DEPARTMENT: Mayor and Council Support
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Christopher D. Callanen
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
City Council Office - Operational Recommendations
SUMMARY:
This is an Ordinance implementing two recommendations related to the operations of the City Council Office.
Council Aide Guidelines
Creates common job descriptions, establishes an application process and formalizes personnel files for Council Assistants who are employees of the individual elected officials.
Field Office Recommendation
Establishes a policy regarding the location of the City Council District Field/Constituent Offices into City owned or other public facilities. This policy would create several benefits by establishing a consistent location that doesn't change; is easily identifiable; provides an opportunity to repurpose an available 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.
Both of these items were presented at to the Governance Committee on April 15, 2015 and received support from the Committee to bring forward to the City Council.
It is recommended that these policies have an effective date of June 1, 2015 to coincide with the beginning of the 2015 - 2017 City Council term.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
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 execution of 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.
Field Office Recommendation
Since 2007, the Office of the City Council has relocated twenty two (22) council district field offices. Additionally, three council districts 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:
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.
Field Office Recommendation
Costs associated with the rental of Field Offices would be savings in the operating budgets of the Mayor and City Council resulting in consistency and efficiency among the Council Districts. Additional benefits to locating Field Offices in City owned or publicly owned facilities are the establishment of a consistent location that doesn't change and which is easily identifiable; the opportunity to reuse a facility or co-locate in a facility with another City service, and the use of City funds towards a City asset versus paying rent at a leased property.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose not to approve these policies; therefore the current systems would remain in place.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this Ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION:
Council Aide Guidelines
Staff recommends the establishment of an application process, creation of common job descriptions, and formalization of personnel files for every employee. Staff will work with each elected official to find an employee evaluation method that suits each offices' needs.
Staff has prepared job description templates with educational requirements and preferred qualifications for the following positions recommended to be utilized in each office.
· 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.
Staff with the Office of the City Council maintain 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
Field Office Recommendation
Staff recommends the adoption of a policy that City Council District Field Offices be located in City owned or other public facilities as current Field Office leases end or as opportunities arise. In the event that a suitable City owned or other public facility cannot be identified and a leased space becomes necessary, staff will bring that item forward to the City Council for an exception to this policy.