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12-21-2004 - Restructuring of Community Development Commission (Department)City of Hest Covina Memorandum AGENDA ITEM NO. B-6 DATE: December 21, 2004 TO: Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager and City Council FROM: Artie Fields, Assistant City Manager/ . Interim Human Resources Director SUBJECT: RESTRUCTURING OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (DEPARTMENT) RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council approve the following adjustments to the Community Development Commission (CDC) authorize positions as follows: 1. Add one Senior Project Manager position; 2. Upgrade the Project Coordinator position to a Project Manager; 3. Upgrade the Community Planner position to a Project Manager; and 4. Upgrade the Economic Development Specialist position to a Project Manager. DISCUSSION: The Community Development Commission Department ("CDC") is requesting to restructure the Department to address staff retention and staffing shortage issues, which has been impacting the efficiency of the Department. Over the past several years, the CDC has experienced a high turnover of staff with little success of attracting qualified candidates. As redevelopment and economic development is a specialized field, many cities (including West Covina) and private consulting firms are having a difficult time recruiting qualified and experienced candidates. The City of. West Covina is well known and respected for having one of the most extensive redevelopment programs and qualified experienced staff in Southern California, To maintain this status, the current level of duties and responsibilities of the CDC's Project Coordinator, Community Planner and Economic Development Specialist demands that these individuals work at a higher level position similar to a Project Manager in other cities. As such, West Covina has become a target for other cities and private consulting firms offering higher salaries and/or titles to our employees. The CDC has lost staff to cities and private consulting firms outside the labor market such as Pomona, Anaheim, Long Beach, Orange, and Colton. Cities and private consulting firms continue to recruit from the West Covina CDC: It is essential that the City address the loss of valuable employee resources in the CDC in order to reduce the high turnover, which is costly and drains the City of institutional knowledge. Stabilizing the work force will .better position the City to take advantage and manage the increasing demands of a vibrant economic environment. Current OrLyanization: The current structure of the CDC is comprised of 13 full-time positions (See Attachment No. 1). Four (4) positions (Department Secretary, Secretary 1, Administrative Analyst and Senior Account Clerk are administrative in nature and eight (8) positions (including the Director) are designated for project management related duties (Redevelopment and Economic Development). Of the four (4) administrative positions, three (3) positions are currently vacant (Secretary 1, Administrative Analyst and the Senior Account Clerk). Of the eight project management related positions, two (2) positions are currently. vacant (Senior Project Manager and the Economic Development Housing Manager). The Economic Development Housing Manager position was created to provide a senior management level position that could focus on economic development and relieve some of the responsibilities currently delegated to the Redevelopment Manager. CDC reorganization and staff classifications December 21, 2004 Proposed Restructuring: Having the goal of retaining staff and enabling the recruitment of senior redevelopment management, CDC has considered the following two (2) reorganization structures: Option 1 — "Preferred" Reorganization Structure (14 full-time positions): This option is the preferred and most desirable organizational structure in that it retains the Economic Development Housing Manager and the Senior Account Clerk positions and: 1. Add one Senior Project Manager position; 2. Upgrade the Project Coordinator position to a Project Manager; 3. Upgrade the Community Planner position to a Project Manager; and 4. Upgrade the Economic Development Specialist position to a Project Manager. A current eligibility list exists for the Senior Project Manager and Project Manager positions. Any promotions that may result from the proposed restructuring will occur as a result of an open and competitive recruitment process. Some of the benefits of this option include: ■ Increasing the level of responsibility of the Community Planner and Project Coordinator positions to that of a Project Manager, and adding an additional Project Manager position will assist the City in retaining staff and creating the ability to recruit additional project management -level staff by offering a more competitive salary. In addition, this restructure should allow the CDC to keep pace with the City's current and proposed redevelopment and economic development projects. ■ An experienced and knowledgeable organizational structure (three (3) Senior Project Managers and three (3) Project Managers) will provide for the retention of existing staff. currently being recruited by other cities and will allow for professional growth,within the department. ■ Adding a new Senior Project Manager will allow staff to better manage the increasing number of City Council assignments and current projects that are being proposed. ■ Retaining the Economic Development/Housing Manager position would: a. Result in reserving a position dedicated to pursue economic development for the City of West Covina. b. Relieve some of the duties currently assigned to the Redevelopment Manager. c. Provide face-to-face, one-on-one interaction with businesses through business outreach and business assistance. d. Provide additional senior management -level coverage within the Department. Retaining the Senior Account Clerk position would alleviate the heavy administrative workload of the existing Department Secretary and Administrative Analyst. In addition, retaining the Senior Account Clerk will speed up the time in processing purchase orders and invoices that need to be coded in order to be paid. Option 1 will increase the CDC's annual administrative budget by approximately $136,000 in salary and benefits. The FY 2004-05 cost will be approximately $67,000, if Z: CDC Reorganization — 12-21-04 2 Y: Reorganization — CDC December 21, 2004 CDC reorganization and staff classifications December 21, 2004 the Council should approve staffs recommendation. However due to salary savings created from not filling the existing vacant positions (approximately $219,000), the increased costs will be absorbed within.the current FY 2004-2005 budget. Option 2 (12 full-time positions) While Option 2 is not preferred, it will allow the CDC to improve the retention levels and achieve a savings. The proposed changes are as follows: 1. Add one Senior Project Manager position; 2. Upgrade the Project Coordinator position to a Project Manager; 3. Upgrade the Community Planner position to a Project Manager; 4. Upgrade the Economic Development Specialist position to a Project Manager; 5. Delete the Economic Development and Housing Manager; and 6. Delete the Senior Account Clerk. Some of the pros and cons to Option 2 are as follows: ■ The structure meets the goal of retaining staff and creating the ability to recruit additional (experienced) senior management -level staff. - ■ An experienced and knowledgeable organizational structure (three (3) Senior Project Managers and three (3) Project. Managers) will provide for the retention of existing staff currently being recruited by other cities and will allow for professional growth within the department. This option, however, has some negative implications, which includes: ■ Eliminating the' Economic Development/Housing Manager and Economic Development Specialist positions will limit the CDC's ability to pursue additional business retention and outreach and economic development activities. ■ Eliminating the Senior Account Clerk position will not alleviate the extensive administrative processing workload of the CDC and affects Department efficiency. Having several different project areas and fiends (i.e. 2 project areas and housing fund), all invoices require individual coding in order to be processed correctly. This time-consuming duty has been delegated to Administrative Analyst and Department Secretary, which prevent these positions from completing other important tasks. Option 3 (13 full-time positions) . Due to additional concerns raised at the December 7, 2004 City Council meeting, staff has developed this option which is similar to Option 1, however, it deletes the Senior Account Clerk position. The pros and cons to this option -is as follows: ■ Eliminating the Senior Account Clerk position will not alleviate the extensive administrative processing workload of the CDC and affects Department efficiency. Having several different project areas and fiends (i.e. 2 project areas and housing fiend), all invoices require individual coding in order to be processed correctly. ' This time-consuming duty has been delegated to Administrative Analyst and Department Secretary, which prevent these positions from completing other important tasks. Z: CDC Reorganization— 12-21-04 3 Y: Reorganization — CDC December 21, 2004 • C CDC reorganization and staff classifications December 21, 2004 ■ This option retains the three Sr. Project Managers, three Project Managers and Economic Development and Housing Manger positions in order to address the retention issues discussed in option 1. ALTERNATIVES It is recommended that the City Council approve one of the following options as a proposed CDC proposed reorganization of budgeted positions as follows: FV 1AAA_11c Vv Innc n,< As outlined in Option I with 14 total full-time ositions $67,000 $136,000� As outlined in Option 2with 12 total full-time positions $(16,000) $(32,000) As outlined in Option 3 with 13 total full-time positions $41,000 $82,000 Maintain the current organization of the CDC with 13 full- time positions. $0 $0 FISCAL IMPACT Funds are available in the CDC budget for Option 1. The CDC's annual administrative budget will be increased by approximately $136,000 in salary and benefits. The FY 2004-05 cost will be approximately $67,000, if the Council should approve staff s recommendation. However, due to salary savings created from not filling the existing vacant positions (approximately $219,000), the. increased costs will be absorbed within the current FY 2004-2005 budget. CONCLUSION Currently, the CDC is understaffed and has the potential of losing additional staff members. Therefore, the reorganization of the CDC is necessary at a minimum to address the retention of existing staff. The three (3) Senior Project Manager and three (3) Project Manager structures outlined in Option 1, 2 and 3 will enable the CDC to retain existing, staff. However, in order to maintain and surpass its ability to be one of the most aggressive and respected redevelopment agencies within Southern California, the CDC will need to be able to recruit qualified "experienced" redevelopment staff by creating comparable or better positions than those offered in other cities. Option 1 provides the CDC with the ability to expand its capacity to do more within the City of West Covina. As a result, CDC staff is recommending Option 1. Prepared by: Traci Bailey -thuds i Human Resources Analyst II Reviewed and Approved by: Reviewed and Approved by: Christopher J. Chung Community Development Commission Interim Human Resources Director Z: CDC Reorganization — 12-21-04 4 Y: Reorganization — CDC December 21, 2004 CDC reorganization and staff classifications December 21, 2004 Attachments: No. 1 — CDC Original Organization Chart (Current) No. 2 — CDC Option 1 Reorganization Chart No. 3 — CDC Option 2 Reorganization Chart s Z: CDC Reorganization — 12-21-04 Y: Reorganization — CDC December 21, 2004 5 Current Organizational Chart ATTACHMENT 1 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DEPARTMENT (13 positions) Vacant 12 Dept Secretary: µAdmen Ana Vacant Senror Project Mgr ' 77Vacant Mgrl 1(o Secret�aryi �� ��Sen�Acct C Project Coordinator Vacant Vacant Upgraded U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DEPARTMENT ATTACHMENT 2 Proposed Organization Chart - Option 1 (preferred) (14 positions) Vacant Vacant Seno�ect Mgr; meVacant Mgr Vacant New ,Secretary, 'SrAcct Clerk ���� v _ Vacant VacantX ed COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DEPARTMENT Proposed Organization Chart - Option 2 (12 positions) ATTACHMENT 3