The reason? Hamilton has not publicly released audited financial statements since 2022 and received a score of zero in all thirteen categories measured by the institute. The city says the 2024 cyberattack is largely responsible for the delays. There is no question that the cyberattack was serious and caused major disruptions. That much is true. But after three consecutive failing grades, Hamiltonians are entitled to ask a broader question:
How is performance being measured and who is being held accountable?
At a time when property taxes continue to rise, many residents remain concerned about issues such as the condition of the downtown core, public safety, crime, homelessness, infrastructure, and the state of neighbourhood streets.
This raises another question that rarely receives public attention.
Why does Hamilton not have a publicly facing performance contract for its most senior executive, the City Manager? A position that makes over $300,000.00 per year.
This is not about City Manager Marnie Cluckie. Rather, it is about governance and accountability.
In many serious organizations, a chief executive's performance is governed by clearly defined expectations, measurable objectives, and regular reporting on progress. A performance contract might include targets such as:
Reliability of mission-critical systems;
Cybersecurity preparedness and recovery benchmarks;
Service delivery standards;
Public safety indicators;
Infrastructure performance measures;
Erdaicating homelessness
Financial reporting timelines; and
Other measurable outcomes that matter to residents.
No one expects a City Manager to solve complex challenges overnight or to single-handedly fix every problem facing a municipality. Cities are complicated organizations, and progress is often incremental.
However, a formal performance contract does something important: it creates clear expectations, identifies measurable goals, tracks progress, and provides opportunities for course corrections when targets are not being met. It also keeps staff and politicians accountable to you, the taxpayer.
Accountability does not stop at the top. Expectations cascade throughout the organization so that executives, managers, and staff are all working toward common outcomes that have been clearly established by council.
Ultimately, this discussion is not about blame. It is about a simple principle: when taxpayers invest hundreds of millions of dollars into municipal government, they have a reasonable expectation that performance standards exist, that results are measured, and that accountability is visible.
Hamilton's latest "F" from the C.D. Howe Institute is, on its face, a grade for financial transparency.
But for many residents, it may also prompt a larger conversation about accountability itself, in which Hamilton appears to also be scoring an F.
Financial reporting timelines; and
Other measurable outcomes that matter to residents.
No one expects a City Manager to solve complex challenges overnight or to single-handedly fix every problem facing a municipality. Cities are complicated organizations, and progress is often incremental.
However, a formal performance contract does something important: it creates clear expectations, identifies measurable goals, tracks progress, and provides opportunities for course corrections when targets are not being met. It also keeps staff and politicians accountable to you, the taxpayer.
Accountability does not stop at the top. Expectations cascade throughout the organization so that executives, managers, and staff are all working toward common outcomes that have been clearly established by council.
Ultimately, this discussion is not about blame. It is about a simple principle: when taxpayers invest hundreds of millions of dollars into municipal government, they have a reasonable expectation that performance standards exist, that results are measured, and that accountability is visible.
Hamilton's latest "F" from the C.D. Howe Institute is, on its face, a grade for financial transparency.
But for many residents, it may also prompt a larger conversation about accountability itself, in which Hamilton appears to also be scoring an F.
The Hamiltonian
@ Cal DiFalco you would make a kick ass mayor! JH
ReplyDeleteDiFalco. I understand what you are saying because I’m from the real world where money is money and not dribbled away. But if Hamilton gets a contract, it will be performative. They would need someone to do it right. Not this mayor and not this council.
ReplyDelete