Reorganization garners attention from national magazine
ITD's reorganization received more national attention this month when Roads & Bridges Magazine included a news story about the efficiency measure in its September 2011 issue.
Director Brian Ness outlined the strategy of reducing nine administrative layers to five, returned decision-making authority closer to the front line where the work is done, and reduced the number of one-to-one supervisory relationships.
Following is the Roads and Bridges Magazine article:
State DOTs In a recent “Two-Minute State DOT Update video from the American Association of State Highways & Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Brian Ness, director of the Idaho Transportation Department, said that, taking office in January 2010, he initiated a plan to improve customer service, efficiency and accountability and save $3.5 million in personnel costs. “We have to make sure that we are spending our tax dollars as wisely and efficiently as we can,” said Ness. “We also need to make certain that our work force is as effective as it can possibly be ..." The realignment reduced the layers of management between Ness and the department’s front line supervisors from nine to five and gave decision making back to where the work is being done. It also eliminated 62 supervisory positions where one manager supervised one employee. Ness said the Idaho Transportation Department ended the state’s fiscal year with a total of $5.7 million in personnel and insurance savings that will be invested into highway construction, maintenance and equipment. AASHTO’s “Two-Minute State DOT Update, videos can be viewed at www.transportationtv.org . |
Published 10-7-2011