Page 22 - Jan-Feb 2020
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GERMANTOWN Provided by Patrick Lawton
Germantown Achieves Historic Goal:
Wins Baldrige National Quality Award
The City of Germantown has earned a lions in Tax Dollars. means Germantown homeowners could
2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality The City of Germantown see a reduction in their insurance premi-
Award, one of only four municipalities na- began using the Baldrige ums. It means residents can rest assured
tionwide to have ever received the award. framework just as the 2008 that GFD is well equipped to respond and
A presidential-level honor, announced by recession started to impact provide fire suppression when called. And
the U.S. Department of Commerce, the municipalities. Through finally, it means businesses looking to
award recognizes exemplary U.S. organi- careful management, open or relocate in Germantown have an
zations and businesses that demonstrate alignment of priorities even greater incentive to invest there.
an unceasing drive for radical innovation, and adherence to strong
thoughtful leadership and administrative financial policies, the City Strong Tax Base. Residential property
improvement. maintains the highest owners enjoy rising or stable property
possible credit rating from values and bear less of the tax burden
The award was developed in the late Standard & Poor’s and over time. Due to the City’s consistent
1980s by the Department of Commerce Moody’s. This has saved and successful development strategy,
to facilitate competition among U.S. Germantown taxpayers Germantown’s sales tax revenue has been
companies. The award is the highest level millions in debt service increasing steadily, from nearly $8 million
of recognition for performance excel- over the years and in 2017 in 2014 to over $13 million in 2018. The
lence that a U.S. organization can receive. allowed the issuance of the commercial tax base revenue has in-
Achievement of the Baldrige National City’s largest bond to date. creased by approximately $2 million since
Quality Award sets Germantown apart as 2016, now representing about 23% of the
“world-class.” Proceeds from the total property tax revenue.
bond sale made possible
The most significant impacts of the construction of the new state-of-the-art Net Promoter Score of 71. A large
award are those that affect Germantown Forest Hill Elementary School. To put this majority of residents would recommend
as a community. While the Baldrige into perspective, Germantown is one of Germantown as a place to live. Ger-
Performance Excellence criteria are not just 124 cities, out of 19,500 in the U.S., to mantown has consistently exceeded the
prescriptive, the framework forces orga- hold a dual AAA bond rating from both benchmark of 50, which is considered ex-
nizations to focus on customers, culture Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. cellent; over 70 is considered world-class.
and performance improvement through Germantown’s rating rivals well-known
measurement. By aligning the City’s work Rapid Public Safety Response Times. businesses, such as USAA Insurance and
along these themes, the City’s Baldrige Emergency services respond quickly and Ritz Carlton.
journey, which began in 2010, has benefit- effectively, making Germantown one
ted Germantown residents, businesses and of the safest cities in Tennessee. Police Employees Strive for Excellence.
visitors in the following ways: emergency response time has improved
from 4.5 minutes to just over 2 minutes
Germantown Forward 2030 Strategic since 2011, compared to other cities’
Plan. Residents are invited to influence benchmarks of 5 minutes. Police non-
the strategic direction of the place they emergency response time improved from
call home. To ensure a sustainable future, 5 minutes in 2012 to just over 4 minutes
all City work is guided by the resident- in 2019. Similarly, 911 calls have been
created Germantown Forward 2030 answered in less than 10 seconds almost
Strategic Plan. The eight-step strategic 100% of the time since 2016. The German-
planning process was led by a 30-mem- town Fire Department boasts one of the
ber steering committee appointed by the highest cardiac survival rates in the U.S.
Board of Mayor and Aldermen, with the
involvement of 300 residents. ISO 1 Rating. Germantown Fire
Department (GFD), Water Department,
To ensure that customer requirements Information Technology and dispatch
are met, departments conduct customer services have demonstrated they are
focus groups every two years to exten- first-class when it comes to reliabili-
sively review their impacts on the strategic ty. After several years of intensely focusing
plan. Each year, more than 200 residents on process improvement, GFD has the
lend their expertise and advice by serving highest possible rating when it comes to
on boards and commissions. its capacity to respond to and fight fires. It
Dual AAA Bond Rating Saves Mil-
22 TPW January/February 2020
