HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06111991 - 2.4 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: VALENTIN ALEXEEFF, DIRECTOR - GMEDA
DATE: JUNE 11, 1991
SUBJECT: FIRST QUARTER REPORT OF THE GROWTH 1\1ANAGEMENT AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) &BACKGROUND &JUSTIFICATION
I. Recommended Action: �.
ACCEPT the attached First Quarter Report of the Growth Management and Economic
Development Agency.
II. Financial Impact: None
III. Reasons for Recommendations and Background:
(See attached report) For attached report, see DATE File
Continued on Attachment: SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON June 11, 1991 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT )
AYES: NOES:
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken end entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervi on the date shown.
vA:dg
statr tl.bo ATTESTED:
i/ X99/
p PHIL B CHELOR,Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
Orig Dept: GMEDA
cc: County Administrator Eli _ ,Deputy
County Counsel
Public Works
Community Development
Building Inspection
GROWTH MANAGEMENT
AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
FIRST QUARTER REPORT
JANUARY - MARCH 1991
By Valentin Alexeeff, Director
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. First Quarter Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II. First Quarter Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . 1
I11. Organization Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
IV. Reconnaissance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
V. Initial Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
0
VI. Actions to be Initiated Second Quarter . . . . . . . 21
e
FIRST QUARTER REPORT
JANUARY - MARCH 1991
Following is the first of four quarterly reports on the goals and objectives of GMEDA. If
you have any questions or comments and wish to discuss this report, please call me at
6-1620.
I. First Quarter Plan
A. Mission Statement
Improve Agency strategy for development.
B. Objectives
1. Establish Agency presence.
2. Identify role for Agency.
3. Begin appraisal of operating environment.
4. Gain cooperation of Department Heads within the Agency.
5. Gain support and charify expectations of Supervisors, key departments
and other agencies.
6. Identify short term and long term goals for the Agency, as well as a
method for their implementation.
7. Identify parameters of Agency Director's role and responsibility.
8. Present personal style.
I1. First Quarter Strategy
A. Identify dysfunctional circumstances related to Agency departments and
divisions.
1. Seek balanced view from multiple perspectives regarding department
strengths and weaknesses.
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2. List perceived problems of departments.
3. Establish dialogue on the problems.
4. Assess strengths and weaknesses.
a. Use incidents to frame the issue.
b. Try to obtain maximum dialogue.
B. Identify areas of interaction and chart relationship. Acknowledge role of
agencies listed.
1. Supervisors and staff
a. Develop rapport as Agency spokesman and as strategist.
2. Administration
a. Provide steady support and reliability.
3. Departments internal to Agency
a. Understand departments and help them realize their potential.
4. Departments external, but interdependent with Agency
a. County Counsel - Provide greater role in areas of liability and
policy formation.
b. Environmental Health - Clarify and expand role in project
review.
C. Fire Districts - Clarify and expand role in project review.
d. Data Processing - Bring Agency departments up to same level.
Use technology available to improve service.
e. General Services - Make more efficient use of facilities.
f. Personnel - Improve interaction and process.
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5. Cities
a. Managers - Maintain relationships and work on common
interest.
b. Planners, Engineers, Building Officials - Build on Agency
technical expertise.
C. Councils - Find common ground.
6. Other Agencies
a. CCWD - Determine areas of interaction and cooperation.
b. EBMUD - Determine areas of interaction and cooperation.
C. CCCSD-Identify areas of conflict,interaction, and cooperation.
d. EBRPD - Determine needs for improved relations.
e. ABAG - Determine role.
L MTC - Develop County transportation strategy.
g. CCTA - Develop County transportation strategy.
h. School Districts - Establish role of. Agency and help school
districts understand their role in development.
7. Special Interests
Identify concerns and roles.
a. Environmental community
b. Development community
C. Consultants and contractors
8. Media
a. Press - Begin to identify Agency goals, mission, and
perspectives.
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C. Chart Agency Path
1. Gather all documents pertaining to formation of the Agency and
identify present status. (GMEDA formation report to be out soon.)
2. Select specific areas for detailed attention and monitoring.
a. Permit Center
b. Code Enforcement
C. Economic Development
d. Solid Waste
e. Transportation Planning
f. East County
D. Combine goals stated in the Nineteen Points with input gained from
investigation.
1. What do I want from Department Heads, senior staff, key staff, other
staff?
2. How to articulate my expectations?
a. Style and attitude
b. Level of performance
C. Specific changes or enhancements
d. Check up on requests
3. Provide Administration with expectations.
E. Outline strategy for development in 2nd and 3rd quarter. Develop'strategy
to improve County effectiveness with other agencies.
1. Cities
a. Define areas of common purpose.
b. Define areas of controversy.
C. Identify potential County services.
d. Identify organizational functions.
e. Develop long term County strategies to clarify short term steps.
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2. Agencies (as identified in II. B. 7. above)
a. List agency and its formal authority.
b. Indicate areas of formal and informal interaction.
C. Clarify goals of County and those of agency.
d. Prepare strategy where needed.
3. Joint Committee
a. Establish context and County role.
F. Establish budget priorities.
1. Fund GMEDA operations.
2. Identify unfunded mandates.
3. Review flow of workplan offset against flow of cash.
4. Develop summer intern program.
G. Review projects.
1. Disasters
a. Clayton Valley Farms
b. Landmark West
C. Konics
d. Nielsen
2. Negotiations
a. Blue water
b. Tassajara
C. Dougherty Valley
H. Develop strategy for East County.
L Identify Torlakson's outlook
a. Staff problems
b. Politics
C. Long term outcome
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2. Identify Community Development staff perspective
3. Identify Public Works staff perspective
4. Clarify role for ECRPC, OMAC, BI Pride, etc.
III. Organization Plan
A. Operations
1. Organize functions by department in the following way:
a. Department Division
b. Activity
C. Authority
d. Source of Funding
2. Focus on items falling through cracks and their causes.
3. Develop annual performance appraisal process for every employee
where none exists.
4. Develop goals for each department based upon GMEDA report and
interviews.
B. Funding
1. Continue strategy for full cost recovery of fees to fund departmental
operations.
2. Make every effort for Agency to become self-sufficient. Two issues
must be addressed:
a. What to do about State or local mandates that do not provide
adequate funds to cover expenses.
b. What to do about funds that are returned to General Fund to
balance budget without adequate nexus.
3.. Develop acceptable cost allocation plan for GMEDA staff (four
employees).
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C. Policy
L Identify and combine written policies (consistent) using General Plan
and non-General Plan sources in following areas:
a. Delta
b. Mt. Diablo and foothills
C. Agricultural areas
d. City spheres of influence
e. East County
L Other incorporated areas that would benefit from policy
direction and coordination
IV. Reconnaissance
A major goal of my first quarter activities was assessment of the terrain. This was
done through 180 meetings with Supervisors, staff, agencies, and others as follows.
A. Supervisors
Met with every Supervisor and had tours with some in an effort to discuss
problems identified that Agency was intended to solve. Tours were intended
to see the district through their eyes. I have attended Board meetings and
closed sessions of topical and procedural context.
B. Agency Departments
Met with individual Department Heads to discuss their expectations and
concerns. Met with senior staff for introduction and to discuss operation
constraints. An Executive Committee, comprised of the three Department
Heads and myself, has been established to discuss Agencywide issues. Several
meetings at various levels have been held on the budget.
1. Public Works
Meetings have been held with individual staff members on topic issues
such as flood, toll roads,transportation, airports, and maintenance yard
personnel.
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2. Community Development
Meetings have been held with individual staff members and public on
code enforcement, General Plan, specific plans, redevelopment and
economic development, San Ramon area development, East County
development, East County Regional Planning Commission, and solid
waste.
3. Building Inspection
Meetings have been held on personnel matters, blue water, and City
contracts.
4. Application and Permit Center
Meetings have been held on further steps in establishing center, and
gaining participation of Fire Districts and Environmental Health.
C. Administration
Regular meetings regarding the Board's agenda and issues for Department
Heads have been attended for context and administrative perspective. In
addition, I have attended meetings dealing with such topics as personnel,
helicopters, contract administration and others within administrative context.
D. Other Departments
Met with other County departments to help provide a smooth transition.
Departments included Personnel, General Services, County Counsel, Auditor,
and Data Processing. I have also met with the East County Planning
Commission, and both the San Ramon Planning Commission and the Central
Planning Commission in social functions.
E. Cities
Accomplished individual meetings with every City regarding matters of mutual
concern. The perspectives of the Cities were instructive. Some have raised
issues I have responded to.
F. Other Agencies
I have met with CCWD, EBRPD, and CCTA to discuss matters of mutual
concern.
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G. Press
I have met with reporters on several occasions to discuss Agencywide, as well
as specific issues.
H. Applicants
I have met with key applicants whose projects enabled me to better
understand the workings of the Agency.
1. Outside County
I took two trips outside the County. I met with the State Planning Directors
Association to help develop that network and identify Statewide issues. I have
also met with Cal Poly Community Development Department to discuss an
internship program for Contra Costa County.
V. Initial Assessment
A. Supervisors
Each Board member expressed specific Countywide and district interests. I
perceive a commitment from each Board member to make the County self-
sufficient financially, to require cities to acknowledge County role as a part of
any negotiation, and to maintain as much commitment to human service needs
as possible.
Each Supervisor has areas of conflict with local elected officials in their district
which become important since the same constituency must decide who is right.
The Board will benefit by seeking consensus on difficult decisions and
receiving improved staff support on local matters. The following are initial
perceptions and responses.
1. Each Board member expressed frustration at mistakes, internal
bickering, and specific issues. Each member has watchdog groups of
constituents, who react to actions taken by County officials or other
members of the Board. Special interests are becoming more diverse,
increasing in demand, and generating greater pressure so even when
procedures are followed properly, conflicts erupt. When mistakes are
made, the fall-out is dramatic and can be crippling to the institution.
The increased pressure of constituents blurs public policy mandates
w since there are many publics to be served.
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Staff needs to help broaden and clarify issues to provide negotiating
room among constituencies. Procedural and systematic measures to
reduce mistakes are necessary.
2. Supervisors receive substantial amounts of negative reaction from
cities.
Staff must develop strategies to overcome the waste of time and energy
in interjurisdictional conflict.
3. Supervisors need to have assurance that development procedures are
more efficient, orderly, and reliable. Staff needs to know that
Supervisors will not intrude into routine items or violate own policies
or regulations without careful appraisal of the consequences.
Procedures shall be simplified and improved to reduce the amount of
quality issues that the Board must deal with. Staff will work to respond
to'concerns raised by the Board within broader policy context.
4. Supervisors identified needed changes as indicated within GMEDA
formation document.
Progress in changes will be monitored and new requests will be added.
5. Supervisors' • offices are expected to be council and staff to
unincorporated areas.
Staff will help devise allocation of personnel strategies to respond to
community issues (though limited by reduced County resources).
6. GMEDA was formed to bring the development departments together,
and to improve coordination and operation of the County.
A process for improved integration of department functions will be
developed and implemented.
B. Administration
Administration is viewing most issues through a revenue shortfall lens. Non-
revenue issues are lower priority with a few notable exceptions. The issues
brought about by three independent departments responsible for development,
caused significant shift in resources last year to respond to the problems of
organization and coordination. With the Nineteen Points and the formation
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of the Agency, the issue has left administration to be resolved by the Agency.
The Agency will be able to fix certain matters quickly while others will require
assistance on a broader scale than the Agency. These issues are resolution of
revenue issues, relocation to a common site, and clarification of role and
responsibility.
General progress reports will be made quarterly with topical meetings as
frequent as necessary. Clear steps need to be taken within overall goals set
for the Agency. Some mid-course correction will be appropriate. The
following.are initial perceptions and responses.
1. How can progress be measured and cost justified?
Documentation of actions and mutual agreement on criteria for
evaluation to be instituted.
2. What services can Agency provide for Administration?
Predicting and pacing issues, developing broader contexts, anticipating
problems and diffusing them.
C. Departments
Each department embodies goals,self vision,standards of acceptable behavior,
relationships, strengths and weaknesses, ethics, prejudices based upon
experience and training, priorities, frustrations, factions, and other aspects of
history. I have begun my assessment mostly by listening to the departments
and to others commenting on the departments' operations. I have little
experience with first-hand evaluation though this will change with time. I
stated that I would not make changes until I was satisfied I understood
matters.
Generally, the departments are proud of their accomplishments and respond
to criticisms from external sources in terms of lack of funds or conflicting
expectations. I have reviewed problems brought-to my attention and can offer
some initial suggestions. Problem review and consideration of alterative
approaches will continue through the first year. For instance, I plan to follow
specific applications to the processes to understand systems.
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L. Building Inspection
The context for building code operation is simple and straightforward.
Fees are paid for the performance of a variety of inspections to ensure
that codes are met. The variables for a building inspection operation
are:
• Cost of inspection
• Speed of inspection process
• Efficiency in making arrangements, tracking, and keeping up
with issues
• Quality of inspection relative to thoroughness and problem
solving
• Determination of client: developer, home-owner, policy body,
community, etc.
• Ability to shift emphasis and approach
• Selection of code standards
From what I can assess, the Department was following standards
established in previous decades while expectations for the Department
had changed. With the hiring of Frank Lew, a reorganization has
begun that shifted the emphasis from speed and developer-orientation
to quality of inspection and thoroughness. The efficiency due to the
computer innovations should not be hampered and should continue to
be enhanced. However, state of the art experimentation should be
avoided at this time. There are informal meetings on a weekly basis
with the Director of Building Inspection that keep me updated on the
progress. Within the second quarter, I will conduct some evaluation of
the change and relate the benefits and drawbacks.
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The Department is vulnerable in several areas:
a. Building Inspection generates revenue which finds its way to
other departments and the General Fund. The natural
oversight body of the use of building inspection fees is the BIA.
Should they perceive that funds are diverted for non-building
inspection uses, they will have political and legal options to
pursue.
b. Quality control in the field.
C. Role in interpreting standards.
2. Public Works
Public Works is oriented to transportation and flood control. The vast
majority of Public Works revenues are restricted. Consequently,
project accounting is easy to maintain. Some functions and revenues
come from the General Fund, and their need and funding is under
study.
Productivity is the primary objective of the Department and therefore
public works' operations are set up to evaluate quantity and quality of
individual output. Actions of the Director and supervisory staff are
oriented to enhancing productivity within the ranks. Effort is made to
reward high productivity and to punish low productivity or a negative
attitude.
Department focus is based upon execution of standards and making
one's case. In my own experience, the Department will accept views
contrary to its own, but this requires persistence and supportive
evidence.
The Department is strong in output, morale, esprit de corps, and work
ethic.
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The Department is vulnerable in several areas:
a. Changing standards
Over time, public desire for flood control facilities, for instance,
has changed from trapezoidal channels and concrete structures
to preservation of habitat and ambiance. The change for flood
control has been hard and slow according to EBRPD and some
cities.
Other forms of change come from Supervisors or Commissions
who waive standards or demand new ones. Public Works
attempts to hold firm to the status quo and appears
intransigent. While it's true that Public Works should strive for
consistency in County policy, they clarify and reaffirm standards
more often. Otherwise, they appear to be headed in their own
direction despite the intent of policy makers and the public.
Workshops provide a good opportunity to consider changes in
standards since they allow the presentation of equity issues.
b. Administration policy
Occasionally, Public Works becomes highly frustrated by
administration policies or actions pertaining to promotion,
reclassification, budgetary measures, and purchasing because it
isn't as responsive as Public Works needs. By setting high
standards of performance for itself, it raises similar expectations
of other agencies. When expectations aren't met, there is a
tendency to push harder and keep pushing. With the
perception that Public Works is less hampered (or less sensitive)
to politics than other departments, resentment occurs.
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C. Promotions
The issues at the yard are complex and have many antecedents,
however, institutions are being challenged everywhere for
inherant bias. Bias may not be intentional, but has the
appearance of creating a closed system. Affirmative action
programs across the Nation are trying to develop a level playing
field or even undo previous problems. The issues have become
highly symbolic and spill into the community which suddenly
makes Department personnel matters public-political issues.
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There is a need to innovate and truly demonstrate a
commitment to creating new opportunities, otherwise the
Department is forever tied to perceived previous injustice.
Based upon my initial review I have the following concerns:
(1) Policies related to development and operation need to
be reviewed in its present context. Public Works needs
to reaffirm direction previously established and modify
as necessary.
(2) Public Works perspective needs to be broadened to
incorporate additional concerns pertaining to
environment. `
(3) Public Works needs to update its role in the County
development process.
3. Community Development
This Department is most easily evaluated in comparison to Building
Inspection and Public Works. Income is split between fees, General
Fund, and miscellaneous sources. The Department develops policies
and standards on varying levels of abstraction and from varying
perspectives. Planners are the most flexible to changes in policy and,
at times, considered too flexible in interpreting standards of other
departments. Many of the professional planners view their work as a
calling. Planners donate hours to the County at a higher rate than the
other two departments.
a. The Department is vulnerable in several areas:
(1) Planning is not set up on a billable, hourly basis or work-
product basis similar to the other departments and
received new unfunded projects. The implication is that
resources can be stretched just incrementally thinner to
accommodate the next mandate.
(2) Staff members receive a lot of sympathy due to high
workloads and may be held less accountable for
performance or mistakes than the other departments due
to higher tolerance for poor decisions. The extent of
gray area in planning policy also adds to the higher level
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of unpredictability in planning response on a project. .
The external community, including environmental, city,
and development elements, lament the lack of
Predictability also due to the individual planner, the
workload, the region, the project, and so forth.
(3) The high workload of the County and uncertain funding
make the Department to appear to "rob Peter to pay
Paul" to make ends meet. Community Development is
looked upon as charity by Building Inspection, and as a
sloppy accountant and diverter of restricted resources by
Public Works.
b. Based upon my conversations, I have the following measures to
propose.
(1) Develop standard Conditions of Approval for use in
applications. Circulation of draft Conditions and
possible forums for their analysis include the following:
(a) Community Development, Building Inspection,
and Public Works
(b) Other departments such as County Counsel and
Administration
(c) Supervisors
(d) Planning Commissions and relevant committees
(e) Other agencies such as EBRPD, EBMUD,
CCWD
(f) Interest groups such as Save Mt. Diablo, BIA,
Land Alliance, etc.
(2) Each discretionary process should include appropriate
standard Conditions, with findings, appropriate to the
site.
(3) The proposal for bonding use permits to ensure
compliance with Conditions will be considered.
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(4) Community areas will be selected for association with .
specific planners who will get to know those areas and
become the primary contact person for development
issues in that area.
(5) Department workload and organization will be examined.
(b) Certain applications will be discussed at an
interdepartment meeting including CDD, PWD, BID,
and where applicable, Fire, Environmental Health and
County Counsel.
(7) Work toward a work plan and control system for time
required by staff to attend meetings and process projects.
Contrast desirable versus present circumstances.
(8) A separate strategy needs to be developed for East
County.
(a) Identify communities geographically
i) West Pittsburg
ii) Oakley
iii) Bethel Island
iv) Byron
v) Discovery Bay
(b) Identify policy needs for those communities
i) Public Works
• Roads
• Lighting
• Drainage
• Other infrastructure
ii) Community Development
• Planning policies
• Design issues
• Parks
• Redevelopment/economic
development
• Community needs
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iii) Code Enforcement
• Inventory of violations
• Sources of funding for abatement
iv) Other Issues
• Nature of liaison with local groups.
• Which issues are real needs that
must be addressed in a context of
limited resources?
(9) All committees that are not mandated by law should be
given sunset dates to force determination of their cost
effectiveness.
4. Interdepartment Areas
A number of responsibilities transcend individual departmental
operations. The issues generally include funding, delineation of
authority, coordination among agencies, mixed perspectives, and
changing policies. These are areas that will require the greatest
coopetition and creativity.
a. Code Enforcement
This is an extremely difficult area because there are no
dedicated funds, issues are messy, there is no professional
doctrine, codes and enforcement mechanisims are inconsistent
and no department sees the code enforcement function as their
mission.
The path is not yet clear though day to day opertions have
improved through the efforts of John Gregory and the
individual code enforcement officers. Some proposals have
been made though funding issues keep the matter unresolved.
b. Permit Assistance
This area is receiving a lot of attention and suggestions for
improvement. The key will be to alter some departmental
traditions in favor of long-term improvements. There is a need
to resist instituting every suggestion without careful scrutiny.
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C. Transportation Planning
This is a traditional area of contention between Community
Development and Public Works. The Department Heads have
been making a serious commitment to resolving issues and
improving the quality of this process.
d. Economic Development
The dimensions of economic development are unlimited. The
key issues are areas of focus and commitment of resources.
The area will become the Agency priority once processing issues
are resolved.
e. Computer Automation
An arrangement has been made between Building Inspection
and Community Development to upgrade the computer
capability of Community Development which will include money
and technical assistance. An overall plan for upgrade will be
developed by the end of the third quarter.
f. Budgeting
Within the requirements of budgeting established by the CAO,
the Agency has two goals, (1) to become self.-supporting and (2)
to establish cost accounting for all activities. The intent is to
identify unfunded activities and to determine their priority
among the range of unfunded County activities, to review work
program items for flow and priority, and to clarify expectations
regarding productivity and performance.
5. Cities
Relationships are mixed due to history, staff, location, and issues.
There is a need to improve relations simply to reduce time staff is
involved in battles rather than cooperative productive action. I have
met with every city and will continue to seek cooperative relations.
a. Establish positive context for relations based on mutual benefit.
b. Separate policy from technical interaction.
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C. List City/County issues by jurisdiction.
d. Develop strategy white papers for City/County issues that will
promote long-term focus, consistency, and reliability. (Topic,
subtopic, general intended outcome, city reponse, areas of
° compromise and approach.)
6. Agencies
Schools, parks, water, and sewage treatment all have independent
policy bodies, perspectives, and reactions to events. Similar to cities,
areas of common puprose and difference need to be mapped out and
strategy developed for correction.
7. Special Interests
There is a need to systematically identify interest groups and their
intent for the purpose of future negotiations.
a. Identify interests in common and in conflict.
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VI. Actions to be Initiated Second Quarter
GMEDA
1. Develop operational priorities for budget and work program.
2. Continue to expand understanding of internal workings of departments.
r
3. Develop intern program for the three departments through Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION AND COOPERATION
1. Review application process and make appropriate changes.
2. Develop standard conditions through a process of including departments, other
agencies, supervisors, and interest groups.
3. Conduct interstaff meetings upon application acceptance for selected types of
projects.
4. Conduct regular coordination meetings for the following:
A. Transportation
B. Code Enforcement
C. Permit Assistance
5. Improve interdepartmental coordination on grading procedures and inspection.
6. Reconcile designated funds for code enforcement and workload -review penalties.
7. Develop work program and timeframe for expansion of computer assistance.
8. Review budget opportunities for joint hiring of Geologist - Soils Engineer for
GMEDA departments.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
1. Develop outreach program for job openings in entry and mid level PW, BI, CD.
2. Develop exam training to be held in Richmond and Pittsburg. (Issues such as
vocabulary, special equipment training, attitude)
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3. Develop evaluation for file on what each individual would need to do to advance to
the next step without any guarantee.
4. Have ladders for each department for every position.
5. Evaluation procedures of affirmative action coordinators.
SUPERVISORS
Provide strategic reviews of interjurisdictional issues.
CITIES
Develop cooperation/conflict strategy for each city.
PERMIT ASSISTANCE COUNTER
Equipment
1. Install a dedicated telephone.
2. Provide a computer terminal for public access. Determine what information should
be accessible.
Hand-outs
3. Redesign and reorganize the complete group of customer handouts. The handouts
should be reviewed and prepared by staff in related departments to assure that they
are correct and consistent. These handouts need to be standardized for all
departments. The idea of the "Home Club Look" was suggested as an option for a
consistent look in all the brochures. "Most often asked questions" should be
answered in the typically designed handout.
4. Refine and distribute a sample lot plan to customers.
5. Investigate development of a set of videos for public to view over monitor.
Coordination/Communication Information
6. Prepare a glossary of commonly used development terms. Distribute the glossary
from the APC.
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7. Develop a simplified alphabetical phone list showing employee areas of responsibility
within GMEDA. ,
8. Use the terminals more effectively to answer customers inquiries.
9. Develop an Employee Reference Book. A compact informational book containing
numbers and who to call for pertinent information. Similar to the "Answer Book"
used by Public Works.
10. Consider improved routing procedures.
Staff Training
1 L. Set up a program to orient each department to the operations of other departments
on the counter.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Personnel
Establish performance appraisal structure for every employee, every year regardless of
whether pay raise is involved.
Budget
Identify every work product and relate to funding source.
Identify all unfunded mandates for reconsideration and possible sunset.
Process
Establish list of draft standard conditions by June 17 for internal review. Circulation of draft
conditions and possible forums for their analysis include the following:
A. Community Development, Building Inspection, and Public Works
B. Other departments such as County Counsel and Administration
C. Supervisors
D. Planning Commissions and relevant committees
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E. Other agencies such as EBRPD, EBMUD, CCWD, other Cities
F. Interest groups such as Save Mt. Diablo, BIA, Land Alliance, etc.
Each discretionary process should include appropriate standard and exceptional Conditions,
with findings, appropriate to the site.
Form a committee comprised of CDD, PWD, BID, CC, EH, and Fire to meet regularly and
review major applications shortly after submittal.
Identify Planners to be associated with specific unincorporated communities and establish
their responsibilities by June 17.
Review feasibility of bonding for use permit conditions and provide report by June 17.
Establish calendar and log for projects that are controversial to maintain status for staff,
Phil, Board of Supervisors, interest groups, etc.
Projects
Coordinate activities of Dougherty Valley development.
Documents
Complete General Plan
Prepare and implement strategy for zoning.
Provide comprehensive code revision.
Meetings
Establish a capacity for departmental meeting attendance within current staff. All
committees not mandated by law should be given sunset dates to force determination of
their cost effectiveness.
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East County
Prepare work program for current staff efforts in East County to reconcile with expectations
and funding.
A. Identify communities geographically
(1) West Pittsburg
(2) Oakley
(3) Bethel Island
(4) Byron
(5) Discovery Bay
(6) East County Airport
B. Identify policy needs
(1) Public Works
• Roads
• Lighting
• Drainage
• Other infrastructure
(2) Community Development
• Planning policies
• Design issues
• Parks
• Redevelopment/economic development
• Community needs
(3) Code Enforcement
• Inventory of violation
• Sources of funding for abatement
C. Determine level of staff interaction
(1) Nature of liaison with local groups
(2) Which issues are the priority needs that must be addressed in a context
of limited resources?
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BUILDING INSPECTION
1. Establish clear hierarchy of responsibility for decisions.
2. Reorganize grading.
3. Improve client orientation.
4. Continue leadership in computer technology.
5. Expand supervision of field inspectors.
6. Improve coordination of code enforcement personnel.
7. Review relationship between cost of service,value added, and speed of permit review.
8. Upgrade training and professional capability of staff.
PUBLIC WORKS
1. Review Public Works' standards in light of expectations of other agencies, applicants,
Planning Commissions, and Board members.
2. Update Public Works' role in relation to other departments.
3. Broaden Public Works' perspective in relation to environment.
PREPARE STRATEGY FOR THE FOLLOWING:
1. Economic Development
2. Code Enforcement
3. Solid Waste
4. Transportation
UNRESOLVED ISSUES
1. County annexation strategy and position on changes in spheres of influence.
2. Role of staff in East County.
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w f
3. County position on toll road.
4. Funds and authority to be committed to Economic Development.
5. Definition of County role in development beyond revenue enhancement.
6. Extent of unfunded committees that County can afford to staff. Staff priorities for
work.
7. Fee study behind, need to resolve cost of processing.
8. Proposal for Outreach Planners remains unfunded.
9. No funding source for code enforcement.
10. Need process to establish priorities.
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",-004
GROWTH MANAGEMENT
AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
FIRST QUARTER REPORT
JANUARY - MARCH 1991
By Valentin Alexeeff, Director