City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Administration Department Organizational Assessment, Lisa M. Sullivan, Consultant Municipal Resource Group, LLC, October 2016

ABSTRACT: The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Administration Department Organizational Assessment, prepared by Lisa M. Sullivan, Consultant Municipal Resource Group, LLC, October 2016, document copy is embedded. The EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, Conclusions and Next Steps are reproduced. MRG recommends immediate implementation of:

§ Recommendation #1: Define reporting structures to reflect current duties and provide clear reporting relationships and direction.

§ Recommendation #15: Retain a third party to conduct an objective audit of its payroll and benefits administration.

§ Recommendation #18: Upon completion of a payroll and benefits administration audit, the Department should contract for payroll services.

§ Recommendation #32: Hire the new Assistant City Administrator before implementing significant departmental changes that are less then immediate.

§ Recommendation #2: Identify the position with primary responsibility for the front counter and City Hall phone answering and which positions will have secondary and tertiary responsibilities.

§ Recommendation #25: Contract with a qualified vendor for sufficient IT support services to enable IT Manager to meet immediate needs.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Administration Department is staffed by dedicated individuals who are committed to providing their customers and clients with excellent service. The Administration Department delivers Finance, Human Resources, Information Services, City Clerk, and Contracts and Budgets services to the City’s operating departments. It also provides front counter and general phone service to City Hall customers.

In the past six years, the City has had five different City Administrators, including the current City Administrator, Chip Rerig. As a result, the Administration Department (overseen by the City Administrator) has lacked clear leadership and direction. To provide a clear future for the Department, Mr. Rerig engaged Municipal Resource Group, LLC (MRG) to assess the current state of the Department and make recommendations regarding its organization and service delivery that reflect contemporary best practices.

This report contains 36 separate recommendations for improving the Administration Department’s structure and the delivery of services to its clients and City Hall customers. These recommendations are intended to provide the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea with a menu of choices to consider as it continues to perfect administrative services delivery. Any decision to implement the provided recommendations should be aligned with the City’s values, mission, and objectives, and the City is best suited to make those determinations.

The immediate recommendations are to:

1. Define the Administration Department reporting structure to reflect current duties and provide clear reporting relationships and direction.

2. Retain a third-party to conduct a payroll and benefits audit.
a. Contract for payroll administration services upon completion of the audit.

3. Fill the vacant Assistant City Administrator position.

4. Identify the position with primary responsibility for the front counter and City Hall phone answering and which positions have secondary and tertiary responsibility.

5. Contract for sufficient technology support services to meet immediate needs.
The next tier of urgent recommendations addresses longer term organizational improvements within the Administration Department, followed by important process recommendations, and finally recommendations for future initiatives. A chart of recommendations in order of priority is included in this report as Attachment L.

The following recommendations result in a significant reorganization of the Administrative Department. Using the collaborative approach described by MRG, which is intended to foster cultural, as well as organizational change, the City should expect a three to five year transition period. It is relatively easy to implement the recommended structural changes; however, every organization is only as good as its people. The City should use this opportunity to ensure that the Administration Department staff is provided ample opportunity to engage in and evolve with the organizational changes.

MRG presented this report and its recommendations to Administration Department staff on Friday, October 28, 2016. A copy of the staff presentation is included in this report as Attachment M.

The Administration Department is facing an exciting evolution. The City is committing attention and resources to the Department, and the staff has proven itself to be ready, willing, and able to do its best for the City. The Department is perfectly poised to exceed even its own high standards.

Conclusions
Department has lacked leadership

Staff has delivered services and met mandates to the best of its abilities

Duties and roles have evolved as needed

• Roles unclear, reporting unclear and Unbalanced

Staff has not had the benefit of a supportive organizational structure; feel under appreciated, over tasked, and disorganized

Staff is dedicated and enjoys working for the City

City is committing resources to the department and staff is ready and able to do its best for the City

• You are uniquely situated to succeed

Next Steps

MRG recommends immediate implementation of:

§ Recommendation #1: Define reporting structures to reflect current duties and provide clear reporting relationships and direction.

§ Recommendation #15: Retain a third party to conduct an objective audit of its payroll and benefits administration.

§ Recommendation #18: Upon completion of a payroll and benefits administration audit, the Department should contract for payroll services.

§ Recommendation #32: Hire the new Assistant City Administrator before implementing significant departmental changes that are less then immediate.

§ Recommendation #2: Identify the position with primary responsibility for the front counter and City Hall phone answering and which positions will have secondary and tertiary responsibilities.

§ Recommendation #25: Contract with a qualified vendor for sufficient IT support services to enable IT Manager to meet immediate needs.

MRG Carmel Report FINAL 10-26-16 (With Attachments) by L. A. Paterson on Scribd

City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Administration Department

Organizational Assessment

Prepared by Lisa M. Sullivan, Consultant 

Municipal Resource Group, LLC, 

October 2016