Accountable & Responsive City Government
Accountable & Responsive City Government
Temecula Residents are deeply committed to their community and a reliable two-way communication effort
from their City government that provides information on issues vital to this relationship. An accountable and responsive City government is one that sets a standard for excellence in the governance of the City. It embodies leadership that is accessible to residents, businesses and employees; transparent in its decision making; committed to the effective and efficient delivery of services that the community most values; and is a steward of the City’s human and fiscal resources.
An accountable and responsive City government demonstrates a culture of servant leadership that helps the community navigate through change. It also provides an opportunity for residents to be engaged and involved in their community.
In its 30+ years as a City, Temecula’s City government, in partnership with residents, has set high standards for excellence and clear priorities that have made Temecula a great place to live, work and play. The City strives to balance these aspirations with the realities of resource constraints and competing demands, guided by deliberative processes that involve listening to the community, setting clear and achievable goals, making prudent investments, being adaptive to changing conditions, and assessing outcomes to improve future performance.
City Departments report on more than 160 performance measures tied to the QLMP Core Values in the annual City Operating Budget. The QLMP is integral to how the City organizes its work and views its mission. The indicators dashboard on the following page highlights some key performance measures related to fiscal policy, funding for desired service levels and citizen communications and involvement, which is also a key element of the Equity Core Value in the next section.
The City operates under a theme of “Building greatness, maintaining excellence.” As the City builds out, the focus is increasingly on maintenance of facilities and service levels that meet the expectations of current residents. As shown in the 20 year project goals at the beginning of the QLMP, investments in technology and operating systems are critical to maintaining exceptional service standards while achieving high levels of governmental efficiency.
Measuring Our Progress
| Indicator | Meets/Exceeds Goals | Progressing | Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per capita of City operating budget: Goal: Maintain or reduce annual net per capita cost | $938.46 | ||
| General Fund Reserve | 25% |
| Indicator | Meets/Exceeds Goals | Progressing | Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales tax per capita: Goal: Increase annually; “Needs Improvement” decrease annually charge | 3.9% | ||
| Transient Occupancy Tax: Goal: Increase annually | 3.0% |
| Indicator | Meets/Exceeds Goals | Progressing | Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered voter turnout: Goal: 80%+ registered voters | 86.7% | ||
| Participation in Boards, Commissions, Leadership activities: Goal: Increasing | Yes | ||
| Number of public outreach messages, advisories, press releases or posts (in print or electronically) shared with the community daily on various platforms or delivery methods containing City education/information: Goal: 1,600; “Progressing” 1,200-1,600; “Needs Improvement” <1,200 | 1,460 |
| Indicator | Meets/Exceeds Goals | Progressing | Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase in followers on City social media accounts: Goal: Facebook: 10%; Instagram: 20%; Twitter: 5% | Instagram: 24% | Facebook: 5% Twitter: 3% | |
| Number of Citywide social media posts: Goal: 2,300+ “Progressing” is 2,200-2,999; “Needs Improvement” is <2,000 | 2,200 | ||
| Number of digital media communications, including Around and About Temecula, Park Adventure Scenes, Alumni Project, etc. Goal: 25; “Progressing” is 20-25; “needs Improvement” is <20 | 23 | ||
| Number of updates to Temecula Outreach Channel 3 and YouTube: Goal: 100; “Progressing” is 75-99; “Needs Improvement” is <75 | 147 (2019-2020) |
Our Accomplishments, Strategic Objectives, and Goals for 2040
- Created a formal Asset Management Plan and dedicated accounts to maintain high quality amenities
- Created irrevocable trusts for pension obligations
- Implemented QLESS calendaring software which allows citizens to make appointments with City staff online
- Achieved and maintained a CIS Top 20 rating for excellent cybersecurity protection of City systems
- Created technology centers and extensive WIFI capability for the public at libraries, Old Town, parks and other City facilities, as well as locations in coordination with local schools
- Numerous state-recognized awards for programs, planning, and special events
- Developed a free City app to facilitate communication and input from residents
- Significant social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to inform the community of City business
- Significant long-term investments in digital capabilities, including permitting, remote work, and other related infrastructure that allows the City to be more flexible to workforce/business needs
- Received yearly professional association awards for Annual Operating Budget, Capital Improvement Program Budget, and Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports for the past 30 years
- Prioritize funding and support for maintaining a safe community as top priority
- Sustain the asset management accounts to ensure the City has resources to replace capital assets as they reach the end of their useful lives
- Expand City use of paperless technology. Among other benefits, this will help facilitate electronic workflow management, greatly increasing efficiency
- Maintain an exceptional work environment for City employees to help attract and retain high quality staff
- Maintain staffing levels necessary to deliver desired service levels to residents
- Build out the City’s fiber optic network, not only to provide public broadband access but to help manage City facilities and equipment
- Install Smart City technology to increase efficiency of service delivery
- Continue to evolve social media outreach as technology changes
- Provide consistently professional services and information to customers and constituents
- Promote innovation and adopt technology that enhances access to information and data
- Maintain a flexible organization which responds to the changing needs and priorities of the community
- Provide the highest quality of service at the most cost-effective rate while being fiscally responsible
- Ensure transparency in all aspects of City government
Community Survey
The survey acts as the City’s report card from the community. The purpose of the study is to assess perceptions of quality of life in the City and identify important issues and services. The survey gathers opinions on topics and has the residents rate the topics by level of priority (high priority vs. lower priority). It also evaluates perceptions of local government and customer services by rating the expectation level (exceeds expectations vs. not satisfied).
Exceeds Expectations or is a High Priority (>85%)
Progressing or is a Medium Priority (70-84%)
Not Satisfied or is a Lower Priority (<70%)
Quality of Life
88.0%
Resident satisfaction with Quality of Life
83.0%
Resident satisfaction with municipal services
85.0%
Resident satisfaction with community facilities and programs
Waste Reduction
84.7%
Resident satisfaction with the services the City is providing
75.0%
Resident importance of providing online access to City services, information, and resources
85.6%
Resident satisfaction with providing online access to City services, information, and resources
Community Involvement
69.4%
Resident satisfaction with the City's efforts to communicate with residents through newsletters, the Internet, social media, and other means
58.4%
Resident importance of providing special events, Fourth of July Parade, summer concerts
The City’s overarching goal is to build a fiscally sound organization which responds to the expectations of its constituents, maintains service standards, delivers services in an efficient and effective manner, listens and communicates and is constantly striving to be better and more productive.