09/22/2014

Fellow MTASers,

We all are aware that all IPS agencies have been involved with the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE) program for several years. In 2012, MTAS was awarded the “Interest Award”, the first award level of four in the TNCPE process. In 2013, we achieved the second level in the process, the “Commitment Award”.

Over the past 18 months, seven (7) IPS-wide committees – one for each of the seven TNCPE performance criteria categories – have been working to craft each IPS agency’s next application for the third tier in the process, the “Achievement Award”. Rick, Frances, P.J., Lisa, Pat, Josh and Margaret were MTAS representatives on those teams. Individually and collectively, they contributed significant work and effort on our behalf. When the work of those teams was finished early this past spring, I asked Margaret to finalize MTAS’s specific draft response to the seven criteria categories, which she completed in time for us to meet the July 15 ^th application deadline. Just like in 2012, a visiting team of TNCPE examiners will be in the Knoxville office next Monday and Tuesday, September 29 ^th and 30 ^th , when the application will be reviewed and further developed between the examiner team and several of us from MTAS. Working directly with the visitors will be Margaret, Dale, Sharon, Pat, Lisa and me. A few others of us (Frances, P.J., Rick and Stephanie) will be “on call” when their participation is needed.

Now, a little preachin’. I know that opinions about MTAS’s participation in this program vary widely and I clearly understand why. So, let me share mine with you. I think that any time we’re given the opportunity to spend some time writing down what we do, how we do it and measuring how successful we are (or aren’t) and then letting somebody look at what we’ve written down, ask some questions about it and then tell us where we’re really strong and giving us some ideas on some things we might want to take another look at…well, I think that’s a really good thing…and I think the TNCPE process is a good tool to help us do all that. Right now, I have no idea if we’ll achieve the next level of recognition, but I do know that we’ve learned some things about ourselves that will help us better serve our town and city customers. If that’s the case, the effort has already been worthwhile.

The MTAS work presented to TNCPE earlier this summer for review can all be found at MTASShare(M:), Baldrige, 2014. The documents, in the order you’ll find them in that folder are:
· the feedback report we received from the 2012 application and examiner visit,
· the current (2014) application form,
· the updated/current organizational profile,
· the current (2014) responses to the seven categories of criteria.
While you may know about everything contained in those documents, remember that they are being reviewed by folks who know very little about MTAS. From their perspective, we feel we’ve offered them a rich and deep look at MTAS that will be further discussed next week when they visit to learn more. Take time to be familiar with those documents. Yes, there’s a bunch of stuff there, but I learn something new every time I read them.

Quite frankly, I’m excited about next week’s visit because it gives a few of us a chance to represent MTAS and highlight the great things we all are involved in every day with our town and city customers. The ideal situation would be for the examiner team to be meeting with all 48 of us…to hear our story…and it would be a great one for them to hear.

Thanks for what you do every day. After the visit next week, I’ll give you an update.

Best regards!

Jim Thomas, Executive Director
Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS)
The University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service
Office (615) 532-4950 Cell (615) 972-9219

jim.thomas@tennessee.edu

www.mtas.tennessee.edu