Laserfiche WebLink
<br />34 CITY OF LAKE ELMO, MN <br /> Website and Document Updates: Updating public works web pages, printing records/maps, and editing <br />forms/documents <br /> Complaint Resolution: Handling minor complaints (e.g., garbage, tree issues, mailbox damage) and <br />directing them appropriately <br /> Fuel and Equipment Records: Entering maintenance data into software and generating fuel reports <br /> Calendar and Scheduling: Managing staff schedules and on-call responsibilities, tracking staff vacations and <br />callouts, and setting up appointments <br /> File Management: Organizing, scanning, and disposing of outdated documents <br />The more tasks this individual can take on, the greater the value this role will be to the Department, largely by <br />removing these tasks from those that must otherwise be completed by the Director or Assistant Director. The list of <br />tasks above is varied and will require significant training. An initial investment of time by the Assistant Director or <br />Director in creating a binder of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for this individual to reference will pay <br />dividends in helping them learn their role. Some of the tasks listed above will only be done periodically, and a book <br />of SOPs laying out where to find reports, when they must be completed, how they are to be completed, etc. will <br />reduce the oversight necessary from the Assistant Director and Director, as well as help ensure a more consistent <br />and efficient work product. The SOPs should document critical operations and duties to provide reference materials <br />for the new Administrative Assistant, as well as any potential future employees. The SOPs should include guides to <br />common tasks the Administrative Assistant may conduct using various software platforms, and the SOPs should be <br />reviewed periodically so any revisions in processes or major software updates are accounted for. Initially, this <br />position is envisioned being allocated roughly 0.5 FTE to the Department and the rest to general administration. <br />This allocation may change over time, particularly if the individual can take on more duties within the Department. <br /> <br />Recommendation 8: Reevaluate fleet maintenance within the City and eliminate auto repair <br />responsibilities from employees who are not certified mechanics <br /> <br />The Department owns an operating fleet including plow, salting, light-duty, and heavy equipment. Many larger cities <br />or public works departments include a Fleet component that provides, at a minimum, basic maintenance of light- <br />duty vehicles. Currently, the City does not employ a mechanic. To compensate for this, there is at least one Operator <br />who performs some of this work, though this person is not an ASCE certified mechanic. Naturally, there is a desire <br />by the City to obtain auto repair work at as low a cost as possible, but having non-certified mechanics work on <br />vehicles is not an appropriate strategy and may open the City up to significant liability risk. <br /> <br />Operating indicators published by Government-fleet.com suggest typical ranges of vehicle-to-technician ratios for <br />those organizations that employ mechanics. They cite a ratio of 35:1 for Small Towns and 55 to 60:1 for Counties & <br />Cities. The Department provided an inventory of rolling stock that contained 43 active pieces of equipment. The <br />Buildings and Fire Departments have an inventory of 17 vehicles, though some of these are fire trucks which may <br />have specialized service needs. Given these parameters, the City thus has a sufficient inventory of rolling stock to <br />warrant a mechanic based on industry trends, should it desire to hire one. This individual must be ASCE-certified to <br />mitigate risk to the city, its employees, and its citizens. In reviewing the staffing of the seven peer communities, it <br />was found that each community employs one mechanic, and New Brighton and Oakdale each employ two <br />mechanics. Data was not available from these peers regarding rolling stock inventories, though most of these <br />communities have police departments which may increase their need for light duty vehicle maintenance. Based on <br />published data, salaries for mechanics were observed at less than $60,000 per year and above $90,000 per year, <br />suggesting that there could be a range of qualifications or certifications for these positions. Employing a mechanic <br />may provide non-financial benefits to the City, including the convenience of having an in-house mechanic. There <br />may also be other, more negative impacts. For example, there could be a significant impact on vehicle maintenance <br />if the mechanic position is vacant for an extended period of time.