Title
Five-Day Work Week (B)
The City Commission discuss the five day work week and the City Manager’s proposal to open City Hall on Fridays. **ESTIMATED STAFF ORAL PRESENTATION 5 MINUTES**
Explanation
In September 2008, the City Commission’s adopted budget included the implementation of a compressed four-day workweek for most City Administrative buildings including the City Hall Complex, the Thomas Center, the Public Works Administration & Mosquito Control buildings, Fire Administration and Training Bureau, CRA, and several other smaller facilities. In the first year of implementation, electric, natural gas, and water consumption in the affected buildings decreased by approximately 597,000 kwh, 16,700 therms, and 4,500 kgals respectively, resulting in a utility savings of $124,000. Additional savings were experienced in vehicle fuel consumption and custodial staff and supplies needed to clean the buildings. That trend has continued into FY2015. The estimated cost of reopening the affected buildings five days per week is $220,000 (utilities $142,000, vehicle fuel & maintenance $23,000, custodial staff & supplies $55,000).
During the June 10, 2015 City Commission Strategic Planning retreat, the four-day vs. five-day work week was discussed. There appeared to be consensus to adopt an initiative to transition the City to restore services five days per week and perhaps explore other non-traditional service options.
On July 2, 2015, the City Manager released the Proposed Budget for FY2016. His recommended budget included an increment to reopen all city facilities on Fridays. All budget increments that did not receive full consensus were included on a ballot which was tallied and discussed during the July 22, 2015 budget meeting. The increment to reopen city facilities on Fridays received three votes of support. Further discussion challenged staff to identify a way to expand city service availability on Fridays without having a negative impact on City employees’ work schedules, but no action was taken with respect to the budget.
During the July 2, 2015 regular City Commission meeting, staff was directed to conduct a survey to employees regarding the work week and other work life issues, accompanied by a topic on engageGNV for citizens to provide feedback on the accessibility of city services and operating hours. The results of these surveys are attached.
On July 27, 2015, preceding the final meeting to adopt the Proposed Tentative Budget for FY2016, the City Manager issued a memo to the City Commission proposing to open the first floor of City Hall on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. beginning October 2, 2015. Staff available would include one staff member from the Clerk’s office, a high-level manager and support staff. Finance will also have 1-2 staff located on the first floor to assist customers with services normally available on the third floor and the Thomas Center. Other services will be available by appointment on Fridays. The Thomas Center would continue to operate on Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to assist customers with building permits and other planning and development services. Core hours would continue to be 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The cost of this proposal would be significantly less than the $220,000 to open all offices on Fridays. During the meeting that evening, no further discussion took place and the Proposed Tentative Budget for FY2016 was adopted excluding the increment to reopen all city facilities on Fridays.
City Departments located in City Hall and the Old Library Building include a vast number of internal service areas including payroll, accounts payable, accounting, budget, purchasing, the city auditor’s office, broadcasting, pension and investment management, employee health services, worker’s compensation & safety, employee benefits, employee relations and learning & development. These divisions do not generally serve the public.
Services offered to the public in City Hall and the Old Library Building include transactions related business tax, parking citations, neighborhood parking decals, peddlers permits, landlord permit fees, cemetery fees, payment of promissory notes, rent/lease payments, public records requests, employment applications, and fire assessment hardship assistance. Citizens also visit the City Manager’s office and the Clerk’s office for information or assistance, and typically by appointment, the City Commission, the City Attorney’s office and the Office of Equal Opportunity. All of these services would be available on the first floor on Fridays.
During the regular City Commission meeting of August 6, 2015, the City Manager was directed to prepare an agenda item for August 20th to discuss the five-day work week and the proposed service expansion to open City Hall on Fridays.
Fiscal Note
The estimated cost to reopen all city facilities on Fridays is $220,000 annually.
Recommendation
The City Commission discuss the item and take any action deemed appropriate.