Here's just one Do-Over in the City of Mesa's Office of Development Services that received some findings, recommendations, and review for just one of six item on last week's Mesa City Council Study Session:Meeting Mon 01 July 2019
Chairperson Duff called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
There were no items from citizens present.
Without objection, the meeting adjourned at 4:33 p.m.
Remarkable. But then again, it's more like what some people say is "business-as-usual" here in the city of Mesa, home to more than 500,000 people who don't seem to participate in their own government.
4 audits were not completed.
A review provides limited assurance on an organization's financial statements. ... This “does it make sense” analysis is useful when the organization needs some assurance about their financial statements, but not the higher level of assurance provided by an audit
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New Planning Director for City of Mesa: Nana (Kusi) Appiah
Grammar Usage Note: In Ghana, among the Akan people, particularly the Akyem, Ashanti and Akuapim peoples, The word Nana is used as the title of a monarch to signify their status. . . "King _______"
It's not a first name, as used in many re-postings in a press release from the City of Mesa News Room that was repeated in the Rose Law Group Reporter back in October 2018.
The word Nana has other meanings also. In informal British - a silly person; a fool (often as a general term of abuse). In Jewish families, Nana is grandmother.
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CREDENTIALS from this reference: http://sydex.net/page284550
Education:
1998 – 2002
Bachelor of Science, Land Economy> Kwame Nkrumah' University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (Ghana)
2004 – 2006
MCRP, Community and Regional Planning > Iowa State University
2010 – 2014
Ph.D, Public Affairs> The University of Texas at Dallas
2015 – 2015
Certificate
Executive Education: Driving Government Performance
Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government _______________________________________________________________________________Complexity and Participatory Style of Management
in Government Institutions
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
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| Current site map City of Mesa |
Author: Nana Kusi Appiah is the planning and development manager for Adams County, Colorado. Nana is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. Nana holds a doctorate in public affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas and a master’s degree in community and regional planning from Iowa State University.
Email: appiah.nana@gmail.com.
(7 votes, average: 3.29 out of 5)
Introduction
"Having practiced as a city planner over 10 years in three governmental agencies*, I thought implementing change would be easy in jurisdictions perceived to have well-qualified personnel, resources and the backing of elected officials...This complexity of improving operations of government through conscious change efforts usually calls for a participatory style of management and decision-making that includes stakeholders—
- citizens
- elected or appointed officials
- the land development industry
- employees within the organization.
* BLOGGER NOTE: These are the three locations where the new Planning Director worked as a city planner before being hired here in Mesa: any reasonable and curious person might ask what in these very different areas from Mesa in most respects, catapulted Nana Kusi Appiah to get hired here?
- Adams County, Colorado
- Denton, Texas
- Polk County, Florida
Complexity of Change
The participatory tactic of management for leading such change efforts requires a leadership approach capable of employing pluralistic techniques that engage various stakeholders. It also requires a dynamic style of leadership capable of accommodating multiple stakeholder involvement. This is essential . . .
Citizen Participation in Change Efforts
To produce effective change in a government agency, all stakeholders must be actively involved. . . According to Sherry Arnestien, public participation in an agency’s change effort is embedded in the U.S. Constitution. Advocates of citizen participation claim that social acceptance of public policy correlates with the perception of fairness and public involvement in the decision-making process.
A solution for issues concerning the public that is devoid of citizen participation is unlikely to be effective. In addition to the benefits of involving the public in agency decision-making, such inclusion promotes the democratic orientation of a community and helps improve public trust for the agency.
| File #: | 19-0772 |
| Type: | Presentation | Status: | Agenda Ready |
| In control: | Audit, Finance and Enterprise Committee |
| On agenda: | 7/1/2019 |
| Title: | Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide a recommendation on the proposed Audit Plan for FY 2019/20. |
| Attachments: | 1. Presentation 2. FY 2020 Audit Plan |
– Fees and Charges Follow-up Review
What did we find?
Cash handling controls need improvement.
• Fees and charges not updated in DIMES• Manual changes to permit fees are not monitored.
• System access administration needs improvement
• Internal audit process needs improvement.
> Fees and Charges Follow-up Review
System Access
• Implement controls to remove access for terminated/transferred employees.
Internal Monitoring
• Develop a more effective audit process • Staff training
• Standard forms and procedures
• Follow-up process
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"As the Planning Director he will continue transforming neighborhoods in Mesa through collaboration and adoption of sound principles and practices of community planning with well streamlined processes.
He is committed to maintaining and attracting healthy businesses and a diverse workforce in Mesa."
Education
> a doctorate degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas
> a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University
> a bachelor’s degree from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
__________________________________________________________________________________PUBLICATIONS:
Date: 01/2007
Iowa State University Ames, Iowa
Master's Thesis for Master of Community and Regional Planning
"The role of government and regulation in the emerging real estate industry in Ghana"
Recommended Citation: Appiah, Nana Kusi,
"The role of government and regulation in the emerging real estate industry in Ghana" (2007). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 14871.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/14871/See page 12: Limitation of the study "Lack of funds made it impossible for the researcher to travel to Ghana to personally
collect the data. As a result a research assistant was hired in Ghana to administer the
questionnaires. Working with a research assistant across distance was very expensive and
time consuming.
Also lack of reliable data in Ghana on real estate industry and home prices made it
difficult to conduct this housing study. . ."
Date: Summer 2014 University of Texas @ Dallas
PhD Candidates in Public and Nonprofit Management
“A Study of Factors Influencing Public Officials and City Planners to Engage Citizens in Governmental Land-Use Decisions”
Planning Manager, Adams County, Colorado
Professor: Richard K. Scotch
https://epps.utdallas.edu/pnm-phd-graduates/Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and has completed the Executive Education Program in Public Leadership at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
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Prior to joining the City of Mesa,
> Development Services Manager for Adams County, Colorado. In this position, he
- led the transformation of the Development Service Division
- streamlined the County’s development review processes
- guided the County’s various development code amendments and land use policy adjustments.
In addition, he worked on the City’s comprehensive plan amendment in 2014 and downtown revitalization plans.
> Began his professional career in Polk County, Florida where he was a key staff planner and guided the County’s adoption of various development code amendments and implementation of the development regulations and concurrency planning.
> He has presented at various academic conferences such as the Urban Affairs Association and the American Society for Public Administrators.
> Nana has published articles in the Public Administration Times that include topics such as citizen participation in land-use decision making, participatory leadership strategies, and complexity of management in the public sector.
Reference: Rose Law Group Reporter 16 Oct 2018
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CREDENTIALS
http://sydex.net/page284550
Education:> Harvard University
John F. Kennedy School of Government
2015 – 2015
Certificate
Executive Education: Driving Government Performance
> The University of Texas at Dallas
2010 – 2014
Ph.D, Public Affairs
> Iowa State University
2004 – 2006
MCRP, Community and Regional Planning
> Kwame Nkrumah' University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (Ghana)
1998 – 2002
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Bachelor of Science, Land Economy
Name Search on Facebook > https://www.facebook.com/public/Nana-Kusi-Appiah
