07-10-2024 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of City Council FROM: Heidi Heller, City Clerk/HR Manager Laura Linehan, Community Relations Manager DATE: July 10, 2024 RE: Hire of a full-time, temporary Administrative Assistant ACTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED: Review the position description for a full-time, temporary Administrative Assistant position and authorize staff to advertise and hire the position immediately. BACKGROUND: On March 22, 2023, DDA Human Resources (David Drown Associates) presented the final report for the City of Little Canada Organizational Study and Gap Analysis. According to the analysis, the primary recommendation was the addition of a full-time community engagement position to perform duties related to communications and project management. In July 2023, Community Relations Manager Laura Linehan was hired to address this need. The organizational study and gap analysis also recommended a part-time to full-time customer service position to provide front-counter coverage and additional assistance to all departments. According to the study, the city has some challenges providing customer service with only one full-time Customer Service Specialist. Other staff are often called upon to provide coverage at the front counter when this position is out of the office, often falling on the part-time Accountant or Utility Billing Clerk making it difficult for them to complete their regularly assigned duties. The recommended part-time to full-time customer service position is also closely related to several additional findings in the organizational study, including a recommendation to revise the Customer Service Specialist position to include more duties related to managing the building and zoning permit application process and reclassify the position as a Permit Technician. This effort is currently underway with the implementation of online permitting software. Implementation of new software and technology will help with operational efficiencies in many areas. The study also recommended cross-training, which will enable existing staff to assist across departments. The organizational study also recommended an analysis of Little Canada’s organized collection system, which is currently underway. With the current contract with haulers expiring at the end of 2024, the opportunity to transition to a single-hauler organized collection system in 2025 may lead to greater efficiencies in utility billing and provide additional opportunities for collaboration and cross-training. Due to the interrelatedness of these organizational staffing recommendations, city staff is proposing the hiring of a full-time temporary Administrative Assistant position for the remainder of the year.