Findlay gauges goals and strategy

FINDLAY — Findlay's goals report on its "key performance indicators," or KPIs, now combines city objectives with the Findlay Forward Strategic Plan. The city has released the report for the first quarter of 2025, showing good performance across most key measures. The second quarter report is due in a few weeks. The full report is available on the city's website: www.findlayohio.gov, listed under the "Transparency & Performance" tab. Indicators included in the report were identified by city departments as "key" or "most important" in determining the success or improvement of city services. The data is reviewed monthly, quarterly, or annually by department staff and the city's administration. In a letter to council, dated May 1, Mayor Christina Muryn called the KPIs a "critical tool" used by the city to measure both service delivery and operational effectiveness. "They allow us to see our progress towards goals we set for continuous improvement. We are proud of the work that the city of Findlay team is doing to ensure that we are hitting our targets," said Muryn. "We have tied each KPI on the report to the Findlay Forward Strategic Plan, further demonstrating the city's commitment to aligning our operations with the vision set forth by our community." While response time to pothole complaints may seem like the most mundane of tasks, the city tracks it: Findlay Public Works Department's response time averages one day to repair. That's better than the target time of three days. The city's response time to pothole complaints checks three boxes on its strategic plan: a well-run city government, a safe community and an attractive place. Approved by Findlay City Council in 2023, the strategic plan is based on a canvas of nearly 1,000 people, asking where Findlay's government should focus. Planning NEXT, Columbus, was hired as a consultant to help develop the plan. The firm was paid about $130,000 for the work. The overall goals included in the plan for city government include: Goal 1: A safe community because of proactive emergency planning, high-quality response and recovery, and well-maintained physical appearance. Goal 2: A well-run city government that is transparent, easy to engage with, and prioritizes its employees and citizens. Goal 3: A caring government that supports all community members and looks for opportunities to strengthen community spirit and belonging. Goal 4: A thriving business environment that takes care of existing businesses, attracts new businesses, supports local entrepreneurs, and is economically sustainable. Goal 5: An attractive place to live, learn, work, play, invest, and raise a family. Goal 6: An active community with a wide variety of amenities, parks, and recreation opportunities for people of all abilities. Goal 7: A connected city where people are linked to destinations and each other in a variety of ways. The response time of the Findlay police and fire departments is also better than the target. The response time of the Findlay Police Department averages 5:25 minutes. The goal is six minutes. The Findlay Fire Department's average response time is 4:12 minutes, better than the target response time of five minutes. Response times address both Findlay's efforts to be a "well-run city," as identified in the strategic plan, and a safe community. Based on the first quarter report, Findlay is still missing the mark in controlling overtime pay. According to the report, the city is actively hiring police officers and firefighters to counter a trend of higher overtime use among city workers. The city gauges overtime by spending and compares it to the five-year average. The report shows overtime spending at $249,000 year-to-date, which is above the five-year average. The ability to control overtime spending would be considered a mark of a "well-run city government" under the strategic plan, according to the report.