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AGENDA ITEM REVIEW FORM |
7.K.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 09/13/2023
- Department Head:
- Adela Cortez
- Submitted By:
- Adela Cortez, Director Human Resources, Human Resources Department
Action Requested:
Motion
ITEM:
Discussion and possible action on any and all matters regarding the restructuring of several city departments. (Jenny Torres, Acting City Manager)
SUMMARY:
During the budget process, the Administration informed the City Council of the need to restructure several departments. Staff researched the structures for similar cities and evaluated the needs and growth of the city. Staff is making the following recommendations in order to improve customer service, streamline processes, and become more efficient in providing the city services that the community deserves.
Research determined that:
Research determined that:
- There is redundancy of tasks between Planning and Zoning and Public Works as it relates to Engineering Plan Review.
- The city may benefit from having a separate Engineering Division/Department Headed by a City Engineer rather than a Civil Engineer.
- The classification of City Engineer is of the level of Department Head and would provide a higher salary which perhaps can make this position more attractive.
- The facilities' division should not be in the Department of Parks & Recreation.
- Should be renamed to Development Services Department with two (2) divisions: Planning & Zoning and Building Safety.
- Repurpose the Principal Planner position’s budget, and reclassify it to Assistant Director of Development Services.
- Reclassify the Planning Technician to Development Coordinator.
- Reclassify the Building Permit Technician to Building Services Coordinator.
- Eliminate the Administrative Coordinator position and use its budget for the reclassifications.
- The current Associate Planner will work temporarily .50 in Planning and .50 in Engineering to perform engineering plan review until a City Engineer is hired.
- Due to the large number of divisions, establish an additional Assistant Director position for better workload distribution of all divisions within the Public Works Department.
- Set up an Engineering Department, separated from the Public Works Department where the head will be the City Engineer overseeing the current Project Manager, Engineering Technician, and a future position of Engineer in Training. Temporarily until the City hires a City Engineer, Public Works continues to oversee this function with support from the Planning and Zoning Department.
- The research concluded that Facilities is under Public Works in most municipalities. However, given the large number of divisions Public Works currently has, it will not be feasible to add another division at this time. Once the Engineering Division is separate from Public Works, this will be a feasible move.
- In the meantime, Facilities will be removed from Parks & Recreation and function as a stand-alone department under the general direction of the City Manager.
- During the budget process, a Manager position was requested as the intent was for Facilities to oversee facilities maintenance as well as grounds maintenance. Since Facilities will not inherit grounds maintenance after all, a position of this level will not be needed at this time.
- Due to an increasing number of projects for city building repair work and remodeling, it was determined that Facilities do need a Project Coordinator to coordinate between city staff and contractors and monitor the timely progress of projects. The budget allocated for the Manager position will be repurposed to fund this Project Coordinator position.
- Creation of new Operations Coordinator position which is greatly needed to coordinate operations of the Fire and Ambulance Divisions.
RECOMMENDATION / SUGGESTED MOTION:
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE DEPARTMENTS RESTRUCTURE AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
Fiscal Impact
- IS THERE FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ITEM:
- YES
- CITY/STATE/FEDERAL FUNDS:
- YES
- TOTAL:
- $223,353
- BUDGETED AMOUNT:
- YES
- AVAILABLE AMOUNT TO TRANSFER:
- See fiscal Impact Statement
- ACCT NAME & GL#/REMAINING BALANCE BEFORE PURCHASE:
- See fiscal Impact Statement
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT (IF THIS IS A BUDGET TRANSFER, YOU MUST ATTACH THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FORM):
We allocated budget for this restructuring in FY 2023, we are asking council approval to reallocate budget as follows:
Planning and Zoning - The restructuring of our Planning and Zoning Department will not have any fiscal impact on our budget. This is primarily due to the elimination of an Administrative Coordinator position within the department's structure. The savings from this position removal effectively offset the costs associated with the restructure itself.
Fire and Ambulance - The fiscal Impact associated with this restructuring is $52,000.00, we allocated $65,000.00 in the council contingency specifically for funds that might be needed in relation to the restructuring project. We are asking council to do a budget transfer from the council contingency account 100-110-81000 in the amount of $52,000.00 to the Ambulance salary accounts 340-341-5000 $26,000.00 and Fire Salary Accounts 100-182-50000 $26,000.00.
Facilities - The fiscal impact associated with this restructuring is $57,000.00, we allocated budget for a Facilities Manager position, split between Facilities and Parks which will not be filled. We are asking Council approval to do a budget transfer in the amount of $12,000.00 from the parks' salary account 100-144-50000 to account 100-720-50000.
Public Works-We budgeted accordingly $115,353 in FY 2024 to cover for the new position of Assistant Director in Public Works, no transfer of budget is needed to cover for this additional position.
Planning and Zoning - The restructuring of our Planning and Zoning Department will not have any fiscal impact on our budget. This is primarily due to the elimination of an Administrative Coordinator position within the department's structure. The savings from this position removal effectively offset the costs associated with the restructure itself.
Fire and Ambulance - The fiscal Impact associated with this restructuring is $52,000.00, we allocated $65,000.00 in the council contingency specifically for funds that might be needed in relation to the restructuring project. We are asking council to do a budget transfer from the council contingency account 100-110-81000 in the amount of $52,000.00 to the Ambulance salary accounts 340-341-5000 $26,000.00 and Fire Salary Accounts 100-182-50000 $26,000.00.
Facilities - The fiscal impact associated with this restructuring is $57,000.00, we allocated budget for a Facilities Manager position, split between Facilities and Parks which will not be filled. We are asking Council approval to do a budget transfer in the amount of $12,000.00 from the parks' salary account 100-144-50000 to account 100-720-50000.
Public Works-We budgeted accordingly $115,353 in FY 2024 to cover for the new position of Assistant Director in Public Works, no transfer of budget is needed to cover for this additional position.