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

Finance Director position. The City' s organization chart portrayed in the Recommended Budget indicates that the Finance Director reports directly to Council, and shows a dotted line ( coordination, r ill liaison, communications?) relationship to the City Manager. Section 53 of Title IV of the City Charter makes it clear that the City Council appoints the City Clerk, City Attorney, Ii the Recorder, and the Finance Director, and establishes their respective compensation levels. Section 21 of Title IV of the City Charter makes it equally clear that the Finance I Section 22 Director is subject to the supervision and control of the City Manager. I further notes that the " forms for all such ( financial) accounts shall be prescribed by the Finance Director, with the approval of the City Manager" ( capitalization provided). I Section 22 also indicates that " financial reports shall be prepared for each quarter and fiscal year and for such other periods as may be required by the City Manager". MAG E believes that it is an incorrect interpretation to assume that the Finance Director, while i. appointed by the City Council, reports to the City Council. If a position is " subject to the p- supervision and control of the City Manager", we conclude that the position reports i. the directly to the City Manager. The reporting relationship has a direct impact on It is common practice in t: manner and nature of internal working relationships. than the City municipalities for the Finance Director to report to the City Manager rather I Council. There are municipalities that establish an internal audit function that may report than that directly to the council. That is a different function with a different purpose I which is conceived under the City Charter. In Fort Walton Beach, the Finance Director should report to the City Manager just as other department heads. I 2: Change the formal City organization chart to reflect the Recommendation # I Finance Director as a direct report to the City Manager. Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 2-5 I I  City Management Finding: There are an excessive number of positions reporting directly to the City Manager. There are currently 13 positions reporting directly to the City Manager, including the Budget and Grants Manager. And, with the recognition that the Finance Director should report directly as well, that number reaches 14. This number exceeds L the normally accepted span of control, particularly for such complex functions as exist in the City. Some consolidation of activities should occur to reduce that number. In a t recent budget year, there was a City Manager recommendation to establish an 11 Administrative Services Department with certain functions assigned to it.That approach was not accepted at the time, as there were costs associated with it due to adding an I additional position of HR Manager. There are few options for tailoring the organization without adding another layer of management. They include establishing Police and Fire r....., II as a Public Safety Department and assigning one of the department heads as Public Safety Director, re- combining Public Works and Utilities into one department ( see Sections 12/ 13), combining Parks/ Recreation and Golf, and establishing an Administrative Services Department with combined activities. Of these choices, MAG recommends the Administrative Services option. This choice is often made by L municipalities in Florida. Within Administrative Services would be: Human Resources; Information Technology; Purchasing: and Public Information. One of the department heads would be assigned as Administrative Services Director while delegating as much I..:,:.','" t;~ of the current department head responsibilities as possible. Three ( 3) of the four ( 4) Director positions would need to be re- titled as Managers. Under this approach, the I number of direct department reports to the City Manager would total 11, as noted in I Exhibit 2- 2. Recommendation # 3: Create an Administrative Services Department composed I of HR, Information Technology, Purchasing, and Public Information. Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 2-6 I I  City Management Exhibit 2- 2 Recommended Chart City-Wide D I t' MAYOR CITY COUNCIL I I I r I CITY ATTORNEY CITY CLERK I' CITY "'" MANAGER I'"BOARDS & I COMMITTEES Ordinances Administration ~ itizen Participation Legal Advice Public Records Budget & Grants -- I Resolutions I COMMUNITY """ FINANCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Building & Zoning Accounting CDBG & CRA Accounts Payable r Neighborhood Imp Budget Planning Customer Service Payroll I'" PARKS & r: FIRE Investigation Prevention RECREATION Library Museum Protection Parks Maintenance Recreation Centers r: I' GOLF POLICE r: Driving Range Golf Courses '"' Communication ommunity Policing Investigation Patrol Records I.. DMINISTRA TIVE\ I'" PUBLIC SERVICES WORKS Human Resources Cemetery Engineering I Information Technology Purchasing FleetlBldg Maint Garbage/ Recycling Public Information Transportation I UTILITIES Sewer I Stormwater Water I Water Quality Alternative Services Delivery Study for Fort Walton Beach, Florida Page 2- 7 I I r: City Management Alternative Service Deliverv ODtions E Finding: There are no functions within the City Manager Department that lend I themselves to contracting or alternative service delivery. The City Manager position is regarded as a " designated" position and is established by Charter. The I duties of the Executive Assistant might be contracted to a temporary personnel agency, I but