City Manager’s Column:  Why does this stuff take so long? 

4-8-03 

People sometimes wonder why the processes of government take so much longer than processes within private business.

I was recently at a meeting where the speaker made a comparison between public entities and private businesses.  He mentioned these points:           

1.)  In a private business, there is usually a very narrow focus in this mission of the company.  For example, they might manufacture tractors or make burgers or print books, but they rarely do a combination of things. 

2.)  Since businesses are built around a narrow focus, their employees usually have specialized knowledge, education, and training concerning their jobs.

3.)  Private businesses have a very narrow leadership structure.  For example, they often have one owner.  If the owner makes a decision, the employees are obliged to fly in formation.  

On the other hand, 

1.)  In the public sector, we often have a shotgun focus.  We cover a variety of topics, such as, utility bills, street maintenance, storm water management, economic development, taxation, parks, and several others.  Council members are not professionals in government.  They are basically volunteers that do not specialize in any particular area, but, instead, try to gain some understanding of several issues.    

2.)  Elected officials, like Council members, don’t have specific previous training that prepares them for this role.  They must learn on the job. 

3.)  In the public sector, a decision isn’t usually limited to one person.  In our case, several types of decisions are made by at least a majority vote of seven city council members.   

So, why does it take so long to get a variance?  Buy city property?  Hire or fire someone?  Bid on projects?  Abate a nuisance or someone’s long grass? 

I think the main reason is because the process of government requires us to try to accommodate nearly everyone.  This sort of accommodation is even institutionalized in the laws and ordinances that we operate under.

For example, occasionally, someone will come to City Hall and want to build something that requires a variance.  The variance process requires the applicant to appear before the Zoning Board after first supplying us with the names of all other property owners within 200 feet of his/her property and allowing time for a public hearing notice to run in the paper for a week so anyone who’s interested can offer comments.  This process often takes 3 weeks to arrange in order to set up the proper notices.  It also costs $50.  

Sometimes the applicant wonders why they are forced to go through so much to do something that involves only their own property. 

I think the reason is that zoning laws and ordinances tell us that the way one person uses his property can sometimes affect other people’s property and, in fact, a whole neighborhood.  And, if the people didn’t want the system set up that way, they would have written the rules differently.  Therefore, we must allow due process and give everyone a chance to have their say.  In other words, we must accommodate. 

Accommodation takes time.