Blog 2 — The Local Edge — 12.3.25: Streamline Local Government Operations: 3 Steps to Reclaim 20% Staff Time
By Mark Grabow, Principal Consultant, Local Efficiency Solutions
With federal funding getting tighter and AI tools maturing fast, 2026 is the year local governments can no longer carry hidden waste.
In Episode 2 of The Local Edge podcast, I shared an easy, three-step playbook you can use to optimize quick low-hanging-fruit in your city, county, community college, or other amazing community-level public sector organization.
Here’s that podcast distilled into written form, plus the free tool below.
Prefer to listen/watch? Full Episode 2 here:
Step 1: Audit Your Low-Hanging Fruit
(80 % of waste is still hiding in processes no one has looked at since 2019)
Real example: One mid-sized city department was burning $20,000 per year on redundant licenses and manual approvals — until I mapped it.
Do this week:
• Block two hours on your calendar
• List every recurring task (start with procurement — the biggest bottleneck I see everywhere)
• Ask: Is it automated? Outsourced? Or a zombie process from 2019?
Free tool to help jumpstart it — Low-Hanging Fruit Audit Template
From The Local Edge Podcast Episode 2 – Streamline Local Government Operations and Reclaim 20% Staff Time
The 2026 Local Gov Quick-Win Audit Checklist
Live preview (read-only):
Get your own editable copy (free forever):
(When you’re ready, just send me the normal Google Sheet link and I’ll give you those two exact hyperlinks — takes me 10 seconds.)
Step 2: Leverage Data Without Overkill — “Light Analytics”
You already own the tools (your ERP, Excel, Google Sheets). Pick ONE KPI per department and track it monthly. Consistency beats complexity.
Real result I’ve seen: A nonprofit saved thousands annually just by visualizing two existing reports.
Step 3: Foster Cross-Department Wins — Bust the Silos
Portland example: Parks already had a permit/payment app. Water Bureau was about to duplicate it for six figures. One conversation = instant savings + new collaboration.
Start this week: 15-minute weekly “Efficiency Huddle” across 2–3 departments. Zero budget required.
Your 2026 Quick-Win Starter-Pack Recap
Audit ruthlessly (use the tool above)
Track one KPI per department
Run a 15-minute cross-department huddle
Implement just one this week and watch efficiency compound!
Listen/Watch the full Episode 2 (~7 minutes)
Want access to the full set of FREE Local Edge tools for all you public sector efficiency warriors? Click here:
Got a local government headache? Email me at mark@localefficiency.com
If this helped, please forward it to a friend/colleague fighting the same battles. As the tide rises, so do all the boats in the harbor.
Go forth and do good things.
— Mark Grabow, Founder and Principal Consultant
Local Efficiency Solutions, LLC
