Clyde W. Barrow , Ph.D. , Director
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS!
Public Officials ABOUT THE CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS!
Educators and Scholars
Business Executives
Public Officials…
“The City of Fall River has benefited greatly from the research expertise of the Center for Policy Analysis, which has prepared numerous reports for the Office of the Mayor, including monographs on the City’s combined sewer overflow problem, higher best use of the former municipal airport, police station site selection, and municipal reorganization….What is perhaps most unique about the Center’s work is that every study is custom designed and tailored to locally-defined problems and for that reason each and everyone of its studies has facilitated tangible and visible improvements to the City.
-- Edward M. Lambert, Jr., Mayor, City of Fall River
"The Center produced a Regional Blueprint for my organization in October of 2002. The blueprint was an excellent compilation of labor market information for the Cape & Islands. The regional analysis that was produced has been the centerpiece of our labor market data for the past three years. Not only was the data informative but the conclusions and recommendations of the Center were relevant and assisted my agency in our work over the past several years."
- - David Augustinho, Executive Director, Cape & Islands Workforce Investment Board
"The Town of Dartmouth Police Department contracted with the Center for Policy Analysis in September 2004 for a professional citizen survey to measure the community's evaluation of its Police Department and to accurately address concerns the community had with regard to crime. During the planning phase of the survey, I cannot express how cooperative and helpful the staff was with formulating questions for the survey, receptiveness to questions and suggestions, as well as researching demographics for our community. The survey was an unqualitified success in that it was comprehensively presented not only in an easily viewable written booklet form but also made available through the Center for Policy Anal;ysis website on line. Our immediate reaction to the survey's findings was one of surprise in that the main concerns of our citizens was NOT burglary or robbery but that of TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT and littering within the town. We immediately set out extra patrols and a comprehensive plan for future traffic and litter enforcement to address the concerns expressed by our citizens in the survey. It is our collective opinion that the Center was most invaluable in this professional citizen survey and the cooperation and professionalism shown by the Center and its staff was second to none."
- - Chief Mark Pacheco, Datmouth Police Department
“As the former Mayor of the City of Fall River I had several occasions to use the University’s Center for Policy Analysis…I was greatly satisfied with the performance of the Center. The Center addressed several large scale issues concerning the City; in particular, its combined sewer overflow problem and the federal litigation involving that matter, the City’s municipal airport, the city’s management system, and its school buildings. Each project completed was timely and thorough…In each instance the public presentation of these issues by the Center was extremely well run.
-- John R. Mitchell, (former) Mayor, City of Fall River
"The work done by Clyde Barrow, David Borges and others at the Center was exemplary. Their willingness and ability to work with the Housing Committee resulted in our needs being met precisely and in a timely manner. Even though the project was unusual and had never been attempted elsewhere within the State of Massachusetts, the Center's team was able to think "outside the box" and develop an approach that met those needs very nicely. The quality of work performed by the Center was excellent. The usefulness of the final product became evident in the subsequent development of a Home Rule Petition which was passed by both houses of the Legislature."
- - Stuart L. Richardson, Chairman, Marion Housing Committee
"The City had requested the survey as part of its process for negotiating a Cable TV License with Comcast. The City was very pleased with the quality of service and product provided by the Center for Policy Analysis. The survey was prepared and conducted in a professional manner and the results were returned to the City in a timely fashion. The staff at the Center for Policy Analysis was professional and responsive in handling this project."
- - John J. Coughlin, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Fall River
"We are happy to express our great satisfaction with all aspects of our dealings with Mr. Clyde Barrow and the Center for Policy Analysis. The quality of work performed by the Center for the New Bedford Housing Authority was outstanding in that the final reports were clear, precise, and professionally presented. The program evaluations were extrememly important to the NewBedford Housing Authority because HUD under the Drug Elimination Grant Program mandated a relevant resident survey to highlight and measure the success and effectiveness of our programs."
- - Charles R. Soares, Manager of Security and Walter S. Jones, Tenant Relations Coordinator, New Bedford Housing Authority
"The reports and surveys that have been conducted for the Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment Board have added tremendous value to our policy making board and the professionals within our system. We have used the data to make policy decisions, to augment our strategic planning, and to pursue grant funding on both the state and federal level."
- - Len Coriaty, Executive Director,Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment Board
"The Fall River Housing Authority used UMD's Center for Policy Analysis on at least two occasions and I am happy to confirm that the services were done in a very professional manner, were performed on a timely basis and met or exceeded our expectations. The work product was the highest quality . . . we found the review to be useful in determining the efficacy of the program objectives."
- - Daniel P. McDonald, Fall River Housing Authority
“…thank you for your thoughtful comments on EPA’s draft CSO Guidance on Financial Capability Assessment and Schedule Development. The information you provided on financial issues in Fall River and the State of Massachusetts will help us strengthen our discussion of the financial capability benchmarks. Most importantly, you recommended some useful modifications to the benchmarks for unemployment rate and median household income, which we will probably adopt.”
-- Ross Brennan, (former) National CSO Program Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
“In addition to presenting a very comprehensive analysis of the Cape’s seasonal workforce, the Center provided numerous recommendations for dealing with projected shortages of seasonal workers….I want to thank you and the Center for Policy Analysis once again for your report, which exceeded our expectations. It has created quite a buzz on Cape Cod.”
-- James O’Connell, (former) Economic Development Officer, Cape Cod Commission
“In 1998, the Center for Policy Analysis performed a management study for the Town of Marion….In my thirty-two years of municipal government experience, I can honestly say the report was the most valuable with a majority of the recommendations being implemented within two years.”
-- Ray E. Pickles, (former) Town Administrator, Town of Marion
“…look at the results of the government study…I have personally reviewed this document and I am extremely confident that it will serve as a useful blueprint for how to make Acushnet’s government more productive.”
-- David E. Wojnar, Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Town of Acushnet
“Over the years the Municipal Council listens to any number of reports and presentations on the needs and direction of the City. The presentation made by [the Center’s staff] was exemplary in its clarity and substance, but also deserves high marks for providing the Municipal Council a truly sound perspective on the facility siting issue.”
-- Municipal Council, City of Taunton
“Recently the University of Massachusetts Center for Policy Analysis completed a study on the governance and operations of commercial service airports….I found the work to be very useful in training and educating airport commissioners, elected officials, and the general public in governance and operation issues that we as airport professionals face every day, all over the country.”
-- David F. Edwards, (former) Director, New Bedford Regional Airport
Educators and Scholars…
“…as Superintendent of the Fall River Public Schools, I had the opportunity to work with the center on the development and implementation of a community report card….The community received this report card with great enthusiasm, and for the past 5 years it has been one of the main documents that have been used to shape the educational policy for the Fall River Public Schools.”
-- James M. Gibney, (former), Superintendent, Fall River Public Schools
“Massachusetts Benchmarks and the UMass Economic Project have been enriched by our association with the Center for Policy Analysis…the work provided to us has been of high quality…”
-- Steven R. Landau, (former), Director, Economic Research & Analysis, Donahue Institute, UMass Office of the President
“…Benchmarks has published six articles written by faculty associated with the Center…All of the articles were of high academic quality, timely, and at the same time written in such a way that informed policy makers could appreciate and benefit from the work. The Center has been our most consistent organizational source of high quality research for Benchmarks.”
-- Robert A. Nakosteen, Professor, School of Management, UMass Amherst
Executive Editor, Massachusetts Benchmarks
Business Executives…
"In March of 2005, the Center delivered an economic impact analysis on the arts and crafts sector ofr our economy. We found that the Center report was thorough and detailed. They were working with an emerging economic cluster and one that had not been previously well documented. The Center was extremely responsive. This research laid a foundation for an idea was had about an economic development initiative to increase markets for artists and artisans, thereby increasing their income levels."
- - Wendy K. Northcross, Chief Executive Officer, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
“. . . the effectiveness, quality, responsiveness, and completeness of the project are all considered excellent and surpassed all expectations on our part. The data has been most useful in providing the direction in which to pursue the development activities of the company."
-- James G. DeMello (former), President/CEO, Acushnet Rubber Company
"As Board members, we were concerned about the organizational structure and capacity of the leadership team at our two campuses within the City of Fall River. The results of the study confirmed our suspicion that reorganization was necessary and the quality of their work was demonstrated in our following their recommendations in their entirety."
- - David F. Westgate, Vice President, The HOME
"The report has been an effective tool for marketing, industry award applications, and HUD reports."
- - John Darlington, Grants and Projects Manager, Peabody Properties, Inc.
“The Center for Policy Analysis conducted public opinion surveys for us over the past few years…All polls were first rate and organized with an eye to what costs we could sustain…The political polls proved highly accurate.”
-- Ken O. Hartnett, Editor, The Standard-Times
“The CCGA Water Resource Committee reviewed the study you prepared for us on ‘Water Use in Southeastern Massachusetts’. We all believe that the Center did an outstanding job putting together and analyzing the data that went into the study.”
-- Jeffrey LaFleur, Executive Director, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association
“I have reviewed a copy of the feasibility study for the proposed assisted living facility which was prepared by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis. It is by far the most professional and comprehensive study which I have had the opportunity to review.”
-- Jeffrey S. Gittler, CPA, Berg, Schultz & Green
Originals written documents with these statements are on file at the Center for Policy Analysis.
Correspondence and inquiries should be addressed to:
The Center for Policy Analysis
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road
North Dartmouth, MA. 02747-2300
Phone: 508-990-9660
Fax: 508-999-8374
Email: cbarrow@umassd.edu [ send mail ]
For Directions to the Center for Policy Analysis click here.
Last Updated On: 6/5/06
