PERFORMANCE PROFILE, Phelps County, Missouri

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1: INITIAL OPERATIONS CHALLENGES

2: PROJECT BACKGROUND

3: ALLIANCE ACHIEVEMENTS

 

1: Initial Operations Challenges

  • Operating without a budget, the District lacked formal financial operating and reporting practices. The resulting lack of information meant the Board did not have the facts necessary to make informed decisions.
  • Personnel standards were non-existent: there were no established employment policies or performance expectations for District employees.
  • The District was about to loose their system manager and faced searching for a qualified, licensed professional in a challenging hiring environment.

2: Project Background

Alliance Water Resources was contacted by the in-house operations manager at Phelps #2.  That manager had been hired by a previous Board of Directors; one which had also considered Alliance operations and management, but instead decided on a sole in-house manager.  Two years later, when the manager planned to leave the District, he remembered Alliance as a way to ensure District operations and remaining employees would be left in good hands.

3: Alliance Achievements

  • The existing manager left just after an agreement was settled between Alliance and the District.  Alliance utilized its network of professionals in the area to provide seamless management coverage while searching for a replacement that would be an ideal fit.
  • Policies, procedures, and job descriptions have been developed for employees, and employee performance expectations have been established. 
  • Detailed operations reports on both finance and operations developments now give Board members the information they need to direct the District.
  • Operations efficiency is improving through better work assignments and more accountability for staff.
  • District employees now enjoy increased training opportunities, a comprehensive benefits program, and performance-based incentives to advance licensing levels.
  • Alliance furnished management direction, labor, chemicals, parts and supplies necessary to bring District operations back on track.
  • For the first public meeting—just five weeks after the agreement began—the Board received a comprehensive “board packet,” including water and sewer billing summaries and treasury reports (detailing billing transaction totals, checking account activities, and summary of cash and investments).  The Board will have even more to work with in future meetings, as Alliance accounting professionals will monitor monthly performance against a newly-established budget; then present progress in detailed monthly financial reports.
  • Alliance has begun an investigation into higher-than-average water loss in the District’s distribution system.

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