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

using an outside contractor. c; C 34 c Projects the IT department is cUD'endy worlring or will be worlring on this fiscal year. o Strategic Plan item - Ability for Council members to access Intranet during meetings. . o Strategic Plan item - Increase on-line services for citizens to access. o Complete redesign of the Gtis website. o Evaluate and install a replacement E- Mail filtering system. o Evaluation of an E-Mail archiving system. o Work with the Utilities and Public Works Departments to implement GIS initiative. o Install and implement new SunGard HIE " Contiriuing Property", Fixed Asset software application. o Discuss the possibilities of joining the o, unt}ls fiber optic network to increase network connectivity speeds, increase network redundancy and reduce reoccurring communications costs. o GovQA service to provide better communications with the Gtizens of the Gty. o Develop a training program to provide training to staff on software applications. Additional responsibilities that the IT Department has recendy acquired o FWB1V setup and after hours video taping of Gty meetings. New in car video systems for the Police Department Community Police c o officers vehicles. o New data share server to share Police infonnation with other Police Departments. o Maintain video monitoring cameras at the Police Department. o Maintenance of the G1js new marquee sign at City Hall. o Manage electronic door locks for Qty Hall and the Annex. o Programming of crosswaIk signals at Bruner Middle School After hours support provided by the IT Department o My staff and I are salaried employees who do not receive overtime pay. o My staff and I provide after hours support, 24 x 7 x 365 support for the Police, Fire and other departments in the Gty. o I normally work nine hours a day;five days a week. o I nonna11y work from home for an additional four hours a night,four days a week o Several times a year we work on a Saturday to perform upgrades which can only be completed during non-business hours. o We have worked weekends to complete projects that we don)t have time for during nonnal hours. Q. I not only perlonn the tasks a department director but, also actively help with the day to day repair needs of the Oty. c 35 c Concerns Although I think it is possible that the IT Department could maintain day to day operations with a department of three staff members, I am concerned in our ability to continue to . services we proVide. We would spend most of our time.maintaining our current improve.the network structure and not looking forward. 'This could lead to a shift in requiring the use of outside vendors and contractors to assist in providing services that may negate the savings of a reduction of a staff member in the IT Department. The Utilities Department is working with Geographic Technical Group, GTG to initiate a GIS needs assessment. In the draft docwnent provided byGTG during the September 11, 2007 Council Workshop meeting, they provided the following infonnauon in regards to staffing in the IT Department: o " Omently, the IT Depattment does not have dedicated GIS staff to perform GIS tasks within the Department. In the near future, the IT Department will play an important role in the development of the Gty's entetprise GIS. IT will not require additional dedicated personnel to perlorm in-house GIS work; rather, it will provide suppott, leadersbip, and direction for the Oty- wide GIS initiative." o " With continuing demand for GIS data and services, investments in software, hardware, services and data; it is recommend that the City should designate or hire a GIS Coordinator. One of the possible ahematives that will be discussed during the Governance Model chapter in Phase II: System c Design of the Implementation pJan is locating the GIS Coordinator in the IT Department and answering direcdy to the IT Manager. : A critical component of the Governance Model discussion is that the GIS Coordinator should not be located within a GIS using department. H this were to happen, the Coordinator would tend to serve that department more than other departments." c 36 c Recommendations I have provided the Council with the following information so an infonned decision can be made on this matter. As you can see, I do not agree with the recommen~ tion provided in the " Study of Ahemative Delivery Methodologies for the Gty Services" document to reduce the staff in the IT Department. I believe it is unrealistic to assume that you can reduce staffing by 250/0 and expect the same level of setvice in return. Secondl}r,I certainly DO NOT agree with the time- line provide to eliminate the Data Processing Coordinator position by January of 2008. .As you can imagine, the implementation schedule alone has created a lot of unrest in the IT Department. At minimum, I would like to request that you extend the date of implementation. ! his would allow us to research other cost saving options or prepare for the reduction of a staff member in our department. I would a150 request that you consider other options to reduce expenses besides simply reducing the number of staff members. I have listed several options below that I wish you would consider as an alternative. Keep cunent staff levels and look for other options to reduce expenses. Research options to standardize equipment and outsource some functions of the IT Department. Allocate funding to cover this expense and reduce staff after implementation. Research options to reduce some services provided by the IT Department and reduce staff after implementation. c Conclusion Thank you for your consideration with this matter. On paper, everything seems simple to accomplish and makes pertect sense. In the real world,ies not always that easy. Please contact me to discuss any question or concerns you may have. David ] enzen IT Director daj c 37 t c ClrztY OfF poqqwflLrrONqjPJ!CIf POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF. REPORT .MEMORANDUM To: Joyce Shanahan, City Manager From: Ted Litschauer, Police Chief Date: November 9, 2007 Subject: Police Chiefs Response to MAG Study Backaround: During the October 10, 2006, regular Council Meeting, the City Council directed the City Manager to solicit proposals from qualified consulting firms for the consolidation, J coordination, and contracting out of various services in an effort to improve - the efficiency and the effectiveness of City Government. City Council reiterated this intent rE during the January, 2007, Strategic Planning Session with the overall goal of reducing the cost of government services to its citizens, As directed, Staff developed a scope of c services after researching other local communities that had engaged in similar work in 1 the past. On March 27, 2007, the City Purchasing Department issued Request For Proposals ( RFP) 07- 117 for this purpose. FoJlowing a review and recommen9ation by an appointed selection committee, Council awarded a contract for a Study of Alternative 2 Delivery Methodologies for City Services to Management Advisory Group, Inc. ( MAG), On Wednesday, October 17, 2007, the City Manager e- mailed ( via attachment) a copy of the final report from MAG regarding their recommendations, Upon my return from the International Association of Chiefs of Police ( IACP) Conference in New Orleans, on Friday, October 19th, I reviewed the information contained in the report regarding the police department and its operations, Dr, Long, of MAG, ) nc., presented the report at a Special Council Meeting on Monday, October 22, 2007. Following the presentation, Council directed the department directors to make responses regarding the recommendations listed in the report. Thereafter, the City Manager directed the department directors to submit their responses, via a Staff Report, to her by November . 9th. This document has been prepared in accordance with those directions. The assignment to review the City' s Public Safety Departments ( Police and Fire) was divided. IAFF, the Fire Fighters Union, was assigned to present an analysis regarding the Fire Department. Since the organization to which the sworn members of the police department belong is operated here in a fraternal capacity, rather than as- their labor representatives, MAG, Inc, was assigned to review and analyze the structure and operations of the Police Department, along with those of the other City Departments. C 38  Discussion: In order to most effectively organize the discussion portion of this report, and my c responses to the ten ( 10) recommendations contained within the police section ( Section 9), my responses and comments will follow the same sequence in which the 3 recommendations appear on page 9- 18 of the MAG Study Report. Recommendation # 29: Continue providing police services through its existing personnel, less five ( 5) sworn positions, rather than contracting for services with the Sheriff. I am in agreement with the report' s recommendation to continue providing law enforcement services to the citizens of Fort Walton Beach through its police department, rather than the abolishing the police department and contracting with the Sheriffs Office. However, I am in disagreement with the