solutions such as attrition, reduced purchasing and of course, tax increases as their offering to good government. Their failures translate into a perennial assault on our wallets. Each year it’s a bit more than last. With a record amount of double-digit tax increases, why is the electorate so complacent? It could be they’re simply tax-numb.

The world around us is suffering, although its not much consolation. These same politicos tell us to be happy, that it’s not too bad and their increase is only a couple of percent and no one had to lose their job. Terminating employees is the hard decision they simply didn’t want to make and took the easy way out, dodging the re-election bullet they desperately seek to avoid.

In the last national election, tea party candidates, independents and people whom never before sought public office, ran for office and won! Now, like spoiled brats, the media is vilifying these new politicians as they attempt to vote following their principles and conviction – challenging the old guard. The media is complicit because they want to be on the inside track for information, press releases and breaking stories. To accomplish this, they’ve sold their soul to the devil politicians for it. Their responsibility should be with the public, challenging the politicians over policies and decisions, keeping them honest. Remember Woodward and Bernstein and All The Presidents Men? We’re a far cry from those days.

Reinventing government services for cost savings can seem daunting at first. Before the first steps can be taken, the organization needs to develop a comprehensive strategic vision for the enterprise. This needs to address the realities, goals, needs, constraints and challenges of all parts of the organization. It is vital that this plan take an integrated approach across all aspects of what and how services are provided. Fixing one aspect in isolation won’t solve the problem. In fact, isolated priorities and one-dimensional thinking played a large part in creating the problem in the first place. Sound familiar? It’s should, it’s right out of our Supervisors playbook.

Greenburgh embarked on a Comprehensive Plan study several years ago. Now, when one asks of its status, the preordained response from the Supervisor or the Town Board members is, “It’s almost ready”. It was supposed to be completed and ready for implementation in two years. Neighborhood meetings were scheduled and took place, sometimes with standing room only. Many of the meetings resembled each other, with residential commonalities and input requesting smaller not larger buildings be built when an existing building was torn down; less impervious space (note: think flooding in your Greenburgh neighborhood), sidewalks, less traffic, bike lanes and paths, and so on. The Paul may talk green but knows it doesn’t help him get donations from developers. Relax, just take a picture of him on his bicycle and do a press release. Don’t forget to mention something about open government.

Once government has a solid strategic roadmap, the focus can shift to finding the smartest, most direct and most cost-effective path to get there. Since governments have spent so much time maintaining old systems and comparatively less on new projects, this effort will also involve a shift in mindset. It is important for government to assess the skills needed for modernization and to bring in a fresh perspective. Too often projects and procurements have lofty goals painting a bright future, but are held back by detailed requirements that are firmly planted in the past. More importantly, those in charge simply ignore their constituents and their neighborhoods because ‘they know better’. Hogwash!

Finally — and perhaps most fundamentally — governments need a deep willingness to change. Constituent demands and today’s budget challenges aren’t going away. Smart government leaders from policy to administration need to be willing to embrace new mindsets and boldly seek out the benefits of change. But the change must be valued change to all the voters, not marginalizing some to pander to others. Change can be bad if it’s a fight the entire way. It can be good if it’s collaborative. Supervisor Feiner seems less interested in having collaboration than talking about it. It’s time for a change in Greenburgh.