Duval Times

The City of Jacksonville, in collaboration with the LEAN Competency System (LCS), continues to advance its 904 LEAN initiative aimed at enhancing operational efficiency. The partnership, initiated last year, seeks to streamline processes within the city government and improve service delivery for residents.

Through 904 LEAN, significant strides have been made in various administrative processes such as permitting, contract approvals, and expense reporting. These improvements have resulted in substantial time savings for city employees. According to the city, over 216,000 hours have been saved thus far—equivalent to a year's work for 103 employees.

“This means faster response times, less bureaucracy, and better services for the public,” said Jacksonville Mayor Deegan. She emphasized that reducing administrative burdens allows city workers more time to focus on essential community services.

Entities like JEA and Florida Blue have also adopted LEAN principles, reportedly saving millions of dollars over time. More information about these efforts is available on the City’s Transparency Dashboards under "Waste Warrior."

James Bussell, Executive Director of the Jacksonville LEAN Consortium, praised Jacksonville's progress: “In the early stages of their LEAN journey, they have already achieved significant progress by embedding LEAN principles and practices into their culture…the city has taken impactful steps to streamline operations.”

In addition to updates on 904 LEAN, Mayor Deegan announced new initiatives involving artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced financial modeling in budgeting processes. Partnering with C3 AI aims to enhance fiscal responsibility by identifying redundant spending and improving vendor accountability.

Mayor Deegan highlighted plans for upcoming legislation focused on ensuring fairness in taxpayer spending: “These innovations aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet—they mean a better quality of life for every Jacksonville citizen.” She stressed that efficient budgeting could allocate more resources towards critical services like public safety and infrastructure.

Chris Dando, CEO of LCS, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with Jacksonville: "Our vision is to make LCS the world's leading improvement qualifications and community... this partnership with one of the US’ most forward-thinking cities supports us on this journey."