Town of Watertown Staffing and Operational Assessment of the Public Works Department September 10, 2013 EDWARD J. COLLINS CENTER FOR PUBLIC MANAGEMENT

Methodology ▸ Conducted interviews: ▸ Each Councilor ▸ Town Manager ▸ Department Management ▸ Administrative Staff ▸ Division Supervisors & other key staff ▸ Representatives of multiple Community Groups ▸ Collected data ▸ Developed descriptive profile of operations ▸ Compared DPW practices against “best practices” in the industry

Methodology (continued) ▸ Conducted a comparative survey ▸ Reviewed previous studies of the DPW ▸ Met with Steering Committee on multiple dates ▸ Developed draft and final report

Over-arching Themes for Enhanced Operations ▸ Enhanced management and planning efforts ▸ Meeting customer expectations ▸ Enhanced use of information systems and technologies ▸ Enhanced preventive maintenance of Town infrastructure.

Strengths of the Department ▸ Although the study focused on improvement opportunities, the DPW exhibits many strengths: ▸ Constituents report high levels of satisfaction with DPW’s snow and ice response ▸ Division of Water has received numerous awards for water quality from the State and MWRA ▸ DPW implemented an LED street light replacement program ▸ DPW provides on-line access to cemetery information ▸ DPW successfully implemented the single-stream recycling program and automated trash collection program

Challenges Existing Today ▸ Limited capacity for engage in forward planning, in part, due to day-to-day work pressures ▸ Customer concerns exist relative to some areas of operation ▸ DPW does not use state-of-the art technology to enhance operations or provide public information ▸ Insufficient focus on preventive maintenance

Management Systems and Accountability Improvement Opportunities Recommendations: ▸ Purchase and install an automated CMMS. However, important steps must take place before this action realizes its full impact, e.g., ▸ Develop a set of work activities performed ▸ Define service levels ▸ Define and document performance standards ▸ Develop a formal work planning and scheduling system ▸ Submit monthly performance report so Town Manager can hold department accountable for meeting performance standards ▸ Planned vs. actual performance, with deficits explained ▸ Develop a policies and procedures manual (expand existing)

Organizational Improvement Opportunities ▸ The structure of the current organization is portrayed below:

Organizational Improvement Opportunities Recommendations (central administration): ▸ Create position of Director of Administration and Finance in the DPW ▸ Fill the vacant position of Town Engineer ▸ Responsible for holding public input sessions on all major capital projects ▸ Identify training needs of the support staff ▸ Enhance the use of GIS in the DPW ▸ New Town Engineer should take a leading role ▸ Develop a plan to enhance customer service

Organizational Improvement Opportunities Recommendations (property and buildings division): ▸ Further investigate feasibility of consolidating DPW facilities maintenance with School District ▸ Both are inadequately staffed, with little PM being performed ▸ Schools have functioning CMMS, with all major maintenance equipment programmed into system ▸ Transfer Sealer of Weights and Measures into Community Development and Planning Department ▸ If do not consolidate facilities management, then services of HVAC technician is needed ▸ Transfer signage function into Highway Division

Operational Improvement Opportunities Recommendations (central motors division): ▸ Continue recent focus on vehicle and equipment replacement ▸ Some equipment is relatively old, with average age of the fleet at 9.8 years ▸ Heavy equipment averages 10.8 years ▸ Reduce staffing in the Central Motors Division by 1 FTE ▸ Current staffing is one Foreman and two Mechanics ▸ Analysis indicates the need for about 1.7 “wrench turning” FTEs ▸ Central Motors should restrict access to the parts room to improve accountability for stocked items

Operational Improvement Opportunities Recommendations (highway division): ▸ Immediately fill the two vacant positions ▸ During time of study, there were two vacancies and one employee on Workers Comp ▸ Since are only nine total employees in division, the Supervisor is a non-field position, and two employees are street sweepers, there are three total FTE’s maintaining all the Town’s hard surfaces (140 center line miles) Recommendations (water division): ▸ Evaluate continued deployment of Truck 60 ▸ Convert the Water Supervisor position to a working position in the field, and transfer the position to Highways

Organizational Improvement Opportunities Recommendations (forestry, parks, and cemeteries division): ▸ Re-evaluate DPW contracts with grounds maintenance providers in light of new in-house expertise ▸ Enhance pricing, rules, and regulations at Town cemeteries

Operational Improvement Opportunities Recommendations (overarching): ▸ Enhance DPW website to provide more meaningful information ▸ Routinely monitor overtime expenses ▸ Non-snow and ice OT accounts for over 20% of salaries in Property and Buildings, and over 15% in Highways ▸ Begin cultivating future managers by empowering line staff, and embarking on a system of routine professional and technical training ▸ Establish goals, objectives, and measures for DPW operations