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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2007 0606 CC REG ITEM 09E m �. . d1ty council Meeting ___ L -!. 19001 AA Y. MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: The Honorable City Council FROM: Steven Kueny, City Manager f DATE: May 22,2007 (CC Meeting of June 6, 2007) SUBJECT: Consider Reassignment of Certain Departmental Responsibilities and Changes to Certain Management Positions BACKGROUND: The City's staffing levels and organization of responsibilities are monitored and adjustments are periodically made to address changing needs and priorities and to achieve operational improvements. When staff vacancies occur, we also evaluate the current workload, assignments, and reporting relationships to see if any adjustments are warranted. This report recommends certain changes to department responsibilities and positions. DISCUSSION: The City's workforce has increased to meet increasing and changing service needs but the number of employees continues to be less than what is needed to fully address the adopted priorities and objectives. In addition as previously mentioned, assignments and responsibilities are periodically evaluated to improve operations. The City Manager has the authority to make the transfer of assignments and to generally organize the City's departments. However, because some of the proposed changes involve upgrades of positions, changes in salary ranges, and approval of additional funding, City Council action is required. The proposed actions are described below. Public Works/City Engineer: In 2003, the Council authorized and the City hired its first in-house City Engineer. This was done in anticipation of the 2005 retirement of the City's Public Works Director. The City Engineer and Public Works Director positions were combined in 2005. In March 00041166 Moorpark City Council Agenda Report Re: Consider Reassignment of Responsibilities Page 2 of 6 May 22, 2007 (CC Meeting of June 6, 2007) 2005, the Council authorized an Assistant City Engineer position. This was primarily done in order to improve traffic engineering services and enhance the delivery of numerous capital projects. Since 2005, both the City Engineer/Public Works Director and Assistant City Engineer positions have experienced turnover, but both are currently staffed. Staff is making progress on a number of projects and other department needs. For some time, it has been an objective to transfer the transit program from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCSD) to the City Engineer/Public Works Department (CE/PWD). For our organization, the "Transit" program is better managed and coordinated with the streets function. This has been delayed until the CE/PWD could be more appropriately staffed and organized. The Management Analyst position in the PRCSD, responsible for Transit (70%) and Solid Waste (30%), will be reassigned to the CE/PWD. Transit responsibilities include not only the fixed route bus program but also coordination with VCTC on Metrolink issues, VISTA and other programs, maintenance of bus shelters, Metrolink lot and station including future security cameras as well as the security guard agreement, FTA Review, Unmet Transit Needs, TDA claims, and audit coordination and administration of Paratransit and Senior Dial-A-Ride contracts. The Summer Beach Bus program would remain the responsibility of the PRCSD. The Solid Waste responsibilities will remain with the PRCSD and reassigned to the Senior Management Analyst. The PRCSD Senior Management Analyst oversees Library matters, provides oversight and administrative support of the Animal and Vector Control programs, and provides management support to the Director. With the assumption of the Solid Waste responsibility, the Animal and Vector Control oversight will be reassigned to the Parks and Landscape Manager. The Management Analyst reassigned to the CE/PWD will also provide general management support to the Director and support the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. After December 2007 when the Regional Water Quality Board (RWQB) issues a new NPDES permit to Ventura County and its ten cities, we expect staff time and costs needed for NPDES to increase above current levels. The Management Analyst will also retain responsibilities for City's participation in the coastal cleanup program as part of NPDES activities. The Transit responsibilities currently performed by the PRCS Director, such as policy recommendations pertaining to the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC), Metrolink, and FTA, will be assumed by the CE/PW Director or Assistant City Engineer. The current Senior Management Analyst position in the CE/PWD has been vacant for much of FY 2006/07. It is proposed that the position be replaced by an Assistant Engineer position. It is believed that the City's engineering capabilities can be improved U 0( -,rf Moorpark City Council Agenda Report Re: Consider Reassignment of Responsibilities Page 3 of 6 May 22, 2007 (CC Meeting of June 6, 2007) without adversely affecting the administrative functions of the department. This change would yield about a 10% cost savings. The proposed FY 2007/08 Budget includes the Transit program reassignment and related adjustments to funding sources. This change is expected to save about $25,000 from the General Fund. Community Development Department: Over the past few years as development activity has flattened and even slowed, one professional planning position was eliminated from this department. Nonetheless, there are a number of planning related items not directly tied to entitlement processing (with no direct funding source) that need to be addressed, e.g. Land Use and Circulation Elements update, Trails/Bike Master Plan, and various zoning code updates. During this same time, the department has assumed responsibility for film permits, business registrations, CDBG program, oversight of the Receptionist position, and increased participation in redevelopment activities. As the City matures, we need to increase staff time available for accomplishing established objectives without adversely affecting work on routine day-to-day service needs of the City. We continually look for ways to improve efforts by existing staff to keep objectives and projects moving towards completion. A way to do this is to improve coordination and assign a specific position to be accountable for those objectives and projects of strategic importance to the City. Oftentimes, this means just having the ability to address the work of consultants and sometimes staff in a timelier manner, i.e. being less encumbered by routine tasks and related deadlines. Examples include SR 23 related projects, North Hills Parkway, Princeton Avenue widening, Waterworks District No. 1 Study, enhancing open space and greenbelt areas, Trails/Bike Master Plan, and City entry signs. It is proposed that the current Community Development Director position be vacated and the incumbent reassigned as a Deputy City Manager with emphasis on Community Development. The current Planning Manager would be upgraded to Planning Director and have responsibility for day-to-day operation of the Community Development Department's planning, administration, and code compliance divisions. The position would report to the Deputy City Manager. This is similar to the current situation with the Finance Director reporting to the Assistant City Manager. The proposed Deputy City Manager would have overall responsibility for the Community Development functions, would administer the Building and Safety Contract, and be responsible for improving staff efforts in completing a number of key City objectives. In addition to the proposed Planning Director, the Community Development Senior Management Analyst position would report to the Deputy City Manager who would `(�0 R?;J61 8 Moorpark City Council Agenda Report Re: Consider Reassignment of Responsibilities Page 4 of 6 May 22, 2007 (CC Meeting of June 6, 2007) assign tasks and responsibilities that would best achieve Community Development related objectives and service needs. At the direction of the City Manager, the Deputy City Manager would also be available to assist in improving financial and management systems and processes for the CE/PWD. This proposed change would result in creation of a new Planning Director classification at the same Salary Range as Finance Director. The range is currently 81 but is proposed to go to Range 83 for reasons described below. The Deputy City Manager classification exists but is not currently used. It is presently at Range 87, which is the same as the CE/PW Director. The Deputy City Manager should be 5% (Range 89) above this classification. When the Range was set for CE/PWD, it was set at 5% above the other three department heads reporting directly to the City Manager. In reviewing the overall responsibilities of these positions, it is recommended that they be on par with the CE/PW Director at Range 87. The Assistant City Manager position is the number two position in the organization. The range for this position needs to reflect this and should be modified to be 5% above (Range 91) the proposed Deputy City Manager range of 89. Consequently, to maintain the same difference in ranges, the City Manager range should move to 99 from 97, and the Finance Director and proposed Planning Director ranges should move from Range 81 to 83 to maintain 10% separation from the department heads reporting directly to the City Manager. With the exception of the proposed Planning Director and Deputy City Manager positions, none of the other affected employees would receive a salary adjustment. This action would merely modify the range. They would be eligible for consideration of a merit increase at the same date as currently eligible. The Planning Director and Deputy City Manager would receive a 2Y2% to 5% salary adjustment as is the current practice. A summary of the proposed range adjustment is as follows: Title Current Range Proposed Range Planning Manager 77 77 Planning Director N/A 83 Finance Director 81 83 CE/PW Director 87 87 Community Development 85 87 (will be vacant) Director PRCS Director 85 87 Moorpark City Council Agenda Report Re: Consider Reassignment of Responsibilities Page 5 of 6 May 22, 2007 (CC Meeting of June 6, 2007) Admin. Services Director 85 87 Deputy City Manager 87 89 Assistant City Manager 89 91 City Manager 97 99 Funding: The proposed changes have a minimal impact on the proposed FY 2007/08 Budget. The adjustments can be accommodated within the General Fund budget as proposed. The changes are estimated to cost about $18,000 in FY 2007/08. Summary: The following actions are proposed: 1. Transfer "Transit" responsibilities and Management Analyst position to City Engineer/Public Works Department (CE/PWD) from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCSD). 2. Reassign "Solid Waste" from the Management Analyst to the Senior Management Analyst within the PRCSD. 3. Reassign "Animal and Vector Control" from the Senior Management Analyst to the Parks and Landscape Manager within the PRCSD. 4. Replace Senior Management Analyst with Assistant Engineer position in the CE/PWD. 5. Establish Deputy City Manager position for Community Development and reassign the Community Development Director (CDD) to this position and leave the CDD position vacant. 6. Create a Planning Director position, promote the Planning Manager to this position, and leave the Planning Manager position vacant. 7. Make modifications to salary ranges for various positions as described in this report. 6 0 Ilk){. Q Moorpark City Council Agenda Report Re: Consider Reassignment of Responsibilities Page 6 of 6 May 22, 2007 (CC Meeting of June 6, 2007) STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve the recommended changes as contained in this report effective July 1, 2007, and direct staff to return with revisions to the Classification Plan and Salary Plan. SK:db M:\DBroussalian\M\WORD\CCAGENDA\Reassignment of Dept Responsibilities 0522 2007.doc 000 .