SomerStat
City of Somerville FY22 Budget
Mission Statement
SomerStat integrates data into City decision-making; partners with City departments to improve operational efficiency and constituent satisfaction; contributes to the City’s policy planning and implementation; and increases governmental transparency by sharing data with the community. In this work we strive to be innovative, for us, that means helping departments find the right solutions to their problems. The SomerStat team is guided by five values: equitable public service, listening with empathy and respect, being open to hard conversations, continuous learning, and collaboration based on trust and accountability.
Personal Services Changes
Personal Services are projected up 1% for FY22.
The proposed budget includes a new position, Digital Innovation Officer, which will be responsible for continued development of data tracking systems and automation as well as digitizing existing analog processes.
This Budget Manager position had been moved to the Auditing Division of Finance for FY22.
While the SomerStat Director serves as Incident Commander for the City's COVID response, the Principal Analyst is serving as Acting Director. The Salaries line includes $5,043 in funding to bridge a salary differential between the two positions through August.
Changes in salaries are due to negotiated collective bargaining agreements and merit increases based on annual performance reviews.
Ordinary Maintenance Changes
Ordinary Maintenance costs are projected down 61% for FY22.
A reduction in Printing is due to FY22 being an off-year for the biennial happiness survey
A reduction in Professional & Technical Services is due to the completion of a case management software implementation project -- ongoing costs have shifted to the IT Department.
FY22 Goals & Measures of Progress
GOAL 1: Collaborate with other departments to streamline service delivery, identify cost savings, improve customer service, and enhance overall performance.
- StatShop or department check in meeting held with every department in the City; survey of StatShop program completed in order to gauge efficacy.
GOAL 2: Use innovative analytic methods and data visualization to increase transparency of City’s progress toward its strategic goals and priorities, including: Racial and Social Justice, SomerVision, Vision Zero, Climate Forward, and COVID-19 response and recovery.
- SomerStat daily dashboard expanded to include at least one additional dashboard page.
GOAL 3: Increase data collection and improve integrity and integration of existing data sources.
- Data Investment Plan published that establishes data standards and a long-term vision for how the City should invest in its data. The plan articulates how the City will improve the quality and diversity of data available for decision making as well as how to increase transparency by expanding the data available on the City’s Open Data Portal.
FY22 Budget
