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RYAN STARTS STATEWIDE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND ESTABLISHES OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. George H. Ryan today initiated a comprehensive, year-long statewide performance review of all executive agencies, programs, laws and regulations.
The governor also created the Office of Strategic Planning to coordinate state government's future moves and to create a comprehensive approach to dealing with the state's future needs.
Ryan signed Executive Orders seven and eight to create the Office of Statewide Performance Review and the Illinois Office of Strategic Planning.
"State government is overgrown with laws, rules, regulations, programs and policies. Many of them work correctly and efficiently. However, not every regulation or program is as efficient as it could be," Ryan said. "Over the course of this year, we will sift through all of this and recommend what should be kept, what should be changed and what should be discarded."
The Performance Review, coordinated by Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood, will examine each agency program to determine whether the program could be performed more efficiently, merged with other programs, privatized or eliminated.
Rick Larison, 48, of Rochester will serve as the Director of the Office of Statewide Performance Review. Larison is a former special assistant to Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.
The Office also will undertake a detailed review of agency regulations to simplify the relationship between the state and business community. Ryan asked that the Performance Review project report recommendations back to him and the General Assembly in January, 2000.
Also part of the review process is a new "State Government Accountability Council." The Council will draw members from other governments, the academic world and the private sector to help state government implement the recommendations of the performance review and to bring some "real world experience" to the effort.
The council will also work to improve statewide government operations and reduce the regulatory burden borne by Illinois' business community.
Working closely with the performance review project will be the new Office of Strategic Planning, under the direction of Thomas Herndon, 55, of Taylorville. Herndon is the former director of management and budget in the secretary of state's office.
"The Office of Strategic Planning will focus on the future. Improving services and anticipating the needs of Illinois citizens in the next millennium are crucial to running an efficient government," Ryan said. "My goal is to have these two projects work together to ensure that all programs are fiscally responsible and are able to meet their goals," the governor added.
The Office of Strategic Planning will work with all agencies, boards and commissions to anticipate future needs and trends, to help ensure that statewide performance reviews continue into the future and to help make sure that government realizes the implications of present decisions.
The initiative will hold agencies accountable for program results by requiring agencies to clarify their missions, set program goals, and measure performance of those goals.
Beginning in 1999, state agencies must establish goals that define the level of performance to be achieved by each program; express the goals in an objective, measurable form; describe the processes and resources required to achieve goals; and provide a basis for comparing actual program results with established goals.
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 7 (1999)
EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING THE OFFICE OF STATEWIDE PERFORMANCE REVIEW
WHEREAS, a comprehensive performance review of Illinois state agency programs and regulations has not been conducted since 1986;
WHEREAS, Illinois' citizens deserve a state government that operates with maximum efficiency, fairness and candor;
WHEREAS, Illinois' business community can compete most effectively when free from unnecessary state regulation that stifles creativity and growth;
WHEREAS, State government performs best when its mission is clear, its goals well-articulated, and its agency management strategy unified in purpose;
WHEREAS, conducting a thorough performance review of state agency programs and regulations is a necessary step towards implementing a strategic planning process, which is critical to Illinois' future;
THEREFORE, I , George H. Ryan, hereby order the following
1. There is created the Office of Statewide Performance Review headed by a Director which shall be located within the Office of the Governor.
2. The Office of Statewide Performance Review shall conduct a comprehensive review of each program of every State agency under the jurisdiction of the Governor to assess if the program is vital to address the central mission of the sponsoring agency, or whether the program should be reassigned to a different agency, privatized, or eliminated. Agency programs shall be also be evaluated to determine if changes are necessary to improve the quality, scope or efficiency of program services.
3. The Office of Statewide Performance Review shall examine the totality of agency regulations to determine if the regulations are comprehensive, reasonable, prudent and written in a form that aids understanding and compliance.
4. There is created a State Government Accountability Council within the Office of Statewide Performance Review. The Council shall be appointed by the Governor and consist of 25 members. The members shall include, but not be limited to, representatives selected from business, research institutions, State government and the public at large. Members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for expenses.
5. The Council shall oversee the preparation of a preliminary report to the Governor by January, 2000. The report shall contain the Councils' recommendations on the implementation of the first year's findings of the performance review. In subsequent years the Council shall assist State agencies in the implementation of ongoing improvements in agency operations and service delivery. The Council shall draw from private sector expertise to form a group of volunteer specialists that can provide immediate assistance to State agencies to resolve critical issues.
6. Upon the effective date of this executive order, each state agency shall designate a person responsible for coordinating the performance review of the programs, regulations, and work processes of the agency. This individual shall work in concert with an agency steering committee composed of management, mid-management, front line staff and support staff members.
7. Each agency shall identify immediate, near-term and long term opportunities to improve programs and services as well as specific performance measures that are necessary and appropriate to gauge the success of the agency's core programs. Each agency shall examine the entire body of regulation that guides their operations, programs and service delivery systems to eliminate obsolete, redundant or unreasonable regulations.
8. Each agency shall utilize the tools of strategic planning and performance measures to establish their priorities and measure progress toward their stated goals. Each agency shall develop performance measures to assess customer satisfaction, progress towards accomplishing outcomes specified in agency budgets and shall develop procedures to provide feedback on the impact of operational improvements and encourage employee involvement and management improvement initiatives.
9. Each agency shall develop a plan for operational improvement that documents efforts to date and addresses the above areas. These plans shall be submitted to the Office of Statewide Performance Review no later than May 1, 1999.
10. Thereafter, each agency shall report the results of progress made through its improvement efforts to the Office of Statewide Performance Review and the Council on a quarterly basis. The reports shall specify improved outcomes for public service efficiency and effectiveness. The report shall also describe how customer service and stakeholder satisfaction is measured, methods used to engage employees in the program and how agency business practices have been changed to improve efficiency, effectiveness and quality.
11. Beginning with State Fiscal Year 2001, each new agency initiative which requires state funding shall be linked directly to outcome indicators which can be used to evaluate the success of the initiative. By July 1, 1999, the Office of Statewide Performance Review and the Bureau of the Budget shall jointly develop criteria that ensures such linkage exists before additional funding is approved.
12. The Office of the Statewide Performance Review shall utilize the assistance and support of the Office of Strategic Planning and the Bureau of the Budget.
13. This Executive Order shall be effective immediately.
________________________________
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
March 10, 1999
EXECUTIVE ORDERNUMBER 8 (1999)
EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING THE ILLINOIS OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
WHEREAS, Illinois is operating in an ever-changing, increasingly complex environment wherein service expectations continue to grow;
WHEREAS, Illinois citizens, like their counterparts in other states, are demanding and deserve public accountability, performance, and results-oriented governmental operations;
WHEREAS, Illinois government must develop and implement statewide service objectives based on external and internal customer and stakeholder driven expectations; and
WHEREAS, delivery of service on these fundamental points requires a comprehensive, strategic outcome-based, future-oriented methodology;
THEREFORE, I, George H. Ryan, hereby order the following:
There is created an Illinois Office of Strategic Planning headed by a Director of State Planning which shall be located within the Office of the Governor.
The Illinois Office of Strategic Planning will develop and implement a standardized Strategic Management System for use by State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor. Such system will integrate strategic planning with quality efforts, performance planning, outcome-based budgeting, and performance monitoring and reporting.
The Illinois Office of Strategic Planning shall undertake dialogues with customers and stakeholders to incorporate their input in the planning process.
The Illinois Office of Strategic Planning will seek the assistance of Illinois' Higher Education community in the development and implementation of an Illinois "planning for excellence" effort.
The Illinois Office of Strategic Planning shall incorporate into the planning process the Illinois Office of Technology's statewide Information Technology strategic plan and the results of the Statewide Performance Review Project.
The Illinois Office of Strategic Planning shall complete a comprehensive statewide Strategic Plan.
This Executive Order shall be effective upon filing with the Secretary of State.
________________________________
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
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