Cape Elizabeth Town Manager Michael McGovern ought
to be commended on compiling of the annual “Benchmark” study. The link to this document should be shared widely, both within the town and outside it.

    The study, which compares the town to some nearby
communities using 80 separate measurements is a useful tool, not just
for the residents of Cape Elizabeth, but for residents of the nine
other towns to which Cape Elizabeth is compared. Officials in other
communities may not be so eager to learn what McGovern has uncovered.

    The motivation behind the document is clear: it
gives the town council and other interested residents an understanding
of how well the town is doing its job based upon one criteria– cost
efficiency. But there is a certain bravery in putting such a document
out there. While the totality of the document suggests Cape Elizabeth
does a good job, it also demonstrates there is room for improvement.
Cape Elizabeth is highly efficient in most of the measurements,
although it is not always and it is hardly the most efficient in every
area. The study lacks any commentary, that could frame how the data is
interpreted. This is an indication that McGovern is confident the data
speaks for itself.

    But the data does not tell the whole story. Not
every worthy measurement can be distilled down to a per-capita cost.
Delivering a service for the cheapest possible cost does not ensure
residents find the service valuable and the quality of the service must
be considered before the true value is determined.

    The Sentry will continue to pore over the data and
will continue to look at the data in more detail over the next few
months. We hope you find it as interesting as we do.   
              
–Ward Peck