City-Chamber Task Force J' CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
~,~~-~'~' City Manager · Dennis M. Kissingcr
c ,~r v · o.v City-CountyBuilding · 300 West Ash Strcet · P.O. Box?36
Salina, Kansas 67402-0736
~ TELEPHONE (785) 826-7250 · FAX (785) 826-7248 · TDD (785) 826.7333 · E-MAIL dcnnls.ldssingen~salina.org
MEMORANDUM
Force Members
TO: City/Chamber Task
FROM: Dennis Kissinger, City Manager
DATE: May 17, 2000
RE: Informal Meeting with City Commission
We have now confirmed the City Commission calendar, setting the
date and time for an informal meeting with the Commission and available
Task Force members. This Study Session is on next Monday, May 22"d at
5:00 p.m., in Room 1'07B (next to the regular Commission Meeting Room).
The plan is to have informal discussion, not expected to last more than an
hour. We really hope a number of you can fit this into your busy schedules
and attend. .- -
Mike Morgan has now had the opportunity to meet or speak
individually with each member of the Task Force. I know those informal
discussions have been a great help to him as he leads our improvement
efforts. Below is a brief update summary of some of the things we have
been working on. We realize this is just a start, with a long way to go, but
we are pleased with the progress we're making.
Update/Status
1. Deputy City Manager Mike Morgan has been permanently assigned
new responsibilities in leading the City's Development Services functions.
He will be serving as an "ombudsman," and key problem-solver. In this
expanded role, Mike will lead and manage the recently organized
Department Review Team (more on that below). He is also currently
serving as the Department Director for the Building Services Department.:
Mike's fifteen years in city management and nine years with the City of
Salina make him the best person to guide the City's major service
improvement efforts in this area. He has the right skills. Mike will also
continue his authority and responsibility as the second-ranking manager in
'- Salina city government. I have delegated full supervisory authority,
decision-making and problem-solving ability to him in this effort.
....- City/Chamber Task Force
Page 2
2. In our major reorganization to accomplish the extensive goals we are
setting in this improvement effort, we have some staffing additions and
changes. Our city management staff will be to full strength by late May.
This new management staff member will be reporting to Mike Morgan, and
assisting in the Development and Building Services areas. We are
currently in the process of reassignment of various staff duties and
responsibilities so that Mike Morgan can devote the majority of his time to
his new area of responsibility.
3. We have filled one new.clerical/administrative staff position'inthe .
Building Services area. We are in the process of hiring an 'additional
Building Inspector. Both should be on board in June.
4. The Department of Building Services has been officially established.
The Department will focus its work on the critical areas of plan review,
building permits, interpretation and administration of building codes, as
well as inspection functions. Certain of the prior duties of the former
Permits and Inspection Division have been reassigned in this
reorganization. As stated previously, Building Official Mike peterson and'
the building inspection staff are now supervised by and reporting to Mike
Morgan.
5. The Planning and Community Development Department will continue
to be led by Roy Dudark. This Department will contain planning and
zoning, housing, neighborhood services and community development
responsibilities. The Neighborhood Services Division of this Department,
with Judy Ewalt as its supervisor, will administer nuisance abatement laws
and perform other neighborhood improvement duties. Some of those
enforcement functions had previously been provided through permits and'
inspections.
6. Cross connection/backflow prevention duties for plumbing and utility
connections had previously been considered permits and inspection
functions. These responsibilities and one employee have been ~eassigned
to the Utilities Department, under the direction of Don Hoff.
City/Chamber Task Force
Page 3
7. One of the most active and productive initiativeS we have begun
under Mike's leadership is the Development Review Team. This cross-
functional team is designed to improve the quality of development review,
improve internal communication, coordination and consistency, maximize
the efficiency of staff, identify any specific challenges early in a project,
and improve communication, service and problem-solving with the
development customers. The DRT is in its early stages, but is already
providing tangible improvements. They meet each week on Wednesday
mornings, with Wednesday afternoons set aside and available for meetings
with developers/owners/design professionals/contractors. Some of you
have participated in those project meetings. I know Mike would like your
feedback as we continue to build the DRT process. One thing that has
become very clear to us through the DRT work is the tremendous scope
and extent of development in Salina right now. The DRT has on its work
and monitoring plan over 70 separate projects. Obviously some are more
complex than others, but each is important. This is really the first time
we've brought that information together, and it certainly verifies the
challenge. We will have a Study Session report to the City Commission at
a later date on the Development Review Team process, but I thought I'd
briefly mention it to you here.
8. We also have.active improvement projects involving software, forms,
processes, communication by phone and newsletters, streamlining efforts,
vision and values development, employee training and evaluations.
Literally dozens of improvement initiatives are at least underway, while we
try to keep pace with our day-to-day service requirements (and get better at
those).
As I mentioned in my previous letter, one topic which would be good:
for you all to think about and discuss with the Commission is what role the
Task Force might play in the coming months. Mike tells me there may be
some uncertainty among you. We really have. no great preference, but see
some value in perhaps quarterly meetings where Mike Morgan can provide
you with improvement project status reports. Mike also knows that he
City/Chamber Task Force
Page 4
wants to keep individual contact and communication with you, getting
feedback from time to time.
We do hope you can make it here next Monday at 5:00 p.m. As
always, please feel free to call Mike or me at 826-7250.
Thanks.
City/Chamber Building Code/Inspection Improvement Task Force
October 1999
Roster
785-825-2542 (FAX)
'Steve Ryan, Chair
Ryan Mortuary Dusty Moshier
137 N. Eighth Hampton & Royce
785-825-4242 P.O. Box 1247
785-825-2520 (FAX) 785-827-7251
785-827-2815 (FAX)
Jeff Crist
Bucher, Willis & Ratliff Tom Pestinger
P. O. Box 1517 Pestinger Heating & Air
785-827-3603 Conditioning
785-827-3029 (FAX) 125 E. Avenue A
785-827-6361
Jeff Gillam 785-827-0563 (FAX)
Jones & Gillam, Architects &
Engineers Paul Stewart
P. O. Box 2928 U.S.D. #305
785-827-0386 P.O. Box 797
785-827-0392 (FAX) 785-826-4710
785-826-4737 (FAX)
Jack Hinnenkamp
Salina Regional Health Center Norm Yenkey
P. O. Box 5080 2233 Markley Road
785-452-7000 785-825-8996
785-452-6963 (FAX)
Lee Young
Donnie Marrs Salina Vortex
DMA Architects, P.A. 3024 Arnold Avenue
2035 E. Iron, #100 785-825-7177
785-823-6002 785-825-7194 (FAX)
785-823-2910 (FAX)
Bob Miller
BuSboom & Rauh Construction
P. O. Box 1037
785-825-4664