By Adam Swift
City Manager Fidel Maltez provided the city council with a blueprint for a system to evaluate measurable outcomes for agencies that obtain city funding.
Earlier this month, Council Vice President Norieliz DeJesus introduced a motion asking that the city manager work with relevant departments to develop and implement a system through which agencies, organizations, and programs receiving city funding are able to record outcomes, impact, and direct community services provided through the use of city funds. The order also asks that the system include measurable outcomes, such as the number of Chelsea residents served and the impact of the programs that can easily be presented to the city council.
DeJesus said the motion was introduced as a followup to past discussions on the council. She noted there have been past conversations with councilors Kelly Garcia, Tanairi Garcia, and Todd Taylor about ways to increase transparency about how taxpayer money is used.
“Our administration is in full agreement with this Council order and its goal of increasing transparency and measuring impact for all City funds,” Maltez stated in a letter to the city council. “Our Auditing team is preparing a report that captures the spirit of the Council order. The report will not include organizations that deliver a consumable project such as WB Mason or Polar Springs.”
The report will also not include organizations that deliver a required municipal service, such as its parking vendor or trash hauling company.
For the purpose of the report, Maltez said the report will include non-profit organizations based in Chelsea that receive at least $25,000 in operating budget funds (not CPA, community block grants, or ARPA funds), and that deliver human services to Chelsea residents. “If the City Council would like to expand these criteria or include other criteria, please let me know,” Maltez stated. “We will make this report available to the City Council for your first meeting in March. After reviewing the report, the City Council can evaluate whether it would prefer a subcommittee meeting with each organization or a written report from each organization.”