City Council Meeting – March 23,2021
City of Hercules
Public Works Department
Organizational Review
and Analysis
1 PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
The MRG project team conducted a high-level staffing,
service delivery and organizational structure analysis of the Public Works Department to achieve the following
objectives:
•Improve service delivery and outcomes
•Increase efficiencies and effectiveness
•Clarify employee roles and responsibilities
•Streamline management oversight
2 PROJECT METHODOLOGY
The project methodology included the following:
•Review of the City’s budget documents, staff cost
allocations, Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports,
Lighting and Landscape District Engineer Reports,
organizational chart, and job descriptions
•Interviews with City staff and each Council Member
•Desk review of the organizational structure of four
comparative municipalities in Contra Costa County:
•El Cerrito
•Pinole
•Moraga
•Orinda
3 KEY FINDINGS
•Extensive use of outside consultants and contractors
•Significant staff reductions between 2012 to 2014 from high of 18 to current 11
•Management staff spend virtually all their time performing staff level work or managing everyday work functions
•Insufficient capacity to perform strategic planning, implement work productivity systems and oversee staff
•No formal work order or work productivity systems in place •Limited inspection of encroachment permit work and
development projects
•Limited review and coordination of outside engineering firms •Desire for enhanced oversight of the landscape contractor 4 COMPARATIVE
AGENCY
ANALYSIS
5 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
RECOMMENDATIONS
Create a new Public Works Specialist (Inspector) classification •Fund by reclassifying vacant Maintenance Worker I/II position •Addresses many of the Department’s most pressing issues:
• Frees the Superintendent to oversee maintenance staff and implement work order and other management tools
• Provides needed oversight of development projects and encroachment permit-related work in the City’s right-of-way
• Provides additional time for the Associate Engineer to review and coordinate the work of outside consultants by reassigning work to the new position
• Satisfies the City Council’s and other stakeholders’ goal for enhanced oversight of the landscape contractor by assigning oversight to this new position, trained and experienced in inspecting contract work and enforcing contract provisions
6 RECOMMENDATIONS
•Create a new Public Works Supervisor classification
•Fill as funds become available or by upgrading a Maintenance Worker I/II position
•Assist in the oversight of outside contractors and vendors •Clear line of authority in the absence of the Superintendent •Path of succession and promotion within the Division
•Assist in the development and implementation of needed system improvements
•Consider shifting janitorial duties for all City buildings and potentially park restrooms to contract services
and/or part-time staff
•Implement a variety of work productivity and
performance measurement systems to improve
effectiveness
7 PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
•Reallocates Department staff to areas of greatest need – public works inspection, outside engineering consultant oversight, and landscape contract oversight through the creation of a Public Works Specialist position
•Creates a Public Works Supervisor classification that
provides for both staff development opportunities and
succession planning
•Reallocates staff resources and responsibilities to provide adequate management and supervisory-level staff to
develop and implement necessary procedures and
systems for performance and workload management
8 PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
9