Development Services Review. Final Report. Zucker July 2016

performance standards and thereby enable Management to make timely decisions on the need to adjust staff resources.

78. Recommendation: Land Development Engineering should incorporate their performance standards into the new TRAKiT permit system.

79. Recommendation: The Senior Civil Engineer should frequently review the reports generated by the TRAKiT system to determine the need to adjust staff resources. Staffing/Activity Levels We generally rely on a large volume of detailed information to compare activity levels, percent of time performance standards are achieved and historical staffing levels to provide a recommendation regarding staffing. Often this information is made available through comprehensive reports from a permit tracking system that monitored the activities of all of the groups participating in the plan review and approval process. Unfortunately, when the current permit tracking system (Tidemark) was originally purchased and implemented many years ago the Building Division was the only group that participated. We are confident that, if all appropriate groups participate, a wealth of information will be available to Management in the future to help guide them on making sound decisions regarding the need to adjust staffing levels in response to fluctuations in development activity. From what we can observe, it is apparent that the current staffing levels are inadequate to meet what we believe are performance standards appropriate for a community that seeks to follow the “best practices” of the government. Not only are turnaround times to complete plan reviews excessive, the product produced is subpar while staff and supervisors have been forced to abandon those activities such as training that are basic to maintaining quality control. We are aware that staff is preparing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to secure additional resources to assist in mapping, plan review of building permits, work on the storm water program and the FEMA floodplain certification rating system. We support the use of contract staff to fill the immediate needs of these programs. By using contract staff to address these immediate needs it will give Management the opportunity to evaluate the impact of these additional resources on the overall operation of the Division so that a more informed decision can be made regarding the need to obtain full-time positions to perform these duties in the long-term. 80. Recommendation: Land Development Engineering should continue their efforts to secure additional staff resources through contract services to address immediate staffing needs.

Morgan Hill, California

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Zucker Systems