#08 City Manager's proposal to consolidate positions
City Manager Department MEMORANDUM
April 6, 2009
TO: City Council
FROM: Eric Levitt, City Manager
SUBJECT: Action on City Council confirmation of City Manager’s proposal to
consolidate positions for budget year 2009.
Summary
This agenda item is a proposal by the City Manager to eliminate certain positions and to
broaden the scope of certain positions in order to address the current economic
situation of the City of Janesville. Specifically this proposal will eliminate 4 positions
and broaden the scope of 3 positions, which would result in an estimated cost savings
of $275,000 in 2010.
Recommendation
The City Manager requests that the City Council confirm the following recommendation.
The City of Janesville would eliminate the positions of:
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Assistant Director of Administrative Services
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Director of Leisure Services
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Economic Development Assistant
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Sustainability Coordinator
The City of Janesville would create a combined position of Assistant City
Manager/Administrative Services Director.
The City of Janesville would broaden the scope of a Management Assistant and 2
Management Analyst positions.
Suggested Motion
I move to confirm the City Manager’s recommended staff consolidation plan.
Background
In reviewing the City’s fiscal budget for 2009, it is the City Manager’s opinion that the
current economic situation calls for elimination and or consolidation of certain positions.
I am attempting to address this fiscal situation by maintaining positions that serve the
public directly and by combining or consolidating duties of administrative positions.
As I have reviewed the budget with the Administrative Services Director and
Comptroller, it is my opinion that the City has begun using General Fund fund balance
to fund its General Fund operations. This is appropriate in a short-term economic
downturn, however, it is my opinion that we need to turn the trend around by the year
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2011 or 2012. In 2007, the City used approximately $175,000 in fund balance and in
2008, the City used approximately $990,000 in fund balance. In addition, there is added
pressure on the City to maintain as close as possible to flat property tax rates. Based
on these economic trends, I believe one step to take is to consolidate certain
administrative positions, which will allow the City to accrue some salary savings going
forward into 2010.
Based on the above analysis, I recommend eliminating the positions of Assistant
Director of Administrative Services, Director of Leisure Services, Economic
Development Assistant and Sustainability Coordinator. All of these positions are
currently vacant. In addition, I recommend adding the title of Assistant City Manager to
the Administrative Services Director title.
In order to address those vacancies, I anticipate utilizing the two Management Analyst
and one Management Assistant positions in a broader role. I plan to utilize those three
positions to work directly with the Economic Development Director, work on
sustainability issues, work on Public Works projects, work on the Budget, work with the
Neighborhood Services Director, work directly with Leisure Services staff, and continue
to work on community information programming.
We may need to add one specific administrative analyst position, if the two
management analysts and one management assistant cannot adequately handle the
workload.
The total estimated cost savings is $275,000 minimum and that includes additional
costs for one additional administrative analyst in 2010 if determined it is necessary and
cost increases in certain salary allocations to the General Fund.
cc: Jacob J. Winzenz
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