DEPARTMENT: City Council Offices
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Christopher Callanen, Assistant to City Council
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
City Council Office - Operational Recommendations
SUMMARY:
Item A: Council Aide Guidelines
The City Council Governance Committee, at their December 2, 2014 meeting, directed staff to finalize a recommendation that captured direction from the Committee regarding guidelines for the structure of employment contracts, creation of job descriptions, and options for annual evaluations/performance measurements for the Administrative Assistants who are employees of the individual elected officials.
Item B: Field Office Recommendation
Staff is requesting Governance Committee support of a proposed policy regarding the location of the City Council District Field/Constituent Offices into City owned or other public facilities. This would create several benefits by establishing a consistent location that doesn't change; is easily identifiable; provides an opportunity to reuse a facility or co-locate in a facility with another city service and allows city funds to be used towards a city asset versus paying rent at a leased property.
It is recommended that both Items A and B have an effective date of June 1, 2015 in order to coincide with the beginning of the 2015 - 2017 City Council term.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Item A: Council Aide Guidelines
The annual budget ordinance states that "the Mayor and each Councilmember may use District Budget Administrative Assistant Funds to contract for the services of no more than the equivalent of six (6) full-time Administrative Assistants to assist them in serving constituents." The budget further establishes that "Administrative Assistants are not City Employees, but are employees of the Mayor or the individual Councilmember."
The Office of the City Council currently assists the elected officials by managing the contract execution of the contracts as well as the administration of payroll for the Administrative Assistants, through the management and coordination of a contract for payroll services. However, there is not currently a uniform process for the receipt of applications or job descriptions.
Item B: Field Office Recommendation
Since 2007, the Office of the City Council has relocated twenty two (22) council district field offices. Additionally, three council districts that have two (2) field offices. Establishing Field Offices in city owned or publicly owned facilities will create permanent offices that are easily identifiable from term to term.
ISSUE:
Item A: Council Aide Guidelines
In order to promote transparency and ensure accountability, guidelines for the processing, hiring, and evaluation of the City Council Administrative Assistants are recommended.
Item B: Field Office Recommendation
Costs associated would be budget savings in the operating budgets resulting in consistency and efficiency amongst the districts. Additional benefits are establishing a consistent location that doesn't change; is easily identifiable; provides an opportunity to reuse a facility or co-locate in a facility with another city service and allows city funds to be used towards a city asset versus paying rent at a leased property.
RECOMMENDATION:
Item A: Council Aide Guidelines
Establishment of an application process, creation of common job descriptions, establishment of personnel files for every employee, and evaluation options for City Council Employees.
City staff has refined this recommendation which provides maximum flexibility regarding the establishment of salaries and use of method for performance evaluations - a sample evaluation form has been created as an option for use by the elected officials. As requested, an additional job description - Special Projects has been drafted.
City Staff analyzed the current cadre of Administrative Assistants and observed that across the District Offices, generally, the following five types of jobs are performed:
· Chief of Staff
· Planning/Zoning Management
· Communications
· Constituent Services
· Special Projects
Salaries for each will be established by the individual elected official at the time of contract execution. The FY 2015 Budget establishes a salary cap of $89,686.00 for Council Administrative Assistants. A list of job descriptions with educational requirements and preferred qualifications for each type of position has been developed and are recommended to be utilized in each office.
City Council Support Staff maintains a file for each Administrative Assistant that contains their executed employment contract, amendments to their employment contract, copies of their I-9, driver's license, bank account information (for direct deposit purposes), and health insurance enrollment information. It is recommended that this file become the Administrative Assistant's personnel file that would further contain:
· Copy of the job description
· Employee Resume
· Cover Letter or Letter of interest
Item B: Field Office Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council Governance Committee to endorse a policy recommendation that City Council District Field Offices be located in City owned or other public facilities and identify a transition plan as current Field Office leases end or as opportunities arise. Finally, staff seeks clarification on the number of Field Offices each District should operate.