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5.4C. SR 07-22-2002MEMORANDUM Item 5.4.C. TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor and Council Pat Klaers, City Admini~t~ato, r~,~ Personnel Additions Staff Reorganization The purpose of this memo is two-fold. One purpose is to briefly discuss needed and requested personnel additions for 2003. The second purpose is to discuss a city engineering department and a staff reorganization need. No immediate decisions on staff additions are needed. These decisions can be made later when better financial, levy limit, and budget information are available. However, feedback is desired on the proposed city engineering department and the public services director position as, if the Council is supporting this department and this position, then this department and position needs to be prioritized versus a park and recreation d/rector position and department. Both new positions and departments will ultimately be very beneficial to the city but funding will be fight in 2003 for even one of these department head positions. 2003 STAFFING REQUESTS It is generally true that given more employees, departments can provide better services. Ail positions and additional hours being requested need to be prioritized. Requests for additional hours and staff in 2003 include the following: · Senior Citizen - 20 additional hours for either a clerical or an office assistant position · City Recreation - 40 plus hours for part time office assistants · Police - secretarial support, CSO, and police officer (3 F.T. positions) · Street/Park- additional maintenance employee · Fire - 20 plus hours for a fire prevention special/st · Legal - 20 hours for secretary support services · Cable TV - 20 hours for cable producer assistant to go full time Personnel Addi~ions: Staff Reorgani~afion J [x 2002 Page 2 of 2 These requests equal about seven full time positions. It is uncertain how many - if any - of these requests can be funded in 2003. In 2002 the city hired an in£ormation technology employee. This hiring was ahead of schedule but was necessary because of the building construction and remodeling projects. Costs for this position will be slightly offset by ending our contract relationship for consulting services with the City of Andover. Nonetheless, this will be an additional budgeted expenditure for the 2003 budget. We will likely see this program grow in the future as our needs increase. For a number of reasons the city will need to increase the staffing and responsibilities of the building maintenance and cleaning program. The reasons for an increase in this program include the new public safety facility being completed in 2003, the Zerwas Cleaning contract ending for the police department, and the general growth in cleaning and maintenance needs for the existing facilities. Currently the Street/Park Superintendent supervises this program and employees. In 2003 it is projected that we will have to add at least one employee in the spring and a second employee is likely sometime in later 2003 or early 2004. Offsetting these additional expenses will be some savings ($12,000 annually) from the police cleaning contract being discontinued. The larger staff for the building maintenance/cleaning program may also provide us with more flexibility in terms of being available both during the workday and after hours, depending on the needs of the department and depending on building security needs when public meetings are held in the City Council Chamber. PARK AND RECREATION DIRECTOR AND DEPARTMENT The City Council and the Park and Recreation Commission have discussed the need for a park and recreation director and the formation of a park and recreation department a number of times over the past year or so. Attached for your review is the October 2001 report from the Commission regarding this position and department. Included in this report is an organizational chart and an estimate of the budget impacts for the director and staff. The proposal from the Commission calls for the hiring of a park and recreation director in 2003. Additional support staff is then proposed to be hired in 2005. There is no additional revenue associated with these new positions, although better customer service will be provided and the director could be instrumental in the city obtaining grants. I support the establishment of a park and recreation director position and the proposed reorganization whereby a number of departments and department heads would then report to this position. This reorganization will provide better support for the other departments (recreation manager, senior citizen director, and ice arena manager) and will help coordinate and consolidate programs and services. Also, public information and communication on recreation services and opportunities should be less confusing. I do have concerns about a separate maintenance department for parks, but this issue can be sorted out sometime in the future. However, with the above being said, this park and recreation director position is in competition for funding with another very needed city position and department and this city position and department is described below (engineering department and a public services director). I believe that the need is stronger for an engineering department and a public services director than it is for a park and recreation director and department. Personnel Additions: Staff Reorganis~aiion 2002 Page 3 of 3 ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES DIRECTOR Attached for your review is a July 22, 1999, Howard R. Green (HRG) memo to me regarding engineering services. This memo provides some good information on why and when an engineering department could be needed. Regarding the financial estimates at the end of the memo, I believe that the expenditures are estimated low and the revenues may be estimated high (except for the revenue generated by the city engineer). I also think that we need to function with a combination of option three and four (as outlined on page three of the memo) for staffing levels and services provided. Additional background information on the city engineer position and department is in the attached March 29, 1994 MSA memo to me. A lot of information in this memo is similar to what is in the HRG memo; however I found the functions (p.2) and the "who benefits" (p.4) sections to be very informative. Both memos offer good information on the amount of expenses that the city can expect to recapture when it establishes an engineering department and starts charging developers and improvement projects for services that are provided. The need for a city engineering department has been seriously discussed a number of times over the past ten plus years and is generally discussed annually at the budget meetings. The dty department heads believe that now is the time to pursue an in-house engineering department. This department would not only provide significant support for most other departments but additionally we will have office space for employees in early 2004 and the pavement rehabilitation program (PRP), which is a major work activity for an engineering department, will be underway in 2003. This PRP will be ongoing for the foreseeable future. An engineering department will cost the dry some money but it will allow us to provide much better services to our citizens and customers. Work for an engineering department of four-five employees includes the following: · Review of plats and site plans · Preparation and review of Planning Commission and City Council materials and attendance at meetings · Preparation of drawings for construction projects · Construction administration for public and private improvements · Spedal reports, such as working on the assessment manual and the dty design manual · Onsite inspections for such things as erosion control and tree preservation · Putting together feasibility reports · Working with other departments on administration of the wetlands · Management of the GIS and the city maps · Direct, review, and administer consulting engineering work · Manage the Munidpal State Aid system · Represent the city on transportation organizations (Region 7W, TAC, APO, etc.) REORGANIZATION ISSUES Attached is the city organizational chart that appears in the city audit. As you can see, there are twelve employees reporting directly to me. Additionally, supervising the senior center Personnd,4ddi~ions: Staff Reorgani~a#on July 15, 2002 Page 4 of 4 director, the city engineer, the dty attorney, (to a limited extent) activities at the library, and coordination with the utilities general manager are also assignments that fall under my responsibility. This organizational system has worked well for years but the city has grown in many respects and the citywide workload and the workload in each department has grown significantly over the years. Much like the police department organization changes over the years (currently at 34 employees), the overall city structure needs some changes as it grows. The operation of the city is getting much too complex to have so many departments report to one individual. It is very difficult to have sufficient time in a typical workweek to give appropriate attention and supervision to all of the departments shown on the chart and listed above. A grouping of departments that provide similar types of services under one administrator or director and then having that individual report to me is a common organizational structure for municipalities as they grow larger. As far back as the late 1980's the City Council has talked about "super department heads" that would report to me and manage groups of existing departments. There is no one "cookie cutter" approach for how a city should be organized. Each municipality needs to identify its best way of operating and managing services. This way of providing services tends to evolve as the municipality grows. The approach I am recommending to the Council is somewhat similar to the approach being taken in the City of Blaine. Attached is some information on the public services manager position in the City of Blaine. The only real difference from a public services position as proposed in Elk River is that the park and recreation would be a separate entity. The concept being presented to the City Council is to establish an engineering department and to hire Terry Maurer as the city public services director/engineer in 2003. As the public services director, Terry would supervise the following departments: · Streets/Parks · Wastewater Treatment · Engineering · Building/Zoning · Planning · Economic Development Engineering is the "swing department" that works both with the outside activities and the inside planning and building/zoning activities. The city engineer being the key player in coordinating activities between departments is not much different from what currently takes place. The future steps in the engineering department plan are to hire two engineering techs, a GIS employee, and provide clerical support in 2004. This would be followed by hiring an assistant engineer in 2005 or later; whereby, Terry would end his dual responsibilities as city engineer and public services director and would manage the above listed departments and services. Also in the future, this public services director position may be broken down into a public works director and community development director, but this would be a future step in the evolution in the city's organizational structure. Personnel ~4ddixions: Staff Reorgani~ation July 15, 2002 Page 5 of 5 With Terry Maurer filling the position of public services director he would be doing similar work as to what he currently does. He currently provides information, support, and helps coordinate the projects for wastewater treatment, streets, engineering, planning (and to a lesser degree economic development), and building/zoning. However, in this new position Terry would be the direct supervisor and be responsible for coordinating multi-departmental activities and ensuring that good communication and supervision is taking place on all projects and that good customer service is being provided. Also when the remodeling of city hall is completed, building/zoning, engineering, economic development, and planning (BEEP), will remain in the old city hall area and it makes sense to have someone on this side of the city hall in charge of BEEP. The city will still need to have services provided by consulting engineering firms. The net cost in 2003 for hiring Terry Maurer may not be too much as we would be paying less to Howard R. Green and we may be able to recapture some expenses for Terry's work on development projects. Likewise in 2004, it will not cost the city too much to hire the additional staff for an engineering department as we can recapture some of the costs through the PRP and development projects. We are still working on estimates for revenues and expenses but we didn't want to go too far without getting some feedback from the City Council on this position, department, and reorganization proposal. A question that may arise with this proposed reorganization is whether or not I am recommending the city create a position for Terry Maurer or if I'm recommending establishing the best organizational structure and position for the city. I strongly believe that I am recommending what is best for the city and that Terry Maurer is the best person for this position. On the other hand, if Terry was hired as a city engineer, then why couldn't Steve Rohlf, Phil Hals, or Michele McPherson become the public services director and have dual responsibilities? The answer is they could but engineering is the key crossover department and Terry is in the best position to assume this dual role due to his experience. Terry has extensive experience with the City of Elk River, has expertise in engineering, knows the development business, knows how to coordinate department activities and understands their interrelationships, has customer service skills, has owned and knows how to run a business, ...in short, Terry has the best experience, knowledge, and skills to lead the city as a public services director. Additionally, this will keep the same Elk River "team" in place. If the city were to advertise for this position I don't think that we could find someone better qualified than Terry Maurer. I see this as an opportunity for the city to establish a needed position, to £RI an organizational void, and to hire a proven commodity. If Terry Maurer were to not accept a public services director position with the city, we would still look for an engineer to fill this role and function, as initially the position would be fulfilling dual responsibilities as engineer and public services director. Again, if the workload continues to increase in the city, there may very well be a time where this position needs to split off into a community development position and a public works director position. At this time I am not looking for layers upon layers of management, but Elk River's organization is very flat and there needs to be some consolidation in order to be more effective, to provide better supervision, and to provide better coordination of services. If we don't make some changes pretty soon we will be going backwards in terms of providing quality customer service. Personnel /tddi#ons: Staff Reorganigation July 15, 2002 Page 6 of 6 A public services director and a park and recreation director are logical next steps in our organizational evolution. These two positions are needed to support the growing departments they would be supervising. These type of changes are very typical as a city grows. I strongly support both the park and recreation director position and the public services director position (plus the engineering department) and the subsequent reorganization of the city's departments as a way of providing better services to the public and to the department heads. CONCLUSION The purpose of this memo is to bring forward some personnel issues that the Council will need to look at in the 2003 budget. I need the Council to consider whether or not an engineering department should be established, and if so, when. Also, I need the Council to provide some feedback on the reorganization recommendation to establish a public services director/engineer position with the understanding that the engineering responsibility would fall to an assistant city engineer within a few years. I also need to make the Council aware that the engineering department and a public services director position is fighting for the same dollars as a park and recreation director and staff for a park and recreation department. This is a priority decision that needs to be made by the City Council. Finally, if the Council agrees to the reorganization concept and the engineering department, I need some Council response to trying to hire Terry Maurer as the public services director. ATTACHMENTS · October '01' Park and Recreation Department Report · July '99' Engineering Services Memo · March '94' Engineering Services Memo · City Organizational Chart · Blaine Organizational Chart and Information on its Public Services Director Positions S/Council/Pat / Staff Reorganize City of Elk River Park and Recreation Commission Park and Recreation Department Formation Investigation Results and Recommendation October 2001 Table of Contents Introduction Existing Conditions Findings New Department Components and Organization Budget Impacts Implementation Timeline Resulti~ag Changes Recommendation Park Department Formadon Report To the Elk River City Council October 200 I ~age 3 Introduction During the February 28, 2000 joint meeting of the Park and Recreation Commission and the Elk River City Council, the concept of a dedicated Park and Recreation Department with its own director was discussed. At that time, there were concerns over the longevity of the Community Recreation ]'PA with the cities of Hassan, Rogers, and Otsego. By the end of 2000, I-Iassan had announced its withdrawal from the JPA. At the joint meeting, the Council authorized the Commission to investigate the implications of developing a dedicated Park and Recreation Department for the City of Elk River. Since that time, the City of Otsego has announced its decision to leave the JPA, and beginning in January 2002, the City of Elk River will be responsible for providing recreation programming on its own. Why is the Commission concerned about the current lack of a dedicated Park and Recreation Department? Traditionally, parks and recreation have included three components: park planning/development, park maintenance, and recreational programming. Currently, the these components are provided by what has been described as a "three legged stool" with no single- focused leader or "seat": Director of Planning provides: agenda preparation, subdivision review for park dedication purposes, park design ~ ~ ~ ,%~d-~'~,_q Superintendent of Streets/Parks provides: park maintenance and construction services Program Manager provides: programming services The Commission does not doubt the dedication of these individuals to the development of the City's park and recreation system, however, is this the most efficient or timely provision of service to the citizens of Elk River and those outside the community who may visit and utiliZe our r>arks> The Commission believes there is a better way to provide these services. A recent example o~the l~ck of timely service is the length of time that it has taken to develop a master plan for the Youth Athletic Complex. A Director dedicated solely to the maintenance and development of parks would have been able to focus on the task without the conflict of other job duties (i.e. land use planning or street maintenance). In addition, two of the above individuals are not formally trained in the study of parks and recreation and therefore are not current with park and recreation trends. This report was written to answer four related questions. The answers to these questions in turn shape the Commissions recommendations to the City Council regarding the question of should the City centralize these important functions? 1. How does the City of Elk River currently serve the Park and Recreation needs of the community? 2. How might the City structure itself to meet future needs.> 3. If the City established a separate Parks and Recreation Department - what would be different and why? 4. What are the financial costs of any recommended changes? The Commission has used information from a variety of sources in the writing of this report including site visits to Community Recreation, the Parks and Streets Department, the Monticello Parks and Recreation Department, interviews with a number of parks and recreation administrators Park Depart~nenl: Formation Report: to ~he Elk River City Council October 200 I Page 4 of both Metro and out state communities, and information provided by Director of Plarming and Finance Director. The goal of this report prepared by the Commission is to provide a recommendation to the Council of a framework for a dedicated Park and Recreation Department, the budget impacts, the justification for the investment, and an implementation timeline. Existing Service Provision As stated earlier, the three components of parks and recreation services are currently provided by staff in three different departments: Park and Street Department The Park and Street Department is located at 19000 Elk Lake Road. The Mission Statement of the Department is: It is the mission of the Park/Street Department to provideprorrrpt and courteous services to area residents in a financially responsible manner. In doing so, we strive to be safety c°m dous, creative, helpful, ambitious, and understanding as we do whatever tasks are laid before us. In 2000, the department had 32,298 hours, 28% of which were devoted to park projects. Park activities included field maintenance, mowing, skating rinks, and park maintenance/development. Seventeen full-time and four part-time staff work in the department. A full-time Park Foreman has been designated. Planning Department The Planning Department is located in City Hall. The Mission Statement of the Department is: To assist the public, Planning Commission, and City Council with the orderly development of the city. Staff in the Department provide planning and design services for parks. The Director of Planning provides coordination services for the Commission, and averages anywhere from five to 15 hours per week on Park and Recreation issues. The Planner also provides staff assistance t° the Commission and is currently working 20-25 hours per week on Park and Recreation issues (YAC, Lions Shelter addition, Trott Brook Barn). Community Recreation (~o become City Recreation ~[anuary 2002) Community Recreation is currently housed at 50 Main Street, the Emporium (formerly the City Liquor Store). A move to the Lions Park Shelter is anticipated in December 2001. The Mission Statement of the Department is: '~ Community Recreation offers recreation programming~ support, and input to the Park and Recreation Commission, support services to the Youth Associations, as well as other related services. I~rk Department Formation Repor~ to the Ell( River Ci~, Council October 200 I Page 5 Two full-time, one 3A time, and multiple seasonal staff are responsible for recreation programming in the City. In 2001, the City's portion of the Community Recreation budget was $239,500.00 and in 2002, the City expects to budget $296,850.00 for recreation programming. Findings and Observations Finding 1: The Elk River Parks and Recreation system is undergoing rapid expansion that will continue into the foreseeable future. This expansion can be documented through the increase in three areas: (1) the number of park and recreation facilities in the Elk River system, (2) city dollars budgeted for Capital Lmprovements for park and recreation purposes, and 0) consumer demand for park and recreational activities within the City of Elk River. Increase in the number of City facilities: When the City Council approved the Master Park and Recreation Plan in 1997, the system consisted of 27 parks and athletic complexes totaling ? acres. In 2001; the system has grown to 33 sites totaling 777 acres. At the current rate of development, at least seven neighborhood parks plus at least one additional area-wide park will be added to the system within the next five years. It is not unreasonable to anticipate that these additions will add another 175-250 acres to the system. e City dollars budgeted for Parks and Recreation Capital Improvements: In 1997, the City targeted approximately $40,000 toward the development of city owned park and recreation facilities plus land acquisition. In 2000, the City spent $165,574.97 on Park Capital Improvement projects. In 2001, the City has approved Capital Improvements for the Park System in the amount of $124, 464. Additional expenditures for land acquisition may be recommended to the Council in the near future. Over the 5-year period of 2002 through 2007, the Commission anticipates making Capital Improvement recommendations to the Council totaling $714,500. Consumer demand for parks and recreation services: The 33 sites and facilities that comprise the current system allow opportunities for recreational outlets that range from quietly passive individual pursuits to highly energetic team competkions to community wide get-togethers such as the Crop Walk. Community demands for city-owned facilkies led to the recent restructuring of the facility reservation system. The construction of BMX facilities at the Youth Athletic Complex, Mountain Biking Trails at Hill Side City Park, new or expanded playground equipment at Lions, Country Crossing, Riverplace and Barrington Parks, the remodeling of the Barn at Trott Brook Farms, and the relocation of Community Recreation staff to new facilities at Lions Park, all represent consumer demands on the current system that were not evident just a few years ago. Finding 2: The City of Elk River spent $514,755 for park and recreation maintenance, programming, and capital improvements during, the year 2000. This amount does not include city financial support for the Ice Arena. The $426,228 represents the total dollars specifically recommended for park and recreation purposes by the Parks and Recreation Commission ($165,574), the Street and Park Department park and trail Park Deparr~nent Formation Report: to [he Etk River City Council O~ober 200 I Page 6 development maintenance budget ($285,000) and Community Recreation programming budget ($64,181). Finding 3: Recommendations regarding maintenance of existing facilities, programming, planning, and expenditures for capital improvements are currently made by a combination of volunteers and multiple staff representing a variety of City Departments. All recommendations regarding allocation of city resources for parks and recreation purposes ultimately must be ratified by the City Council. Volunteers currently shaping recommendations include the members of the Park and Recreation Commission. The work of the Commission in turn is shaped by hundreds of volunteers that work in various capacities on park and recreation projects. City staff that currently shape recommendations include the Park and Street Superintendent, the Parks Foreman, the City Finance Director, the City Administrator, the Director of Planning, and the Manager of Community Recreation. Finding 4: The current decision making process regarding parks and recreation decisions works adequately in that decisions are eventually made, but the implementation of the decisions is sometimes slowed due to conflicting demands on staff time and related resources. Decisions are also slowed due to the lack of a full-time designated person/or city department that has appropriate training to assume responsibility for coordinating timely responses to park and recreation priorities. Each of the staff listed above has multiple responsibilities and demands on their time, including some responsibility for parks and recreation. Currently all staff make a good faith effort to move park and recreation priorities forward, but any given effort may have to give way to other Departmental priorities. Given the projected growth in the park and recreation system, increased use by residents of City services and facilities, and the increased demands on current staff, the Commission projects that this situation will not improve unless some key staff are added (see New Department Components and Organization). Most park and recreational initiatives by their very composition tend to be multi-jurisdictional in that final projects represent a blend of professional financial, planning, programming, construction, and ongoing maintenance staff expertise. Based on Commission review of other Park and Recreation Departments in Minnesota, eventually many municipalities make the decision to hire additional staff charged with the responsibility of implementing parks and recreation priorities. New Department Components and Organization To meet the anticipated planning, coordination, programming and maintenance needs, it is necessary that the city target additional staff resources to respond to the demands of a growing parks and recreation system. These additional resources could be created by a combination of new hires and internal transfer/reorganization of existing staff. The current staff has a wealth of experience and knowledge of the City's Park and Recreation System and it is hoped that they would be wflhng to remain m a newly organized Park and Recreation Department. Park Department Formation Report co the Elk River Cie/Council October 200 I Page 7 To understand the relationship of new hires and existing staff in the new Department, a graphic representation is provided: Park and Recreation Department Organizational Chart New Position Director Existing Position Secretary Existing Position Planner** I Ice Arena ~'-'~' Senior Center ~-q Recreation I Existing Position Senior Coordinator Existing Position Ice Arena Manager Existing Position Recreation Manager Existing Postion ~ time Receptionist (2002) Park Maintenance & Construction Existing Position Park Foreman* Existing PositiOnSstaff Existing Position PT Senior Programmer Existing Position Programming Assistant New Position Facility Coordinator Existing Positions Seasonal (40) New Position Maintenance I! Existing Positions Seasonal (7) * Transfer from Street Department ** Transfer from Planning Department New Hires would include a Park and Recreation Director, a Facility Coordinator, and a Maintenance II Worker. The Parks and Recreation Director would assume major Park Depar:ment Formation Report m the Elk River City Council October 200 I Page 8 responsibility for coordination of all city support on behalf of the City's parks and recreation programs. The Facility Coordinator would be responsible for the management and scheduling of facilities, including concession stands at the Orono Athletic Complex, the Youth Athletic Complex, and the Ice Arena. The Maintenance would be permanently assigned to the New Department. Internal Transfers would include the Community Recreation Manager and current staff, the current Parks Foreman position, the Ice Arena Manager and current staff, and the Senior Program Coordinator and staff, and the Park Planner from the Planning Department. The Commission acknowledges that with the proposed internal transfers, additional staff would need to be hired in other departments; a planner in the Planning Department, and a person to replace the Park Foreman in the Street Department. A second Maintenance II position would permanently assigned to the Street Department for this replacement. It is highly recommended that this position be filled with someone with experience with irrigation systems (summer work) and snow plowing. Budget Impacts It will be necessary for the City to spend additional funds annually to pay for what in effect will be a new department charged with specific responsibilities associated with meeting the City's parks and recreation priorities. It is anticipated that these increases in 2001 dollars will range between $215,000 and $280,000 annually - based on information provided the Parks and Recreation Commission by the City's Finance Director. In a memo dated August 15, 2001 the Director projected that these personnel costs would be: Positions (new): Start Top Park and Recreation Director: Facility Coordinator Maintenance II Parks Worker Total New Positions $60,468 $80,283 $34,335 $46,411 $38,103 $51,104 $13~906 $177,798 Positions (replacement): Planner: Maintenance II Worker Total Replacement Positions $46,881 $58,204 $38,103 $51,104 $84,984 $10~308 Total New/Replacement $217,890 $287,106 These figures represent full-time positions that would be an on-going annual expense to the City. Additional monies may be spent on increased seasonal workers, and increases in supplies, etc. to respond to increases in requests for service. Park Department Formation Report co dne Elk River City Council Oc:ober 200 I Page 9 Implementation Timeline The Commission is aware that the request for a Park and Recreation Department and the reorganization of staff and resources will require careful thought and planning for inclusion in the City's budget. It is also a large undertaking to complete in one sweep. This report will be presented to the Council too late in the process for the 2002 budget, however, a timeline for implementation has been developed: October 2001: December 2001: Meet with City Council to review investigative report and recommendations Lions Park Shelter addition completed, City Recreation moves in January2002: June 2002: Assign irrigation maintenance to other internal staff person; current Park Foreman takes stronger role in park maintenance and development Include Director' of Parks and Recreation in 2003 budget discussions December 2002: 2003 Budget approved with Director position included January2003: Advertise for Director position March/April 2003: Select and interview candidates, select new hire May/June 2003: New Director starts, is housed at Lions Park June 2004: Include Maintenance II and Field/ConceSsion Coordinator positions in 2005 budget discussion; consider reorganization of Senior Center and Ice Rink staff during same discussions December 2004: january2005: 2005 Budget approved with Maintenance II and Field/Concession Coordinator positions included Begin hiring process for Maintenance II and Field/Concession Coordinator positions Resulting Changes The Commission believes that a dedicated department of park and recreation professionals would enhance the City of Elk River Park and Recreation system. A Director of Parks and Recreation would be a direct staff link to the Parks and Recreation Commission, City Administrator, and City Council as well as a lead person on all parks and recreation related projects. This would eliminate the need for two departments to switch off responsibility for park projects when their respective workload gets too great. The Director would also work with developers and landowners to implement the Master Park Plan and be responsible for the proper use of park dedication funds for future land purchase and the Park Department Formation Report to the EJk River Cit7 Council October 200 I Page 10 development of short and long-term budgets. They would also work with the school district and county, state and federal agencies regarding joint ventures and grant or matching fund opportunities. The Commission also believes that by creating a department to encompass all park and recreation related activities including park maintenance, recreation programming, park planning, senior programming, and arena operations, at least three current departments could concentrate fully on issues related directly to their departments and not have to juggle park and recreation issues. The new department could also be the City's full time advocate on forestry and tree preservation issues as well as coordinating volunteer efforts in the park system. The Commission recognizes that many departments within the City have been doing parts of these elements. As the City continues to grow and citizens demand a more developed park and recreation system, the demand on other departments will also increase. It is time to create a single department with a full time focus on present and future park and recreation needs. Recommendation Based on the Commission's findings, it makes the following recommendations to the Elk River City Council. Recommendation 1: The City Council take action to formally establish a City Parks and Recreation Department that will assume primary responsibility for coordinating all activities connected with the planning, programming, development and ongoing maintenance of the City of Elk River Parks and Recreation sites and facilities. Current and future Community Recreation, Ice Arena, and Senior Program staff will be included as components of the new Department. Recommendation 2: The City Council be guided by the timeline included in Section 6 for the key staffing milestones to be achieved in the creation of the Parks and Recreation Department. To: From: Date: Subject: Howard R, Green Company CONSULTING ENGINEERS Pat Klaers, City Administrator, City of Elk River Craig L. E beling, P E July 22, 1999 City versus Consultant Engineering Services INTRODUCTION Terry Maurer asked that I jot down a few thoughts on whether or not it would be wise for the City to consider the establishment of a City Engineering staff. It is my understanding that you considered this a few years back and are revisiting the issue to verify if your previous conclusion is still valid. This is a consideration that is not at all foreign to me. I have worked both as a City staff engineer and as a consultant, so I have looked at the issue from both sides. I have about 27 years of experience of which more than 15 have been as a City Engineer or Public Works Director. I was in Burnsville for eight years as City Engineer then Director of Parks and Public Works and finally as Deputy City Manager. I also served as City Engineer in Savage and Worthington. SUMMARY The following is a summary of my thoughts: · When a City reaches a certain population (perhaps 15,000- 20,000), it can be desirable and advantageous to have an in-house City Engineer. This is especially true when the City is a "full service" city with water treatment, wastewater treatment, airports, solid waste functions etc. and when it is "mature". · There are several different in-house engineering approaches that can be used depending on how heavily the City wants to get involved in staffing. Ail of these approaches are being used by different communities with varying results. The appropriateness of them can only be gauged by the community itself. That assessment will hinge on what the expectations for the engineering group are. · An engineering group can be neady financially independent without funding by the general fund under certain conditions. The group must have a certain "mass". It must be funded from non-general fund improvement funds at rates that are at or above those charged by consultants. The group must be of a size and experience level such that it can undertake projects of meaningful size. Projects of this magnitude must be in the City's CIP for the foreseeable future. O:~PROJ\900135csm\135-2203.july99.doc 1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 ° 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389 Pat Klaers July 22, 1999 Page Two DISCUSSION The decision on whether or not to run an in-house engineering group will hinge largely on what the goals and objectives are. There are many, many different levels of in-house service that could be implemented. I will suggest four. (I am sure there are many more but this will at least serve as a starting point for your thoughts.) The attached chart attempts to layout some generalized functions, staffing levels, and potential revenue to be generated by the scenarios. If the goals are only financial one must carefully consider all of the costs. The simple chart indicates that significant' ad valorem contributions are necessary with smaller staffs. A decision to get into a staff of some size will be required before the group approaches a break-even point. That staff will of course need to be equipped and housed. The assumptions on equipment follow the chart. The costs of housing the group and other non-labor overhead costs are not recognized in this simple analysis but of course they are there. One must also bear in mind that this group will need to have the opportunity to handle meaningful projects each year from which to generate revenue. Those projects will have to be within the technical purview of the group. It would be unwise for the City to try to staff itself to handle all of the differing kinds of technical work that it will encounter. There are non-financial advantages to having an in-house engineering group. There can be greater day-to-day accessibility in some cases (One should not overestimate that availability. This decreases as more project work is taken on.) This is somewhat mitigated with our present arrangement in Elk River. Conversely, however, there is the loss of some flexibility. Using a consulting City Engineer allows the City to contract for the engineering services that are required and nothing more. If a certain specialty is required, the City does not have to maintain that expertise in-house idling away until the time for its need arrives. If there are upturns or downturns in the economy the City never needs to be concerned with having too little or too much staff. Fast track projects can be implemented very quickly and do not have to wait until an in-house staff can get to them. Nevertheless, I believe that there is a level at which an in-house engineering group is a reasonable decision for a City. In order for that to be the case, the City must be at an age and a population base where there is a predictable workload that warrants staffing up to handle it. That is, the community must be a mature community with the majority of its infrastructure ready for or approaching reconstruction. This allows for the in-house group to establish its base Icad each year and to select projects that are within its size ability and technical capacity to handle. Those projects that fall outside of that range should be given to consultants. With the rapid growth experienced by the City in the last 8-10 years, Elk River may not yet have met this criterion. Many cities that are still on the growth curve such as Apple Valley and Cottage Grove have put off the establishment of an in-house engineering staff. Other smaller mature cities such as Prior Lake, West St. Paul, and Mendota Heights have in-house staffs. I would enjoy discussing this issue with you in greater detail if you think that would be helpful. O:~PROJ\900135csm\135_2203,july~cWard R, Green Company CONSULTING ENGINEERS Option Functions Required Staff Staff Required Equipment Equipment Revenue Salary First Cost Generated I Coordinate City Engineer * $90,000 I Computer w/Software $3,000 Consultants Clerical Support $20,000 ArcView/'ArcCad $1,500 Support PW Total $110,000 Total $4,500 2 Coordinate City Engineer * $90,000 2 Computers w/Software $6,000 Development Consultants Review Asst City Engineer $70,000 ArcView ! ArcCad $1,500 $90,000 Support PW Clerical Support $20,000 6 Plan Files $3,000 Development Review Records / Mapping Total $180,000 Total $10,500 3 Coordinate City Engineer * $90,000 Computer w/Software $3,000 Development Consultants Review Asst City Engineer $70,000 2 CAD Computers $8,000 $90,000 Support PW Engineering Tech IV $60,000 ArcView / ArcCad $1,500 Minor Project Development Review Work Cledcal Support $30,000 2 AutoCAD $6,000 $100,000 Records / Mapping 2 SoftDesk $12,000 Total Minor Project Work Total $250,000 $190,000 6 Plan Files $3,000 1 lx17 Laser Printer $2,000 Total $35,500 4 Coordinate City Engineer * $90,000 3 Computers w/Software $9,000 Development Consultants Review Asst City Engineer $70,000 3 CAD Computers $12,000 $90,000 Support PW Engineering Tech IV $60,000 ArcView / ArcCad $1,500 Minor Project Development Review Work Engineer Tech II $50,000 3 AutoCAD $9,000 $100,000 Records / Mapping Engineer Tech I $40,000 3 SoftDesk $18,000 Major Project Minor Project Work Work Clerical Support $40,000 6 Plan Files $3,000 $180,000 Major Project Work 1 lx17 Laser Printer $2,000 Total Total $350,000 $370,000 E Size Plotter $7,000 Xerox $5,000 Survey Vehicle and $40,000 Equipment ** Total $106,500 * If a Director of Public Works was selected who was a P.E., they could also serve as City Engineer. Engineer's position could then be upgraded to a P.E. and another Staff Engineer added. ** Preliminary topography and Construction Staking could be contracted out. The Assistant City O:~oroj\900135csm\135-0205.sept Assumption Office space and furniture is available. 30% fringe factor on salaries. Survey Equipment Prices: 4x4 with crew cab $25,000 Total Station $12,000 Level $ 1,000 Misc levels, prisms, tripods, etc $ 2,000 TOTAL $40,000 HP IV, 11x17 Laser Printer- $2,000 HP E-size Plotter- $7,000 R 14 AutoCad - $3,000 SoftDesk - $6,000 Non Cad Computer- $3,000 Cad Computer - $4,000 ArcView / ArcCad - $1,500 Development Review, assume 1500 hours at 60.00/hour = $90,000 Minor Project Work, assume overlay project = $100,000 Major Project Work, assume $1,000,000 project at 18% = 180,000 O:~proj\900135csm\135-0205.sept MEMO TO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: Pat Klaers, City Administrator, City of Elk River Gaflin, P.E., Vice President, MSA ~-'~~~' Steve City Versus Consultant Engineering Services March 29, 1994 INTRODUCTION Terry Maurer has asked that I provide you some information regarding my perspective on whether or not it is appropriate for Elk River to consider hiring a city engineer or establishing an engineering department of some sort. For background information, let me introduce myself briefly. Until January 1994, I was a city engineer employed by two suburban Twin Cities communities since 1978. Prior to that, I was an assistant city engineer/city planner. I have had approximately 20 years municipal engineering experience. I am very familiar with the process and economics of establishing a city engineering department and analyzing whether or not the engineering services of a city staff are more economical than a consultant. For your information, I have enclosed a brief biographical sketch. Following review of my information, I would be happy to meet with you in person or discuss the issue further by telephone. Please let me know if you need more assistance. SUMMARY Based on my experience and background, I would summarize the issue of city engineer versus consulting engineering services for communities as follows: When a city reaches a population of 15,000 to 20,000, for proper municipal services it is necessary for a city to have a full-time staff city engineer. Beyond the staff city engineer, the level of engineering services will depend on the level of service required to be provided by the city in support of the city engineer. 230/000-3001 .mnr The engineering department function will never be financially self-sufficient and will have to be significantly financed by the city general fund, at least at a 40-50% level. For cities above 20,000 population, a city engineering department consisting of at least three to four employees is necessary to provide proper municipal services. DISCUSSION The decision whether or not to hire a full-time engineer and/or engineering staff would depend largely on an evaluation done by the City to evaluate goals and objectives based on desired functions for the engineering department to perform. I would suggest that you could consider possibly three levels of service for the engineering department. I would categorize these as follows: Level 1 Technical support staff for City, including performing functions of advising city council, commissions, department heads, administration, etc. This work would generally be done by a licensed, degreed, city engineer type position. Little of this person's time could be charged back to developers' projects (estimated 10-20 %). Level 2 Public services - this would include work performed by an experienced engineering technician, including preparation and distribution of information, maintenance of records, field services, drafting, and minor design. Some portion of this person's time could be charged back to developers and projects (estimated 30-40%). Level 3 Engineering production services, including design, construction administration, and staldng. These services are provided by a team of design and surveying technicians and office support staff. The size of the team would depend on the level of construction activity required. Most of the time for the engineering design/construction team could be charged back to projects and developers (80-90%). To have a better understanding of the time that each particular position might spend on a variety of possible activities, I have attempted to summarize the role of the person or team 230/000-3001 .mar occupying each of the three levels as follows: Level 1: City Engineer FHnetions: · Attend meetings - staff, developer, planning commission, city council (person would act as a liaison and present staff reports or routine items but not major project reports) - 10 %. · Attend concept review meetings - 10%. · Review plans for development projects - 20%. · Conduct field inspections - 5 %. · Prepare mapping and graphic information - 5 %. · Financial and project administration - 15 %. · Long-range planning - 10%. · Review of project plans - 10%. · General departmental city administration/support - 15 %. Level 2: Experienced engineering technician. Function.q: · Attend concept review meetings - 20 %. · Review plans (public and private development projects) - 30 %. · Conduct field inspections - 20%. · Prepare mapping/graphics - 10%. · Record administration/management - 15%. · Complete small field design/construction projects - 5 %. Level 3: Experienced design technicians, field construction inspectors, and office support staff. Function~: · Conduct preliminary surveys, field investigations - 20%. · Prepare project design plans and specifications - 40%. · Conduct field surveys, project inspections - 30% · Records administration and management - 10 %. 230/000-3001 .mar To analyze the cost issue, it must be understood that the cost saving issue is driven primarily by the desired level of service for engineering. Typically, for level 1 services, a city would spend $4.00 to $6.00 per capita. For level 2 services, the city would spend a similar amount, $4.00 to $6.00 per capita. For level 3 services, the cost of one field crew consisting of two full-time field personnel and one temporary aid would be approximately $100,000 per year. One crew could handle approximately $1.5 million worth of construction work on an annual basis. On an average, for a community the size of Elk River to provide level 1 and level 2 services, including a full-time city engineer and a competent engineering technician, the cost would be approximately $90,000 to $134,000 per year using the per capita figures. For comparison purposes, using information generated by the City of Roseville for typical operating costs, the Finance Department has suggested that to arrive at an actual cost for department services, a salary factor should be used equal to the hourly rate paid to each classification, plus a 22% additive included for benefits. For overhead, a 59.5% factor is used, including the engineering department's share of equipment, building expenses and depreciation, and other operating expenditures. This would result in a total multiplier for services of 1.95 times salary costs. For hiring purposes, I would suggest you consider the cost of a city engineer for Elk River in today's market would be approximately $50,000 per year. For a reasonably experienced engineering technician, the cost would be $30,000 per year. In summary, the total costs to provide these two positions would be as follows: City Engineer Iec, hnic, ian Salary $50,000 $30,000 Benefits 11,000 6,600 Overhead ._29_,25fl 17~ 850 Total $90,750 $54,450 Comparing this cost to the per capita cost would indicate that for a full-time city engineer and engineering technician, the total cost would be approximately $140,000 to $150,000. This would compare closely with the estimated cost to the City for a city engineer and engineering technician using the per capita analysis. 230/000-3001 .mar The issue then must be analyzed from the perspective of who actually pays for these costs and what benefit do the city and developer receive from having the full-time city staff. To compare with a consultant, the issue must be analyzed as to what level of service is necessary from the consultant and how the elements of timing, technical expertise, and fluctuating workloads all are taken into consideration. To further analyze the issue of cost, the time spent for each level of service on "chargeable" functions must be analyzed. A summary table of the three levels of service and who would benefit is estimated as follows, based on my experience: Level 1 Service City staff/city council 60 % Developers 30% Public 10% Level 2 Service City staff/city council 20 % Developers 50 % Public 30% Level 3 Service City staff/city council 10 % Developers 50 % Public 40 % Looking at the level 1 service which could be provided by a city engineer, of the 40 % time that would benefit developers and the public, approximately only half of that could be charged back. For the city engineer, the net cost to the City would be $90,000 less amounts charged back of $18,000, or $72,000. For level 2 services of the full-time technician, of the 80% which would benefit developers and the public, only half or 40% could be charged back. Of the $55,000 cost, only $22,000 could be charged back. The net cost to the City would be $33,000. In summary, the actual cost to Elk River of providing these two functions would be approximately $105,000 annually. This must be compared with the current charge by MSA to Elk River for general engineering services in the range of $40,000 to $50,000 annually. This leads us to conclude that for similar engineering services, it would be twice as expensive 230/000-3001 .mar to have a full-time engineering department on staff than it currently is to utilize MSA. Obviously, for the extra costs the City would receive the benefit of having full-time staff available. However, for this service there would certainly be an increased cost to the City's general fund to provide these engineering services. With using consulting engineers, the City has control over the use of outside technical professionals without having to hire a full-time staff. The issue relates to the City being able to buy what it needs, when it needs it. This relates to items addressed earlier, including fluctuations in seasonal workloads, timing for required services, and level of technical experience necessary. In summary, I believe it is appropriate for the City of Elk River to consider a full-time city engineer and possibly an engineering technician in the next 5-10 years when the population of the community reaches the 15,000 to 20,000 range. Again, the city engineer and technician could perform the functions as outlined. It should be clearly understood that the cost for these positions would not be offset by charges against developers and public projects. Significant costs would have to be absorbed by the City's general fund. I am convinced that with full-time staff, costs now charged directly to developers for meetings with the engineer would, in many cases, be "lost in the shuffle" and would become part of the normal administrative services provided by City staff. If you have questions regarding this information, please contact me. I would be happy to meet with you to discuss any of these issues further. SDG:tp 230/000-3001 .mar BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION NAME: EXPERIENCE: EDUCATION: REGISTRATION: A S S OCIATIONS: Steve Gatlin, P.E. Currently: Vice President/General Manager MSA, Consulting Engineers 1326 Energy Park Drive, St. Paul, Minnesota MSA is an 85-person fn'm providing a wide range of municipal engineering services to Minnesota cities, counties, and other agencies. 1988-1993 Public Works Director City of Roseville, Minnesota Public works director and city engineer for suburban city of 34,000. 1978-1988 Public Works Director/City Engineer City of White Bear Lake, Minnesota Public works director and city engineer for suburban city of 25,000. 1974-1978 Planning Director/Assistant City Engineer City of White Bear Lake, Minnesota City planner and assistant city engineer for the City. 1973-1974 Construction/Design Engineer for two government agencies Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree University of Minnesota, 1972 Graduate Courses - U of M in transportation, business, and management. Registered Professional Engineer, Minnesota. American Public Works Association (APWA) Past President, Minnesota Chapter - APWA National Society of Professional Engineers City Engineers' Association of Minnesota 001-2101.FEB CITY OF ELK RIVER ORGANIZATIONAL CHART COUNCI BOARDS & COMMISSIONS CITY' ADMINISTRATOR CITY CLERK FINANCE ECONOMIC L PLANNING BUILDING & , ZONING STRE ETS & PARKS POLICE FIRE PUBLIC UTILITIES ii supplemented by a wide range of neighborl-tood parks and several municipal sports complexes such as the Blaine Baseball and Blaine Soccer Comple~es. Extensive City-County trail system and indoor ice arenas are coupled with larger County parks, pool facilities and campgrounds and nature parks. The City of Blaine is served by three school districts (Anoka-Hennepin ~11, Centennial ~12 and Spring Lake Park #16) with over 11,000 local students, as well as one community college and one technical college. The University of Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas and six other colleges/universities are within easy commuting distance from Blaine. Residents may also take advantage of the numerous cultural and recreational amenities of the Twin Cities' area. Museums, galleries, world-class zoos, wildlife and nature conservatories are abundant in the region. Numerous historic sites, professional sports (NFL Vikings, MLB Twins, NBA Timberwolves, NHL Minnesota Wild and St. Paul Saints Baseball) and world class dinin~ entertainment are available nearby. Ultimately, the one ingredient that makes Blaine a unique and special place is the people: its residents, business community, municipal staff and those utilizing the extensive and world-class facilities found in Blaine. Populated by many long-term and second/third generations of families, as well as many newcomers, Blaine offers an overall environment where people care about their community, their ~'~eighbors and each other. CITY GOVERNMENT The City of Blaine operates as a Home- Rule Charter City and is governed under the Council-Manager form of government. The City Council is a seven-member elected body, with the Mayor elected att-large for a four-year term. Councilmembers are elected for four-year, staggered terms on a District basis. The City has three Council Districts with District #1 representing the southern part of the City; District constitutes the central area; and District #3 is identified with the northern section of the City. While two Councilmembers represent each District, only one of the two District representatives is up for re-election in any given year. The iVlayor and Council are elected on a non-partisan basis. The City Council appoints the City Manage'r who serves as the City's Chief Administrative Officer responsible for the day-to-day management of the City, its operations and overall financial administration/condition. The City employs 149 K~il-time and 34 part-time personnel and functions with a $1.6.7 million operating budget. Several Commissions and Committees support municipal government including, but not limited to, the Charter Comm.ission, Citizens Environmental Committee, Parks Advisory Board, Planning Commission, Senior Center Advisory Committee and Transportation Committee, as well as others on an as-needed basis. Foct.~s areas for the City Council and City Manager include emphasis on: · Developing long-term strategies for the needs of seniors and youthful citizens I'i i i : ' i to include housing, recreational and related services. · Strengthening and developing neighborhood organizations while enhancing involvement processes. · Development of strategies for current and future economic development efforts. · Preservation of open space and master plans for trail development and parks renovation/creation. The City has established strong working relationships with Anoka County government througl~ such joint-powers agencies as the Anoka County-Blaine Airport, Anoka County Economic Development Partnership, the various school districts, the Metropolitan Council (MC), Metropolitan Transit Council Operations (MTCO) and neighboring communities of Coon Rapids, Lino Lakes, Mounds View, Spring Lake Park and others. Mounds View, Spring Lake Park and Blaine combine to provide a joint Fire Department. The City of Blaine has several collective bargaining units representing employees including Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS), International Union of Operating Engineers Local ~49 (long established public works field and technical union) and Teamsters for Police Supervisors. The City subscribes to a collaborative labor relations bargaining philosophy, and strong, positive relationships currently exist between labor and management. The strongest emphasis possible is placed on fair and equitable treatment of employees and a philosophy of internal customer service/respect prevails. ~POSITiON OVER~i'EW ~ '~1:{~' P~ISI'iC semites: Miana~e~, p~sitibri: ;5'~i~:w1¥ ti'earned responsibility which results from a recent reorganization that created three executive level positions: Managers of Public Services; Support Services and Safety Services. The component divisions making up Public Se~ices include Building Inspections, Economic Development, Engineering, Parks and Recreation, Planning and Public Works. Housing and Neighborhood Services functions could be attac~ed to the responsibilities of the new Manager in t~e near future. Consolidation of physical and economic development, maintenance and infrastructure improvement tkmctions under one structure is expected to greatly improve the flow of internal communications, ensure consistency and accuracy of information being disseminatecl to the public, provide for ease of decision making within municipal government and enhance the City's quest for exceptional customer service. The Public Services Manager will oversee a total staff of 72 full-time and 4 part-time in the six reporting Divisions and manage an operating budget of approximately $6 million. The current CIP budget, inchasive of major facilities construction efforts, exceeds $18 million. Ultimately, the Public Services Manager will assist the City Manager and City Council in developing strategies to guide the community and cope with pressures related to growth and the future impacts of growth ranging from transportation/ traffic capacities to water/sewer system construction and others. The Manager will serve .~ts a highly visible City representative with all segments of the community. He or she will promote greater understanding of the financial needs associated with growth related matters and seek reasonable points of compromise that will meet the needs of the entire community. Specific duties of the Public Services Manager include but are not limited to: Prepares periodic reports, project schedules and status; conducts research and preparation of technical reports as required for community development activities and projects; initiates or prepares responses to correspondence and inquiries received by the department. · Communicates regularly with developers and contratctors relative to proppsed projects, preliminary processes and final pkits. In addition, provides professional and technical information and cotlsultatlon to regulatory boards, public agencies, businesses and citizens· - Serves as a principal advisor regarding development and planning issues to the City Council, ocher departments, advisory commissions and boards· Undertakes such strategic plans as to anticipate issues, problems or difficulties for those individuals/ administrative agencies. Prepares and develops preliminary annual budgets; monitors and controls expenditures; and provides periodic updates to the City Manager and tNe Council in an effort to ensure the financial integrity of the local government operations· · Manages the functions of [and use planning, zoning and building code application; establishes internal procedures for the expeditious review of building permits, business licenses, zoning requests and changes in laws and procedures. Maintains activities in a consistent, practical and legal manner while developing strategies ~r sound growth management without sacrificing a customer service orientation and quality of effort toward development. Oversees the hiring, training, staff development and performance of all departmental personnel; ensures a positive and collegial work atmosphere where ail employees are treated fairly, consistently and with respect to civil rights, non-discriminatory practice and fairness. Fosters a positive attitude of customer service toward the citizens, business representatives, developers and contractors. · Reviews growth patterns, trends in land use, community needs and other factors in developing recommendations for guiding and regulating development activities and providing support services. · Resolves problems and issues arising from the development process; works with applicants, department staff and other City departments to effectively resolve conflicts; works effectively with a variety of competing and development-related interest groups. · Performs other related duties as assigned by the City Manager. SIGNIFICANT ISSUES The following issues were developed after extensive discussions with the City IVlanager, Mayor, City Council, Division Managers reporting to the Public Services Manager, key departmental staff from each operating unit, leaders from the development community and neighborhood associations and chairpersons of several commissions and committees affecting the development process. These issues do not represent a comprehensive list of projects/programs facing the new Public Services Manager nor are they intended to establish fixed management priorities. They are, however, representative of the types of issues currently being managed by the City in the areas of development and community services, which will be under the preview of the Public Services Manager in his/her first six to eighteen months of employment. New Organizational Structure The new organizational structure, which establishes three Executive Managers (Public Services, Support Services and Public Safety Services), will affect the general status, responsibilities and reporting relationships of a number of senior managers and supervisory personnel. While basic organizational missions will remain almost identical, any quantum change may breed a degree of uncertainty and has the risk of delaying decision-making processes as well as potentially affecting employee morale. One of the initial and most important functions of the new Manager will be to help in City Council City Manager City of Blaine Organizational Chart , Public Services 1 / PubEcWorks, l--~--~, Engineering / Parks & ~ Bull. ding Recreation [~1 inspection Planning Support Services , 5afetyServices I I, Finance City Cterk Human Resources f Information Services , Communications Police ~ [ Fire Department -- l,, , Department Il Code ~ 1, Enf°rcement l,t clarifying roles, establish mechanisms to resolve any operational uncertainties and ensure that there is no disruption in services provided to citizens. In cooperation with the City Manager, the Public Services Manager must be a proactive advocate for the new structu,'e, establish ongoing communication efforts, both internally and externally, to ensure a seamless transition to the new organizational structure. Redesign of information brochures, process descriptions, accountability charts, etc. that allows the general public and employees to quickly understand duties and responsibilities and scope of authority for key personnel is essential. Broad use of a variety of communications formats (cable TV, websites, informational meetings, instruction pamphlets, public speeches, etc.) will require the new Manager to extend their con~mumcations efforts and minimize any potentially adverse side effects of creating a new structure. Capital Programs Several major capital improvement programs and facilities construction projects are expected to consume major blocks of time for the new Manager. Construction of the new City Hall/police office building, adjacent to the Anoka County-Blaine Airport has commenced and is scheduled for completion in late 2001. This $14.5 million project must be closely managed to ensure minimal cost increases (if any) and closely adhere to the scheduled timelines. The new Manager will arrive at a critical stage of the project and must quickly familiarize himself/herself with the scope of work, cost factors and quality of work. At the same time, demolition and redevelopment of the current City Hall site must be undertaken without disruption of activities at the Senior Center, which is situated nearby. Disposal, sales or redevelopment options must be closely examined and controlled by the new Public Services Manager. In the recent election, a $3.5 million bond issue for open space preservation was passed. Construction of three new parks, as well as expansion of four new ballfields at the Baseball Complex are underway. The Public Services Manager will preside over the RFP process, contractor selection and have project managernent responsibilities (to delegate or define) for all projects. Timely commitment of funds, the establishment of realistic project timelines and assistance of these projects along with the appropriate division managers will help establish the new Manager as a reliable, credible presence in the community. Road widening, resurfacing and related infrastructure irnprovement projects in support of industrial/commercial expansion adjacent to the airport, new City Hall and in expanding neighborhoods of the northeast corridor of the City will require close coordination among the Public Services management team and the need for increased communications with affected neighborhoods and citizens. The new Manager must quickly become familiar with the numerous studies, projects and plans affecting this portion of the community to ensure that the extensive development/ growth related activity does not materially disrupt the quality-of-life, services and responsiveness of municipal governmeht to the detriment of the citizens of Blaine. Visioning Process Over 15+ years have passed since the last comprehensive review or community- visioning process was conducted in Blaine. While elements of the Comprehensive Plan have been updated on a periodic basis, the rapid pace of growth has not allowed the citizens, in general, to express their /iew or conceptualize what the community might look like in the next 20 years, in its most desirable state. The new Manager will be asked to evaluate the possibilities and options for a comprehensive community visioning process, assisting the City Manager and City Council in assessing the value of such a process, its costs, outcomes and related matters. This strategic planning/visioning effort could then serve as a blueprint for establishing new municipal goals/objectives in support of citizen wishes. Work Simplification/Process Improvement Efforts The new Manager will be asked to closely examine and analyze development related administrative process with an eye toward streamlining or simplifying such processes, without sacrificing quality of effort/work product. Automation of permitting processes, online access to GIS information, posting of ordinances/ ordinance revisions, property owner notifications and similar activities should be reviewed. "Fast tracking" of various permit processes for additional fees should be explored with the development community and the citizens in general. Efforts at work process simplification or streamlining should potentially include input from citizens, employees and the development community through public forums, surveys, random sampling, etc. should be considered. The Public Services Manager should make comprehensive recommendations to the City Manager and City Council regarding such changes that would have a positive impact over the City's responsiveness and overall customer service efforts. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE A Bachelor's degree in Urban or Regional Planning, Public Administration, Architecture, Civil Engineering or related fields plus 7 to 10 years of senior management experience in municipal government with oversight for public works, community development, planning, redevelopment or development services is desired. Wl~ite technical expertise is important, general management, strategic planning and fiscal management skills are clear points of emphasis. Experience as a City 'Manager, Deputy/Assistant City Manager or major department director with oversight responsibilities for high growth/ growth impact issues are most important experience factors. Extensive experience in the use of technology applications is needed with specific emphasis on project management tracking, automated scheduling systems and job costing/project accounting systems. Experience and background should also include long-range and current planning; knowledge and prior work with the Uniform Building Code (UBC), zoning, site planning, subdivision and large-scale capital improvement programs; life safety, building and fire codes; neighborhood services; and strong experience in quality growth management. A proven background working with urban renewal, redevelopment and community- based strategic planning programs must be evident. The position also requires superior managerial skills and team building background gained in a progressive and dynamic municipal government. The Public Services Manager will function in an active role representing the City Manager in key discussions and business transactions. As a result, superior judgement, the ability to negotiate effectively and fairly and properly represent the City must be part of the experience profile. Candidates shouid hak, e a broad knowledge of the principles and practices of urban and city planning, urban' design, architecture, civil or construction engineering as applied to municipal planning, growth management and development. Knowledge of building inspection and code enforcement techniques would be beneficial. Prior experience serving as a prime liaison and negotiating with developers, other governments, landowners and citizen groups is essential. Service in a high growth community where customer service, innovation and flexibility are stressed is also necessary. CANDIDATE PROFILE The desired candidate will be an articulate, mature and highly skilled management professional whose knowledge extends beyond the traditional