12-20-1994 - Staff Appointments and Organizational Changes• • City of West Covina
Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: James E. Starbird, City Manager
AGENDA
ITEM NO. K- lc
DATE flee. 70,1994
® PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
SUBJECT: STAFF APPOINTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES
SUMMARY: This report describes a number of staffing changes and
organizational realignments proposed in the Public Works, Administrative Services
and Redevelopment Services areas; and recommends. City Council approval of those
aspects of the changes that impact budgetary or authorized staffing levels.
The purpose of this report is several fold as follows:
• To present to the City Council several changes to the City
organization in the form of the realignment of a number of
City Departments and service areas;
• To outline staffing changes needed to implement the
organizational changes;
• To recommend additions to staffing in the Redevelopment
Agency to adequately support the workload; and
• To recommend adjustments to the compensation level of
several middle -management positions based on the
recommended organizational changes and the relative
responsibilities of the positions.
The changes are in the operational areas of Public Works --Engineering,
Building and Safety, and Maintenance; Administrative Services --
Finance, Personne'1 Services and Risk Management; and Redevelopment
Services. As will Abe explained in later sections of this report, the changes
in the major functional areas were prompted for different reasons but by
their timing provide opportunities for implementation that are supportive
of each other.
The following sections touch on each functional area and the proposed
changes.
Historically the Director of Public Work/City Engineer has provided administrative
oversight to the traditional public works departments of Maintenance -- streets and roads
maintenance; water and sewer utility operation and maintenance, park and open -space
maintenance, and equipment maintenance; and Engineering -- various engineering design
and operations support, contract administration, assessment district administration, and
private development permitting and review. Approximately five years ago, because of
Mr. Thomas personal skills and interest, the departments of Finance, Personnel Services,
and Risk Management were also placed under his oversight. In addition, in 1993, the
Building and Safety Department was eliminated and the building inspection and plan
check functions of the Department were merged into the Engineering operation and the
City building maintenance function was merged into the Maintenance Department.
City Council Report 1
Organizational Changes
wmword\rnisc 94\reorg-94.doc
The work program for the Redevelopment Agency for this year lists over 27 projects that
staff is working on, ranging from development projects like the Edward's Theater project
to a small business.assistance program, to continuation of the low/moderate housing
program, to the implementation of community marketing and image development
programs The level of activity of the Agency for the past three years has been
-considerable by any community's standards, and when the past economic condition is
taken into consideration the successes over the past three years and the opportunities that
lie ahead are quite phenomenal. However, it is the present and future opportunities that I
am most concerned about and that I want to make sure we are prepared to capitalize on.
In addition, I believe that the City Council has come to hold a high expectation for the
level of Agency activity and responsiveness to opportunities. Individually Council
Members bring issues and opportunities to staff that I feel need to be followed up on, and
in reality there are a lot of opportunities that should be pursued if the City is going to be
able to stay competitive in the business development market as the economy begins to
recover. I have come to believe that if we are going to respond to the opportunities that
lie ahead, we need to increase the level of Agency staffing.
The following table shows the .present level of staffing in comparison with the proposed
level:
Current
Redevelopment Manager (1)
Redevelopment Project Manager (2)
Community Planner (2)
(Total 5)
Proposed
Director of Redevelopment (1)
Sr. Redevelopment Project Mngr. (1)
Redevelopment Project Manager (1)
Project Coordinator (2)
Community Planner (1)
(Total 6)
The overall impact is to increase total full-time staff by one position. In.addition to that,
Z. total of four positions would be upgraded to provide for a higher level of responsibility,
and an increased skill level, and more independence by the individuals in the
management of programs and projects. The upgrade of the Manager position to Director
recognizes the need for the position to assume a higher level of responsibility for meeting
the Agency's overall goals, and for playing a more active and visible role in the
evaluation and implementation of projects and programs. Placing more responsibility on
the Director will let me lessen somewhat the oversight that is currently provided by the
Assistant City Manager allowing me to utilize him in oversight of the Administrative
Services area and to provide stronger direction on implementation of the strategic
financial plan and the budget work program.. The Assistant City Manager will still
continue to be involved in the activities of the Agency although somewhat more
peripherally. The reclassification of the Manager position will not involve an adjustment
in the salary range but only a change in the position title and job description. The other
three upgrades will not involve an immediate increase in salary cost but will provide an
extension of the present salary range for future growth. The increase in cost noted below
is based on movement within the fiscal year within the new range.
Staffing Impact - The impact of the changes in the Redevelopment Agency on staffing
levels is the addition of one new position of Community Planner and the upgrading of
four positions. All four upgraded positions will be given added responsibilities and
expectations and with the exception of the Director position will be placed in
commensurate salary ranges. It should be noted that an adjustment to a particular salary
range does not denote actual immediate salary levels or impacts to the individual.
However, there will be future salary growth within the newly established ranges.
City Council Report 3
Organizational Changes.
winword\misc.94\reorg-94.doc
This month Mr.Thomas leaves the City of West Covina after 25 years, to assume a
comparable position with the City or Orange, and I have announced the appointment of
Patrick Glover, presently the Director of Maintenance, to the Director of Public
Works/City Engineer position. Pat and I concur that there is an opportunity to eliminate
the Maintenance Director position by upgrading the responsibilities of the present
Supervisor of Maintenance Operations and by assuming that the Director of Public Works
will give more direct oversight to the Maintenance operation.
i
Staffing Impact - This change will eliminate one management director position and will
upgrade one existing middle -management position, "Supervisor of Maintenance
Operations" to "Maintenance Operations Manager." The upgraded position will continue
to be a middle -management position at a lower compensation level than the previous
Director position.. It is likely that an existing Administrative Analyst position presently
assigned to the Maintenance operation will be reassigned to Public Works Administration
to support the Director.
Budget Impact By upgrading the Maintenance Supervisor position to that of Manager
and eliminating the Maintenance Director position there will be a net savings of
approximately $100,000 annually. Additionally, approximately $31,000 will be saved in
salary and benefit costs through the difference in salary step position of Mr. Glover and
Mr. Thomas. This "savings will likely continue for several .years. The combined savings
of this change is approximately $131,000 annually.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Another. proposed change is to realign the Administrative Services functions of Finance
Services, Personnel) Services, and Risk Management under the City Manager's Office
with general oversight being provided by the Assistant City Manager. This is a much
more common alignment among cities and brings these important administrative control
functions in line with the City. Manager's broad administrative. responsibilities in the
areas of budgeting, Ifinancial planning, and personnel administration. This change will
also give more direct attention of the City Manager'.s Office to implementation of the
Long Range Strategic Financial Plan and the budget work program as well as give more
support to budget,:personnel and. general administrative policy issues that arise among the
various department's.
The Risk Management function will be merged with the Personnel Services Department
with oversight by the Personnel Director. Last year the two departments were physically
located together and this alignment will permit us to take full advantage of closer
coordination and use of support staff in the two operations as well as better coordination
of the functional areas of employee safety and the City's liability and property damage
insurance programs with the City's employee group insurance programs.
Staffing Impact - There will be no increase in staffing as a result, of this change.
However, there will be some amount of additional workload for the Personnel Director in
assuming general oversight of the Risk Management function, and the Assistant City
Manager will devite more time to oversight of the Administrative Services operational
areas.
Budget Impact - There is not expected to be any negative budget impacts from this .
change. On the positive side, the change will enhance our ability to utilize common
support staffing inl the Personnel/Risk Management areas, as well as more effectively
pursue components of the budget work program to identify and implement operational
cost savings.
City Council Report
Organizational Changes
winword\misc.94\reorg-94.doc
2
Budget Impact - The total budget impact for the 1995-94 fiscal year is as follows:
Position/Adjustment Annualized Cost
Redevelopment Director $0
Sr. Redevelopment Project Mngr. $3,577*
Redevelopment Project Coordinators $5,518*
Community Planner (new position) $519079*
Total $60,174*
*Includes direct benefit costs of approximately 30%
I feel that the increase in staffing level and responsibility is necessary to take advantage
of the opportunities that lie ahead, and is well worth the additional cost. In light of the
long-term nature of the increased redevelopment activity it is more cost-effective to
increase staffing resources by recruiting a regular staff member than to utilize consulting
services which would cost considerably more on an hourly basis.
The following is a summary of the budget and staffing impacts that will result from the
changes described for the various service areas:
Budget Impact
Public Work .s/Maint. -1 position ($1309692)
Administrative Services 0 . $0
Redevelopment Agency +1 position $60,174
Total 0 ($70,518)
Although the combination of the changes and adjustments offset, it is important to note
that the changes will impact individual funds of the City differently. The following is a
breakdown of the individual fund impacts:
Fund
General Fund -
Redevelopment Fund
City-wide Maintenance
District and various other
enterprise funds
Staffing Impact
0
+1 position -
-1 position
Budget Impact
0
$60,174
The various changes that require City Council action are as follows:
($130,692)
• Approval of the reclassification of the Redevelopment Project
Manager position to Sr. Redevelopment Project Manager.
• Approval of the job description for the Redevelopment Director.
• Approval of the classification and salary for the Project
Coordinator classification.
• Approval of the reclassification of the Community Planner
positions to Project Coordinator.
• Approval of the Maintenance Operations Manager classification
and salary range..
• Authorization to fill the Operations Manager position along with
elimination of the Supervisor of Maintenance Operations position.
• Approval of the necessary budget adjustments for the -increased
costs in the Redevelopment Fund and to recognize the savings in
the various maintenance and enterprise funds.
City Council Report 4
Organizational Changes
winword\misc.94\reorg-94. doc
i
I
If the City Council approves of these changes. in concept, they will be referred to the
Personnel Commission_ for review and recommendation. If the City Council concurs, the
appropriate action would be as follows:
-- A motion to approve the recommendations contained in the City
t3'
Manager's staff report, approve the necessary budget adjustments,
and refer the appropriate matters to the Personnel Commission for
review and recommendation. i
Respectfully,
ni
Jops E. Starbird
a
C Manager
City Council Report 5
Organizational Changes
winword\misc.94\reorg-94. i oc