Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 11-26-2007 special agenda — reading text

aTY OF FORT WALTON BEACH City Council Special Meeting Agenda November 26, 2007 - 5:30 P.M. City Council Chambers 107 Miracle Strip Parkway, SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Mayor Mike Anderson Dr. 1. Consideration of the Study of Alternative Delivery Methodologies for City Services. Donald Long of Management Advisory Group, Inc., will be present. (City Manager) ( See Backup) ADJOURN to matter at this meeting will Any person who decides to appeal any decision made with respect any record need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim and evidence which the of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony upon appeal is to be based. (FS286. 0105). will make The City of Fort Walton Beach adheres to the American with Disabilities Act and Helen reasonable modifications for access to this meeting upon request. Please call City Clerk dial the City Hall TOO # 850-833- Spencer at 850-833-9509 to make a request. For Hearing Impaired must be received at least 48 9925 or 1- 800-955-8771 ( TOO) or 1- 800-955-8770 (Voice). Requests hours in advance of the meeting in order to allow the City time to provide requested service. c C CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING November 26, 2007 Special Meeting Agenda Consideration of Study of Alternative Delivery Methodologies for City Services City Manager) c. SP- 1 Agenda Item Number: C  CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH o MEMORANDUM To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members From: Joyce Shanahan, City Manager Date: November 19, 2007 Subject: Alternative Delivery Methods for City Services - Staff Recommendation and Comments Backaround: to During the October 10, 2006 Regular Council Meeting, City Council directed the City Manager solicit for proposals from qualified consulting firms for the consolidation, coordination, and of contracting out of various services in an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness this position during the January 2007 Strategic City government. City Council again stressed Session with the overall goal of reducing the cost of government services to its Planning citizens. As directed, Staff developed a scope of services after researching other local communities that had engaged similar work in the past. On March 27, 2007, the City' s Purchasing Department issued Request for Proposal ( RFP) 07- 117 to solicit for consulting firms to conduct a study of City services with recommendations on 2007, with improving efficiencies and effectiveness. The solicitation period closed on April 24, the City receiving eight (8) proposals from competent, qualified consulting firms specializing in authorized public sector evaluations and management auditing. On May 22, 2007, City Council the award of consulting services for a Study of Alternative Delivery Methodologies for City Services to the top- ranked firm Management Advisory Group Inc. of Woodbridge, VA for a fee of $61, 425. At the October 22nd Special Council Meeting, Council members received a presentation on the Management Advisory Group Report. The report reviewed: Organizational Structure Services Provided Staffi ng Levels Consolidation Potential Streamlining or Eliminating Functions Technology Usage Major Organizational Policies and Procedures. There were a total of 62 recommendations impacting various departments and operations of the City. There were many other recommendations that did not have a dollar impact but were proposed to provide increased accountability, efficiency and/ or effectiveness. c  Discussion: c At the October 22nd Council Meeting, the report was accepted as information and staff was directed to solicit input from department directors and provide recommendations and comments on each recommendation. Of the total 62 recommendations the following 27 ( or 430/0) have already been addressed as follows: six have already been implemented, 15 require no further action if council concurs and six represent an ongoing effort. ImDlemented : Recommendation # 9 - Purchase scanner for use in Human Resources Recommendation # 14 - HR should determine the current market rate for the accounting related positions. Recommendation # 49 - Eliminate four of the seven vacant full- time positions in public works. Some positions were frozen and not eliminated; although the four positions were not necessarily the same as the report suggested. Recommendation # 50 - Eliminate the Service Maintenance Supervisor Position - accomplished in FY 2007- 08 budget. Recommendation # 51 -- Eliminate the recycling program and associated fee - accomplished in the FY 2007- 08 budget. Recommendation # 53 - Approve 3 percent increase in sanitation service fees - accomplished in the FY 2007- 08 budget. No Further Action Reauired: Recommendation # 4 - Continue to provide city management and related services through existing departmental personnel. Recommendation # 6 - Retain the HR Dept. organizational structure and staffing level. Recommendation # 10 - Continue to provide human resources services through the Human Resources Dept and its personnel. Recommendation # 11 - Retain the high service level provided by City Clerk. Recommendation # 22 - Continue to provide purchasing functions through the purchasing department and four personnel. Recommendation # 25 - Continue to provide information services through the IT Dept and its personnel. Recommendation # 26 - Do not contract the golf club with a private management firm at this time. Continue the privatization of selected club house functions. Recommendation # 45 - Retain the current level of staffing for code inspections. Recommendation # 46 - Continue to implement performance measures as established in Community Development. Recommendation # 47 - COl)tinue the current staffing and level of services for building inspections and plan reviews. Recommendation # 48 - Continue to provide community C. through the CDS dept and its personnel. development services Page 2 of 5  Recommendation # 55 - Do not recombine Public Works and Public Utilities. c Recommendation # 56 - Continue to provide current Public Works Department services with City personnel. Recommendation # 57 - Continue to provide mowing and related services with current units. Recommendation # 62 - Continue to provide water, wastewater and storm water services through the Utility Department and its personnel. Onaoina Effort: Recommendation # 15 - A systematic effort should be made to transfer as many finance activities as possible to the bank and secondarily to one or more private contractors. Recommendation # 16 - Evaluate all possible opportunities for electronic transfer of data. Recommendation # 17 - Explore the feasibility of contracting out for utility payment processing or purchase machine. Recommendation # 20 - Continue existing purchasing policies with periodic review or concurrency and adherence to modern standards. Recommendation # 31 - Consider a concerted inter-departmental effort combining Police and City Attorney to aggressively pursue forfeited assets - including vehicles, personal property and real estate assets. Recommendation # 35 - Ensure an adequate training budget for the Police Dept. Some of the major recommendations requiring council action are as follows: Recommendation # 3 - Reorganization to reduce the number of direct reports to the the City Manager - Staff concurs with this request and suggests implementation with FY 2008-09 budget, or sooner if Council so desires. Recommendation # 8 - Change in the City' s contribution percentages for its medical insurance premiums ( over a three year period) as follows: 900/0 for employees and 500/0 fordependants - estimated savings $ 110, 000 per year. Staff concurs with this recommendation and suggests implementation over a three year period beginning in the new plan year ofFeb 2008. Recommendation # 13 - Evaluate contracting out of minute production to save 17, 000 per year. The City Clerk advises that there are no local vendors that provide this service at this time. Recommendation # 21 - Eliminate a position in the purchasing department - estimated savings $ 42, 000 annually. Staff currently disagrees with this recommendation. Staff believes that there other