This is regular update on BTVStat, a performance management system implemented by the Mayor in 2016 to track and improve the City’s operations. Every month, BTVStat brings together City Department Heads to review operational and equity performance metrics for three or more City Departments and discuss how City teams can collectively identify challenges, make operations more transparent, track progress, control costs, and promote accountability, learning, and collaboration.
Highlights from the most recent meeting are outlined below. Additional information on these issues and others are available on the City's BTVStat Dashboard. The dashboard is also being updated and will be replaced by a new portal later this summer.
Fletcher Free Library (FFL): The Fletcher Free Library’s mission is to inform, enrich, and nurture a community of lifelong learners. Circulation is up by nearly 17% since 2016, due in part to a focus on curating more online resources and downloadable books to better meet resident needs. However, despite increased circulation numbers, the number of active patrons for fiscal year 2019 (12,861 people) is only slightly higher than it was in 2016 (12,530). Efforts are underway to improve outreach, expand patronage, and better understand how residents are accessing other library programs and services such as programs and events.
Burlington Center for the Arts (BCA): The mission of Burlington City Arts is to nurture a dynamic environment through the arts that makes quality experiences accessible to a broad audience. One way to make programming more accessible is through BCA's scholarship fund. Summer Art Campers at BCA Studios work closely with professional teaching artists for a week. Every camp includes in-depth studio arts experience, high-quality art materials and a final celebration. The scholarship fund has consistently ensured 20% of tickets for camps are held for scholarships, enabling people with financial barriers access to the high-quality summer camp. This year, the Summer Art Camp has already awarded 112 scholarships with a total value of more than $16,000. For more information on BCA Summer Arts Camps visit: https://www.burlingtoncityarts.org/summer-art-camps-bca-studios
Department of Public Works (DPW): The Department of Public Works' mission is to steward Burlington's infrastructure and environment by delivering efficient, effective, and equitable public services. A healthy and safe workforce is crucial for the Department's ethos and work, and fewer injuries translates directly into fewer injury-related expenses so more City funds can be dedicated to services that benefit our customers. The last several years, BTVStat has regularly reviewed workplace safety metrics at DPW. Through the Department's efforts, OSHA recordable incident rates are showing a positive trend. Generally, a recordable injury or illness under OSHA is one that requires medical treatment beyond first aid, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, or loss of consciousness. Since 2017, DPW has seen its rate of injuries decrease from 19 in 2017 to 11.2 thru April 2019. With the hiring of a new Safety Manager in 2018 the Department expects to see these numbers to continue to trend downward, improving overall workplace safety.
* The OSHA Recordable Incident Rate (or Incident Rate) is calculated by multiplying the number of recordable cases by 200,000, and then dividing that number by the number of labor hours at the company. This number (200,000) equates to 100 employees, who work 40 hours per week, and who work 50 weeks per year.
