Agenda Packets - 1995/10/02 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

SERVICE SHARING GRANTS The Minnesota Legislature authorized Service Sharing grants for local government units interested in implementing shared services or functions. The goal of a Service Sharing grant is to assist two or more local government units to achieve cost savings and/or improve service outcomes through meeting the start-up costs of providing fully-integrated public services. An objective of a Service Sharing grant is to implement a joint service that can be easily replicated by other local government units. Therefore, a Service Sharing grant will include a work product describing the joint delivery system in a format that facilitates replication. Over the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in cooperative intergovernmental efforts for delivering public services. As a result, thousands of formal and informal intergovernmental cooperative service delivery systems are already in place. Many local governments have realized the significant benefits that can be attained through intergovernmental cooperation, often through economies of scale. A common example of improved services at lower cost through intergovernmental cooperation will better define the concept: Many cities and counties have entered into joint powers agreements for dispatching public safety services. Under such agreements, a centralized emergency communication center receives requests for public safety services and dispatches the appropriate emergency personnel. Utilizing a centralized communication center often reduces the cost of public safety dispatching services by eliminating the need for each participating local government to maintain its own 24-hour dispatching center. Centralized communication centers may be able to respond more quickly, allocate resources more effectively, afford more advanced equipment, pay higher salaries, and provide better training than independent centers. However, there are often significant start-up costs that prevent local governments from implementing joint delivery systems. Using the above example, a number of local governments may be willing to create a centralized communication center, but are unable to because they cannot finance the initial cost of compatible communications equipment for all participating local governments. A Service Sharing grant would be appropriate for two or more applicants who are ready to implement a fully-integrated public service and are able to secure operating funds for the service, but need assistance to offset the start-up costs associated with implementation.