City Initiatives

As the city of Las Vegas continues to develop into a “World Class City,” City Manager Elizabeth N. Fretwell with the support of the City Council is leading three initiatives to ensure continuous improvements. City management is committed to celebrating diversity, ensuring sustainability and providing efficient and effective services to the residents and visitors to the city. These three initiatives, Diversity, Sustainability and Performance Plus, are in full-effect; the impacts of which will be evident through enhanced services to the public. 

Performance Plus
In 2007, the city management team under the guidance of the City Council launched a new performance management initiative in an effort to increase transparency and accountability in the way the city of Las Vegas conducts business.  The initiative entitled, “Performance Plus – Managing for Results” is a standardized performance management system and is intimately linked to the city’s performance-based budget process. By February 2008, all 17 city departments completed the performance management training, which ignited a culture change driven by performance against desired goals.  As part of the management strategy, the City Council, city management team and department employees will continue to use the performance system – Performance Plus- to achieve effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of city programs and services.

Sustainability
Sustainability is defined by the city as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This term applies to many different disciplines including, economic development, energy consumption and social organization. 

The city of Las Vegas will ensure the quality of life for its residents and the economic stability for the organization by implementing policies, measures, actions and practices that conserve natural resources, protect the environment and maintain the vibrant economy. 

The city will meet its sustainability goals by focusing on three areas of improvement:

1. City Business – Employing its regulatory authority over land development (land use, zoning codes, building codes, development agreements and land development standards), franchise agreements with utilities and infrastructure development.

2. City Operations – Obtaining maximum energy and resource efficiency in the city’s day-to-day operations including expanding the City Employee Lowering Energy Cost by Recycling and Tracking Efficiency (CELEBRATE) committee throughout the organization.

3. Community Outreach – Establishing a committee of interested persons representing various community groups to raise awareness, educate and advocate sustainability throughout the community.

Diversity
To assist the city of Las Vegas in achieving the goal of becoming a “World Class City,” the City has launched the Diversity Initiative. This initiative is aimed at tapping into the unique talents and skills of all employees so that we can provide the best possible services and programs to the citizens and visitors of the city of Las Vegas. This will be achieved through an increase in the interchange of ideas, improved customer service and increased productivity.

In November 2006, the city kicked off the initiative by conducting an overall assessment of its current business operations and culture to bring to light barriers that prevent the city from delivering the best possible programs and services to the residents of Las Vegas.

To address current and future diversity related issues identified in the operation and culture assessment, the City Manager’s Office has created a diversity committee comprised of senior management officials at the city. Additionally, each city department has created a diversity committee to assist in developing and implementing strategic diversity plans aimed at preparing each department.
 
In 2006, the city was recognized for its internal and external diversity efforts by two diversity awards; one award from the Southern Nevada Human Resources (SNHRA) and the other award from the National League of Cities.

Performance Plus, Sustainability and Diversity are organization-wide and are targeted to achieve specific and measurable goals that will enhance city services both internally and externally. The success of these initiatives has already been realized and as these systems and processes evolve, each will move the city closer to the vision of a “World Class City.”