CREATING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR ASSET MANAGEMENT: SACRAMENTO COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT'S EXPERIENCE

The creation of a performance-based organization provides the foundation for successful implementation of change programs, including Asset Management or CMOM implementation. To prepare their management and supervisory staff to lead these efforts, Sacramento County Sanitation District 1 (CSD-1) initiated a comprehensive organizational development program. This program began with an assessment of the core organizational issues, rather than assessing symptoms such as poor morale. When the core issues were identified, staff developed and implemented a Strategic Business Plan to address the underlying issues. A major component of this was the development of a comprehensive, individualized leadership development program for each manager and supervisor based on an assessment of the individual's leadership attributes. Staff then worked together to develop a performance management system based on customer service levels designed to create a performance-based organization. The final component was development of a communication plan to ensure the flow of this information throughout the organization. Completion of action items from the Strategic Business Plan, leadership development plan, and budget is reviewed with each manager or supervisor monthly to provide frequent feedback on performance. The individual must provide a recovery plan for any item that is off target.