HomeMy WebLinkAbout0459.091--.. ~.:....-----,-
October 10, 1991
Ho~orable City C~uncil
Palo Alto, California
Attention: Financ~ CO~$.ittee
Me~bers of the council:
};,s a 1'natter of ongoing adrr.inistrative policy, \Iile revie'W various
parts of the organization on a rotating P8sis. Thesp-reviews go to
staffing levels, service assignme.nts, reporting relationships, etc.
The purpose is to look at the organization and determine if some
better arrangement can make us more efficient or effective~ These
organi~ational studies are p~rformed by in-house analytical staff
or by independent consultants.
I r~ently proposed a more formal budget level review of each of
the City's departments in conjunction 'Witl". the t-wo-year budget
process. As a result, Council adopted a. schedule ""hereby each o.f
the departments will be tl'1.oro'.lghly in .... estigated and reviewed in
turn. This analysis will be much !!1ore detailed and comprehensive
than that usually found in the annual budget process. You may
re-c::all that Public Works is the first departm-ent sched-uled to
undergo this intensive budget review~
Despite these efforts, there remains a need to periodically look at
the organization on a comprehensive basis. Our Xl:cen't discussions
regarding appropriate s'S'rvice levels makes it even mere impoz:tant
to assure that ~e are staffed properly throughout the organization
and that cur own internal assess~ent on that staffing pattern is
accurate. To that end, the Committee may wish to consider
recommending that Council engage an outside .firm to revieW' our
organizational arrangements~
Here are some initial thoughts regarding such a 6tudy:
1. It is probably toe much to expect to ha"lfe a review of the
entire organization at one time. The most reasonable division
~c~ld be to concentrate on the General Fund first, since that
is .... ·here the service problems are.
CMR:459:91
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2. It makes sense to do all General Fund departments, including
the four Council Appointed Officer offices.
3.. The Committee 'Will need to define the scope of the study
carefully. If, for example, it contains instructions to look
at detailed job descriptions for every job in the General
Fund, it ~ill probably be lengthy and un~ieldy. On the other
hand, if it calls for a reviel,i c.( the number of positions,
reporting rela~ionships, assignments of work, efficiency of
organi2.d.tion, etc., then it is likely to be helpful in
Establishing budget priorities.
4. Some thought needs to be given to the management of the study
itself.. Should the consultant report to the Finance committee
or to some other agency? Might council consider forming an ad
hoc committee of busir.ess executives who 'Mould oversee the
work?
Should the Committee "Wish t-:. pursue this option, I suggest that you
instruct staff to prepare a draft outline or the scope of the study
and present it to you as soon as possible~ The Committee ~ould
then use that ciraft to form the basis of a recommendation to
Council before proceeding !urther~
Respectful~bmitted,
( ~~~<"..---'n:l ZANER
CMR:459,91
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