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Statement of Lloyd J. JordanGOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN LINDA W. CROPP, CHAIRMAN HAROLD BRAZIL, CHAIRMAN KATHY PATTERSON, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I AM LLOYD J. JORDAN, ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS (DCRA). I AM PLEASED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TODAY ON THE OCCASION OF MY NOMINATION BY MAYOR MARION BARRY, JR., AS DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS (DCRA). I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT WHO I AM AND WHY I AM UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO LEAD DCRA AT THIS CRITICAL TIME. I AM EXCITED TO HAVE A PART IN TRANSFORMING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA GOVERNMENT AND TURNING DCRA INTO A MODEL FOR THE NATION. I AM HONORED TO BE NOMINATED TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN THIS CAPACITY. I ACCEPTED THE NOMINATION TO BE DIRECTOR OF DCRA BECAUSE OF MY VERY STRONG INTEREST IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND MAKING GOVERNMENT RESPONSIVE TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN OPERATE AT OPTIMUM EFFICIENCY WITHIN A REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. I AM COMMITTED TO MAKING DCRA OPERATE AT MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY, PROVIDING OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND OPERATING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF DCRA'S BUDGET AND SPENDING PLAN. I KNOW THAT THE QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I BRING TO THIS JOB CAN AND WILL HELP IN BRINGING ABOUT A RENAISSANCE AT DCRA. I HAVE MORE THAN TWENTY (20) YEARS OF MUNICIPAL, ENTREPRENEURIAL, LEGAL, AND CORPORATE EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELDS OF FINANCE, SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT AND PROCEDURE CREATION. I HAVE PROVEN CAPABILITIES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LEGAL AFFAIRS, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, STRATEGIC PLANNING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PROJECT AND ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT AND LABOR RELATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT THE WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT I BRING TO THE POSITION MAKES DOING THE JOB AT DCRA REQUIRES A MULTI-TASKED APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE MYRIAD ISSUES FACING THE DEPARTMENT TODAY. FOR EXAMPLE:
THE SUCCESS OF DCRA EFFECTS THE DISTRICT MORE THAN ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA GOVERNMENT. DELAYS AND INEFFICIENCY AT DCRA CAUSE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS TO CONCLUDE THAT THE DISTRICT IS NOT THE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS, LIVE, WORK AND RAISE FAMILIES. IN TURN, THIS PERCEPTION CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL DOWNTURN IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL POPULATIONS. YOU HAVE HEARD THE STATEMENT ALL TOO OFTEN BEFORE: DEVELOPERS DO NOT WANT TO TIE UP THEIR MONEY FOR MONTHS WHILE THEY FIGHT THEIR WAY THROUGH DCRAS UNRESPONSIVE BUREAUCRACY. IN SOME INSTANCES, CITIZENS MAY PREFER TO TAKE THEIR CHANCES AND DISOBEY THE LAW, SUBJECTING THEMSELVES TO HEALTH OR SAFETY RISK, RATHER THAN FACE THE RUN-AROUND AT DCRA. IT IS TIME TO END THIS PERCEPTION OF DCRA. FIRST, WE MUST QUICKLY GET OUR ARMS AROUND DCRA. WE MUST MAKE QUICK BUT PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS. DCRA MUST DEVELOP THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND PLANS THAT EVIDENCE A WELL ORGANIZED, WELL RUN, AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY. ALL DCRA MANAGERS AND EVERY DCRA EMPLOYEE MUST HAVE WELL ARTICULATED PERFORMANCE MEASURES. DCRA MUST FOCUS ON DEPENDABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE MUST REVERSE THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION THROUGH A DIRECTED PUBLIC EDUCATION PLAN. OF COURSE, IMPROVING EMPLOYEE MORALE IS CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFORMATION OF DCRA AND MUST BE HEIGHTENED. THE ANTICIPATED RELOCATION OF MOST OF DCRAS OPERATIONS TO 941 NORTH CAPITOL STREET, N.E., WILL BE A KEY FACTOR IN IMPROVING MORALE. THE OPERATIONAL PROCESSES MUST BE STREAMLINED AND MADE FLUID. DCRA MUST BE RESTRUCTURED ALONG MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL LINES, WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE FOCUS. TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT MUST OCCUR. THE LACK OF STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE DEPARTMENT. NUMEROUS ROUTINE TASKS HAVE BEEN AND, IN SOME INSTANCES, CONTINUE TO BE PERFORMED MANUALLY. FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO FUNCTION AT OPTIMUM EFFICIENCY, ALL PROCESSES MUST BE AUTOMATED AND STAFF FULLY TRAINED TO USE THE NEW EQUIPMENT. THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR REENGINEERING AND THE MAYOR, THE CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER, THE AUTHORITY AND THE COUNCIL HAVE MADE THE COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE AND BROADEN THESE EFFORTS. IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS, I WILL BE FOCUSING MY EFFORTS AND THE DEPARTMENTS EFFORTS TOWARDS NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING DCRA PROGRAMS AND FUNCTIONS:
I KNOW THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO BE DONE TO TRANSFORM DCRA AND I TAKE ON THIS TASK WITH MY EYES OPEN. I KNOW THAT THE DEPARTMENT CAN BE AND WILL BE TRANSFORMED. EMPLOYEES CAN BE AND WILL BE ENCOURAGED AND EMPOWERED TO DO A BETTER JOB. THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT AND OUR CUSTOMERS NEEDS MUST BE ADDRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FOR DCRA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. TRANSFORMATION MUST BEGIN NOW AND I AM THE PERSON WHO WILL GET THE JOB DONE. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MAYOR MARION BARRY, DR. CAMILLE CATES BARNETT, THE DC FINANCIAL AUTHORITY, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DCRA STAFF AND OUR CUSTOMERS AS WE TAKE STEPS TO MOVE THE DEPARTMENT TO THE TOP OF DISTRICT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, KNOWN FOR DEDICATION TO EFFICIENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WELL AS FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY. THIS CONCLUDES MY FORMAL REMARKS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGES IN THE COMING DAYS AND I AM FULLY COMMITTED AND CONFIDENT THAT I CAN BRING ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT STABILITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT ARE REQUIRED OF AN OUTSTANDING AND RESPONSIVE REGULATORY AGENCY THAT IS A CRITICAL PARTNER IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAS PLANS FOR ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION. I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THE COMMITTEE'S QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. LLOYD JORDAN CITY MANAGER Dynamic and energetic, I am a city administrator that gets results. I establish realistic long- range financial plans while motivating employees to increase efficiency end effectiveness. As a creative and thorough manager, I generate innovative ideas-and solutions while improving the bottom line of the City. Capabilities Profile..,
Key Career Accomplishments...
Employment History... THE JORDAN LAW GROUP, St Louis, Missouri, 1996Present
CITY OF ST. LOUIS, St. Louis, Missouri, 19931996
ST. LOUIS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
ST. LOUIS MUNICIPAL FINANCE CORP.
CNA INSURANCE COMPANIES, Chicago, Illinois, 19901993
CITY OF KINLOCH, Kinloch, Missouri, 19831990
BUSSEY AND JORDAN, PC, St. Louis, Missouri, 19811990
ST. LOUIS AGENCY ON TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT, St. Louis, Missouri, 19791981
Education/Certification... HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Cambridge, Massachusetts ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, St. Louis, Missouri WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, St. Louis, Missouri Licenses...
Professional Affiliations/organizations...
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