Citygate is currently performing an operational review and providing mentoring for the Western Riverside Council of Governments’ Finance Department. The operational review will include an examination of the Department’s organizational structure; a review of the financial policies, procedures, and practices; and a review of the Department’s operational functions, workflow processes, and documents to identify overall strengths and weaknesses and provide recommendations for streamlining procedures and processes. The mentoring will entail assisting the Finance Director in the development of long-range financial planning and forecasting models based on industry best practices and providing professional guidance and mentoring to key management staff as needed.

Citygate is currently providing strategic planning and facilitation assistance for the City of Angels, California, as a follow-up to Citygate’s previous two studies for the City: the 2018 organizational review and budget stabilization study and the 2020 financial action plan in response to COVID 19. For this project, Citygate will interview key staff, City Councilmembers, and community members to gauge current operational efficiency, identify goals and priorities, and identify general and operational issues/priorities to assist in the development of Council priorities. Citygate will also review the City’s current fiscal condition at a high level to identify present opportunities and challenges.

Citygate reviewed the proposed tax sharing agreement between Contra Costa County and one incorporated city within the County. This review compared the current tax sharing agreement and the proposed amendment to the current agreement in regard to the County’s allocation pertaining to the development recently approved by the city.

Citygate recently developed an action plan for the City of Angels, California, to provide financial strategies in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. This plan included review of the City’s revenues and reserves, identification of the anticipated financial impacts of the COVID 19 crisis on the City, and development of a recommended high-level action plan to address the anticipated impacts for the current fiscal year and the next three to five fiscal years. Citygate also identified, at a high level, potential operational changes that could improve efficiency, reduce expenses, or enhance revenues.

Citygate provided an independent operational assessment of the outstanding sponsorship fees that were owed and collectable for Foster City, California. As part of this assessment, Citygate also provided the City with recommendations for implementation of best practices related to the sponsorship program, including those pertaining to the policies, practices, and procedures used to solicit sponsors; management of the sponsorship program; maintenance of records, and collection of donations from sponsors.

Citygate completed a high-level observational organizational and financial review for the City of San Juan Bautista, California. This review included analyzing revenues and expenditures for the General Fund and reviewing the City’s Annual Audit to inform Citygate’s budget sustainability recommendations, to provide guidance to establishing financial and budgetary policies and procedures, to provide financial forecast and budgetary models for the City and City staff to utilize going forward, and to provide an assessment of three to five current issues and suggested priorities, as well as recommendations for workload management and suggested topics for further in-depth study as needed.

Citygate conducted an organizational review and budget stabilization assessment for the City of Angels, California, with the purpose of developing a strategic, goal-focused, sustainable budget strategy. The Work Plan addressed the following areas: steering committee participation, strategic goal setting, community and council participation, an organizational review, a budget stabilization study, an alternative analysis, and an implementation plan.

Citygate completed an organizational review of the Finance Department for the City of South Pasadena, California, including reviewing the Department’s operational functions and workflow processes and identifying strengths and areas of improvement within key management staff administrative functions and overall Departmental procedures and processes.

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.

The City of Chula Vista retained Citygate to conduct an analysis of Fire Department overtime use, provide a model for forecasting the amount of overtime usage for budgeting purposes, assess the use of constant staffing versus overtime to fill vacancies, and make recommendations that might substantially and cost-effectively reduce the amount of overtime required to fill vacancies. Citygate also conducted a review of the proposed Advanced Life Support (Fire Paramedic) system in order to analyze the fiscal impact of the ALS program and determine whether it might impact the City General Fund and/or whether there are any other financial concerns for the sustainability of the program. Part of the analysis included recommendations for improving the revenue to expenditure balance.

Citygate provided fiscal and operational policy assistance for the City of Chula Vista’s Advanced Life Support (ALS) program changes. Citygate provided an independent review of the City’s methodology applied in calculating City costs to provide First Responder (FRALS) services to the City’s ambulance provider, determine whether the proposed reimbursement is equal to or less than the costs incurred with the provision of FRALS, and determine if the rates are fair market rates compared to similar County-exclusive operating areas.