Scope of work: A study to determine the appropriate level of staffing within the Ridgefield Public Works Department to meet its operational requirements and assist in the development of strategies that utilize staff resources in the most effective manner. The study includes a review of current operations, organizational structure, work schedules, workloads and service levels, and identifies the optimal staffing necessary to meet current needs. The study also defines critical issues facing the Department in the next five years while providing an analysis of the impacts related to anticipated issues.

Citygate performed an organizational review and analysis of Monterey County’s current homeless programs, funding, and coordination services. For this review, Citygate identified, evaluated, and recommended funding sources and budgeting structure for the Homeless Services function; identified and recommended organizational best practices, including comparisons with similar cities and counties; evaluated and recommended best practices for collaboration and coordination with various County departments, the Continuum of Care, local cities, school districts, businesses, and homeless service providers; and evaluated and recommended formal and informal organizational alignment, structure, and staffing for the Homeless Services function.

Citygate performed an operational and staffing review of the Public Works Department for the City of Brawley, California. This review provided the City with a roadmap of recommendations to improve the public works processes and assure the highest level of timeliness and customer service, particularly for the processing, conditioning, and approval of development projects and anticipated increases in workload due to future economic development opportunities. To provide this roadmap, Citygate examined the current organizational structure of the Public Works divisions and any potential reorganization for improved efficacy, evaluated service delivery, evaluated resources needed, reviewed the systems in use, assessed staffing functions and supervisory ratios, identified alternative service delivery methods, and identified any opportunities for outsourcing.

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.

As a subcontractor under Jacobs Engineering Group, Citygate assisted with the public outreach component of a regional surface water supply project for the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority (SRWA). The SRWA is a Joint Powers Authority that includes the California Cities of Ceres and Turlock. Because the groundwater that supplies the Cities’ drinking water becomes less reliable, in partnership with Turlock Irrigation District, the SRWA identified the Tuolumne River as a surface water supply that can be used in conjunction with the Cities’ groundwater systems to provide a long-term, reliable drinking water supply for both Cities. Jacobs was selected to complete the construction of the surface water treatment plant and transmission pipelines using the design-build approach. Jacobs selected Citygate Associates to provide strategic input related to public outreach services related to the construction. To provide these services, Citygate Senior Associate Dr. Nicholas Pinhey was retained to advise Jacobs on public outreach. Dr. Pinhey had served as a public works director for cities in the region and as the interim General Manager of the SRWA. His familiarity with the project and his past work with the SRWA partner cities enabled him to provide cost-effective solutions to meeting the public outreach needs for the construction of the major water transmission pipelines, while streamlining parts of the process.

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 provided Interim Director services for wastewater, collection, and plant operations for the City of Pacifica. In addition to traditional interim duties, Citygate provided a report of Citygate’s findings and recommendations addressing organization structure, position roles and duties, and other related needed improvements.

Citygate conducted an operational and organizational assessment of the Public Works Department for the City of Albany, California. The assessment recommended operational efficiencies, organizational structures, and performance measures to ensure the Department functions at a high level of efficiency and effectiveness.

Citygate Associates conducted rotating departmental management and staffing studies for the City of Corona, including the Public Works Department, the Utility Services Department, the Public Library, the Housing and Development Department, the Police Department, the Building and Planning Departments, the Fire Department, the Department of Management Services, Parks, and a Citywide Overview of Implementation Status. Each study evaluated management, staffing, organization structure, resource deployment, maintenance service levels, operations, equipment, technology, human resource management, training, management information systems, performance measurement, and policies and procedures. We recommended specific performance measures for use in several departments. As a part of each management audit, we surveyed a number of comparable cities to develop comparative data and to identify best practices. In a follow-up analysis, Citygate found that over 95 percent of our approximately 250 recommendations had been implemented.

Citygate completed an operational review for the Town of Windsor Public Works Department, which included an assessment of workload, process, and staffing of the Department by specifically examining current and projected community growth, Department workload, and current and projected Town and Department revenue.