REGIONALIZATION BEST PRACTICES

An overview of the MARPA Shared Services Best Practices Guidebook and Regionalization Best Practices Website BEST PRACTICES for SHARED SERVICESMerrimack Valley Planning CommissionRegional Planning Day 2013 June 20, 2013Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA)Thirteen of the Commonwealths Regional Planning AgenciesCoalition formed to promote coordination and collaboration among its Regional Planning AgenciesMonthly meetings to share information and approaches, advocate for legislative actions and develop statewide regional policies

Why Share Municipal Services?Increase organizational efficiencyMeet fiscal challenges and maintain operations/servicesProvide new goods or services that communities wantGreen Government Assure timely, safe and effective actions in time of needMaximize benefit of personnel training, certification and performance monitoringFoster cooperative efforts among communities and organizations

Genesis for MARPA Shared Services Guidance (the Project)Regionalization Advisory Commission (2009) Chair: Lieutenant Governor Murray 19 members: MA executive agencies, local and regional leadersFinal report - April 2010A key recommendation: MA should develop a regionalization how-to manual and Best Practices Guide MARPA Guidebook and Website: DLTA At WorkCommonwealths District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) Program and Patrick / Murray Administration DLTA Program PrioritiesFostering Municipal PartnershipsIdentifying and examining potential shared services and other collaborative effortsFacilitating collective purchasing optionsAnalyzing or developing cost saving measures that benefit more than one municipalityMARPA Project PrioritiesIdentify types of shared municipal servicesEducate stakeholders on best practices Enable constituents to assess potential within their own municipalitiesProvide guidance for implementation and monitoring

Guidebook ContentHow to get StartedTaking an idea from inception to implementationWorking Through the DetailsEstablish a Planning CommitteeHow to Manage Sharing ServicesGovernance OptionsFinancing OptionsOngoing OversightKinds of Service SharingSuccessful ExamplesLegal Agreements and the Massachusetts General LawsHelpful Resources

Shared Service ExamplesCollective PurchasingE-GovernmentEducationEnergyEnvironmentalHealthInspectional ServicesPersonnelPlanningPublic SafetyPublic WorksPurchasingWaste CollectionGuidebookAttributesEasily distributedDesigned for quick referenceTraditional media sourceUseful for some stakeholders Website (www.regionalbestpractices.org) Available 24/7Designed for easy accessDesign expected to increase engagement with contentEnables viewers to use icons to connect directly to information relating to their roleEasily updated and shared with a larger audienceGuides viewers unfamiliar with topic, participants or process

Website Demonstrationwww.regionalbestpractices.orgIs Regionalization Right For YouKinds of Regionalized ServicesRegionalization General Best PracticesIdentifying ProjectsGetting StartedMoving ForwardImplementing Your ProjectIndividual role iconsHighlight information for Who is My RPA, other resourcesGlossary of TermsComments, Questions?Thank you!