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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS2 - Status Report on Top 10 Staff Priorities for 2001-2002CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH AGENDA ITEM NO. SS2 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Homer L. Bludau, City Manager DATE: July 23, 2002 SUBJECT: Status Report on Top 10 Staff Priorities for 2001 -2002 As the City Council is aware, last year for the first time the City Management Team went through a process to determine its highest priorities for accomplishment for the 2001 -02 fiscal year. That year is now completed, and the City Manager wants to review the status of those priority accomplishments for you. They are as follows: SIGN A JWA SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY Completed. The Settlement Agreement Extension was signed by all 4 parties by June 25, 2002. Of course, this accomplishment was not within the complete control of City staff; however, the City Attorney and City Manger both contributed to the meeting of deadlines, cooperative working relationships established with the corridor cities, and preparation of documents needed to achieve this highest Council and staff priority. 2. BEGIN AND COMPLETE THE PUBLIC OUTREACH PORTION OF THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE PROCESS Started and well underway. The GP public outreach process began in January, 2002, with a kick -off event at Hoag Hospital and continued with neighborhood meetings held in each Council district. Kits were made available for the input process to any individuals and groups that desired such participation. The General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) was appointed by Council, which consists of residents from various geographical and interests areas of the community. The public outreach has not yet concluded. It will further consist of a statistically accurate telephone survey with 1200 residents and a concluding "Community Congress ", to inform the community of the outreach results. After the City Hall • 3300 Newport Boulevard • Post Office Box 1768 • Newport Beach, California 92659 -1768 Status Report on Top 10 Priorities for 2001 -2002 Page 2 visioning process is completed and the Council has determined the scope of the update, the GPAC will continue to provide input into the development of General Plan policy statements, based on the community input information. 3. COMPLETE THE ANNEXATION OF THE NEWPORT COAST AND BEGIN PROVIDING CITY SERVICES TO THE POPULATION Completed. LAFCO certified the annexation in December, 2001, and the City began providing our new residents City services on January 1, 2002. 4. HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT NEW PERSONNEL POLICIES Completed. The City Council adopted the new personnel policies at its meeting of December 11, 2001, after an extensive review /dialogue process with employee associations and the Civil Service Commission. 5. ATTAIN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW NPDES PERMIT REQUIREMENTS AND COMPLETE THE THREE WATER QUALITY TESTS REQUIRED BY THE REGIONAL QUALITY CONTROL BOARD Full compliance has been attained; testing is underway. City staff (including Building, Planning, Public Works, General Services, and the City Manager's Office) actively participated in the review and development of the new 5 -year Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System ( "MS4 ") Permit required of every public agency in central and north Orange County that operates a storm drain system. The Permit, adopted by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region ( "Regional Board ") in January 2002, contains significant new requirements of residents, visitors, businesses, developers, and especially city government. The City partnered with the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board in 2001 -02 to conduct two of the three studies contemplated in this Priority. We submitted all materials and results to the Regional Board. Additional phases of all three studies will continue in FY 2002 -03 using State resources. 6. COMPLETE THE MOST TIME - SENSITIVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS a) The Newport Pier was completed and re- opened in May 2002; the Balboa Pier was completed and re- opened in June, 2002. b) Balboa Village Phase 1 was effectively completed in June, 2001. The contractor is performing minor revisions and corrections (punch list 2 Status Report on Top 10 Priorities for 2001 -2002 Page 3 items) in order to fulfill his contractual obligations and achieve formal completion. c) The original scope of work for Bonita Canyon Sports Park is currently complete, with the exception of some minor corrections and the plant establishment period, which will conclude in November, 2002. The West Park portion (along MacArthur Blvd.) was added to the project by the City Council on August 14, 2001; this landscaping portion will be completed in October, 2002, with the plant establishment period concluding in March, 2003. The bankruptcy of the original contractor, Costello Construction, caused a delay of 6 months in project completion. 7. IMPROVE THE PLAN CHECK AND PERMIT ISSUANCE PROCESS A new plan check process was implemented July 1, 2002 to meet the standard of 90% of initial plan checks made and returned to applicants within a 4 week time period. This process will also speed up time frames for additional checks of plans required after the first return. This effort involved major procedural changes on the part of Building, Planning, and Public Works staffs. It is too soon to measure the success of the new processing changes, but the time frames will be monitored closely and that information will be provided to Council as time goes on. 8. REDUCE THE CITY'S ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (MEASURED IN KILOWATT HOURS) BY 10% FROM JANUARY 2001 TO JUNE 2002 Goal was revised. Based on more study, it was decided to concentrate on two energy saving measures. Measure 1 was to utilize $120,000 to change out our overhead office lighting with energy efficient electronic ballasts and lighting. This project was completed in April, 2002. While the project was under way, a change order was issued to add additional change outs not included in the original contract; this work will be completed in 4 weeks. Measure 2 was to change out a high energy - utilization water pump station at the Big Canyon Reservoir to a more energy efficient motor control system, which included a standby emergency generator. Due to cost considerations, work began later than originally planned, but the change -out will be completed by July 19, 2002. 9. DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FIRST LINE AND MID -LEVEL MANAGERS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION Completed. The first two training classes for first -line and mid -level managers started on April 8"' and were completed on June 19, 2002. Three additional classes will start this fall. By the end of this calendar year, 120 first line and mid -level managers within the organization will Status Report on Top 10 Priorities for 2001 -2002 Page 4 have graduated from this training. The training is getting high marks for subject content and relevancy from its participants. 10. BEGIN THE LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM CERTIFICATION PROCESS Begun and well underway. SB 516 requires the City to submit a complete LCP application to the Coastal Commission before June 30, 2003. Council has appointed the LCP Certification Committee, and a timetable and outline has been approved. Technical consultants have been retained and the preparation of needed studies is underway. The Planning Department has drafted the first two chapters of the LCP Land Use Plan. A preliminary draft of the LCP should be ready for submittal to the Coastal Commission staff in November, 2002. I