Background Information
The city of Marshalltown is located in Central Iowa and is one of the nine
cities in this project. For more detailed information about the city, please
go to:
ci.marshalltown.ia.us.
In fall 2000, the city administration expressed interest in the concept of citizen-initiated performance assessment. Later, the mayor and the city council, as well as a group of citizen representatives also gave support to the concept and decided to participate in the project.
Beginning in July 2001, the city of Marshalltown will implement citizen-initiated
performance assessment in selected public services, and evaluate whether it
may expand the mechanism to other services in the future. This information
is intended to give citizen representatives who participate in the project
some background information about the operation and major responsibilities
of the Marshalltown city government.
Governing Structure
As of 2001, the following are members of the city council:
Mayor Floyd Harthun, Tom Curley, Michael Ladehoff, Jim Agnew, Robert Schubert, Mike Miller, Marla Grabenbauer and Darryl Peter.
The city council appoints the city manager, Ed Geick, who provides managerial assistance to the council in the daily operation of the city government. The city council also appoints various boards and committees, such as the planning and zoning board and the library board, to help the policymaking of the city.
Major Responsibilities of the City Government
The city government is responsible for four major public service areas:
1. Community Protection (per-capita spending in FY2001: $287)
Police, fire, street lighting, traffic control and safety, flood control,
and other protective services.
2. Home and Community Development (per-capita spending in FY2001: $482)
Roads, bridges, sidewalks, snow removal, highway, sewers and sewage, landfill/garbage,
community beautification, economic development, housing and urban renewal,
parking, cable TV, transit, airport.
3. Human Development (per-capita spending in FY2001: $110)
Health regulation and inspection, library, park and recreation activities,
museum, band and theater, and animal control.
4. Policy and Administration (per-capita spending in FY2001: $96)
City manager's office, finance, and other administrative functions.
Citizen Performance Team
The following citizens are the members of the citizen performance team:
Sue Beurskens, Mike Bloom, Eric Fruin, Mike Schlesinger, Richard & Mary
Wiberg, Madilyn Abernathy, Dennis Akins, Karl Ehrhardt, Dan Reade, Clayton
Williams,
Bob Atha, Bob Palmer, Al Fageland, Eric Fruin, Ed Geick, Wayne Santille, Cindy
Kendall, Mary Kay Middlekoop, and Bob and Marchelle Olson
These people are responsible for developing performance measures for the Iowa CIPA project.