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B&G REPORT.
The B&G Report features newsy items relating to a wide variety of state and local government management topics, including state and local performance audit, state and local performance management, government budgeting, state and local human resource issues, and a variety of other public sector issues.
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GENERATION Z: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
In conversations that we’ve had lately with people in human resources and elsewhere in government, we’ve found ourselves repeatedly...
greenebarrett
3 min read
AN OPEN LETTER TO ELECTED OFFICIALS
Good day, Last week we were talking to an inquisitive person who is rising in the local public sector world. The conversation turned to...
greenebarrett
3 min read
OF FIREWORKS AND CIVIC EDUCATION
With the Fourth of July right around the corner, many Americans are looking forward to a day off from work, cookouts and fireworks. Yet...
greenebarrett
3 min read
NINE TIPS FOR IMPROVING MEETINGS
Over more than 30 years of covering state and local government, we can’t recall ever talking to a public sector manager who loved going...
greenebarrett
3 min read
FAILURE AS A KEY TO SUCCESS
We’ve just been catching up on one of our favorite podcasts, Freakonomics Radio, and came across a wonderful conversation with Samuel...
greenebarrett
3 min read
Let’s Talk Performance!
A couple of weeks ago, we were invited by the National Center for Public Performance to be the inaugural panelists in its series of...
greenebarrett
2 min read
THE B&G Reading List
Periodically, we make a request in the B&G Report for recommendations of books that provide worthy reading for people who are interested...
greenebarrett
2 min read
Please Recommend a Book
We’ve recently been reading an advance copy of a book by Bill Leighty, former chief of staff under Governors Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of...
greenebarrett
2 min read
FIGHTING FRAUD: ADVICE FOR SMALLER CITIES
Whatever their size, all state and local governments must contend with the possibility that federal grant money or taxpayer revenues will...
greenebarrett
2 min read
The Non-Tech Problems with Public Sector Apps
With the advent of mobile apps and easily accessible web portals, there’s growing potential for improved communication between...
greenebarrett
2 min read
The Fight for Independent Oversight
In 2018, a regional ballot measure in nine counties in the San Francisco area dedicated $500 million of $4.5 billion in increased...
greenebarrett
3 min read
Lagging Inspections: Will We Never Learn?
We are, as readers of the B&G Report know, regular users of performance audits. In so doing, we're sometimes reminded about the Greek...
greenebarrett
2 min read
Getting Feedback From Residents: A New Survey
Increasingly, the old days of town hall meetings is giving way to electronic means for getting input from residents. Though this means of...
greenebarrett
2 min read
New, Up-to-date GUIDE TO BUDGET RESOURCES
Several years ago, we worked with the Volcker Alliance to created a guide to resources about state budgeting intended for use by public...
greenebarrett
1 min read
Why hide from data?
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been doing research into the challenges municipalities face when they want to hire a diverse workforce....
greenebarrett
3 min read
Bringing Context to Quality of Life Ratings
Yesterday afternoon, at the #ICMA’s annual conference in Columbus Ohio, an announcement was made about an exciting collaboration to...
greenebarrett
1 min read
Measuring Principals (not Principles)
Over the years in which we’ve been covering the evolution of performance management, it’s always been abundantly clear to us that great...
greenebarrett
2 min read
Praise in a Remote World
We’ve repeatedly heard the phrase: “People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses.” This comment has been supported by loads of...
greenebarrett
2 min read
Climate Action: Backed by Budget
by Chris Fabian, CEO, ResourceX To prevent a “climate catastrophe,” the focus of local, regional, national, and international...
greenebarrett
4 min read
Understanding Fiscal Scandals and Their Impact on Localities
There’s no shortage of news reports about fiscal scandals, and while we doubt the number of convicted politicians and employees has...
greenebarrett
4 min read
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