Pinehurst Today

The data-driven management and reporting work by the Village of Pinehurst earned it a third consecutive Certificate of Excellence in Performance Management from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

“Performance management is a bedrock principle of professional local government management,” ICMA Executive Director Marc A. Ott said in a Sept. 19 Village of Pinehurst release. “As COVID-19’s impact on our communities lingers on, we hope that by recognizing these leaders, we are encouraging others to measure how well their organization is performing and making a commitment to collect and analyze data, report it transparently, and use it to continuously engage their communities and improve their organizations during these unprecedented times.”

The ICMA awards certificates at three levels: Achievement, Distinction, and the top recognition, Excellence.  

Those receiving certificates earn them through collection and verification of data, training staff on how to measure performance, reporting data to the public in budgets, newsletters and informing elected officials.

Pinehurst needed to track and report key outcomes, put data into visual communications such as performance dashboards and survey government employees and residents to earn the Certificate of Excellence. They needed to foster a performance culture throughout the organization as well; they reported on their website.

Only 25 jurisdictions earned a Certificate of Excellence, with only a total of 60 receiving any recognition from ICMA.