STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of March 23, 2021
TO: Members of the City Council
SUBMITTED BY: David Biggs, City Manager
Mike Roberts, Public Works Director/City Engineer
SUBJECT: Public Works Department Organizational Review and Analysis
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive a presentation on the Public Works Department Organizational Review and Analysis, discuss, provide direction, if any.
FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION: There is no financial impact associated with receiving this report. Any cost associated with the recommendations will be evaluated in the future, at the time a specific recommendation is being considered for implementation.
At the last Council meeting of March 9, Decision Package #22-7 was introduced which would create a new Public Works Specialist/Inspector Classification utilizing an existing vacant FTE .
Implementing this recommendation, which is the highest priority identified in the study, would be cost neutral to the General Fund. Additional information will be provided at the time the FY 21-22 budget is being considered for adoption.
DISCUSSION: The Public Works Department provides broad range of services including oversight of the City’s transportation network, sewer collection system, stormwater system, landscaping and lighting, facilities maintenance, capital improvements, and engineering revie w for private development projects. These services have been delivered with an organizational structure, staffing level, and staffing configuration that have remained constant since 2014, following staffing reductions that occurred due to the City’s financial hardship.
Given the time that has passed as well as the changes the City has undergone since 2014, MRG was retained to evaluate the Public Works Department and provide recommendations to ensure services are as efficient and effective as possible and the department remains responsive to the public.
In addition to drawing upon their in- house expertise, MRG’s organizational assessment process included reviewing the City’s financial documents and interviewing staff and Council. They also completed a departmental comparison with four other similar cities in Contra Costa County. This included a comparison by related functions as summarized in the table below.
Table 1 – Comparative Municipalities Public Works Related Functions
Agency Population1
Public
Roads
(maintained
miles)2
Collection
System
(miles)
Engineering
Staff
O&M
Staff
Total
Public
Works
Employees
Total PW
Employees/
10,000
Population
Pinole 19,500 53 49 3 10 13 6.7
El
Cerrito 25,000 72 NA 5 14 19 7.6
Orinda 19,000 92 NA 7 53 12 6.3
Moraga 16,900 63 NA 5 6 11 6.5
Comp
City
Avg
20,100 70 49 5 9 14 6.8
Hercules 25,500 55 63 2.54 8.54 11 4.3
1California Department of Finance Population Estimates - May 2020 2Caltrans California Public Road Data - December 2020
3O&M staffing reduced to 5 from 7 in FY 2020-2021 to address COVID financial impact 4The Public Works Superintendent position was estimated to split time equally between Engineering and Maintenance
MRG’s recommendations cover three functional areas: staffing, organizational modifications, and technical & equipment enhancements. They are summarized below and covered in detail in the report.
I. Staffing
• Reclassify a vacant Maintenance Worker I/II position and create a new Public Works Specialist (Inspector) classification.
• Consider creating a new Public Works Supervisor classification. • Consider shifting janitorial duties for all City buildings and potentially park restrooms from full-time staff to contract services.
• Consider creating a Maintenance Aide classification and shifting the weekend parks and facilities duties from two full- time Maintenance Workers to one full -time Maintenance Worker supported by part-time staff.
• Consider using the Maintenance Worker I/II as a flexibly staffed classification and/or better differentiate between the two levels.
• Consider creating a Senior Civil Engineer classification.
II. Organizational Modifications
• Ensure that Engineering staff coordinates and reviews outside reviewer comments for development projects prior to forwarding to developers/applicants. • Provide enhanced oversight of the City-wide landscape contract. • Relocate the Public Works Superintendent to the Maintenance Yard. • Establish performance or workload measures for the Department. • Establish clear timelines for response to the most common requests for service. • Clarify expectations, standards, and frequency of inspection for the Maintenance & Operations Division’s monthly public right-of-way inspection program.
• Consider e stablishing a standby procedure and rotation that incorporates all qualified maintenance staff.
• Ensure performance evaluations are completed consistently and in a timely manner. • Establish consistent and well -defined expectations and lines of authority in t he Superintendent’s absence and clarify when “Additional Duties” pay will be applied. • Better define the “lead worker” language in the Local 315 MOU.
III. Technical and Equipment Enhancements
• Implement a basic work order and tracking system to begin tracking work output and scheduling recurring preventative maintenance activities. • Start mapping and inventorying maintained assets during the monthly inspection program. • Develop an agreement with Pinole or another neighboring agency to gain access to pavement patching equipment to improve road maintenance.
These recommendations cover a broad range of functional areas and could be phased in over time as resource levels allow. Staff looks forward to using the Organizational Review and Analysis as a guide to ensure the Public Works Department is optimally configured to best serve the public and the City’s needs into the foreseeable future.
MRG will be in attendance tonight to present their Public Works Organizational Review and Analysis as well as answer any questions.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Presentation on Public Works Department Organizational Review and Analysis
2. Public Works Department Organizational Review and Analysis
Financial Impact
Description:
Funding Source:
Budget Recap:
Total Estimated cost: $ New Revenue: $
Amount Budgeted: $ Lost Revenue: $
New funding required: $ New Personnel: $
Council Policy Change: Yes No