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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-02-14 City Council (9)TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER FEBRUARY 14, 2000 DEPARTMENT:COMMUNITY SERVICES CMR: 144:00 CHILDREN’S THEATRE STAFFING STUDY This is an informational report and no Council action is required. BACKGROUND During the fiscal year 1999-2000 budget process, the Friends of the Children’s Theatre (Friends) transmitted to the City Manager a letter asking that consideration be given to adding four new staff positions at the Children’s Theatre. In addition, during the budget hearings, the Friends requested that Council add staff at the Theatre. At that time, the City Manager reported to Council that, as an interim measure, $50,000 would be added to the Children’s Theatre budget to address the staffing issues that had been identified. During the course of fiscal year 1999-2000, staff, with the Friends input, was to conduct an internal study .of staffing at the Children’s Theatre and return to Council with a recommendation. DISCUSSION The staffing study has been completed and reviewed by the Human Resources and Administrative Services Departments in order to ascertain resource and staffing level impacts. These have been transmitted to the City Manager. It is clear that limited staffing has been carrying out the outstanding and valued services and programs provided by the Children’s Theatre. This has been accomplished through creative staffing, working arrangements, and selective programming. While these approaches were creative and necessary to continue to support the programming level as it now exists, they are extremely inefficient. Consequently, it will be recommended that - two full time regular positions be added in the FY 2000-01 budget, and one full time regular position in the FY 2001-02 budget. These positions are: Box Office Assistant and Costume Assistant (FY 2000-01) and Technical Supervisor Assistant (FY 2001-02.). Children’s Theatre staff will be directed to begin immediate recruitment for the Box Office Assistant and the Costume Assistant, with actual appointments pending Council approval of the FY 2000-01 budget. To provide sufficient staffing assistance for the balance of this fiscal year, the current temporary staffing arrangement will continue. RESOURCE IMPACT The impact to the General Fund for adding two full-time regular positions in the FY 2000-01 budget, including salary and benefits is $118,582 dollars. The impact to the General Fund for add!ng the third position in the FY 2001-02 budget is $59,291 annually. PREPARED BY: Leon Kaplan, Director of Arts and Culture ATTACHMENTS Staff Study DEPARTMENT HEAD: (’~~ PAUL THILTGEN Director, Community Services CITY MANAGER: //JUI~E’FLEMING ~t~ Manager CMR: 144:00 Page 2 of 2 Attachment One This report responds to the City Manager’s request to provide information with respect to staffing at the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre. City Manager has asked for this material to make a determination to address and correct the long term staffing deficiencies at the Children’s Theatre. This report has three sections: 1. Statements describing need for staffing 2. Statements of causes creating need 3. Exhibits supporting and data NEED The current level of staffing has remained unchanged since 1985 when then City Manager Bill Zaner, in recognition of the increased service demand to the Children’s Theatre by the community, added .5 person year. This request for additional staffing will address service demands, as well as some organizational changes over the years that have resulted in an undue burden carried by the current 5.0 staff assigned to the Children’s Theatre. Service Levels Essentially, the service level provided by the Children’s Theatre has remained unchanged in twenW years. With the documented growth of the child population in the community, it is obvious that the more children who take advantage of the children’s theatre, more staff are needed for purposes of safety and supervision. In addition to the primary need to provide responsible oversight to approximately 75 to 125 children daily during the school year, and approximately 200 to 250 daily during the summer, the theatre staff has many other duties and responsibilities that command their attention away from the children. Increased staffing will provide necessary relief to current staff and support duties such as responding to frequent queries, in person and by electronic or telephone as required by City Policy. Additionally, at least one added position will be primarily assigned to the box office function, ensuring standards of accountability for revenues and accounts payable required complying with the standards of the Department of Finance and the City Auditor. Presently, this full time responsibility is carried out by temporary employees under the supervision of the Theatre Specialist who already has a full plate of direct program and administrative responsibilities. Other administrative duties that have contributed to the burden placed on current staff include but are not limited to participating in Intra and Inter departmental cooperative events, meetings, facility supervision planning, budget preparation and oversight, and Capital Improvement and infrastructure support. The Children’s Theatre staff also participates in cooperative events and works with Council Appointed Officers and their staffs providing direct assistance to the City Council at their request. In addition, the staff has had major responsibilities in response to the winter storm of 1998 including moving the costume operation and the costume room on two occasions. Duties and Responsibilities The operation of a theatre requires a high degree of skill and training. Each regular employee assigned to the Children’s Theatre must demonstrate a level of education, training, experience Attachment One and-competence in order to carry out their assignments satisfactorily.. As the attached job descriptions (currently under revision) illustrate, personnel are hired with respect to specific disciplines within the theatre profession. As in most theatres, the functions between disciplines at the Children’s Theatre overlap. While it is always necessary to have on staff a dedicated professional to each .discipline, it is also true that all. personnel can and do provide assistance where necessary to disciplines other than their own. The following are examples of the duties and responsibilities required of the 5.0 full time regular staff at the Children’s Theatre: 1. Program development and evaluation 2.Prrvide front office support to the public with respect to class registrations, ticket sales, and phone inquiries 3. Teaching Provide Hours of Operation Service to the public that meets their needs as well as the needs of a fully operational theatre: A. School year hours of operation are 9:30am until 6:30pm, with evening performances 6:30pm- 9:30pm Tuesday - Saturday. B. Summer Schedule Hours of Operation are 9:00am until 6:00pm Tuesday through Saturday with performances and rehearsals running 6:00pm to 11:30pm seven days a week C. Aftemoon rehearsals during pre-production can be from3:30pm - 6:30pm Tuesday - Saturday Theatre Production including directing, designing, choreographing, and marketing Service to children and youth: The philosophy of the Children’s Theatre is to provide theatre for children and by children. The young people of Palo Alto have taken advantage of the opportunities provided by the theatre for nearly 70 years. With the advent of the completion of the additions to the Children’s Theatre, there has been increasing demand on the theatre and the staff. The public has also expressed its will that more opportunities be made available to the young people of the community. Outreach. There has been a great expectation in quantity of services provided in relation to the Outreach Program. While the compromise, which was worked out a few years, ago has been successful on some levels, on others it has created a less efficient more difficult task for the host PTAs, School Administrations, and the Children’s Theatre staff. The staff evaluation of the Outreach Program will be performed this fiscal year. There continues to be a demand to have Outreach in each elementary school each year. Miscellaneous Service to the Community: The Children’s Theatre often serves as a public resource for organizations, instructors, courts, schools, and individuals. In addition, the Children’s Theatre staff receives numerous requests each month to provide assistance and guidance regarding buying or loaning props, costumes, scenery or lighting; where to find a script, or someone to design, direct, costume shows. While it seems to run in cycles, there Attachment One are individuals calling to do community service work. These requests fall into two basic categories: "Community Service" as defined by schools as a life experience with a required number of hours to complete for graduation credit, and secondly, "Community Service" as defined by the Court system where hours are set as a punishment. HUMAN RESOURCE ISSUES There are several Human Resource changes that have contributed to the problem of staffing at the Children’s Theatre.. The following is a brief description of those issues and what has changed that requires additional staffing at the Children’s Theatre: Overtime This continues to be one of the most perplexing issues, which has arisen caused by two major uncontrollable events. Until 1997, the SEIU Memorandum of Agreement provided rescheduled time for designated staff’ within the Division of Arts and Culture. The rescheduled time provision allowed staff who did work of a creative nature the opportunity to work beyond the eight hour day and forty hour work week during times of creative activity. In turn such staff would be given compensatory time off on an hour for hour basis during times Of inactivity. At the direction of the Director of Human Resources, who believes that FSLA rules do not allow for rescheduled time in the way in which it had been used, it; the Memorandum of Agreement was changed in 1997. The current rules require that all overtime work be compensated based on a time and one-half basis and taken off or made payable within a prescribed time period. This change has had an enormous effect and profound impact on the staff and on the Children’s Theatre budget. The staff has worked diligently to find new and different ways to work to mitigate this challenge. Additional staffing would allow for the backup and division of specialized tasks that much of the problem would be brought into reasonable control. It should be noted that the inherent nature of Theatre production is not going to allow the total elimination of overtime, but with flexible scheduling and additional permanent staff the problem should be able to be mitigated to a large degree. Added staff will help immeasurably. Hourly Employees The Children’s Theatre has for many years relied on hourly employees to support the 5.0 regular employees. Hourly staff performs such duties as box office, front office support, and technical and costume support. During the 1995-96 FY budget process, there was a commitment to convert hourly employees to regular if the hourly employee fit certain criteria, including demonstrated ongoing need; work requiring more than 1000 hours; departmental problems complying with the 1000 hour threshold; and impacts on customer service. Though the Children’s Theatre requested a staff conversion fitting the stated criteria, the conversion was not granted. The result of not converting the hourly employee to support the box office/box office adds to the duties and responsibilities of the regular staff. Additional issues surrounding hourly employees include: Training Time: the training time it takes to make an hourly employee truly useful is lost to the individual being able to find a regular job with benefits, or being limited by the 1000 hour limit. Consistent Professional Assistance: Consistent professional assistance would allow entire staff to have more reasonable flexibility in areas of personal development classes, professional meeting, back up for vacations, sick leave and the like. Currently, the bulk of the work falls to the Theatre Specialist to fill-in for sickness Attachment One or personal emergencies for all areas of the operation. Program Consistency: consistency in personnel provides a stable environment for participants and adults. While contractors are used and are important to the overall fiscal plan and workload plan, contractors are brought in for specific assignments that may be fragmented by specialty, i.e. designing, painting, stitching, and teaching in an area of expertise. They are also required to maintain a large degree of independence. They are not expected by nature of their work to have the overall perspective of the operation. Regular Staff provides the continuity and appropriate supervision and continuity for the participants and their relationship to the program. Adult/Child Ratio: Added staff will improve the adult/child ratio for effective learning and safety of participants. One of the educatiOnal and safety concerns that could be met by additional staffing is the ratio of children to adults. Added staff will allow the Children’s Theatre to teach in smaller groups that in turn will have a better educational outcome for the participants. It is more important to understand that additional staff support is necessary to provide adequate adult supervision to the large number of children and youths that take advantage of the Children’s Theatre. Additional staffing will also allow more in depth analysis of effectiveness of programs, classes, and productions. Additional staffing time would allow existing staff to be available to do more direct observation of classes and programs and productions. Additional staff will help support volunteer recruitment, interviewing, assignments, training, evaluation and recognition. CAUSES THAT HAVE LED TO THE STAFFING SHORTAGE The following conditions are the principal reasons there is a dire Staffing shortage at the Children’s Theatre: 1. Statistical and Demographic Data: Palo Alto Unified School District enrollment has increased by 29.98 °A since 1985. This increase corresponds with the increased demand in Children’ s Theatre program during the same period. See exhibits (school statistics.) During the time of this report, 1985 to present, there has been an overall increase in personnel in Community Services of 52.7 %. In the Division of Arts and Culture, there has been an increase of 1.48 %. In Children’s Theatre there has been no increase in regular personnel despite repeated requests. As noted above the opportunity for conversions was denied. Although some relief has been afforded from the City Manager’s office, this year, the serious issues of overtime, backup coverage for all positions, and the ability to meet participant and public service expectations are not able to be met by this generous, one time assistance. Community expectations: Historically the pattem was set in the beginning of the Children’s Theatre program with high service expectations from the Community. In 1985-86 as the preparations for the Children’s Theatre 50th Anniversary approached the Friends of Children’s Theatre proposed the addition of rehearsal and performance space to accommodate the numbers of young people being tumed away from various elements of the program. There has remained a continuing expectation that more young people would be afforded participation opportunities with the completion of the new facilities. No growth budgets and Inflation: The no growth budgets which were mandated during the recession years from mid-80’s to the mid-90’s afforded no growth opportunities across the o Attachment One board to the City Staff. Inflation during that period more than doubled the costs of materials and supplies and royalties. Increased fees in the market place for Theatre contractors: Since the mid-1980s the rise in of contractors and hourlythe cost of living in the area has led to the lessening of availability ~ employees. Many of the contractors used to assist with Children’s Theatre productions are individuals contracted by TheatreWorks, Palo Alto Players, West Bay Opera, local high schools, and other close regional Theatre companies. Since the same elements of production are used in Children’s Theatre and the other companies, the contractors expect/demand similar fees for their services. Increases in costs for hourly employees: It has become increasingly apparent that many of the young people we hire for seasonal and part time year around work were finding that due to the tight job market employers were offering higher hourly wages than we have experienced in the time studied. Likewise, in checking, for example with Revenue Collections, the classifications used for individuals used to collect City Re.venues were more than what we were using for our similar box office operation. Closing of the CAPA Box Office: In 1993, the Community Box Office run by the Council for the Arts, Palo Alto and Mid-Peninsula Area, was closed. Each of the four major users was forced to again take over their own ticket selling. While this service primarily served the Children’s Theatre from its inception in the mid- 1970’s until its closing, its closure caused a work. load increase for selling approximately 30,000 tickets per year, auditing daily sales, making deposits, record keeping. 7.Regionalism For quite some time, the concept of regionalism in Community Services and in City programming has been noted as a Council desire, if not a priority. The Children’s Theatre has always welcomed participants and audiences from the immediate areas outside Palo Alto. We have periodically followed the numbers of participants, which seems to have grown from approximately 2-3% to 4-5% probably indicative of the growth in population segment. 8. Changes in volunteerism In recent years, and due to significant changes in the work force, a "traditional" volunteer with whom the Children’s Theatre has always relied upon.has Changed. No longer can we depend on individuals willing to make a long-term commitment to our programs and services. Instead, the Children’s Theatre has noted an increase in numbers of volunteers who commit to a short term responsibility or to a single production with a corresponding decrease in numbers of volunteers who commit to an extensive time period or multiple productions. This experience results in a need for repetitive volunteer training. EXHIBITS Attachment One SUMMARY OF PROGRAMS Over the last 15 years productions/programs consist of Regular Season, Outreach Season, summer and Hotdog Suppertime Season, and Wingspread Season. The Children’s Theatre averages 21.7 productions per year, 119.5 performances per year, 834.5 cast members per year, 208 crew per year, 620 House mangers, ticket takers and ushers per year and 239.2 Outreach volunteers and a total of Classes are offered in subjects such as Story Acting (4-5yr olds), Playing Along (6-7 yr. olds) Conservatory Too! (8-10 yr. olds) dance, acting. Scene study, puppetry, creative drama, make- up, (8 to 16 yr. olds) approximately 500 students per year. Summer Conservatory Four levels of ability are used to divide young people to study a variety of theatre related subject, such as acting, technical theatre, music, dance, make-up, co.stume, writing, directing, stage combat, audition techniques, resume writing, (95 - 120 students per year.) Story Book Players A leadership program for grades five through eight students. Stage 4 A leadership group for high school young people Production drop in program Young people come.to the Children’s Theatre on their own schedule to learn about production preparation by working in the costume, scenery, prop or lighting areas lntern Program Offers work experience for young people who are not quite ready or old enough to get a job but are ready to gain experience valuable for getting and maintaining a job in the future. Theatre Trip Forty participants travel with staff to Southern California or Ashland Oregon to see plays,’ participate in workshops, visit museums, and special attractions. Community service Young people participate in the adopt a family program for holidays, lead tours of the facility, act as hosts for special groups, assist.the Friends of PACT in their events, take part in Radio, Newspaper and Television interviews representing the theatre. Attachment One 6’1,000 Palo Alto City and School Populations, 1980-Present 10,000 60,000 69,000 68,000 67,000 56,000 55,000 64,000 Fiscal Year 9,500 9,000 8,600 8,000 7,600 7,000 "0O"O History of School Population and P.A.C.T. Permanent Staffing 140% 130% IX) 120% ~. 110% rn 100% r- ~00% 00% 70% 60% PoA.U.S.D. Population P.A.C.T. Permanent Staffing Decrease due to change in accounting practice 80- 81- 82- 83- 84- 85- 86- 87- 88- 89- 90- 91. 92- 93- 94- 95- 06- 97- 98- 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 Fiscal Year Attachment One Sta115% flirt g as % 110% of Sta ffln g 105%in Ba se Ye ar 100% 95% 80% ~ Entire City ~ Commun. Serv. ~ Arts & Culture ] -~- P.A.CoT. History of City Staffing (Permanent) FTE’s) Decrease due to change in accounting practice 88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98 Fiscal Year 98-99 4.5 4.0 ¯ 3.5 E o ~ 2.0 0.5 0.0 P.A.C.T. Permanent Staffing as % of Staffing in Other City Organizations Arts & Culture Entire City 88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 98-97 97-98 98-99 Fiscal Year 35 30 25 20 ~. 15 0 10 Attachment One CHILDREN’S THEATRE ’S REQUESTED POSITIONS AI! pf the requested positions are to function as support to the Theatre Supervisor, Theatre Specialist, Costume Supervisor, and Technical Supervisor. All positions to be cl~sified at the Program Assistant level: 1. BOX OFFICE ASSISTANT Primary function is to act as BOX Office manager. ResponsibleTor the smooth operation of the day-to-day operation of the box office at the .Children’s Theatre, including preparation of daily reports, deposits, and record keeping, selling tickets, disseminating, information about productions, classes and the Children’s Theatre program in general. Act as receptionist, and coordinator of Front of the House production operations, i.e. Ushers, House Managers, Program assembly, screens calls, receives visitors, schedules appointments, responds to. inquiries Provides additional general clerical assistance in word processing and filing Acts as a liaison between the Children’s Theatre staff and contractors, businesses, city personnel, city schools and the respective PTAs and administrative staff and the public Assists with facility coordination Recruits and trains and supervises volunteers of all ages Creates, formats and maintains essential databases of pertinent Children’s Theatre information, compiling reports used by other staff. May perform as needed other office functions such as preparation of purchase requisitions, claim vouchers, personnel action forms, contracts, correspondence other than box office, Provides leadership for special projects Ensures regular maintenance and repair of box office equipment and other office equipment in coordination with the program Assistant, Conducts research to prepare resource and promotional materials Registers participants in class programs Ability to work effectively with volunteers, community groups and the general public Must have confidence, common sense, loyalty and ability to work well with children and young people Must have ability to work well under pressure Attachment One Ability to work a Tuesday - Saturday schedule at the Children’s Theatre Ability to work evenings and weekends as required at the Children’s Theatre Note Regarding Technical Positions below: If both of the Costume Assistant and Technical Supervisor Assistant positions cannot be filled, Children’s Theatre staff is requesting the addition of one technical generalist, who could cover both costume and tech as a full time position, or two half time positions one in each area. 2. COSTUME SUPERVISOR ASSISTANT Provide back up for sickness, vacation, and personal development time Provide assistance to the Costume Supervisor in various areas of design, stitching, make-up, pulling from stock, accessorizing, hair styling, and teaching costume and make-up Assist with specialized technical costume knowledge, training and skills to support the Children’s Theatre program Assist with the production of events and shows. This includes all aspects of costuming, makeup, and hair styling and the maintenance of the shows Assist with the costume supervision and running of events and shows at the Children’s Theatre and Outreach programs. This includes safety, training of children and adults, strike and security of the Children’s Theatre programs and events. Assist with or provide program-related instruction and assistance to participants and volunteers Assist with monitoring contracts of designers Assist with and is responsible for safety, maintenance and security of participants, volunteers, staff and facility and equipment Assist with the ordering, purchasing, of supplies in accordance with the City procedures and authorized budget Under supervision of the costume supervisor, maintains records, compiles statistics and writes reports Trains and monitors adult volunteers May conduct tours of the theatre, conduct programs, teach classes and workshops 3. TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR ASSISTANT Attachment One Provide back up for sickness, vacation, and personal development time Assist with specialized technical theatre knowledge, training and skills to support the Children’s Theatr_e program Assist with the production of events and shows. This includes all aspects of building, carpentry, painting, sound lighting, properties and maintenance of Children’s Theatre programs, events and classes. Assist with the technical supervision and running of events and shows at the Children’s Theatre and Outreach programs. This includes safety tra!ning, set up, strike and security of Children’s Theatre programs and events. Assist with or provide program-related instruction and assistance to participants and volunteers. Assists with monitoring contracts of designers, painters, builders, sound and lighting Assists with and is responsible for safety, maintenance and security of participants, volunteers, staff, facility and equipment Assist with the ordering, purchasing, of supplies in accordance with the City procedures and authorized budget Under supervision of technical director maintains records: compiles statistics and writes reports May conduct tours of the theatre, conduct programs, teach classes and workshops Teach and train child participants in areas of technical theatre Train and monitor adult volunteers in areas of technical theatre Will assist the technical supervisor in various areas of building, painting, lighting, sound, special effects, equipment maintenance, and teaching stagecraft Attachment One The individual filling such position must have the qualifications to necessary to provide that suppoi’t. 4. ADMINISTRAVE ASSISTANT The fourth position .is designed to. provide.the added administrative and direct programming backup for the positions of the Theatre Supervisor and the Theatre Specialist. This position wil! serve to assist the Theatre Supervisor and Theatre Specialist with their direct programming responsibilities and to provide some limited backup to either position while other may be out for sickness, vacation, and personal development. This position shall assist with the preparation of materials relating to the Outreach Program, Summer Conservatory, Wingspread program, Regular School year, and Hotdog Suppertime program and Classes, leadership programs and social projects and programs This position shall assist with the research and compilation of reports and materials necessary for the running of the theatre. This position may assist with either position with directing, design, teaching and other direct participation contact areas This position shall assist with the daily box office monitoring, class registrations This position shall assist with the publicity and promotion of productions, classes, and the theatre programs This position shall assist with facility supervision.