HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01231996 - C52 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
C-52 1. Contra
FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Costa
��.:*
January18 1996 ��'''"' "� County
DATE: qrT�idt r+ c
SUBJECT: REFER CORRESPONDENCE TO THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS
COMMITTEE
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
.REFER to the Internal Operations Committee and the County Administrator the letter
dated January 9, 1996, from the Business Agent, AFSCME Local 2700, requesting
that the Board consider reinstating a program whereby an employee who has an
innovative idea can be released from his or her current duties or otherwise be
reassigned in order to work on developing and implementing an innovative program
which will result in greater efficiency and cost savings to the County.
BACKGROUND:
On January 16, 1996, Jim Hicks, Business Agent for AFSCME, Local 2700 appeared
before the Board under Public Comment and asked that the Board consider
reinstating a program which had been implemented previously but terminated due
to the shortage of funds. The program encouraged an employee who had an
innovative idea to develop the idea and implement the program - with the full
cooperation and approval of the employee's Department Head.
The Board of Supervisors has now received such a request from an employee in the
General Services Department and Mr. Hicks encouraged the Board to consider
reinstating this program. Board members indicated that they would be interested in
referring this request to the Internal Operations Committee. Since formal action
could not be taken on January 16, 1996, it is now being recommended that this
request be referred to the Internal Operations Committee and the County
Administrator.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: Ze�&
y� RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
L_APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): %y,1hx
ACTION OF BOARD ON January APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
,
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT None ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED January 23, 1996
Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
CC: SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
County Administrator
Director of General Services
Director of Human Resources &AAAAo0--)64iA4i..ee_.Internal Operations Committee (Via CAO) BYDEPUTY
\`PN F,0 District Council 57
y�P `yam d
� Martinez Office
a z
MUNICIPAL
1000 Court Street
F 5 Martinez, California 94553-1733
PL 0'1 AFL—CIO Tel: (510) 228-4400
Fax: (510) 228-4472
RECEIVED
January 9, 1996
Mr. Phil Batchelor J A N I 119-6
County Administrator
651 Pine Street, 11th floor OFFICE OF
Martinez, CA 94553 I s !;!
RE: Budget Crisis
Dear Mr. Batchelor:
A program was instituted a few years ago where county employees could bring forth ideas to
improve county efficiency and save county dollars. The County implemented the program
during a 'budget crisis.' The program allowed employees time away from their normal work
routine and duties to implement viable ideas.
AFSCME Local 2700 member Maria (Ferguson).Cannataro of the General.Services Department
has an idea that`could save thousands of dollars.for Contra Costa County.. Ms. Cannataro could
implement a cost saving program in six months. Unfortunately she is not currently able to
accomplish the program due to her current duties and responsibilities.
We have met with .department management to explain the idea that involves the Equipment
Maintenance System (EMS) purchased by the General Services Department, March 1, 1994, for
approximately $47,000.00. An additional $10,000.00 was spent to purchase Communication
Maintenance System(CMS). The CMS is on hold until the EMS is fully operational.
However the EMS is still only used for 25% of it's capability. Few employees know how to
utilize the system. Ms. Cannataro with 12 years of service in the Fleet Management Division has
a complete understanding of the system. She is also capable of getting the system fully up and
operational. Every county department could save money with the system in full operation. We
have attached information from Prototype Inc., showing how users have saved money with the
system.
The General Services Department:'appointed:Ms. Cannataro as the EMS Administrator on
February 14, 1995. The Department then.sent her to-classes in March, 1995. She brought back
the information to her department with hundreds of ways to improve the system for the
department and the county.
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Mr. Batchelor
1/9/96
Page 2
A current example is an EMS tracking system for vehicles routinely repaired. The system would
identify repair costs and signal when the costs outweigh the benefit. It would identify problem
parts from vendors. An alternator of a particular model was found to be routinely defective,
costing the County hundreds of dollars. The system could identify the part, vendor or
manufacturing problems. The system could also notify the mechanic of possible vehicle
problems to be checked or serviced. A loose fan belt goes unnoticed, causing additional vehicle
damage. The EMS could have detected the problem and saved additional repairs. The system
can correctly identify parts,thus saving-down time when incorrect items are ordered and shipped.
These are a few examples of the hundreds of areas, items and ways that the system can be used.
It only needs someone to implement the entire system. Ms. Cannataro believes that full
implementation of the EMS and CMS is vital to saving the county money. It would unify the
General Services new County Service Center.
The County's cost to allow Ms. Cannataro to implement the systems is minimal. She needs to be
relieved from her normal, routine duties and responsibilities for approximately six months. The
department could hire a temporary clerk to assume her duties and responsibilities at an
approximate cost of$11,322.00.
Ms. Cannataro is a Senior Clerk, with experience in year end inventories, processing fleet repair
and service billings, creating forms, reports, audit trails, spread sheets, capital requisitions, board
orders and equipment disposal methods.
We are not asking for additional compensation to Ms. Cannataro to implement the EMS. We are
only asking that Ms. Cannataro be recognized for her knowledge and allowed to fully implement
the EMS and CMS.
We are prepared to discuss the systems and their capabilities fully with you and the department.
Si y
M HICKS, Business Agent
AFSCME Local 2700
opeiu3 afl-cio(253)j ep
/ /,12
TO: Contra Costa County Board Supervisors
FROM: Maria Ferguson (Cannataro ) , Senior Clerk - General Services
Department, Fleet Management Division
SUBJECT: Implementing EMS (Equipment Maintenance System) Computer
System On-line to Its Full .,Capacity to Help Save All County Departments
Money.
It has come to my attention that the County offers a six ( 6 ) month
program to any County employee who has an idea and/or project that
they feel can help save the County money. I would like to be approved
for this . six: ( 6 ) month program and be able to set my clerical duties
aside temporarily to solely implement the EMS (Equipment Maintenance
System) computer system that the General Services Department - Fleet
Management Division currently has on line and uses to bill County
Departments for vehicle repairs and maintenance.
The EMS system was purchased for approximately $47, 000 and placed
on line March 1 , 1994 . In addition, CMS (Communications Maintenance
Systems ) was also purchased for approximately $10 , 000 and is currently
on hold until we have EMS running fully. EMS is currently only being
run to approximately 25% of its capabilities. I believe with the
knowledge I have of how the EMS system functions and my 12 years of
experience working with the Fleet Management Division that I can have
EMS running up to 100% of its capabilities. It is also essential
that I have full cooperation from both management and co-workers
for training them in the areas that need addressed. By implementing
the EMS system to its full extent, we would not only be saving General
Services money, but all other County Departments as well. I have
attached the latest update from Prototype Inc (Company that produces
the EMS and CMS software) of how other users have saved money within
their companies.
I have been support staff_ for the Fleet Management Division for 12
years. I started as an Account Clerk and am now a Senior Clerk.
My experience includes the following: Providing and processing reports
for eleven (11 ) fiscal year end inventories; Processing the Fleet
departmental repair and service billing reports; creating reports
for audit trails for in house and commerical fuel and oil issues/
receipts; Helping prepare estimated vehicle replacement cost
spreadsheets; Processing capital requisitions for purchases of
vehicles/equipment; Preparing board orders for approval of Fleet
vehicle/equipment disposal methods .
I was also appointed the EMS System Administrator on February 14 ,
1995 by Joe Romiti, Fleet Manager and Kathy Brown, General Services
Deputy Director. I was sent to the Prototype EMS Users Group Classes
in March 1995 . After attending these training classes, I researched
the EMS system and found many fields where data needs to be entered.
I learned that EMS is capable of giving all the information listed
above providing the data is entered in the proper fields . Thus, we
would only have to go to one source (EMS) for whatever research may
be need at that time. Also, by re-structing the current way we process
a repair order, EMS would also be able to provide all current repair
and cost information needed when a vehicle comes in for servicing,
to . not only the mechanic assigned to the job, but also to the
department as well. If the cost of the current repair becomes too
high, EMS would have the capabilities to immediately freeze that
particular work order and flag it to the attention of the necessary
parties involved for decisions to be made. The EMS system can also
flag equipment repair comebacks and inventory parts failure reasons .
In conclusion, I take pride in my job and working for Contra Costa
County, so I would like to take this opportunity to better the future
for not only the General Services Department, but Contra Costa County
also. For by implementing the EMS system, not only opens the roads
to start the CMS system, but I feel it will also unify the General
Services New County Service Center.
Thank you,
Maria Ferguson (Cannataro)
cc: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator
Mr. Batchelor
1/9/96
Page 3
cc: Bart Gilbert
Kathy Brown
Jeff Smith
Jim Rogers
Gayle Bishop
Mark DeSaulnier
Tom Torlakson
Leslie Knight
Maria(Ferguson)Cannataro
Users Meetings. INICAL SU111MRI
CMS 1995 "Phone Tag" Remedies :You're It!
Monday, December 11 -
Wednesday, December l3 When Technical Support
EMS 1996 Representatives (Reps) are unable to
Monday,April 29- Friday, May 3 reach you when they return your call,
Prototype will conduct both meetings -they leave a message which includes a
at the Red Lion Resort in Rohnert Park, reference number. If you find yourself in
California, located in the heart of the this "phone tag" situation, leave your Since the presence of a reference number
Sonoma Valley Wine Country. voice message in the Technical Support in the queue alerts Reps that you are
queue and be sure to key in the trying to contact them, it is extremely
• reference/incident number immediately important that you key it into the phone
New C ll ents after you finish your message. when you leave your voice message.J
Prototype welcomes these clients who
havejoinedussinceJune 1995. After Reps finish a call, they scan the Prototype Welcomes
queue for high priority calls. [f there are
EMS none, they scan the queue for-reference Carol Robertson
Irving Oil Corporation,ME numbers representing "phone tag" Prototype is pleased to announce that
Public Service of New Mexico,NM situations. Only if there are no reference Carol Robertson, formerly known as
Robert Orr SYSCO,TN numbers in the queue do the Reps take Carol Grant,has joined Prototype as a
University of Calif. Santa Barbara,CA the next call in the queue. We do not trainer and quality assurance
intend for users to return to the end of the technician. Carol has significant fleet
CMS Illinois State Police, [L gexperience queue simply because they are not management from
available when the Rep returns their call. working for seventeen years at the
City of Indianapolis. She will be
CLIENT SPOTLIGHTS working out of Louisville, Kentucky.
City of Albuquerque. East Bay MUD Answers from page 1
Inventory Savings Justify More Mechanics Angie Cohen, Director of Operations,
manages a trainer, office manager,
The City of Albuquerque's Fleet East Bay Municipal Utility District's accountant, internal computer support
Management Division maintains a fleet Fleet Maintenance Operation maintains technician, and three administrative
of 2,800 vehicles and equipment and a fleet of 1,000 equipment units and assistants. -
manages a$6 million operating budget. manages an operating budget of nearly p. In the June 1995 newsletter,
Under the leadership of Bruce Hicks, $8 million. The District is in the process prototype announced its success in the
Fleet Manager,the Division went"live" of implementing EMS under the airline industry with clients such as
with EMS/IX on January 1, 1995, and direction of Jonathan Spiegel, who American Airlines, British Airways, and
focused first on improving its parts assumed the position of Fleet Manager Canadian Airlines. How will this affect
inventory, nearly two years ago. the priority Prototype will place on
The Division has already eliminated a Within the first few months of operating serving n? sigrriticantly smaller
$35,000 inventory write-off which it had organization?
absorbed annually for the past four EMS, Automotive Shop Supervisor
Chuck Evans realized that, during A: While we are very excited about
years. [t identified this savings by using September 1995, the Automotive Shop placing our software in these airline
EMS parts reports to perform accumulated more than 500 hours of operations, these licenses have little or
reconciliations ofall purchases,receipts, work delay relating to labor. When no impact on Prototype's internal
issues,transfers,and adjustments. Chuck annualized this data, he operations. Sabre Decision
Rick Handrich, System Administrator determined that the Automotive Shop Technologies (SDT), the technology
for EMS, has been instrumental in the would incur more than 6,000 hours of subsidiary of AMR Corporation
successful implementation of EMS. He work delay for labor for the year,which (American Airlines' parent company),
is using Microsoft Access to develop equates to nearly four full-time retains all responsibility for ongoing
ad hoc reports in data and graphical mechanics. The Fleet Maintenance training and technical support for these
formats to provide users with answers to Operation recognizes that vehicle implementations. Prototype continues
a wide variety ofquestions.J availability and utilization will increase to focus on providing the most
if it can minimize these work delay functional, technically-sound fleet
Fax your success stories to: ^I hours, and it may look into adding management system and outstanding
Sharon Ross(707) 522-6805 _� additional mechanics to its staff. J technical support and training services.J
TSE PROTOTYPE PR. ES :
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- '- - — - __....- .. _._._.._.-._...-..._.-__..._..---.-� (MARKETING UPDATE
Users' Question' s Answered Prototyp ::.
The purpose of this column is to answer How is Proton_pecarrentivotgani_ed" and Ora. ....
some common user questions. If you
have any questions for future columns, A: Prototype is growing rapidly, but we Join Forik._,;:.
please fax them to Angie Cohen,Director are managing this growth in order to _
of Operations,(707)522-6$05. evolve 'into a larger and stronger
Prototype. Growth directly benefits our o - �
Q: How can I keep my organization clients by enabling us to increase our
up-to-date on the new features that will staff so we can provide more enhanced Prototype is pleased to anno,.r ,c.:
appear in EMS Version 3.3 (SQL) and software, faster and better .technical is now a Business Alliance F'^rr: :
E,�fSVersion 4.x(Windows)? support,and new training classes. Oracle Corporation, t`c A: Prototype Prototype is currently building an Prototype's current organization consists provider of relational
internal Training Department which will of four departments: management systems. e .:
offer continuing education sessions •Development products have evolved as the;
addressing: •Technical Support standard for client-server Hp,
•New Features in EMS Version 3.3 • Marketing Client-server technology sim;,i i f i:_�
• EMS Version 3.3 Report Generator • Operations process by which EMS
How to Use Microsoft Access as a other applications.
Report Generator Bruce Jacobs, President of Prototype,
•-EMS Version 4.x(Windows) heads the Development Department. Prototype will soon offer pr<,u.;'. : .
This department includes seven versions of EMS Version 3.3 o
Starting in early 1996, we plan to hold programmers devoted to the task of Oracle 7 Enterprise Server(. l E`SI(;:
these sessions for cost-effective prices in developing the software, two quality installations and large EMS/K.'net
selected cities throughout the country. assurance technicians who test the installations), Oracle 7
Soon we will publish a schedule of software, and two documentation Server (medium and small ENIS ('
training sessions by region and ask you to specialists who write the online Help, network installations), and
fax a reply if you are interested in release notes, and implementation Oracle (EMS/PC s i n g l:: a s,e r
attending. guides installations). In order to mn =:N:i`:
Version 3.3 with Oracle, a.
While individuals not employed by Alexie Buhrer, Director of Technical workstations must be IBM<-ompa-,!%.:
Prototype may offer services like these to Support, oversees six technical support personal computers running N I icm ,
you from time to time, we highly representatiti.a. Windows 3.1, Microsoft Windows
recommend procuring this training or Microsoft Windows 95.
directly from Prototype. This will ensure Gregg Jacobs, Director of Marketing,
that you receive the most accurate and manages Prototype's marketing and sales Prototype anticipates that
current information. effort. His department includes a
representative in Minnesota and a number of existing .and
Q: I've been a Prototype client fora clients will install E SIS Versl;.: 3 or;
marketing associate. Oracle 7. Several prospective EMS
number of years and would like to
reacquaint myself with the companu Please see Answers on page 2 customers currently nege: :t:
contracts with Prototv :;,-
Prototype's offering of an r:a;,
Who to Call ����` version of EMS as an influential > _
�. in their selecting EMS.
Prototype Incorporated (800) 245-4504
Oracle is the fourth largest Us .';a :
Technical Support: Technical Support Department company in the United Ste;'::
FAX: (7U7) 522 6$35 annual sales approaching$4 b?1
BBS: (707) 522-6810 astaff ofnearly 1$.000.
General (questions/Training: Angie Cohen, Director of Operations A.6073N,
Sales and Marketing;: Gregg Jacobs, Director of Marketing Business
Billing;or Accounting: Erin Simpson, Accounting
rtt ` otiose=
Internet r�(1dreSS: InIU((U,prU 0[ypl'II7C.Com , li
Nov Ac 0
J
r\� Nk! Cc�unt,� �;r;r✓ir.;� t::l)ii7t r