HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-10-26 City Council (15)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT
DATE:OCTOBER 26, 1998 CMR:408:98
SUBJECT:UPDATE ON PROGRESS WITH RESEARCH FOR STUDY PRIORITY
1 PROPERTIES BY HISTORIC SURVEY VOLUNTEERS AND PAID
TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
At the September 14, 1998 City Council meeting, Council requested that the City Manager
monitor on a weekly basis and report periodically to the Council regarding progress being
made by Historic Survey volunteers conducting library research on approximately 600 Study
Priority 1 properties. There was uncertainty about the number of volunteers who would
resume work on the research task after the end of summer vacation, possibly necessitating
temporary research assistants be hired to complete the task on schedule. Completion of this
research by the end of the year is necessary in order for the Historic Inventory project to
continue on the schedule proposed tothe Council at the August 10, 1998 Council meeting.
DISCUSSION
As of Tuesday, October 20, the library research for 312 of the approximately 600 Study
Priority 1 properties had been completed.
After meeting the first week in October with the two volunteer survey coordinators to
evaluate progress and the level of volunteer involvement, staff determined that three
researchers working full time would be required to complete the library research task on
schedule. Two temporary researchers had been hired in September to assist the volunteer
effort. The third temporary researcher was hired and began work on October 19. Based on
experience, a researcher working full time is able to complete approximately 10 to 15
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properties per week. With over 300 properties yet to be completed, three researchers could
be expected to complete the library research for the Study Priority 1 properties by the end of
the year.
In the spring and early summer, a total of 59 community volunteers were trained to conduct
the library research. Nearly all of them accepted and completed assignments to research at
least one properly, some completing many properties. However, after summer vacation, only
about six volunteers have continued to accept additional properties. So, while the volunteer
researchers made a substantial contribution to the library research task, it has become
necessary to supplement their efforts with paid assistants.
RESOURCE IMPACT
The Budget Amendment Ordinance approved by Council on August 10, 1998 to fund
continued work on the Historic Inventory included a contingency amount of $23,000 to be
used for temporary research assistants in the event that research tasks assigned to volunteers
were not completed. It is expected that this sum will be sufficient to complete the task.
PREPARED BY: Virginia Warheit, Senior Planner
DEPARTMENT HEAD: ~~
G. EDWARD GAWF ~
Director of Planning and Community Environment
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
EMIL HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
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