5.2. SR 06-14-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Organizational Structure June 14, 2004 Page 3 · On site inspections for such things as erosion control (and NPDES) · Feasibility reports · Working with other departments on administrafon of the wetlands Management of the GIS and city mapping · Review, direct, and administer consulting engineering work · Manage the municipal state aid system · Represent the city on transportation organizations (Region 7W, Interregional Corridors, Highway 10 Coalition) · Work with the County on transportation issues · Manage the city overlay and sealcoatmg projects · Miscellaneous survey work · Implement the transportation plan · Work with MnDot on the plans for Highway 169 improvements The discussion of city Engineering Department is not new. Attached are two previous memos on this topic. The first one is from 1994 and the second one is from 1999. Both of these reports were put together by employees that worked with TerU, Maurer. (It should be noted that both of these authors were once public employees, went to the private market, and are now back in municipal positions.) In reviewing these memos, the City Council will get a much better feel as to what an Engineering Department can do for the City of Elk River and the expenses associated with operating this t3~pe of department. The expenses and revenues are outlined at the end of the 1999 memo and I would caution the City Council thatI fm'nly believe the expenses are a low estimate and the revenues are a high estimate. Nonetheless, both memos offer good background informahon for the City Council on this issue. The operating cost to the city for the public works director and the city Engineering Department will not be cheap. (The total cost will also include capital expenditures for the office, equipment, and vehicles.) The establishment of an Engineering Department will significantly reduce our expenses for Howard R. Green (HRG) sen, ices. The use of HRG will not be eliminated and they still will be needed to help on special projects and large scale projects. Additionally, revenue will be generated to offset some city operating expenses. This revenue is captured as part of the administration costs (overhead) for imbrovement projects. The benefit to the city for having an Engineering Department includes providing more customer servSce for the homeowners, business owners, and property owners. The city needs to make sure that an Engineering Department does not provide a cost reduction for developers. A system will have to be established whereby developers pay the city for engineering services; similar to the current practice of developers paying HRG for sen-ices. Additionally, there is a great deal of benefit to other ciD' departments for having a city Engineering Department. Having staff available that can be scheduled to assist with street activities, park activities, planning, building, environmental, etc. will provide significant returns. It is anticipated that in the beginning, one person would have the dual role of serving as both the public works director and the city engineer After the Engineering Department is established and the work load understood, then an assistant engineer (or citT engineer) S: ~Council\Pat~2004\ (-)rganizational061404.doc