Navigator Award Finalist: Michael Murphy and Team, Sangamon County Citizens’ Efficiency Committee
Through careful research and thoughtful discussion, this advisory body is helping county and local governments figure out ways to tackle tough challenges.
This is the ninth in a series of profiles on the 50 finalists for Route Fifty’s Navigator Awards program. The first 10 finalists were from the Government Allies and Cross-Sector Partners category. Finalists 11-20 were from the Agency and Department Leadership category. Finalists 21-30 were from the Executive Leadership category. Finalists 31-40 were from the Next Generation category. Finalists 41-50 were from the Data and IT Innovators category. Explore our complete list of 50 finalists.
Citizens have various ways to get involved with their local governments. They can show up for a city council or county board meeting, they can write letters or emails to their elected officials, or, depending where they live, become part of a citizens advisory committee, which some jurisdictions have formed to channel community input and give residents a greater voice in their government.
In Sangamon County, Illinois, which encompasses Springfield and surrounding communities, there’s the Citizens’ Efficiency Committee, chaired by Michael Murphy, who owns a local diner. The CEC was established by a voter referendum in 2010 as an independent advisory body for the county government. It includes 23 members appointed by various jurisdictions in Sangamon County.
According to its mission, the CEC works to improve “local government effectiveness by identifying opportunities for improved cooperation, coordination and reduction of duplication of services among local governments in Sangamon County.”
That’s a laudable goal and one that’s especially important in places where neighboring jurisdictions could be working more closely together. That includes controversial issues related to agency consolidation, like local firefighting and EMS services, or abolishing the position of township tax collector and shifting those responsibilities to the county treasurer.
Exploring the CEC’s various research, reports and recommendations from recent years, the group has covered a lot of ground, from recycling and sewer management cooperation to E911 data collection efforts and joint procurement. It’s evident that members of the board aren’t afraid to get into the weeds and carefully assess options and potential solutions for the ongoing challenges their communities face.
While many of the ideas that have come and will continue to come from the CEC won’t be adopted by the county and its local governments, it’s promising to see a body thoughtfully explore complicated and sometimes controversial issues when so many communities are hesitant to even have those discussions. And in Sangamon County, many of these important discussions are being driven by a citizen group that could inspire others to tackle their tough challenges through careful research, dialogue and recommendations.
Michael Grass is executive editor of Government Executive’s Route Fifty and is based in Seattle.
NEXT STORY: Navigator Award Finalist: Shannon Straight, City of Minot, N.D., Alderman and Community Advocate