The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) the premier local government leadership and management organization and National Research Center, Inc. (NRC), the nation’s leading survey research firm for local government, recognized 16 communities for their use of citizen surveys to influence service quality. Two sets of awards – one for service excellence and one for significant improvement in service – were awarded.
Jurisdictions receiving the Voice of the People Awards for Transformation were: Davidson, NC, Duluth, MN, El Cerrito, CA, Hudson, OH, Laguna Beach, CA, Palm Coast, FL, San Juan County, NM, and Twin Falls, ID.
Jurisdictions receiving the Voice of the People Awards for Excellence were: Ashland, OR, Davidson, NC, Decatur, GA, Dublin, OH, El Cerrito, CA, Highland Park, IL, Hudson, OH, Laguna Beach, CA, Needham, MA, Surprise, AZ, Suwanee, GA, and Williamsburg, VA.
Each of the winning communities participated in The National Citizen SurveyTM (The NCSTM), a tool that enables local governments to gather high-value citizen data to inform budgeting, goal setting, performance measurement, and program planning at a low cost.
This is the seventh year that ICMA and NRC presented the Voice of the People Awards. Communities receiving these awards showed the biggest improvement in service ratings and/or had the highest rated services according to a representative sample of their own residents. Award recipients were identified from all jurisdictions that conducted The NCSTM in 2012. Those that received the Voice of the People Award for Transformation had a service quality rating improvement that was significantly higher than the rating from their most recent prior survey and larger than improvements shown in all other eligible jurisdictions in 2012.
Communities receiving the Voice of the People Award for Excellence had a service quality rating that was in the top three among all eligible jurisdictions in 2012. To qualify for this award these communities also had to be in the top ten percent among over 500 jurisdictions in the NRC database of citizen surveys. Each winning jurisdiction was recognized at ICMA’s 99th Annual Conference in Boston, MA.
About ICMA & The NCSTM
ICMA (International City/County Management Association) advances professional local government worldwide. Its mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advancing professional management of local government. ICMA provides member support; publications, data, and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to nearly 9,000 city, town, and county experts and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect 185 million individuals living in thousands of communities.
NRC is affiliated with ICMA’s Center for Management Strategies (CMS). CMS helps local government managers identify and implement leading practices that can address organizational efficiency and effectiveness. The Center delivers the latest research and validated techniques through quality educational programming and expert technical assistance that help local governments deliver high-quality products and services that are valued by their stakeholders.
National Research Center, Inc. (NRC) is a leader in the field of public sector research and evaluation, with clients from across the country and around the globe. NRC’s team of social scientists support cities, counties, foundations and nonprofit organizations in using research to move their communities forward.
The NCSTM is a low-cost citizen survey service developed by ICMA and NRC for local governments. The NCSTM allows local governments to survey citizen opinion on budgeting, goal setting, performance measurement, and program planning. Each participating community can make important customizations for its locale and the report can compare results with other community across the United States. For more information on The NCSTM, visit www.n-r-c.com/thencs
