Citygate is currently performing an organizational review of Monterey County’s current Cannabis Program, including funding, organization, permitting, staffing, and workload. This review will include recommendations for an efficient organizational structure, including formal and informal organizational alignment, management, and supervision of the Cannabis Program; job classifications, specifications, and compensation for employees in the Cannabis Program Office; efficient and effective staffing levels for the Cannabis Program; expectations related to positions being 100 percent funded by cannabis tax revenue; efficient and effective business processes and task assignments for cannabis licensing/permitting to alleviate the existing backlog, and to the extent possible, prevent new persistent backlogs; and best practice performance standards for cannabis licensing/permitting.

Citygate is currently performing an organizational review and analysis of Monterey County’s current homeless programs, funding, and coordination services. For this review, Citygate will identify, evaluate, and recommend funding sources and budget structure for the Homeless Services function; identify and recommend organizational best practices, including comparisons with like cities and counties; evaluate and recommend best practices for collaboration and coordination with various County departments, the Continuum of Care, local cities, school districts, businesses, and homeless service providers; and evaluate and recommend formal and informal organizational alignment, structure, and staffing for the Homeless Services function.

Citygate conducted a review of the Resource Management Agency (RMA) of Monterey County, California. The objective of the study was to review current conditions, analyze opportunities for organizational changes and process improvements that can further enhance customer service, evaluate future service demands, and develop a Strategic Action Plan with a prioritized implementation schedule. Included in this objective was an emphasis on assessing the adequacy and currency of underlying land use and related policies, the allocation and assignment of long-range planners versus current planners, and how the current situation and practices may compound difficulties in the backlog of application and permit processing, consistency, reliability, timeliness, and overall customer and stakeholder service delivery and satisfaction. Also included was an analysis of the functions included under the structure of the RMA to determine if there are too many or too few functions. Ultimately, this review resulted in Citygate’s recommendation to reorganize the RMA into separate Community Development and Public Works departments, in which Citygate provided strategies and detailed recommendations regarding organizational alignment, staffing, classifications, and business processes. Monterey County completed the reorganization within six months of Citygate’s Final Report delivery. Subsequent to the completion of the review, at the County’s request, Citygate reviewed and evaluated the RMA’s efforts implementing the recommendations from the final report. Additionally, Citygate assisted in onboarding new leadership and management staff.

Citygate completed a fees/charges and cost recovery review for the following Community Development Department programs in Clark County, Washington: Building Safety, Permit Center, Development Engineering, Fire Marshal, Land Use Review, Wetland and Habitat Review, and Administration (includes business technology). The goal of this study was for Citygate to review the overall financial operation of Department programs and provide recommendations for revenue enhancement (fees and charges review) or cost reduction to help make the Department operation more self-supporting, achieving full cost-recovery if possible. Citygate assessed the impact and resolution of fee latency (delayed or lost) for receiving revenues (primarily applicable to Wetland and Habitat Review and Land Use Review programs).

Citygate completed an organizational and operational review of Goleta’s City Manager and Neighborhood Services and Public Safety Departments, including all divisions within both Departments, with the strategic objective of enhancing organizational operations for current and future needs. This review included recommendations that addressed best practices, staffing ratios, organizational needs, performance measures, optimal organizational model based on available budget, streamlining procedures and processes, cost-saving technologies for current and future programs and operations, training and succession planning, current and future staffing requirements, and best management practices that complement the City’s codes and ordinances.

Citygate evaluated the permit center operations of the Community Development Department of Clark County, Washington. As part of this study, Citygate analyzed the practices of the Department from the viewpoint of its stakeholders and customers, evaluated internal procedures, reviewed employee development, and examined the current budget and funding levels.

Citygate completed an operations plan for Community Development Programs for the City of Grants Pass, Oregon. The study focused on the operations of the Grants Pass Community Development functions (Planning Services, Building Services, and Parks and Community Development management divisions), an organizational structure review of the Public Works Department, and customer feedback, culminating in an Operations Plan for Community Development functions.

Citygate conducted an organizational review of the Public Works Department as part of a Citywide organizational review for the City of Delano, California. This study also included the following functional areas: Community Development, Finance, City Manager, Community Services, City Clerk, Administration/Human Resources, Information Technology, Police, and Community Correctional Facility. As part of this review, Citygate conducted web-based employee and citizen surveys to supplement findings and gain a comprehensive understanding of citizen perspectives regarding City services.

Citygate completed an assessment of the Community Development Center’s organizational structure, staff capacity, policies, processes, practices, and documentation. Citygate identified findings and formulated recommendations to enhance the capacity of the CDC to deliver its complex array of services in a high-workload environment.

Citygate completed an independent management audit of the Community Development Department for the City of Ojai. The City had several objectives for this audit. First, Citygate assessed Department perceptions from internal and external stakeholders. Next, Citygate evaluated Department practices and performance against best practices and evaluated the Department’s organizational structure, staffing, and workload. Finally, Citygate developed key findings and recommendations to improve Department processes and customer service.