Best Management
Practices
Presented by
Sonoma LAFCO
Session Objectives
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This session will explore the components of the key elements of a
LAFCO operation. There will be an overview of management studies
and their role in assisting organizational development, followed by a
review of a model “best practices” checklist.
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In order to make the assessments of operational strengths and
improvement opportunities, a set of performance measures that we call
“best management practices” against which to evaluate these
processes has been developed Statements of "best practices" based on
experience in evaluating operations in other by the panelists.
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Each attendee will be provided with a model “best practices” for
LAFCOs. Although the list may appear comprehensive each LAFCO
operations will differ and not all practices apply to all LAFCOs.
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The checklist can be used with staffs to assist in goal setting, program
development and reviews of management practices, polices, and
processes.
Session Objectives
One of the objectives of this session is to increase the
number and scope of Best Practices for LAFCOs.
As we go through the checklist, feel free to jot down
ideas, comments, observations of your LAFCO as o
Best Practices that our LAFCO applies.
Thanks for your assistance.
You can e-mail your ideas to [email protected]
Your Best Practices
Definition
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A best practice is a technique, method, process, activity,
incentive, or reward that is believed to be more effective at
delivering a particular outcome than any other technique,
method, process, etc. when applied to a particular condition or
circumstance. The idea is that with proper processes, checks,
and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer
problems and unforeseen complications. Best practices can
also be defined as the most efficient (least amount of effort)
and effective (best results) way of accomplishing a task, based
on repeatable procedures that have proven themselves over
time for large numbers of people.
A given best practice is only applicable to particular condition
or circumstance and may have to be modified or adapted for
similar circumstances. In addition, a "best" practice can evolve
to become better as improvements are discovered.
Despite the need to improve on processes as the environment
changes, best-practice is considered by some as a business
buzzword used to describe the process of developing and
following a standard way of doing things that multiple
organizations can use for management, policy, and especially
software systems.
As the term has become more popular, some organizations
have begun using the term "best practices" to refer to what are
in fact merely 'rules', causing a linguistic drift in which a new
term such as "good ideas" is needed to refer to what would
previously have been called "best practices.“
Source: Wikipedia
Why an Management
Study?

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A management study is designed to provide a
comprehensive analysis of this Agency. In order to
make assessments of operation. a set of
performance measures, titled “best management
practices”, were developed. These performance
measures comprise the main thrust of a diagnostic
assessment.
The purpose of the diagnostic assessment is to
develop an overall assessment of the practices,
polices, and processes.
Why an Management
Study?
(part 2)

The performance measures are derived from collective
experience and represent the following ways to identify
Commission’s strengths as well as improvement
opportunities:

Statements of "effective practices" based on
experience in evaluating operations in other agencies
or “industry standards” from other research
organizations.

The measure of the performance against state
law.

Review of other LAFCOs’ practices and
procedures.

Identification of whether and how the this LAFCO
meets the performance targets.
Format

The performance measures are derived from collective
experience and represent the following ways to identify
Commission’s strengths as well as improvement
opportunities:
•
Statements of "effective practices" based on
experience in evaluating operations in other agencies
or “industry standards” from other research
organizations.
•
The measure of the performance against state
law.
•
Review of other LAFCOs’ practices and
procedures.
•
Identification of whether and how the this LAFCO
meets the performance targets.
Sonoma Management Study
Commission
Budget and Finances
Customer Service
Application Processing
California Environmental Quality
Act
Odds and Ends
Contacts
Sonoma LAFCO Website:
www.sonoma-county.org/lafco
California Association of Local Agency Formation
Commissions Website
www.calafco.org
Sonoma LAFCO:
575 Administration Drive, Room 117-D
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 565-2577, Fax: (707) 565-3778