AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING
* * *
CLAYTON CITY COUNCIL
* * *
MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2023
3:30 P.M.
*** NOTICE***
Members of the public will be able to participate either in-person at Hoyer Hall, Clayton Community Library
6125 Clayton Road, Clayton, CA 94517
or
remotely via Zoom.
Mayor: Jeff Wan
Vice Mayor: Jim Diaz
Council Members
Peter Cloven
Holly Tillman
Kim Trupiano
• A complete packet of information containing staff reports and exhibits related to each public item is available for public review on the City’s website at www.claytonca.gov • Agendas are posted at: 1) City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail; 2) Library, 6125 Clayton Road; 3) Ohm’s Bulletin Board, 1028 Diablo Street, Clayton; and 4) City Website at www.claytonca.gov • Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council after distribution of the Agenda Packet and regarding any public item on this Agenda is available for review on the City’s website at www.claytonca.gov
• If you have a physical impairment that requires special accommodation to participate, please call the City Clerk’s office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at (925) 673-7300. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Agenda March 13, 2023 Page 2
Instructions for Virtual City Council Special Meeting – March 13 Videoconferencing Meeting (this meeting via videoconferencing is open to the public).
To follow or participate in the meeting:
1. Videoconference: to follow the meeting on-line, click here:
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86095921290
No Passcode Needed
Or One tap mobile:
US: +16699009128,86838211131# or +13462487799,86838211131# Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or 888 475 4499 (Toll Free) or 877 853 5257 (Toll Free) Webinar ID: 860 9592 1290
E-mail Public Comments: If preferred, please e-mail public comments to the City Clerk, Ms.
Calderon at [email protected] by noon on the day of the Special City Council meeting. All Email Public Comments will be forwarded to the entire Clayton City Council.
For those who choose to attend the meeting via videoconferencing or telephone shall have 3 minutes for public comments.
Location:
Videoconferencing Meeting (this meeting via teleconferencing is open to the public) To join this virtual meeting on-line click here:
Link to join Webinar
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86095921290
Or, dial Telephone: 877 853 5257 (Toll Free) and use Webinar ID: 860 9592 1290 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Agenda March 13, 2023 Page 3
* CITY COUNCIL *
March 13, 2023
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL – Mayor Wan.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON - AGENDA ITEMS
Members of the public may address the City Council on items within the Council’s jurisdiction (which are not on the agenda) at this time. To assure an orderly meeting and an equal opportunity for everyone, each speaker is limited to 3 minutes, enforced at the Mayor’s discretion. In accordance with State Law, no action may take place on any item not appearing on the posted agenda. The Council may respond to statements made or questions asked or may at its discretion request Staff to report back at a future meeting concerning the matter.
Public comment and input on Public Hearing, Action Items and other Agenda Items will be allowed when each item is considered by the City Council.
3. CONSENT CALDENDAR
(a) Adopt a Resolution Extending the Proclamation of the Director of Emergency Services of the City of Clayton Declaring a Local Emergency Due to Adverse Weather Conditions Beginning December 31, 2022. (Interim City Manager) (View here)
4. ACTION ITEM
(a) Review, discuss and establish Council - Manager Goals and Objectives for Fiscal Year 2023/24. (Interim City Manager) (View here)
4. ADJOURNMENT – Mayor Wan.
# # # # #
Agenda Item: 3(a)
AGENDA REPORT
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: CITY MANAGER/DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
DATE: March 13, 2023
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Extending the Proclamation of the Director of Emergency Services of the City of Clayton Declaring a Local Emergency Due to Adverse Weather Conditions Beginning December 31, 2022 ___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution Extending the Proclamation of the Director of Emergency Services of the City of Clayton declaring a local emergency due to adverse weather conditions beginning December 31, 2022.
BACKGROUND
The City of Clayton and surrounding areas have been significantly impacted by significant storms with heavy rain and strong winds since December 31, 2022. City maintenance and police staff have been working diligently to address storm impacts as they have occurred in the community.
On January 4, 2023, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency statewide beginning as early as December 27, 2022. Because Clayton did not have any significant storm impacts or costs prior to December 31, 2022, the local state of emergency begins on December 31, 2022. In order to ensure that any extraordinary costs the City incurs related to storm impacts beginning as of December 31, 2022, are eligible for reimbursement if funds are available, the City of Clayton’s Director of Emergency Services must issue a proclamation of local emergency within 10 days of the start of the emergency. The Director of Emergency Services (City Manager) issued the local proclamation on January 10, 2023.
By resolution, on January 17, 2023, the City Council ratified the Proclamation of Local Emergency.
Declaration of a local emergency has and will allow the City greater flexibility in procuring needed services and equipment to respond to storm-related damage. This is important to be able to respond quickly and limit risks to property and our community.
Subject: Resolution Ratifying the Proclamation of the Director of Emergency Services Declaring a Local Emergency due to Adverse Weather Conditions beginning December 31, 2022 Date: January 17, 2023
Government Code also requires that the City Council ratify and adopt the extension of declaration of local emergency every 60-days in order for the declaration to remain active.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact directly relating to extending the declaration of a local emergency.
The City has already incurred at least $30,000 in extraordinary expenses related to adverse weather beginning on December 31, 2022, and the ultimate costs for road and trail repairs will be much higher. Given that there have been both continued statewide and national emergency declarations, Clayton must have a local declaration of emergency to be eligible for any reimbursement funding if it is made available. At this point it is not clear whether the City would be eligible for any reimbursement. However, absent a local emergency declaration the City would not be eligible for any reimbursement.
Attachments
1. Resolution
2. Proclamation of the Director of Emergency Services of the City of Clayton Dated January 10, 2023, Declaring a Local Emergency Beginning as of December 31, 2022 RESOLUTION NO. XX-2023
RESOLUTION OF THE CLAYTON CITY COUNCIL
EXTENDING THE PROCLAMATION OF LOCAL EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, the California Emergency Services Act, Government Code sections 8558(c) and 8630 authorize the proclamation of a local emergency when conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a city exist; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code section 8630 such an emergency may be proclaimed by the governing body or by an official designated by ordinance adopted by the governing body; and
WHEREAS, Clayton Municipal Code section 2.08.060 provides that the Director of Emergency Services, who is the City Manager, may proclaim the existence of a local emergency when the City Council is not in session; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Emergency Services determined that the circumstances of extreme peril to public safety described below are so severe and require immediate remedial action and adopted a proclamation declaring a local emergency on January 10, 2023; and WHEREAS, on January 17, 2023, the City Council adopted a Resolution ratifying the proclamation of the Director of Emergency Services of the City declaring a local emergency due to adverse weather conditions beginning December 31, 2022; WHEREAS, a local emergency is warranted by virtue of the extreme peril to the safety of persons and property in the City caused by a powerful storm system beginning on December 31, 2022, with additional and continuing major storms and a series of atmospheric river systems threatening the San Francisco Bay Area with a high volume of continuous rain as well as strong winds, which still continues, which are beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City and require the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat; and
WHEREAS, heavy rains and strong winds have resulted in damage to numerous trees and tree limbs, mudslides and creek bank damage requiring extraordinary efforts to main safe roadways and freely flowing creeks; and
WHEREAS, much of the damage to trees and tree limbs, mudslides and creek bank damage require additional specialized equipment and crews to immediately respond to protect public safety, and repair work, which has yet to be completed; WHEREAS, Mt. Diablo Creek has suffered flooding and flood damage due to exceptionally heavy rains cresting over its banks and onto adjacent trails; and WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of California Proclaimed a State of Emergency; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the proclamation of a local emergency is still warranted by virtue of the extreme peril to the safety of persons and property in the City caused by continuing major storms as described above and the need to complete repair work cause by the storms.
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Clayton that it is hereby extends the Proclamation of Local Emergency adopted on January 17, 2023; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council shall review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the City Council terminates the local emergency and shall proclaim the termination of the local emergency at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that during the existence of said local emergency, the powers, functions, and duties of the Emergency Organization of the City shall be those prescribed by state law, ordinances and resolutions of the City, and by the City of Clayton Emergency Operations Plan.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Clayton City Council, State of California, on this 13th day of March 2023, by the following vote.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
THE CITY COUNCIL OF CLAYTON, CA
Jeff Wan, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Janet Calderon, City Clerk
Agenda Item: 4(a)
1 AGENDA REPORT
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: Ron Bernal, Interim City Manager
DATE: March 13, 2023
SUBJECT: City Council Special Meeting: City Council Goal Setting ___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council conduct a Goal Setting Session and establish Goals for FY 2023/24.
BACKGROUND
Typically, the Clayton City Council meets at least once per year with its City Manager to discuss progress on prior year City Council goals and to establish new and/or modified goals for the upcoming year. Council’s goals and priorities will inform the FY2023/24 budget process which will be concluded in late June 2023.
At their April 5, 2022 meeting, City Council approved the three main goals for FY2022/23 they had identified at last year’s March 21st Goal Setting Session:
• Pursue a structurally sustainable budget
• Identify what it takes to support staff in terms of technology and tools to bring the City into the 21st century
• Present a compliant Housing Element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)
DISCUSSION
History
Clayton has a rich and inspirational history that dates back to Joel Clayton’s purchasing 40 acres of land in 1853 where he established a general store, cattle ranch, first vineyards, and laid out the streets and lots. The community was named in his honor in 1857. In 1964 Clayton was incorporated by ninety-one percent of Clayton’s 364 registered voters and became Contra Costa County’s 13th city. In 1996 an official “twinning city” ceremony was held with 2 Buxworth, Derbyshire, England bridging the birthplace and community Joel Clayton founded.
We make the claim to be a very special place with exceptional people who have a deep appreciation for the community’s history, tradition and volunteerism.
Mission, Vision and Values
Clayton places a strong emphasis on several character traits including: courage, kindness, respect, inclusion, responsibility, self-discipline and integrity as stated in our motto “Do the Right Thing Because It’s the Right Thing to Do”. This theme is woven throughout our Mission, Vision and Values.
Council Guidelines and Procedures
Our Mission, Vision and Values are also reiterated throughout the Council Guidelines and Procedures which were established in 1998 and most recently updated in May 2019. In this document, Council expectations of each other include characteristics such as team, achievement oriented, care, respect for each other as persons and each other’s point of view.
Also deemed important traits are honesty and humor.
FY 2022/23 Goals
Of the three goals, only the submission of an adopted Housing Element to HCD on January 31, 2023 has been fully accomplished.
A structurally sustainable budget has not been achieved based on last year’s adopted budget which included a deficit of $127,542 requiring a transfer of this amount from the Pandemic Reserve Fund. Efforts are underway to review all contracts, our investment policy, and fees to confirm that all revenue generating as well as cost saving measures are being implemented. Based on the mid-year budget and projections for the remainder of the fiscal year, apart from one-time costs for storm damage which are still being assessed, it is expected that there will be a budget surplus.
Measures have been implemented to improve our information technology systems hardware, software and business process including how IT security and support is provided. We have hired a firm that is managing our day-to-day IT needs. We have contracted with them to install cyber security protection, password management and authentication, infrastructure improvements to increase reliability and speed. We are prioritizing bringing ourselves into the “21st century” and look at everything we do through a lens of how can we best utilize technology.
Organizational Assessment
An assessment of Clayton’s organization began in December 2022. The scope was to review and make recommendations to improve the operational structure of the organization. It should be noted the assessment did not take into account the city’s fiscal position. The assessment compares us with similarly sized communities, identifies our strengths and weaknesses, and addresses areas for improvement with specific recommendations for staffing and training. 3 Department Goal and Priorities
Each department has listed it’s goals and priorities. They have also indicated a list of tools, equipment, technology and projects they see as important to better accomplishing their jobs and improve productivity and efficiency.
Council Goal Setting Discussion
Council will participate in a dialogue and ultimately identify their top goals and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. These goals will be reflected in the preparation of the FY 2023/24 budget and involve city staff developing an implementation plan to accomplish the Council’s priorities.
Next Steps
Staff will bring back the Council’s priorities to a future City Council Meeting for approval. It is important that these goals be attainable both financially and with current or proposed staffing.
Budget discussions will include the potential use of ARPA funds to accomplish Council’s goals. Once the budget is adopted, an implementation plan will be developed to identify milestones and a timeline toward accomplishing the goals.
FISCAL IMPACTS
There is no financial impact to conducting this Goal Setting Session.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1: Clayton History
Attachment 2: Clayton Mission, Vision and Values
Attachment 3: Clayton City Council Guidelines and Procedures (May 2019) Attachment 4: Organizational Assessment
Attachment 5: Department Goals
Attachment 1
Attachment: 2
1 COUNCIL GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES
* CITY OF CLAYTON *
In order to maximize the effectiveness of the Clayton City Council, the following guidelines have been adopted.
A. GENERAL
1. The Council takes courageous action when necessary to keep Clayton on the cutting edge of well-run, well-managed, innovative cities.
2. The Council provides leadership and participates in regional, state and national programs and meetings.
3. The Council looks to its Commissions and Committees for independent advice and some legislative actions.
4. There is extensive citizen participation and work on City programs and documents.
5. There are numerous meetings other than regular Council meetings.
6. There is a commitment to training for staff, Council and Commission members.
7. Council Members will inform the City Clerk when they will be out of town as early as possible so absences can be calendared.
8. Council Members receive the same information as much as possible: Citizen complaints, letters, background, etc. [All Members receive copies of everything].
9. Technology is used to create efficiencies.
10. Unwanted reports and documents are returned to staff for distribution to the public or for recycling.
B. COUNCIL VALUES
1. Each Councilperson is elected to and encouraged to represent his or her opinion and to work to carry out what he or she believes is in the best interests of Clayton and its citizens.
2. The Council and the City Manager are a participatory team.
3. The Council is high energy and achievement oriented.
Attachment 3
2 4. Council Members exhibit care and respect for each other as persons.
5. Council Members promote care and respect for each other’s point of view. Each Member has a right to be heard.
6. Opinions are expressed honestly, openly, civilly and with integrity.
7. Humor is an important tool.
8. Traditions are respected but not always binding.
C. COUNCIL INTERACTION AND COMMUNICATION
1. The Mayor makes Council sub-committee appointments annually in December; the Mayor is encouraged to seek input from Council regarding appointment preferences.
2. Members will take seriously the responsibility of reporting to Council on subcommittees and other regional, state and national board/agency/group activities in which they are involved.
3. Each Council Member has the responsibility to initiate resolution of problems as soon as possible.
4. Members shall recall and abide by the Brown Act when giving information to each other outside of public meetings.
5. Cheap shots at each other are not allowed by Members during public meetings, in the media, or at any other time.
6. Relationships are informal, but Council Members need to be aware of impact on and perception of the public.
7. Council Members will be flexible in covering Council responsibilities for each other.
8. Council Sub-Committees.
a. Sub-committee areas belong to the Council as a whole; they are not seen as territorial.
b. Sub-committees shall keep the rest of the Council fully informed. The rest of the Council is responsible for letting a sub-committee know if they want more information or to give input.
c. Before sub-committees start moving in new directions, they will obtain direction from the rest of the Council.
3 d. Sub-committee reports will be made under “Council Reports” at Council meetings, when appropriate.
e. Sub-committee memos will be sent on an interim basis to update other Council Members on:
1). Issues being discussed.
2). Options being considered.
3). Progress.
f. Appropriate reports will also be included in the City Manager’s “Weekly Report”.
g. Council may contact Department Heads or the City Manager to be briefed on any sub-committee work.
h. Council shall review the performance of citizen committees no less frequently than every six months.
i. Sub-committees are task oriented with scheduled dates of completion.
D. COUNCIL INTERACTION AND COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF
1. City Manager.
a. Council Members should always feel free to communicate with the City Manager.
b. When a Council Member is unhappy about the performance of a Department, he/she should discuss this with the City Manager, not any other employee [the City Manager will inform the Mayor of any serious violations of this norm]. c. Concerns about the performance of Department Heads must be taken to the City Manager and/or Mayor first for resolution through proper channels. d. In passing along critical information, the City Manager will inform all Council Members.
e. Council will provide ongoing feedback, information and perceptions to the City Manager, including some response to the “Weekly Report”. f. Council will page the City Manager if there is an emergency and he/she cannot be reached by phone.
4 2. Staff in General.
a. Council may make reasonable requests for information directly from Department Heads.
b. An informal system of direct communication with staff is used but not abused by Council.
c. Staff will inform Council immediately when an unusual event occurs that the public would be concerned about [e.g., major vehicular accidents; major police activities; areas cordoned off by police or fire, etc.]. d. The Council and staff will not intentionally blind side each other in public; if there is an issue or a question a Council Member has regarding an agenda item, that Member will contact staff prior to the meeting.
E. COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR KEEPING INFORMED
1. Read Commission minutes and staff reports to find out issues being addressed.
2. Read documents on planning items.
3. Read City Manager “goal updates” list for Council.
4. Do homework diligently and thoroughly.
F. MAYOR SELECTION
1. Election to Vice Mayor and Mayor requires supporting votes of three (3) Council Members, but in the interest of harmony unanimous consensus is to be sought and encouraged.
2. Any Council Member wanting or not wanting a role has a responsibility to tell all other Members.
3. As far as possible and until otherwise decided, Council Members will take turns as Mayor.
4. Mayorship will be a one-year term, commencing with the first meeting in December.
5. Selection of a Mayor is not a lock-step system. The Vice Mayor is generally expected to ascend to Mayor.
6. All Council Members are peers, and the Mayor and Vice Mayor serve at the pleasure of the Council.
5 G. MAYOR’S ROLE
1. Each Mayor operates somewhat uniquely from past Mayors; the role is largely defined by the person based on style.
2. The elected Mayor is to chair the meetings with proper decorum and to treat all Council Members and the public with respect.
3. The Mayor will inform the Council of any correspondence received or sent in relation to City business. This will be done within reason so as not to create a paper-trail overload. (Use of voice mail is encouraged, whenever possible).
4. The Mayor will forward pertinent information to other Council Members.
H. CITIZEN COMPLAINTS
1. City residents are considered “customers” and will be treated with courtesy and respect.
2. Council Members will receive copies of citizen written complaints, as received.
3. Council Members will be informed on telephone complaints, as appropriate.
4. Staff will inform Council of their response to complaints; copies of written responses should be included in Council packets.
5. Responses to citizens are personalized and professional.
6. Written responses will be selective. Reponses will be made to all complaints.
7. Staff will draft a copy of responses for Council to use; letters over Council signatures checked out with signatory.
8. Council should not go to a hands-on mode when complaints occur. Issues will be referred to appropriate staff who will be given adequate time to respond.
9. If a Council Member wants action based on a citizen complaint, he/she should go through the City Manager’s office to insure proper handling. 6 I. PUBLIC MEETINGS
1. Agendas.
a. Formation.
1). The City Manager and the City Clerk will prepare a draft agenda and review it with the Mayor for finalization.
2). Any member of the Council may request that an item be placed on the agenda by contacting the Mayor. It is the Mayor’s discretion as to which regularly scheduled meeting the requested agenda item will appear, after consultation with the City Manager regarding availability of staff time to prepare necessary reports and the extent and number of items already scheduled for each upcoming Council meeting.
b. Council may move to table any agenda item for future study. c. Council Members will feel free to ask for continuance if enough time has not been available for the Council to prepare.
d. If a Member is ill or away for any big or “personal” agenda item, the item may be tabled at the Member’s request.
e. Council may refuse to act on items where critical materials were not available in the Friday agenda packet.
f. Agenda packets are available by 5:00 PM on the Friday preceding the Tuesday meeting.
g. No item on the agenda will be taken up after 11:00 PM without the unanimous consent of the Council Members present.
2. Consent Calendar.
a. Items placed on the Consent Calendar are those considered by the Mayor or the City Manager to be routine in nature; they are enacted in one motion.
There is normally no separate discussion of these items, unless requested. b. The Consent Calendar is used judiciously for items such as minutes, routine City business, some appeals, items already approved in the Budget, etc. c. The Mayor will inquire of the public, “Is there anyone who wishes to speak to anything on the Consent Calendar?” [to be in bold type on the agenda].
If so, the item is pulled off the Calendar for separate discussion. 7 d. If a Council Member has a question on a Consent Calendar item for their information only, they are encouraged to ask staff ahead of time, rather than having it pulled off for discussion during the meeting. e. If there is time before the meeting, Council Members will inform staff of items they wish to pull from the Consent Calendar.
f. If additional information is requested by a Council Member, staff will provide back-up material to all Council Members.
3. It is reasonable to expect that staff be prepared to give an oral report on every agenda item.
4. The Mayor works with the City Manager to decide how much information needs to be disseminated at the meeting based on the item, and Council and audience needs.
5. There will be no packing of the audience by individual Council Members for specific agenda items.
6. Corrections to minutes should be passed to the City Clerk before the meeting, if possible.
7. Public Comment.
a. As required by law.
b. To be directed to the Mayor and Council, not staff or the audience. c. Has a three (3) minute time limit enforced at the Mayor’s discretion; is announced in advance and consistently applied.
d. Is addressed early in the meeting.
e. A Council Member may ask staff to put an item on a future agenda. f. Council may ask staff to respond, when appropriate.
g. The following options may be considered by the Mayor during times of high controversy:
1). The Mayor designates a block of time early in the meeting (20 minutes) and any comments beyond this limit will be held until the end of the meeting.
8 2). The Mayor polls the audience for an indication of the number of people wishing to speak, then calls on individuals to speak.
8. The Mayor should survey the audience, as appropriate, to move agenda items up or back to address audience items of concern.
9. Public participation is encouraged on all public agenda items.
10. Council and staff will treat participants and each other with courtesy. Derogatory or sarcastic comments are inappropriate.
11. The public will likewise be encouraged by the Mayor to maintain meeting decorum.
12. Council and staff will treat the public with respect; refer to citizens by surnames, as appropriate.
13. In Council meetings when citizens are agitated, the Mayor may call a short recess to calm the situation.
14. The portion of a regular Council meeting before 7:00 PM, in addition to the present items, should include Council and City Manager reports; action items are discussed first and reports second; Council will ask staff for a summary, if appropriate.
15. The Mayor allows other Members to speak first, then gives his/her views and afterward summarizes the discussion. Council Members should not be redundant if they concur with what has already been said.
16. Voting.
a. Each Council Member is given an opportunity to speak before a motion. b. Attempts are always made to reach consensus on significant issues. c. On split votes, each Member shares his/her views about the issue and the reasons for his/her vote.
d. Once a vote is final, Council Members will support the action taken. If a Council Member wants a vote to be reconsidered, he/she will follow The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure.
e. Any Council Member may request a roll call vote on any given issue.
17. When any Council Member believes something would be helpful during a meeting, he/she is free to suggest change in the procedure.
9 18. Department Head attendance is encouraged at every Council meeting when there is a pertinent issue relative to that Department on the agenda; other staff attendance at Council meetings is at the City Manager’s discretion.
19. Written documents, written statements, citizen petitions, references, newspaper articles or other materials submitted at or read by a council member or a member of the public at a City Council meeting become part of the Agenda Packet retained for that meeting, not an attachment to the official minutes prepared by the City Clerk of said meeting.
20. Council Members shall not use or receive digital or electronic communications (such as electronic text or visual communications and attachments distributed via email, instant messaging, twitter or comparable services) regarding an agenda item at any time during the meeting of the City Council at which he or she is in attendance.
J. EXECUTIVE SESSION IN GENERAL
1. Council will receive written reports for Closed Session items, as appropriate; these reports are to be returned to staff at the end of the meeting.
2. The City Manager will schedule pre-meeting Closed Sessions if it will save the City money [due to consultant or legal fees, etc.].
3. There is to be no violation of Executive Session confidentiality. Council Members will not talk to affected/opposing parties or anyone else (press, etc.) regarding Executive Session items without Council direction and concurrence.
4. The Mayor will make a public report after every Closed Session in the same meeting.
K. REDEVELOPMENT, GEOLOGIC HAZARD ABATEMENT DISTRICT (GHAD), AND
CLAYTON FINANCING AUTHORITY MEETINGS
1. All general procedural rules apply as related to normal agenda, consent calendar, etc. These meetings generally follow the Council meeting.
L. SPECIAL MEETINGS
1. Any member may request the Mayor to call a Special Meeting and the Mayor will call it unless there are extenuating circumstances. Special Meetings will be called as specified in the California Government Code.
10 M. CITY ELECTION YEAR
1. Election year politics should be conducted in such a fashion that the business of Clayton can carry on as usual.
2. Council Candidates will be introduced at Council meetings as candidates only after they have filed their nomination papers.
N. MEMBERS OF COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
1. Commissions and Committees are appointed by the Council as advisory bodies.
2. Commissions and Committees need to:
a. Consider Council vision.
b. Understand their roles, authority, limitations, etc. c. Know annual priorities.
d. Work within established process and parameters [e.g., citizen involvement]. e. Have a Council Member serve as liaison.
3. Criteria to be considered in the selection and re-appointment of Commissions. * a. Lack of conflicts of interest.
b. Attendance [may not miss two consecutive meetings without an excuse]. c. Level of participation and preparation.
d. Support of community vision and values.
e. Respect for staff and public.
f. Work for community versus personal purposes.
g. Perform as a team player.
h. Be a resident [unless there is exceptional need].
11 i. Be competent.
j. Representative of community as a group [e.g., differing points of view, area of residence, aspects of community, backgrounds, experts versus generalists, etc.].
k. Appointments are to be made by Council as a whole, not on promises by individual Council Members or Mayor.
* [A Commissioner may be removed if he/she is in violation of criteria under this section].
4. Selection Process.
a. Commission candidate application information is to include: Council vision statement, expectations, Brown Act requirements, suggestion to attend a Commission meeting, problem-solving model, etc.
b. City Council reviews applications, giving input to the Ad-Hoc Committee regarding ranking; Council may request input from Department Heads and City Manager.
c. Ad-Hoc Committee conducts interviews and makes recommendations to Council [let Council Members know before the meeting who is being recommended in time for individual review].
d. Council appoints Commissioners [goal is 5-0 consensus vote]. e. Information packet (including Brown Act, Minutes, Ordinance forming Commission, Calendar of League of California Cities events) is provided to Commissioners by staff.
5. Commissions encouraged to be representative of and involve the entire community.
6. Planning Commissioners shall not use or receive digital or electronic communications (such as electronic text or visual communications and attachments distributed via email, instant messaging, twitter or comparable services) regarding an agenda item at any time during the meeting of the Planning Commission at which he or she is in attendance.
* * * * *
Revised: 21 May 2019
Revised: 20 February 2007
Revised: 20 August 2002
Adopted: 05 May 1998
Post Office Box 561 Wilton, California 95693 916-261-7547 www.Solutions-MRG.com Organizational Assessment
City of Clayton, CA
Prepared by:
Rick Otto, Consultant
Nancy Kaiser, Consultant
Municipal Resource Group, LLC
March 2023
Attachment 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 2
CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 3
METHODOLOGY 4
COMPARISON STUDY 5
FINDINGS 11
Organizational Strengths 12
Organizational Weaknesses 13
RECOMMENDATIONS 17
CONCLUSION 21
APPENDIX 23
About MRG 23
Consultant Bios 24
City of Clayton, CA Page 2
MRG Report
INTRODUCTION
Incorporated in 1964, Clayton is approaching its 60th Anniversary. Located in Contra Costa County, Clayton has a population of 11,527, making it one of the smallest incorporated cities in California (467 out of 485). While Clayton has a sparse suburban feel, it is in proximity to the greater San Francisco Bay Area with its many amenities. Clayton is known for its annual family-friendly festivities such as the Art and Wine Festival, 4th of July Parade, the annual Rib Cook-off, the Oktoberfest celebration, and Concerts in The Grove summer series. Clayton has a low crime rate, high-quality schools, and numerous trails for pedestrians, equestrians and bicyclists. Understandably, Clayton has been listed multiple times as one of CNN’s Money Magazine’s “Top 100 Places to Live in the Nation” for small cities.
With COVID impacts, community disruptions, and a desire for an outside perspective, the City of Clayton retained Municipal Resource Group, LLC (MRG) consulting team to conduct an overall assessment of the City’s organizational structure and operations in order to better prepare the City for delivering services in the future. More specifically, the goal of the study was to focus on the following:
Assess organizational structure and staffing levels
Examine current workload of existing staff (specifically for Administration, Public Works/Maintenance, and Community Development)
Identify expected delivery levels according to existing business practices Assess operational efficiencies
Identify future staffing needs and other organizational recommendations The Clayton Organizational Assessment kicked off in December 2022 and was led by two highly skilled professionals (bios in Appendix) to collaborate with City staff in reviewing and assessing the organizational structure, operations, and services.
It should be noted that as the scope of the assessment was to review and make recommendations to improve the operational structure of the organization, the recommendations herein do not consider the fiscal impact to the organization. It is acknowledged that under the City’s current fiscal standing, additional financial resources or a reallocation of existing resources will be necessary to implement many of the recommendations.
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CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
As illustrated in the Organization Chart below, City staff is led by the City Manager, who is responsible for facilitating, coordinating, and supervising the work of all departments. The City has three stand-alone departments (Police, Community Development, and Public Works/Maintenance) as well as Administration which includes the City Manager’s Office, City Clerk, Human Resources, and Finance functions. Engineering services are provided through a contract with Theis Engineering & Associates, and City Attorney services are provided through a contract with Best Best & Krieger. The City does not have a recreation department, and library services are provided through the Contra Costa County Library system. The City is within the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
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METHODOLOGY
MRG conducted this independent assessment by means of zoom and telephonic interviews with internal stakeholders, a review of documents requested from and/or supplied by the City or sourced by MRG staff, and a comprehensive comparison study of similar-sized cities in the Bay Area.
Interviews
The MRG Team conducted interviews with key management and line staff members.
Interview questions explored individual roles, critical issues facing the City, organizational culture, organizational strengths and weaknesses, internal communication and collaboration, resource availability and needs, and identifying process issues and solutions.
Documents
The documents reviewed by MRG include, but are not limited to the following:
Organizational Charts
FY 2022-23 Budget
Job & Position Descriptions
Salary Schedules
City Manager Weekly Reports
March 2022 Tax Feasibility Study and Community Survey City Website Content
Comparison Study
A valuable tool in the analysis of organizational structures is to conduct a comparison study of similar cities. MRG examined five cities to review staffing levels, programs, and services in order to identify similarities and differences. Having an understanding of staffing levels among cities of similar structure is helpful for strategic growth, managing work with staff vacancies, and implementing organizational change.
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COMPARISON STUDY
The five cities were selected for comparison jointly by MRG and the City based on criteria that aligned with Clayton’s geographic location, access, population, suburban/urban feel, resident lifestyle, and community amenities. Clayton is located in Contra Costa County, and two cities were selected from the same county: Moraga and Pinole. The remaining three cities were chosen for their similarities to two or more of the selection criteria: Piedmont, St.
Helena, and Sebastopol. A demographic snapshot of Clayton and the five cities is outlined in Table One.
TABLE ONE
CLAYTON MORAGA PINOLE PIEDMONT ST.
HELENA SEBASTOPOL
POPULATION¹
¹2020 CA DEPT.
OF FINANCE
ESTIMATES
11,290 16,756 18,934 11,297 6,094 7,741
HOUSEHOLD
INCOME
(MEDIAN)2
2US Census
$150,948 $167,784 $104,275 $250,000+ $122,348 $89,679
TOTAL
CITY
FTE3
(PER BUDGET)
3Full-Time
Equivalent totals
27.60 40.10 132.60 97 91.70 90.50
The City of Piedmont is considered urban vs. suburban but is similar in total population.
Sebastopol has been included in other studies conducted by Clayton, such as salary surveys, and provides some consistency in the agency comparison process. The City of St. Helena has like characteristics, along with Pinole. Moraga is located in the same region as Clayton and has similar third-party agency service providers such as fire services, and water and sewer.
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Clayton is concerned about whether the total number of employees approved through the budget is adequate to meet the needs of the City as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and establishes new initiatives that are important for the community. The primary subject in this comparison analysis is the total number of personnel (FTE or full-time equivalent).
Further study focused on personnel in various departments and the service levels provided to each community.
MRG collected FTE data from the departments that aligned with Clayton’s departments; however, the five comparison cities also have departments and services that Clayton does not provide, such as fire services. Overall, Clayton has the fewest number of FTE when compared to the five cities, with a current total of 27.60. The FTE information is highlighted in Table Two.
TABLE TWO
FTE SUMMARY
INFORMATION CLAYTON MORAGA PINOLE PIEDMONT ST. HELENA SEBASTOPOL
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES 6.50 6.20 12.48 9 13 6
POLICE
SERVICES 13 14.75 49.25 30 18.75 25
PUBLIC WORKS &
MAINTENANCE
SERVICES
6 8 30.23 13 27 14.50
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT &
PLANNING
2.10 4.70 7.50 8 5 4.50
SUB-TOTAL 27.60 33.65 99.46 60 63.75 50
FIRE SERVICES N/A N/A 17 25 14.12 34.50
RECREATION,
PARKS &
LIBRARY
SERVICES
N/A 6.39 16.15 12 13.83 N/A
TOTAL
(ROUNDED) 27.60 40.10 132.60 97 91.70 84.50
FTE/1,000
RESIDENTS 2.4 2.4 7.0 8.6 15.0 11.0
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Pinole has a full-service fire department along with parks, recreation, and library services.
This city also has more amenities than Clayton. As a result, the total FTE in Pinole is 132.60, and if the additional services are removed, then the FTE is 99.46, which remains significantly higher than Clayton. The more urban characteristics of Pinole, greater population, and increased number of amenities align with the increased FTE in public works, police, and administrative services.
The City of Piedmont has similar population numbers compared to Clayton but has higher FTE and provides more services than Clayton. Geographically, the city is one square mile located in the Oakland hills, which counts for its urban designation and characteristics.
Piedmont has a robust recreation and parks department and fire department, services not provided by the City of Clayton. Total FTE is 90, and after removing departments and services not equal to Clayton, their FTE is 60. Police and public works services account for 43 of the 60 FTE, again, commensurate with the activities and challenges of an urban community.
St. Helena’s population is less than Clayton, but the FTE is still much higher due to the additional services provided by the city. St. Helena has a parks and recreation department, fire department, and several utility enterprise funds. The total FTE is 91.70, and when these additional services are removed, the FTE is 63.75. Their public works department has 27 FTE, while the police department has 18.75.
Sebastopol’s population is also less than Clayton, and their FTE is higher for a total of 84.50.
The City of Sebastopol has a strong fire department, which has a total of 34.50 FTE. The remaining 50 FTE includes a police department with 25 FTE and a public works department with 14.50 FTE. Sebastopol does not have a parks and recreation department.
The city that closely aligns with Clayton’s FTE is Moraga, located 18 miles to the west in Contra Costa County. Moraga is served by a fire district similar to Clayton; however, Moraga has an active parks and recreation department and more community amenities. The population for Moraga is nearly 17,000 residents, and their total FTE is 40.10. Remove the parks and recreation department, and the FTE is 33.65 (Clayton is 27.40). These two cities enjoy similar characteristics: foothills environment, mostly residential suburban, similar road-type access from highway corridors, and family demographics.
The FTE comparison between these cities deserves a detailed review, which is found in Table Three. MRG studied the total FTE, types of positions, and services provided in each department. In summary, the additional FTE at Moraga is found in the police, public works and community development departments. The administrative services departments for these two cities are similar in FTE; however, the structure is very different. Moraga’s town clerk position also serves as the assistant to the city manager while Clayton’s clerk position manages the city’s human resources activities. Moraga has an administrative services director that oversees finance, HR, information technology, and risk management. Clayton has a finance director and an accounting technician. Both agencies have administrative City of Clayton, CA Page 8
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assistants; while Moraga has one administrative assistant each for its administrative services, public works/maintenance and community development departments; Clayton has one administrative assistant that is shared by administrative services and community development.
Moraga has a Public Works Director/Engineer that oversees the public works department.
There is an engineering division and a maintenance division in Moraga along with administrative assistant. The public works supervisor in Moraga oversees public works maintenance such as streets, buildings, and storm drains as well the parks and facilities. The parks field workers are allocated as parks and recreation FTE, and the two departments share FTE for the supervisor. Moraga also has a number of seasonal and temporary maintenance workers. Similar to Clayton, water and sewer services in Moraga are provided by a third-party utility.
Clayton utilizes contract services for engineering work and has one maintenance supervisor to oversee a lead worker and maintenance workers. While Clayton does not have a parks and recreation department, the maintenance workers maintain City parks, trails and public spaces/plazas along with public works functions such as storm drains.
The Moraga police department has a staff organizational structure that allows for a standard chain of command: officer, corporal, lieutenant, chief. Clayton’s police department has officer, sergeant, and chief. Both agencies have technical and administrative support.
Overall, Clayton and Moraga have the same number of FTE per thousand residents, which is still less than the other cities reviewed in this comparison. Table Three highlights the differences in the organization for similar departments and staff in Clayton and Moraga.
Again, Moraga has more departments and more residents which accounts for the overall similar FTE per thousand residents. Moraga also has a higher number of executive level staff than Clayton, most notable a public works director and a police lieutenant.
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TABLE THREE
FTE SUMMARY
INFORMATION
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES
POLICE
SERVICES
PUBLIC WORKS &
MAINTENANCE
SERVICES
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT &
PLANNING
SERVICES
CLAYTON 6.50 13 6 2.10
-City Manager
-City Clerk/HR
-Finance Director
-Accounting Technician
-Senior Accountant
-Assistant to City
Manager
-Office Assistant
-Chief
-Sergeant
-Officer
-Coordinator
-Admin Clerk
-Maintenance Senior
-Maintenance
Supervisor
-MW I
-MW II
-Community
Development Director
-Assistant Planner
-Office Assistant
MORAGA 6.20 14.75 8 4.70
-Town Manager
-Town Clerk/Assist. to
Mgr.
-Administrative
Services Dir.
-Administrative
Services Technician
-Senior Accountant
-Accounting Technician
-Administrative
Assistant
-Chief
-Lieutenant
-Corporal
-Officer
-Support
Services
-Technician
-PW Director
-Sr. Engineer
-PW Supervisor
-Engineers &
Technicians
-Maintenance
Workers: lead, etc.
-Administrative
Assistant
-Planning Director
-Principal Planner
-Associate & Assistant
Planners
-Sr. Administrative
Assistant
Clayton’s FTE percentage of their general fund revenues is approximately 34% while the other agencies in this review report FTE as 40-66% of their general fund revenues. Municipal agencies also receive revenues that are designated for specific uses, resulting from bond measures, additional tax measures, or enterprise operations such as utilities. The six cities included in this review all have a minimum of three special revenue funds. A summary of revenues is found in Table Four.
Additionally, many cities added American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) revenues into general fund operations to cover services and expenditures lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARPA funding amounts vary from agency to agency based on a number of factors. Both Clayton and Moraga transferred ARPA funds into their general fund for Fiscal Year (FY) 22-23.
Clayton added nearly $1.5 million to their general fund but earmarked the funds for onetime expenditures. Moraga transferred $300,000 from ARPA into their FY 22-23 general fund, while Sebastopol included approximately $900,000 of their ARPA funds into their general fund. Pinole transferred in $4 million, Piedmont transferred in $1.3 million, while St.
Helena utilized ARPA funding prior to the FY 22-23 Budget, and their general fund reflects no significant transfer in this fiscal year.
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TABLE FOUR
GENERAL FUND
BASIC
INFORMATION
CLAYTON MORAGA PINOLE PIEDMONT ST. HELENA SEBASTOPOL
GENERAL FUND4
4ARPA funds are
not included
$5,387,459 $9,431,241 $24,995,141 $32,652,551 $18,650,360 $11,621,487 FTE
PERCENTAGE
OF GENERAL
FUND
34% 66% 40% 64% 45.8% 65%
NUMBER OF
SPECIAL
REVENUE
FUNDS
3 MEASURE J
GAS TAX
CFDs
4 MEASURE J
GAS TAX
SPECIFIC
GRANTS
CFDs
3 GAS TAX
CFDs
SPECIAL
USE
FUNDS i.e.,
Public safety
Solid waste
Recreation
4 GAS TAX
MAINT.
SPECIFIC
GRANTS
MORE THAN
5 ENTERPRISE
GAS TAX
MAINT.
GRANTS
PUBLIC
SAFETY
3 GAS TAX
ENTERPRISE
MAINT. FUND
The City of Clayton is maintaining a lower threshold of funding for personnel by allocating less than 35% of its general fund for personnel. The cities in this comparison as well as other cities in the region allocate 40-75% of general fund revenues for personnel. This streamlined approach towards funding for personnel demonstrates a commitment to staying within projected revenues each fiscal year. This budget strategy has been effective in managing municipal expenditures in past years, especially during the recent pandemic years whereby revenues were inconsistent.
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FINDINGS
Being that Clayton is one of the smallest cities in the state of California, the burden to deliver services and meet resident expectations with minimal staff and limited tax base can be very difficult. With a FY 22-23 General Fund budget of $5.4 million (excluding the $1.5 million in one-time funds from the ARPA), the City has the smallest General Fund budget among the cities in Contra Costa County and among the smallest in the Bay Area region. Likewise, with only 27.60 FTE employees, Clayton has the smallest number of staff members among Contra Costa County cities. This is especially noteworthy when approximately half (13.0 FTE) of the
27.60 FTE employees are part of the Clayton Police Department. As detailed in the findings below, the small number of staff members results in a number of challenges for the City.
While staff is able to complete most routine day-to-day tasks, they have minimal time to perform other essential duties such as long-range planning, preventive maintenance, special projects, employee enrichment, and operational analysis. City staff is hardworking and committed to the community. However, they have no additional bandwidth to take on new responsibilities or unexpected assignments. That said, the recent change to City Hall public hours (closure on Wednesdays) will greatly assist City staff in completing certain tasks and illustrates the City Council’s commitment and support to the City’s employees.
Another challenge with limited staff is when the city experiences a long-term vacancy in any department, it adds strain and stress to the remaining staff that are required to take on additional duties. The streamlined, and therefore very flat organizational structure does not invite career growth within the City structure. Individuals will seek growth and professional development with other agencies. This model of organizational structure results in loss of institutional knowledge and a regular start/stop pattern for projects and initiatives.
The Police Department is a prime example of this organizational structure. Clayton’s structure includes officers and sergeants then moves directly to the Chief. There is no lieutenant or captain within the structure to strengthen daily operations and enhance professional development, which support longevity in employment for one agency. Moraga employs corporal and lieutenant positions as do most other agencies.
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Public Works is also lacking middle and/or upper level leadership positions. Without senior leadership in Public Works, the City lacks the ability to plan for long-term infrastructure and maintenance needs and misses the big picture for meeting regulatory standards and community expectations. As facilities and landscapes age, there will be a greater need for long-term renovation and replacement plans. Residents, along with City leaders, place great pride in their community features and amenities. If these are not well-maintained, community support may decline and adversely affect revenue needs in the future.
Clayton’s administrative department is another department with a disproportionate staff structure. The agency comparison (along with other agencies) noted that city clerk positions are also allocated to assistance roles in city manager and/or city attorney offices, which are linked by type of assistance needed and skill set of personnel. Clayton’s assignment of human resource services to the clerk position does not align in the same standard as other agencies. Many small agencies have an administrative services director that oversees the work of senior analysts and assistants in the areas of human resources, finance and budgets, risk/liability, and information technology for example. The City of Sebastopol utilizes this organizational structure yet has the same number of FTE in its administrative services department as Clayton.
As noted in the comparison, all agencies except Sebastopol have active recreation and parks departments. While Clayton may not need a department, the City may need to examine other agency structures to identify a standard practice for supporting and providing community services such as festival/event planning, facility and park/field use, and joint use contract management. Parks and recreation is widely recognized as a robust profession, and there are several positions suited to this role. Contra Costa County’s central region cities have robust departments that can offer staff models and sage advice for delivering such services.
Clayton’s organizational structure includes contract services provided by other entities, both public sector and private sector providers. Some agencies choose to administer these contracts within administrative services departments, and other agencies align contract management with subject matter departments. A key to effective management is to develop and implement an intentional plan to oversee all contract services in the same manner.
Provided below are the identified organizational strengths and weaknesses:
Organizational Strengths
1. City staff is focused on providing excellent service to the residents of Clayton.
2. City staff feels positive that they are able to accomplish their day-to-day work responsibilities.
3. City staff feels supported by City management and generally by the City Council.
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4. The City’s use of contract services has been effective and essential to the success of the organization.
5. The Information Technology Cooperative Agreement the Clayton Police Department (CPD) has with the City of Concord Police Department is very effective in ensuring the police department stays up to date on public safety technology matters.
6. Community volunteerism through community and philanthropic organizations such as the Clayton Business and Community Association serves an essential role in the success of the City’s community engagement.
Organizational Weaknesses
1. The small number of staff results in a number of challenges for the City.
The City has 14.6 budgeted FTE (excluding CPD). As such, staff is stretched very thin across all areas of City Hall operations, which results in the following challenges:
a. While day-to-day work is getting done, there is limited time for long-term projects and operational planning activities. This is particularly evident as staff is not able to undertake long-range land use planning projects, proactive maintenance efforts, economic development activities, and staff training and enrichment efforts.
b. Vacancies are extremely difficult on the organization. Work must get redistributed among remaining staff that are already very busy and/or do not have the knowledge or expertise for the additional assignments. The vacancy of the Assistant to the City Manager and Finance Director positions has had a significant impact on the organization.
c. Time out of the office (vacations, doctor appointments, etc.) is difficult to schedule. Staff is reluctant or finds it difficult to schedule time off, as there are limited coverage options. Constraints on the ability of staff to take scheduled time off can lead to excessive stress or burnout, in turn affecting employee morale, performance and retention.
d. Checks and balances, particularly with necessary finance-related matters are difficult to manage. Fiscal Management best practices includes many monetary management procedures requiring review and approval by multiple staff members (e.g., payroll, warrant issuance, fund transfers, etc.) As the Finance Department is comprised of only 1.8 employees plus a part-time Office Assistant, often the City Manager or other management level staff outside of the Finance Department must be a part of the review and approval process. e. All department heads are “working managers” which means they are juggling staff-level projects and tasks along with the responsibilities necessary to lead their department. Similarly, the City Manager is also having to undertake a significant number of tasks that would typically be performed by vacant City of Clayton, CA Page 14
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department head or staff-level positions, thus taking precious time away from effectively leading the City.
f. Staff enrichment and team building activities are limited. City staff finds it difficult to schedule time for training and other enrichment opportunities. In addition, despite all City staff working at the same site, team-building activities are limited due to the lack of available time and resources. g. Counter coverage is sometimes difficult requiring leadership staff to cover.
Department heads and other leadership staff must cover the counter during short and long-term absences and vacancies. The vacant Office Assistant position supporting Finance and Community Development has caused challenges with counter coverage in City Hall.
2. The responsibility of Human Resources is an ancillary function for an Administrative staff member.
The staff member assigned to Human Resources tasks is not professionally trained in human resources matters. As a result, the City Manager must perform more complex human resources issues, such as discipline matters, mandated training requirements, and higher-level recruitments.
3. The Community Development Department is undersized for the level of activity the department currently experiences and plans to experience in the coming years The level of activity for the Community Development Department has significantly increased over the past three years and is expected to stay at this elevated level for the next several years. Between 2016 and 2020, the department experienced a low level of entitlement requests, and on average issued only two discretionary residential land use permit per year. However, since 2020 the City has approved 109 residential units and is currently reviewing 65 additional units. As such, the department is understaffed to meet the needs of the community as it relates to current and long-range land use planning.
Currently, there is a full-time Community Development Director, a part-time Assistant Planner (0.8 FTE), and a part-time Office Assistant (0.3 FTE). The tasks of the Assistant Planner include counter/telephone support, administering various permits, and processing routine land use applications. In addition to leading the department, the Community Development Director is responsible for processing more complex land use applications as well as covering the counter when the Assistant Planner is not present.
As a result, the Community Development Director has an inadequate amount of time to address long-range planning issues, such as zoning code updates, state-mandated code changes, and entitlement process improvements.
4. The Public Works Maintenance Department operates primarily on a reactionary basis with no annual plan for routine maintenance and scheduled infrastructure improvements.
City parks, rights-of-way, trails, facilities, and assessment districts receive a basic level of maintenance that is primarily driven by daily service requests from various sources. As nearly all maintenance activities are reactionary in nature and the field crew is understaffed, often routine maintenance activities do not get accomplished in a timely City of Clayton, CA Page 15
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manner. There is not a pro-active preventive maintenance program, nor is there a longterm municipal asset replacement plan. There are some annual established contracts with subcontractors to perform routine and emergency tasks, such as tree trimming, sidewalk, road, and storm repairs. There is no use of technology to plan, schedule, track and evaluate maintenance activities. Finally, there is a disconnect between City maintenance operations and the contracted City Engineering function.
5. Due to the limited number of staff and the flat structure of the organization, succession planning is almost non-existent.
This is particularly true in planning for department head succession. As a result, shortand long-term vacancies are difficult for the organization, there are very few opportunities to promote from within the organization, and there are limited crosstraining opportunities. The lack of promotional opportunities leads to difficulties in staff retention.
6. Employee attraction and retention has been a problem for the City.
Due to having a salary and compensation structure that is among the lowest in the Bay Area region and having a stressful organizational culture due to the limited number of staff members, the City has had challenges attracting and retaining quality employees.
As noted above, any vacancy places an extreme strain on the organization, particularly those of management-level employees. Staff vacancies result in organizational instability and impact the overall efficiency of City operations.
7. Because almost all City staff play several roles in the organization, there is a lack of clear identification of responsibilities for each position.
This is particularly true in the Administrative function, which has been compounded due to recent vacancies with the Finance Director and Assistant to the City Manager positions. The Assistant to the City Manager position seemed to be a “catch-all” position with a very wide variety of responsibilities. This is also somewhat true of the City Clerk / Human Resources Manager position. This sometimes results in the staff members being responsible for tasks where their knowledge and experience is limited. This also results in a lack of clarity regarding certain roles and responsibilities.
8. The City’s limited use of technology results in operational inefficiencies.
Over the last two years, the City has been improving its information technology (IT) network, particularly related to the network backbone and cyber security. While these are critical elements of an IT network and serve as a strong foundation for future IT projects, the City is lacking access to some essential technology-based operational tools.
The City has limited online services (e.g., no on-line building permit application or payment processes), and no land use/permit tracking system, public works work order system, agenda management system, records management system, or capital improvement project/asset management system. Only recently has the City begun work on establishing a geographic information system (GIS) platform.
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9. There is limited goal setting and a lack of measurable standards.
While the City Council conducts an annual goal setting session, the goals do not effectively cascade down to City staff. City staff must focus on general day to day activities, often at the expense of assessing and pursuing long-term goals. In the absence of measurable goals and standards for City operations, there is not consistency in evaluating program or project “success”.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Immediately fill the Assistant to the City Manager position.
While a possible downgrade to the position was evaluated, given the scope and complexity of the responsibilities necessary to support the City Manager, it is recommended that the position be filled as an Assistant to the City Manager. Among the duties going forward, the position should take a greater role in administrating the information technology program and evaluating and implementing City process improvements such as the temporary use permit, special event permits, and developer billing.
2. The Finance Director position should be converted to an Administrative Services Director position.
Clayton may be better served by reorganizing its administrative services department, which will enhance capacity to fulfill daily operations and address strategic initiatives.
This position can be responsible for overseeing the information technology function if it is not assigned to the Assistant to the City Manager. Similarly, this position could be responsible for overseeing the human resources function. In addition to creating an Administrative Services Director position, the City could consider adding more subject matter expert analysts in the future.
3. The Finance function within the Administrative Department needs a permanent Accountant position.
Currently, there is a full-time Finance Director, a part-time Accounting Technician (0.8 FTE), and a part-time Office Assistant (0.7 FTE). While there currently is a Senior Accountant position in the FY 22-23 budget, it is a limited-term position (one year) funded by the ARPA funds. Unfortunately, the position was only able to be filled by a part-time employee that is no longer with the City, so the department was not able to realize the full benefit of the position. Going forward, it is recommended that a permanent full-time Accountant position be added to the Finance function. This will allow better management of the City’s financial resources, provide needed support for finance operations, allow for more efficient preparation of various audits, and allow for a more effective process for the necessary checks and balances, thereby reducing specific fiscal risks and liabilities.
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4. The City needs a professionally trained and experienced Human Resources staff member.
Currently, the City Clerk is also responsible for the Human Resources operation. As this is only an ancillary function to the position, the City Manager is required to provide support by addressing the more complex human resources issues. This is not an efficient use of the City Manager’s time, nor does it follow best practices for addressing human resources related-issues. Therefore, it is recommended that the City has a staff member within the Administrative Department that has strong knowledge and experience administering all types of human resources tasks. This skill set could be found while filling the Assistant to the City Manager position or through additional training of the City Clerk/Human Resources Manager position.
5. The Community Development Department needs additional staff support in order to enable the Community Development Director to dedicate time to long-range planning.
The Community Development Department is understaffed to meet the needs of the community as it relates to current and long-range land use planning. Therefore, it is recommended that a permanent full-time Associate Planner position (either in-house or through a contract) be added to the department. In filling this position, the City should seek an individual who can address more complex current planning issues in order relieve the Director from some of these duties. In addition to supporting development entitlement activities, additional planning staff would free up time for the Director to implement overdue permit streamlining and process improvements and long-range planning efforts, including implementation of the zoning text and zoning map amendments listed in the programs for the City’s recently-adopted Housing Element; creation of objective design standards for affordable housing projects potentially eligible for ministerial permitting under State law; and updating the City’s local procedures for implementing the California Environmental Quality Act, which have not been updated since 2012.
6. The Public Works Maintenance Department should be led by a management-level employee.
The scope of the department warrants a Public Works Director or Public Works Manager level position who has extensive experience leading and managing municipal maintenance operations. This position would be responsible for planning, scheduling, and tracking the day-to-day operations performed by City and contract staff. Further, this position would be responsible for coordinating with the City Engineer to plan and implement preventive maintenance and capital improvement projects. It is critical that the department implement technology and process improvements in order to enhance operational efficiencies. Therefore, it is recommended that at a minimum, a permanent full-time Public Works Manager position be added to the department. This will allow the Public Works Supervisor position to focus their efforts on the supervision of field staff.
Alternatively, if a new position is not financially feasible, the City should consider increasing the scope of the contracted City Engineer position to address many of the deficiencies noted in the Public Works Department. Additional duties of the contracted City of Clayton, CA Page 19
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City Engineer could include leading the development and implementation of process improvements in the maintenance activity, coordinating preventing maintenance efforts, and creating and managing a long-range infrastructure management plan. The contract City Engineer can also serve in an advisory role to the Public Works Maintenance Department.
7. The Public Works Maintenance Department needs an additional Senior Maintenance Worker.
In order for the department to be more effective in meeting community expectations for the maintenance of City parks, rights-of-way, trails, facilities, and assessment districts, an additional maintenance worker position is needed. Therefore, it is recommended that a full-time Senior Maintenance Worker be added to the department. In addition to routine maintenance tasks, this new position could also be responsible for preventive maintenance activities.
8. The Police Department should establish a Lieutenant position to strengthen daily operations as well as to better bridge the large gap between the Sergeant and Police Chief positions.
The Police Department is appropriately staffed to meet the needs of the community.
However, structurally the department has too large of a gap between the four Sergeant positions and the Police Chief. Therefore, it is recommended that one of the Sergeant positions be upgraded to a Lieutenant position. This reclassified position will provide better leadership for daily operations and enhance succession planning within the Police Department.
9. The City should adjust its salary and compensation structure to better attract and retain quality employees.
The City should conduct a salary and compensation survey with similar-sized and scaled cities in the Bay Area region. Based on the results, the City should consider adjusting its compensation structure to be competitive in the marketplace. The need for competitive salary and compensation is critical for successful attraction and retention of quality employees.
10. The City should increase opportunities for Succession Planning.
The above-noted recommendations for additional and reclassified staff (Recommendation Nos. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8) should provide enhanced succession planning opportunities within those departments. That said, the City should make a concentrated effort to provide opportunities for staff to advance within the organization to encourage retention and to lessen the impacts of long-term staff vacancies.
City of Clayton, CA Page 20
MRG Report
11. The City should continue to contract for services where specific expertise or skill is necessary.
For a small city the size of Clayton, contractual services are an essential component of operational success. The City has effectively used contractual services for legal services, engineering, information technology support, land use/environmental planning, janitorial services, tree trimming, and police dispatch. The City should continue to contract for these services as well as continue to assess opportunities where contracting is appropriate to address an unmet need.
12. The City should embark on the preparation of an information technology master plan.
The purpose of a comprehensive information technology plan is to assess current technology gaps and recommend a long-term plan to fund, purchase, implement and maintain needed technology. In addition, to provide better and consistent support for the information technology program, when filling the vacant Assistant to the City Manager position, the City should consider seeking candidates that have general knowledge and experience with administering municipal information technology projects.
13. The City should establish an annual long-range infrastructure maintenance and capital improvement plan.
As noted in Recommendation No. 6, a management-level staff member should lead the Public Works Maintenance Department. One of their roles, in coordination with the City Engineer, is to plan and implement preventive maintenance and capital improvement projects. As part of that effort, the two departments should jointly prepare an annual long-range infrastructure maintenance and capital improvement plan that identifies projects and potential funding over a rolling five-year period.
14. The City should embark on an effort to identify job specifications and responsibilities for all positions in City Hall to identify roles and responsibilities.
This is most needed in the Administrative Department. Through this effort, there should be an evaluation of certain tasks that can be consolidated, refined or eliminated. An example is the temporary use permit process, which may be streamlined to the benefit of the public and City staff.
15. City Leadership Staff should conduct an annual goal/workplan setting session.
Following the completion of the annual City Council goal-setting process (typically conducted annually in March), the City leadership staff should conduct a goal setting session to establish annual workplans based on the Council goals. This will allow for the establishment of measurable goals and standards. In addition, this process can serve as a team-building opportunity for the staff.
City of Clayton, CA Page 21
MRG Report
CONCLUSION
Clayton is one of the smallest cities in the state of California, therefore the burden to deliver services and meet resident expectations with minimal staff can be very difficult. However, City staff is hardworking, committed to the community, and is able to accomplish most daily tasks. Unfortunately, having limited staff presents a number of challenges including the lack of succession planning, problems with staff retention, minimal strategic planning efforts, inability to address long-term projects, and requiring staff to be assigned to tasks they may not be trained or have expertise in. Further, position vacancies will frequently result in organizational instability which significantly impacts operational efficiency. The intent of the Recommendations presented in this report is to help the City be more efficient and nimble and able to improve the level of services to its residents and businesses.
Provided below in Table Five is a summary of budgeted positions from the current fiscal year, as well as the recommended staffing level as presented in this report.
TABLE FIVE
DEPARTMENT CURRENT BUDGETED
STAFFING LEVEL FTE RECOMMENDED STAFFINGLEVEL FTE
ADMINISTRATION
City Manager
City Clerk/HR
Assistant to City Manager
Finance Director
Accounting Technician
Office Assistant
Senior Accountant (FY 22-23
funding only)
1.0 1.0
1.0 1.0
0.8 0.7
5.5 1.0
6.5 City Manager
City Clerk/HR
Assistant to City Manager
Administrative Services
Director
Accountant
Accounting Technician
Office Assistant
1.0 1.0
1.0 1.0
1.0 0.8
0.7 6.5
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
Community Development
Director
Assistant Planner
Office Assistant
1.0 0.8
0.3 2.1
Community Development
Director
Associate Planner
Assistant Planner
Office Assistant
1.0 1.0
0.8 0.3
3.1 PUBLIC WORKS
Maintenance Supervisor
Senior Maintenance Worker
Maintenance Worker II
Maintenance Worker I
1.0 1.0
1.0 3.0
6.0 Public Works Manager
Maintenance Supervisor
Senior Maintenance Worker
Maintenance Worker II
Maintenance Worker I
1.0 1.0
2.0 1.0
3.0 8.0
POLICE
Police Chief
Police Sergeant
Police Officer
Office Coordinator
Administrative Clerk
1.0 4.0
6.0 1.0
1.0 13.0
Police Chief
Police Lieutenant
Police Sergeant
Police Officer
Office Coordinator
Administrative Clerk
1.0 1.0
3.0 6.0
1.0 1.0
13.0 TOTAL 27.6 30.6
Bold - New Position Italic – Reclassified Position
City of Clayton, CA Page 22
MRG Report
Establishing an updated city organizational structure will take time. Clayton should continue its excellent practice of staying within revenue and budget resources while developing a plan to incrementally add staff and better define roles. Strategic initiatives should also align with a new organizational structure, and a clear timeline should be developed for implementation.
A compressed staff structure compels the City to work together to accomplish tasks and projects. There cannot be silos in operations because there is little backup or redundancy in personnel. There are many benefits in this operating model including a greater understanding of tasks and operations by all staff and increased engagement with residents.
Clayton is a desirable community where residents are actively involved, which is a characteristic valued by many. Credit should be given to all staff working hard to keep programs, services, and projects moving forward with a finite level of resources.
City of Clayton, CA Page 23
MRG Report
APPENDIX
About MRG
In 2008, six colleagues combined their experience and skills to form a new consulting firm with the intention to provide cities, counties and government agencies with professional strategic services. The result was Municipal Resource Group, founded on a shared commitment to create for clients innovative and transformational solutions to leadership, governance, human resource, financial management and other complex organizational challenges.
The six member group grew as the firm affiliated with top retired public-sector executives and leading subject matter experts with decades of experience who wanted to serve organizations in both the public and private sectors. In 2014, Municipal Resource Group made a quantum leap to a full-service professional firm of 27 consultants, as cities and counties recovering from the Great Recession reached out for organizational assistance in strategic planning and assessing the current status of their workforces.
Municipal Resource Group rebranded to MRG to reflect the firm’s evolution to include private-sector entities among its more than 250 clients. From healthcare to high tech, retail to regulatory, MRG’s team of more than 60 affiliated consultants offer their clients an everbroadening range of expertise. The rebranding builds on MRG’s track record of success.
MRG has consolidated its practice areas into a set of seven core services:
Leadership Development and Strategic Services
Project Management and Organizational Assessments
Workplace Investigations
Training, Coaching, and Staff Development
Chief Executive Officer Evaluations
City Council and Board Governance
Financial Management and Fiscal Sustainability
City of Clayton, CA Page 24
MRG Report
Consultant Bios
Rick Otto
As the former City Manager for the City of Orange, Rick Otto understands the many challenges today’s local government leaders face on a daily basis.
Rick successfully navigated his organization through the pandemic, recessions, periods of political transition, local emergencies, and community tragedies. His compassionate, collaborative, and results-orientated leadership style allows him to create and foster a positive workplace environment and to forge excellent working relationships with political leaders, labor associations, community groups, and fellow city and county managers.
Rick has over 32 years of local government experience working for small and medium-sized cities in Southern California. In addition to serving as the City Manager for Orange, a fullservice city with an annual budget of $200 million and 750 employees, Rick also served as their Assistant City Manager, Community Development Director, and Economic Development Manager. Prior to his tenure in Orange, Rick worked for three small contract cities in Los Angeles County: Rancho Palos Verdes, La Mirada and Temple City. Throughout his career, Rick has been involved in nearly every aspect of local government, including land use planning, historic preservation, citizen engagement, affordable housing, economic development, finance and budgeting, capital projects, information technology, labor negotiations, staff development, and public safety coordination.
Rick brings his unique and diverse background to clients by specializing in Organizational Assessments, Operational Reviews, Executive Evaluations, Staff Development and Mentoring, Strategic Planning, Fiscal and Economic Development Analysis, and Land Use Entitlements.
A facilitator of governmental regionalization, Rick has chaired numerous regional committees including the Metro Cities Fire Authority, the Orange County Animal Control Taskforce, the Orange County City Manager’s Solid Waste Committee, the North Orange County Cities Homelessness Coalition, and Orange County City Manager’s Homelessness Task Force.
In addition to his professional achievements, Rick earned a Bachelor of Arts, Public Administration and a Master of Public Policy and Administration, both from California State University, Long Beach. Rick is a frequent guest speaker for public policy and journalism classes at California State University, Fullerton and Chapman University. He also has been a speaker for the American Planning Association. Finally, Rick is proud to have been a Disneyland Cast Member and still uses that customer-centric approach with his clients.
City of Clayton, CA Page 25
MRG Report
Nancy Kaiser
Nancy Kaiser has over 30 years of experience providing parks and recreation services to communities in Northern California.
For nearly ten years, Nancy has provided consulting advice to local recreation agencies and nonprofit organizations. Recent projects include assistance to communities in developing strategic plans, master plans and needs assessments in the areas of park development, park and resource management, and recreational services and programs. Nancy has also assisted cities with organizational assessments to ensure that staff remains successful in providing high-quality services critical to livable cities. Nancy’s unique background also includes projects and programs that enhance youth and teen relationships to nature and the outdoors, which strengthens community stewardship into the future.
In addition to planning and assessment projects, Nancy has been successful in researching, analyzing, and securing grant funds from government funding programs and private sector funders. She can assist local agencies and communities in exploring alternative funding opportunities, partnerships, and unique collaborations in order to sustain services or introduce new programs.
Prior to her consulting work, Nancy served as the Parks and Recreation Director for the Cities of Antioch and Oakley. She created a Parks and Recreation Department soon after Oakley’s incorporation. In this capacity, she facilitated and encouraged community involvement, developed a comprehensive parks, recreation and trails master plan, managed park development projects and created a Resource Management Plan to implement quality park and recreation programs. Several of Nancy’s signature programs and services are still provided after 10 years, and they contribute towards a sense of place and community.
Nancy has also served as the Parks and Recreation Director for the Cities of Flagstaff, Arizona and Folsom, California, and the Cameron Park Community Services District in El Dorado County, California. Nancy was also employed by the East Bay Regional Park District for over six years managing areas of interpretive services and education. Her experience and background are well-rounded; she has also worked in county government and state government, as well as served as executive director for regional nonprofit organizations.
City of Clayton
Organizational Assessment
By MRG
Rick Otto and Nancy Kaiser
“
A recent survey found
most local voters (94%)
are satisfied with the
quality of life they
enjoy as a resident of
Clayton
“
WHY AN ORGANIZATIONAL
ASSESSMENT
To conduct a
comprehensive,
independent assessment of
the City’s organizational
structure and operations in
order to better prepare the
City for delivering services in
the future.
3 GOALS OF ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT
▪ Assess organizational structure and staffing levels
▪ Examine current workload of existing staff
▪ Identify expected delivery levels
▪ Assess operational efficiencies
▪ Identify future staffing needs and other
organizational recommendations
4 METHODOLOGY
▪ Assess current organizational structure
▪ Staff Interviews
▪ Document Review
▪ Comparison Study of Nearby Cities
5 CURRENT ORGANIZATION
▪ Administration
▪ Three Departments
▫ Community Development
▫ Public Works / Maintenance
▫ Police
▪ Contract Services
▫ City Attorney
▫ City Engineer
6 CURRENT ORGANIZATION
27.6Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Employees
13.0 FTE with Clayton PD
14.6 FTE with City Operations
7 CURRENT ORGANIZATION
8 STAFF INTERVIEWS
9 ▪ Explored individual roles
▪ Critical issues facing the City
▪ Organizational culture, strengths and
weaknesses
▪ Internal communication and collaboration
▪ Resource availability and needs
▪ Identifying process issues and solutions
DOCUMENT REVIEW
10 ▪ Current and past Budgets
▪ City Council and Board Agendas and Minutes
▪ Job Descriptions and Salary Schedules
▪ City Manager Weekly Reports
▪ March 2022 Tax Feasibility Study and
Community Survey
▪ City Website Content
COMPARISON STUDY
11 ▪ Clayton – pop: 11,290 FTE: 27.60
▪ Moraga – pop: 16,756 FTE: 40.10
▪ Pinole – pop: 18,934 FTE: 132.60
▪ Piedmont – pop: 11,297 FTE: 97.00
▪ St. Helena – pop: 6,094 FTE: 91.70
▪ Sebastopol – pop: 7,741 FTE: 90.50
12 Sebastopol
Pinole
St. Helena
Piedmont Clayton
Moraga
13 FTE SUMMARY
INFORMATION CLAYTON MORAGA PINOLE PIEDMONT ST. HELENA SEBASTAPOL
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES 6.50 6.20 12.48 9 13 6
POLICE
SERVICES 13 14.75 49.25 30 18.75 25
PUBLIC WORKS &
MAINTENANCE
SERVICES
6 8 30.23 13 27 14.50
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT &
PLANNING
2.10 4.70 7.50 8 5 4.50
SUB-TOTAL 27.60 33.65 99.46 60 63.75 50
FIRE SERVICES N/A N/A 17 25 14.12 34.50
RECREATION,
PARKS &
LIBRARY
SERVICES
N/A 6.39 16.15 12 13.83 N/A
TOTAL
(ROUNDED) 27.60 40.10 132.60 97 91.70 84.50
FTE/1,000
RESIDENTS 2.4 2.4 7.0 8.6 15.0 11.0
14 FTE SUMMARY
INFORMATION CLAYTON MORAGA PINOLE PIEDMONT ST. HELENA SEBASTAPOL
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES 6.50 6.20 12.48 9 13 6
POLICE
SERVICES 13 14.75 49.25 30 18.75 25
PUBLIC WORKS &
MAINTENANCE
SERVICES
6 8 30.23 13 27 14.50
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT &
PLANNING
2.10 4.70 7.50 8 5 4.50
SUB-TOTAL 27.60 33.65 99.46 60 63.75 50
FIRE SERVICES N/A N/A 17 25 14.12 34.50
RECREATION,
PARKS &
LIBRARY
SERVICES
N/A 6.39 16.15 12 13.83 N/A
TOTAL
(ROUNDED) 27.60 40.10 132.60 97 91.70 84.50
FTE/1,000
RESIDENTS 2.4 2.4 7.0 8.6 15.0 11.0
FINDINGS
15 FINDINGS - STRENGTHS
• Staff is focused on providing excellent service to Clayton residents.
• Staff feels positive that they are able to accomplish their dayto-day work responsibilities. • Staff feels supported by management and the City Council. • Use of contract services has been effective and essential to the success of the organization.
• The Technology Agreement the Clayton Police Department has with the City of Concord Police Department is very
effective.
• Community volunteerism serves an essential role in the success of the City’s community engagement activities.
16 FINDINGS - WEAKNESSES
• Small number of staff results in a number of challenges. • Human Resources is an ancillary function.
• Community Development Department is undersized.
• Public Works Maintenance Department is undersized and operates primarily on a reactionary basis.
• Flat organizational structure results in minimal succession planning.
• Staff attraction and retention has been difficult.
• Limited use of technology results in operational
inefficiencies.
• Limited goal setting and a lack of measurable standards. 17
RECOMMENDATIONS
18 15 Recommendations
8focus on staffing
7focus on operations
RECOMMENDATIONS
19 1. Immediately fill the Assistant to the City Manager position.
2. Finance Director position should be reclassified as an Administrative Services Director.
3. Finance needs a permanent Accountant position.
4. City needs a professionally trained and experienced Human Resources staff member.
5. Community Development needs additional staff support.
6. Public Works should be led by a management-level employee.
7. Public Works needs an additional Senior Maintenance Worker.
8. Police Department should establish a Lieutenant position.
RECOMMENDATIONS
20 9. Adjust salary and compensation structure.
10. Increase opportunities for Succession Planning.
11. Continue to contract for services where specific expertise or skill is necessary.
12. Prepare an information technology master plan.
13. Establish an annual long-range infrastructure maintenance and capital improvement plan.
14. Identify job specifications and responsibilities for all positions in City Hall.
15. City Leadership Staff should conduct an annual
goal/workplan setting session.
CONCLUSION
21 DEPARTMENT CURRENT BUDGETED
STAFFING LEVEL FTE RECOMMENDED STAFFING LEVEL FTE
ADMINISTRATION
City Manager
City Clerk/HR
Assistant to City Manager
Finance Director
Accounting Technician
Office Assistant
Senior Accountant (FY 22-23
funding only)
1.0 1.0
1.0 1.0
0.8 0.7
5.5 1.0
6.5 City Manager
City Clerk/HR
Assistant to City Manager
Administrative Services
Director
Accountant
Accounting Technician
Office Assistant
1.0 1.0
1.0 1.0
1.0 0.8
0.7 6.5
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
Community Development
Director
Assistant Planner
Office Assistant
1.0 0.8
0.3 2.1
Community Development
Director
Associate Planner
Assistant Planner
Office Assistant
1.0 1.0
0.8 0.3
3.1 PUBLIC WORKS
Maintenance Supervisor
Senior Maintenance Worker
Maintenance Worker II
Maintenance Worker I
1.0 1.0
1.0 3.0
6.0 Public Works Manager
Maintenance Supervisor
Senior Maintenance Worker
Maintenance Worker II
Maintenance Worker I
1.0 1.0
2.0 1.0
3.0 8.0
POLICE
Police Chief
Police Sergeant
Police Officer
Office Coordinator
Administrative Clerk
1.0 4.0
6.0 1.0
1.0 13.0
Police Chief
Police Lieutenant
Police Sergeant
Police Officer
Office Coordinator
Administrative Clerk
1.0 1.0
3.0 6.0
1.0 1.0
13.0 TOTAL 27.6 30.6
CONCLUSION
Challenge
Some departments are
undersized, have flat
organizational structures,
and position vacancies
that result in
organizational instability
which significantly
impacts operational
efficiency.
Solution
Recommended positions
and reclassifications will
make the organization
more efficient and
nimble, and City will able
to improve the level of
service to its residents
and businesses.
22 CONCLUSION
Challenge
City is lacking long-range
strategic planning which
hinders the ability to
make impactful
operational
improvements.
Solution
Recommended IT Plan,
Capital Maintenance
Plan, Staff Goal Setting
and Succession Planning
efforts will serve as a
road map for future
success.
23 CONCLUSION
24 This study can serve as a guide
in making future decisions
Road Map
25 THANKS!
Question?
We can be reached at:
[email protected]
[email protected]
MRG Website:
Solutions-MRG.com
Providing
Innovative and
Practical
Solutions for
our clients for
over 15 years
▪ Workplace
Investigations
▪ Human Resource
Services
▪ CEO & Executive
Evaluations
▪ Training & Coaching
▪ Elected & Appointed
Board Governance
▪ Organizational Audits
Solutions-MRG.com 866-774-322226
1 CITY OF CLAYTON DEPARTMENT GOALS FY 2023/24
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT GOALS
Goals and Priorities
Next 6-12 months:
1. Complete Zoning Code Amendments to implement 6th Cycle Housing Element policy
2. Complete entitlements for Silver Oak Estates (32 single-family houses plus 3 ADUs) and Peacock Creek (30 townhouse units) residential developments
3. Update Local Procedures for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to incorporate recent legislative amendments to CEQA and mitigation measures of the Housing Element Update Environmental Impact Report
4. Implement permit processing enhancements to improve efficiency, consistency and reliability in permit processing
o Permit management software $12,000 setup, $3,000/year
5. Develop objective design standards for housing developments
6. Implement grant funded programs (geographic information system [GIS] for City land use and infrastructure; ADU pre-reviewed plan set; facilities replacements and installations at Clayton Community Park and The Grove)
o Establishment of GIS funded by grants; ongoing licensing for GIS $3,000 annually plus City Engineer costs to build upon system
1-3 Year Horizon:
1. Revisit the Town Center Specific Plan (TCSP); clarify current community objectives for the Town Center and, as necessary, revise the TCSP with updated goals, policies and/or design standards
2. Organize and digitize planning records
3. Foster partnerships with and among housing developers to facilitate housing opportunities across multiple income levels to implement the goals, policies and programs of the 6th Cycle Housing Element
4. Continue to develop layers in the City’s GIS $3,000/year
5. Find and pursue opportunities for funding private development of ADUs and ongoing maintenance of the ADU plan program
6. Establish a General Plan update and maintenance fee/surcharge on City permit applications 2 3-5 Year Horizon:
1. Revisit the City’s long-term (20-40 year horizon) vision for itself, and comprehensively update the General Plan
2. Foster partnerships with two local schools to identify opportunities for youth to participate in civic activities and decision-making
3. Appoint additional staff for management of grants programs and to act as liaison for local nonprofit organizations 3 FINANCE DEPARTMENT GOALS
Goals and Priorities
Goal 1: Establish and Implement a Comprehensive Fiscal Stability Plan to Address the General Fund LongTerm Structural Deficit
1. Manage current liabilities with retiree health plan and pension liability $8,000 This strategy shall include forecasting and modeling that incorporates the City’s liabilities and assets over the next twenty years. The City’s has data for the long-term pension and liabilities; however, it is the finance department goal is to update the City’s long-term financial plan for the next 10 years.
2. Implement a city-wide asset management system Cost TBD This initiative shall include establishment of City policy to account, track and depreciate City’s assets. Specifically, this system shall address deferred maintenance and asset replacement needs.
3. Modernize the City’s budget and reporting process $10,000 This initiative includes implementing a biannual budget cycle, developing cost-center accounting for greater accountability, and position budgeting to accurately project personnel expenses, including the impacts of legal updates (such as minimum wage increases) and other changes to salaries and benefits. As a component of this process, the current financial, human resource, and accounting software systems shall be evaluated for effectiveness and a cost-benefit analysis shall be performed. This analysis will also include the discovery and implementation of the self-service tool to reserve the meeting spaces and other city facilities including the ability to collect on-demand payment. This will maximize the collection period and increase efficiency.
4. Develop a strategy to update the business license process $10,000 Provide a greater level of customer service, determine the annual renewal process and the timing including the costs that it takes to process business licenses. Evaluate an electronic method of delivering a technology-based business licenses process via the City’s website.
Implement and electronic payment methodology as part of the analysis.
5. Develop a long-term strategy to address the anticipated costs associated with funding of general city services with professional services contract. This strategy shall include analysis of new tax revenues or other sources of income to support the replacement and operations of aging infrastructure.
Goal 2: Strengthen Long-Term Financial Sustainability through Revenue Diversification
6. Complete regular fee updates $2,500
This initiative shall include a comprehensive evaluation process to identify any appropriate and adopted fees that have not been collected.
7. Update fees for new infrastructure to mitigate the impact on City services $20,000 4 This initiative shall include updates to align impact fees to the cost of providing appropriate facilities for growth as well as mitigate growing population and usage of current facilities and services. This shall include integrating citywide facilities into analysis.
8. Reduce expenditures and increase revenues No cost (internal staff) Develop a strategy focused on alignment of schedules, cross-promotion, and expense reduction measures to maximize revenue through increasing capacities without disproportionate user fee increases. This includes the review of all professional services contract with the vendors providing services to the City. Focus would be on Recreation and Community Services programs.
9. Strengthen the process of correcting annual shortfalls associated with unsustainable benefit zones. Specially, a component of the strategy shall be to evaluate the creation of Community Facility Districts for new landscape maintenance or capital improvement needs.
Goal 3: Guarantee Transparency, Accountability, and Innovation in all City Processes
10. Ensure transparency and accountability No cost (ClearGov) Implement innovative practices and techniques to This initiative shall include, but is not limited to, addressing document retention, workflow and processing of accounting functions, agreements, and other documents. Additionally, the City shall continue to update the Transparency in Government portal on the public website.
None (part of existing agreement with ClearGov)
11. Strengthen network capabilities $25,000
This initiative shall implement network capabilities and evaluate opportunities to increase public access to network infrastructure throughout the system.
ARPA Funds
1. Build a self-service portal for Business License module $10,000 Would provide ability to collect on-demand payment through the City’s website. Business license module is currently handled by HDL outside agency with recurring cost of about $6,000 a year. Internal self-service portal through our City’s website, can eliminate and reduce the recurring cost with HDL.
2. Build a self-service tool to reserve meeting spaces and city facilities $10,000 Provides ability to collect on-demand payment through the City’s website.
3. Building long-term financial goal and pension liability for next 5 to 10 years $8,000 With limited resource in staff, the onetime cost of hiring outside consulting services to assist in implementation.
5 ENGINEERING DIVISION GOALS
Goals and Priorities
1. Develop and secure a short list/or on-call contractors to perform the following tasks:
a. Tree Trimming Services
b. Concrete repair/pours
c. Asphalt Repair/paving
d. Earthwork and truck hauling services
e. Storm Drain/Sewer camera services
f. Pipe installation and Pipe liner services
g. Electrical, streetlight repairs
h. Landscape/Weed abatement
2. 5-Year CIP (Capital Improvement Program) Document Software
3. Asset management system, with using latest technology of Google Streetview type data collection for storm drain inlets, signs, etc.
4. Consider joining a JPA (Joint Powers Authority) for Solid Waste services.
5. Permit tracking system – coordinated system that can be accessed by select individuals
6. Pavement Rehabilitation and Prioritization Plan – what are priorities, systematic approach to maintenance, target goals
7. Emergency Operations Center (EOC) training
6 MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT GOALS
Goals and Priorities
1. The Ditch Witch Vacuum trailer will allow our crews to clean storm drains more efficiently before the rainy season. It will also enable us to dig around irrigation pipes without damaging irrigation wiring, save time and reduce potential employee injuries.
2. The two F250 Trucks will replace our 1998 F450 and our 1999 F350. These two trucks are the oldest service trucks in our fleet and are in need of repair quite often.
3. Rain Master DXI Irrigation controllers for Clayton Community Park. Adding these controllers to the irrigation system will allow us to communicate with the irrigation system through the central system in the maintenance office. It will allow us to utilize flow meters and master valves recommended in #4 below.
4. Adding flow meters and master valves to the irrigation system at Clayton Community Park will allow the irrigation system to shut down the main line in the event of a main line break. This will create a significant water savings in the event of a main line break.
5. Adding a Rain Master DXI irrigation controller to Stranahan Park will allow us to communicate with the controller through our central system and make changes to the system in the office instead of in the field, saving time and money.
6. The Toro mower we use to mow our parks is very old and in need of replacement.
Upgrading this mower will allow us to mow our parks more efficiently and reduce breakdowns. The older mower can be used as a backup to mow our smaller parks.
7. Our department is in need of a large equipment trailer. We have had several occasions to move our mini excavator and our skid steer tractor from one end of town to the other.
Without a trailer large enough to hold these two pieces of equipment we are force to drive them on city streets with a backup vehicle to prevent accidents. This trailer will not only save valuable time but will also eliminate the need for a backup vehicle and will save time and cut costs for the city.
ARPA Funds
1. 2 Flow meters for CCP $ 2,000
2. 2 Master valves for CCP $ 3,000
3. 2 Rain Master DXI controllers for CCP $ 50,000
4. Ditch Witch vacuum trailer $ 85,000.
5. 2 F250 Utility body trucks $130,000
6. Rain Master DXI for Stranahan Park $ 20,000
7. New Toro Turf Master Mower 6000 series $100,000
8. Flat Bed trailer $10,000
7 POLICE DEPARTMENT GOALS
Goals and Priorities
1. The primary goal of the Clayton Police Department is to continue to provide outstanding service to the Clayton community. As the community grows, additional resources will be needed to continue to provide the level of service that the community expects and deserves.
2. Recently, we converted a patrol officer position to a Sergeant. That helped to provide supervisory leadership on shifts that did not have it previously. That is just the first step in my effort to reorganize the department to better serve the public.
3. The next step of our reorganization is currently underway. We are recruiting for a traffic officer position. The primary function of the person selected for this position will be to provide traffic enforcement during the daytime commute hours. This officer will be selected from our existing staff, meaning that it will not increase the size of the department. The traffic officer will still respond to calls and work patrol as needed.
4. The third proposed step in our reorganization would be to convert one of the four Sergeants to a Lieutenant. The reasoning behind this is to provide for a middle management position that can oversee the entire patrol division. The Lieutenant would replace the Administrative Sergeant and would take on most of the administrative duties currently handled by that Sergeant. It would create a true second-in-command of the department, who would act as the department head in the Chief’s absence. This would also provide for a succession plan that has never been in place before in Clayton. In its current configuration, the department does not provide for someone to be eligible to become Chief when the position is open. This results in the City having to hire a Chief from the outside, which results in a learning curve for the selected candidate to become familiar with the City and its residents. Having someone from the inside become the Chief would provide for a smooth transition, and it could help retain sergeants that might otherwise leave for another career opportunity.
5. Currently, our number of sworn officers stands at 11. The industry standard is to have one officer per 1,000 residents, which, at Clayton’s current population of approximately 11,400, is adequate. As we push toward 12,000 residents, the department would need to add one officer in order to maintain that one per 1,000 ratio. It would be beneficial to begin that process as ground is being broken on new developments, rather than waiting for the residences to be occupied. This would give us time to recruit, background, and train a new officer to be ready for the increase in residents.
6. Ideally, a 13th officer would be added as well. The number of sworn currently includes the Police Chief, but in reality it shouldn’t. While the Chief is available to respond to calls for service, they are also an administrator that has collateral duties that prevent them from being on patrol. With a second additional officer, there would now be three sworn officers on every shift (one Sergeant and two officers). This would provide adequate coverage for a City of Clayton’s size. If one officer is unavailable due to an arrest that results in transporting to the hospital and/or jail, there would still be two officers in town to respond to calls. It would also greatly reduce overtime, because in the event that an officer is off on vacation, sick, or training, there would still be two officers on duty to cover the shift. 8 7. Grants are always being considered to help increase efficiency without stressing the budget.
We have been successful in receiving grants for equipment items in the past, and we will continue to seek those as well as grants to add staff.
ARPA Funds
1. Video surveillance system at City Hall/PD $8,000
This will provide security and monitoring of the entrances to the building, as well as the area where the on-duty patrol cars are parked.
2. Tattle-Tale traffic signal lights for 6 intersections $3,000 These are used in many jurisdictions, and assist officers monitoring traffic signals because you can see when the light is red or green from a position behind the lights where you would not ordinarily be able to see them.
3. Dash cameras with License Plate Reader technology for 8 cars $100,000 We currently have the second generation dash camera from Axon, which video records the road in front of the patrol car, as well as the back seat of the car where arrestees are placed during transport. The third generation cameras also have License Plate Reader technology, so as the patrol car drives around, it is scanning plates of all vehicles that it passes. This can detect stolen vehicles, but can also log where vehicles have historically been located in the event that we are looking for a particular vehicle.
4. Install automated entry points at all entrances to the building $10,000 This would allow us to more closely monitor who gains access to the building, and also allows us to disable someone’s access when they should not have access to the building, such as former employees. The last time the building was re-keyed was over 10 years ago, and many people have come and gone since then.
5. Drone program $20,000
Many Law Enforcement agencies throughout the country have turned to drone technology as another tool for solving crime and providing rescue operations. A drone can be used to search for outstanding suspects where it may be unsafe for an officer to enter, such as backyards, houses, and bushes. It can also be used to search for a lost child or adult.
Drones can be used for aerial photographs of crime or traffic collision scenes, and to assess damage in areas that are not safe to enter. The cost listed is for the drone and the training needed to operate it.
6. Create turn-outs for bus stops along Clayton Rd - 6 total $250.000+ ea.
There are 6 bus stops along Clayton Rd that do not have turn-outs, meaning that the bus must stop in the right hand lane of traffic to pick up passengers. This creates traffic hazards because cars must either stop behind the bus while it is stopped, or try to change lanes to go around the bus.
9 CITY CLERK/HR MANAGER GOALS
ARPA Funds
1. Agenda Management System $19,730
2. Filing cabinet system, 1st Floor $26,500
This will replace the broken filing cabinets that are currently used to store Planning, City Clerk, Finance, and Personnel Records. The Personnel Records require a locking fireproof cabinet.
3. Chairs at Hoyer Hall for Elected Officials and Staff $7,200
4. Chairs at City Hall Third Floor Conference Room $6,400
5. Digital Signature – DocuSign 500 envelopes $2,400/yr
6. Digital Signature – Dropbox Sign up to 4 users includes unlimited signing $600/yr
7. New monitors for the City Clerk/Human Resources Manager $800
8. Facility Person to attend CC meetings to assist with meeting logistics $100/mtg 10 CITY MANAGER GOALS
Goals and Priorities
1. Council Hire City Manager
2. Hire Assistant to City Manager
3. Conduct Salary Survey
4. Council Approval and Implement Energy Efficiency and Infrastructure Renewal Project
5. Council Adoption of new Republic Services Franchise Agreement
6. Present Balanced FY 2023/24 Budget
7. Team Building Retreat w/City Council and Department Heads
8. Online Permits and Applications
9. EOC (Emergency Operations Center) training/exercise
ARPA Funds
1. Salary Survey $20,000
2. City Hall pool vehicle (preferably electric) $35,000
3. PR and Marketing Firm $50,000/year
4. Citywide GIS/Asset Management $100,000
5. Replace generator at City Hall $250,000
6. New irrigation system at Clayton Community Park $1,000,000
7. Keller House Restoration $5,000,000+