Comprehensive Evaluation System Is Approved By County Supervisors

By Tammy Gray-Searles
   A new evaluation system for the Navajo County manager that includes input from several sources, including other counties, as well as county elected officials and staff, was approved by the board of supervisors Tuesday.
   The new system, called a “360-degree evaluation survey,” will include input from the board of supervisors, all county elected officials, all department directors, the superior court judges, all justices of the peace and constables, some senior county staff, the court administrator and the jail commander, as well as out-of-county officials, including the Apache, Gila, Coconino, Pinal and Greenlee county managers, and other officials, such as the county’s insurance pool director, mayors of local communities and an official from the Arizona Association of Counties.
   They will receive surveys regarding the county manager asking them to rate the manager on performance areas such as availability, cooperation, professionalism and vision. The survey also includes a request for written comments, such as the strengths of the county manager and areas that could be improved.
   The six-page survey is based on the county’s mission statement and core beliefs. The core beliefs are excellent customer service, fiscal responsibility and improvement of quality of life for citizens. Respondents will be asked to rate County Manager Jimmy Jayne on how he meets the county’s core goals.
   The customer service core belief goal includes not only providing excellent service to citizens, but also investment in a quality workforce to provide the service. A county document notes that excellent customer service is, “Organizational culture of being service oriented, proactive and results driven. This includes investment in a quality workforce, focus on bringing the services to the public, and maintaining public outreach regarding county-related services through consistent media contact.”
   Fiscal responsibility is defined as “Maintain(ing) a balanced budget, balancing expenditures with revenues, while maintaining quality public service. This includes limiting capital purchases to emergency expenditures, supporting alternative work schedules to reduce operating costs and maintaining contact with the employee task force to identify other cost savings throughout the organization.”
   The third core goal for the evaluation, improvement of quality of life for citizens, is defined as “meeting the county’s obligations sensibly with sound and reliable fiscal practices to protect the interests of our citizens, including investment in law enforcement and public health.”
   Individual responses to the survey will be kept confidential, and the results will be compiled into a single report.
   “Your answers will be compiled with the responses from other individuals and, therefore, will be confidential and anonymous,” the survey cover sheet notes. “A composite report will be generated at the end of the survey period.”
   Once the individual surveys have been completed and compiled, the board of supervisors will use the report to assist them in their evaluation of the manager.