September 06, 1979 =CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Special Called Council Meeting September 6, 1980 3:00 Ρ.Μ. Council Chambers 301 West Second Street The meeting was called to order with Mayor McClellan presiding. Roll Call: Present: Mayor McClellan, Councilmembers Goodman, Himmelblau, Mullen, Snell, Trevino Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Cooke Mayor McClellan stated that this was a Special Called Meeting for the purpose of receiving the City Manager's Report on "Executive Level Organizational Analysis" by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Company. City Manager Davidson introduced Mr. Terrell Blodgett of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Company, who through the use of slides, presented an overview of the Report. Mr. Blodgett traced the growth of Austin during the past seven years and stated that growth had been about a three-fold increase. He further stated that if Austin were a private business, the City would rank about at No. 170 in the Fortune 500 grouping, somewhere between Polaroid and Avon. In terms of total assets and revenues, Austin outranked both Fort Worth and El Paso, which were larger than Austin. In 1978 Austin was the third largest in the State in terms of total assets and revenues. Mr. Blodgett enumerated the following objectives of the executive-level organizational structure: (1) Facilitate and not inhibit the delivery of required and desired services to the citizens of Austin. (2) Ensure conformance with specific City Council policies, directives, and requests. (3) Increase the ability of the City Manager to: (a) anticipate future requirements of the citizenry and the City Council; _ CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS September 6, 1979 (b) provide a high level of quality service to the Council; (c) set goals/objectives for the City staff within Council policy; (d) interact with the public and the media; (e) coordinate city-wide, interdepartmental programs; and (f) resolve major organizational issues and conflicts. (4) Increase the ability of departmental directors to: (a) participate in addressing functional and city-wide issues; (b) account for program/activity effectiveness; and (c) improve interdepartmental communications. (5) Speed the implementation of special projects and programs. (6) Ensure accountability of decisions. Mr. Blodgett pointed out that the foregoing objectives for the organization primarily were taken from a task force of five department heads appointed by the City Manager about one year ago. He then described some of the predicates upon which the proposed organizational chart was based. Under the proposed structure the following Departments would report directly to the City Manager: Police, Legal, and Public Information. In addition, the Affirmative Action Officer and the Internal Auditor would report to the City Manager. The position of Deputy City Manager would be refilled and the Electric Department would report to that individual. One additional Assistant City Manager was proposed for a total of four with the following departmental groupings: Assistant City Manager for Management Services Research & Budget Finance Tax Purchases & Stores Vehicle Services Data Systems Personnel Assistant City Manager for Public Health and Safety Hospital Health Emergency Medical Services Fire - CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Assistant City Manager for Development Services Water & Wastewater Engineering Planning Environmental Resource Management Public Works Urban Transportation Building Inspection Property Management September 6, 1979 It was recommended that Environmental Resource Department be incorporated into the Planning Department and the Property Management Department into the Public Works Department. Assistant City Manager for Community and Intergovernmental Services Parks & Recreation Library Auditorium Coliseum Aviation Human Services Human Relations Special Assignments Examples of Special Assignments would include legislative liaison, quasipublic agencies, economic development. Mr. Blodgett next reviewed the following recommendations contained in the Report: 1. Departmental directors should continue to be the cornerstone of the organization, with strong, imaginative directors. 2. One new assistant city manager position to assist in providing a more responsive administrative structure. 3. Clearly spell out the roles and responsibilities of the City Manager, Deputy City Manager, Assistant City Managers and Departmental Directors. 4. Establish a career ladder for young professionals entering the City Manager's office, which could also help to meet affirmative action goals. 5. Reinforce and strengthen the performance evaluation system now being applied to the City Manager and apply it to the Deputy City Manager, Assistant City Managers and Departmental Directors with the Personnel Director monitoring that provision. 6. Provide professional staff assistance to the Deputy City Manager and Assistant City Managers. 7. The Council should re-examine the executive salary structure of the City. CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS September 6, 1979 8. Incorporate the Environmental Resource Department into the Planning Department and the Property Management Department into the Public Works Department. 9. Review support functions of line departments for any possible savings. City Manager Davidson stated that he was not requesting any action by the City Council today, but he did want to have the Report before the Council. Mr. Blodgett or Mr. Nourse would be available to answer any questions. Councilman Goodman asked the City Manager to elaborate on the role of the affirmative action officer. Mr. Davidson said that in talking to Mr. Blodgett, his firm had picked up on a commitment made by the Manager to the City Council that that position would continue to report directly to the City Manager. He had interpreted the City Council as having a strong policy in that area desiring some immediate attention on a broad front. Mr. Davidson said that Auditing and Affirmative Action would rotate among the departments during the weekly staff meetings of the various functional areas, instead of being assigned to a particular area. Mayor McClellan commented that if she remembered correctly the Council did not want the affirmative action person locked into any particular area. City Manager Davidson said that regarding the recommendation to combine Environmental Resource Management with Planning, it was not a new idea, but he believed the City's commitment to the Council's environmental concerns could be strengthened through such a consoldation. Likewise, he believed that public property responsibilities could be strengthened by combining Property Management with Public Works. Councilman Trevino stated that he wanted to discuss those areas at a later date along with their justifications and possible savings. He asked if the Citizens Board of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality had been asked to comment on the recommendation. Mr. Blodgett replied that in preparing the Report no boards or commissions were contacted. Councilman Snell agreed that further discussion was necessary before acting on the recommendations. Councilman Goodman said that he saw nothing in the Report to which he objected and that structural changes needed to be made. People filling the various positions would be the key. City Manager Davidson said that he intended to start filling some of the jobs immediately. He appreciated the opportunity to present the Report today and said that it was a pleasure to have worked with Mr. Blodgett and his staff. He looked forward to visiting with the Council further on the authorizations. needed. • ATTEST: September 6, 1979 CITY OF AUSTIN. TEXAS ADJOURNMENT The Council then adjourned. te APPROVED Mayor Mouse City Clerk