Does the performance of your local government leave something to be desired? Maybe youre not satisfied with the services your government provides, or maybe the cost for these services is far too much. If so, take heart; you can do something about it. Steps to Local Government Reform is your step-by-step guide to undertaking reform on the local level. Public manager Allyn O. Lockner combines years of experience in the public sector to show how you, as a resident or an elected local official, can work with others to successfully implement change within your community. Lockner explains how to make numerous choices regarding the preparation for, and the study, planning, marketing, approval, implementation, and evaluation of reforms. He also shows you how to share these reform results with others. Using various criteria, comparisons, practices, analyses, and other studies aimed at local government performance, Lockner delves into the sometimes tricky world of enacting reform. He reveals how local government works and provides a map for maneuvering around bureaucratic roadblocks. In addition, he includes a comprehensive bibliography for research, an appendix of terms commonly used in the reform process, and guides to creating reform models that are likely to work. With this compendium, you can help resolve vital issues, improve your community, and live a better life.

Managing Local Government Services, 3rd ed. is a comprehensive text on the subject of local government services relevant to local governments of all sizes. This edition is refocused and updated to include the demographic, economic, technology and cultural trends that affect the management of service delivery. New chapters discuss the shift from ¿government¿ to ¿governance,¿ alternative methods of service delivery, community development, and the five management practices that are fast becoming the standard for professional local government management.Each chapter lays out the manager¿s responsibilities in each service area, and provides effective policies, practices, and procedures. Short case examples give you a practical look at the goals, challenges, and solutions in the manager¿s world.