Title
a. Receive a presentation on integrating Monterey County Parks Department into the Resource Management Agency.
b. Support the Board of Supervisors integrating the Parks Department into the Resource Management Agency
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Parks Commission:
a. Receive a presentation on integrating Monterey County Parks Department into the Resource Management Agency.
b. Support the Board of Supervisors integrating the Parks Department into the Resource Management Agency
SUMMARY:
In July 2016, the Board of Supervisors appointed the RMA Director as Interim Director of Parks to evaluate strategies for stabilizing the department and improving operations. In October, RMA presented the Board Ad Hoc Committee for Parks with options to permanently integrate Parks operations into RMA or for Parks to remain as a stand-alone department. The Ad Hoc Committee supported staff proceeding to the full Board of Supervisors with a recommendation for permanently integrating Parks into the RMA structure. This report is to inform the Parks Commission of plans for this transition.
It is anticipated that integration of Parks into RMA will greatly improve operations and service delivery through improved administrative and management support as well as identifying and re-distribution of redundant services and activities throughout County facility maintenance and land management functions.
DISCUSSION:
RMA management has assessed the structure, stability, resources and economies of scale that RMA could bring to the operation of Parks. In the few months that RMA has been involved with Parks operations, it has been evident that the constrained resources of the department have significantly hampered any attempts to move forward with implementation of the Parks Strategic Plan. RMA provides similar services such that integrating Parks into the RMA would provide the best opportunity improve service delivery in a reasonable and sustainable manner. This is a key point to how being part of the larger RMA organization will help the parks organization.
Following is a summary of some of the key benefits of integration into RMA and some of the organizational changes that will be pursued.
Keeping Parks as a stand-alone division would not be manageable within the new RMA structure, creating an additional (fourth) division within a single department under the RMA Director. However, we do recognize that the Parks Department has a long and valued history in Monterey County. For this reason, and in the interest of brand maintenance and marketing parks assets to visitors, it is important that we maintain a distinct Monterey County Parks identity. The initial organization structure integrating Parks is proposed as follows:
• RMA-Public Works & Facilities Division (PW&F). Parks operations would be located within the PW&F Division.
a. The current Parks Director position would be reclassified as the Chief of Parks reporting to the RMA Deputy Director of PW&F. This Chief would oversee day-to-day operations of the parks including; Rangers, Building Maintenance, Grounds, Water & Utilities, volunteer program, etc. Elimination of the Parks Director and creation of a Chief of Parks to oversee the primary day-to-day parks operations in the PW&F division would result in some salary savings.
b. An Administrative Operations Manager (currently under-filled by one Park Ranger Manager) and a Park Ranger Manager would report to the Chief of Parks to facilitate the management of the operations.
1. Administrative Operations Manager would oversee grounds maintenance and land management such as contracts for Fort Ord lands as well as the volunteer program.
2. Park Ranger Manager would oversee the Ranger functions.
• RMA Administrative Services Division (Admin). Positions that provide administrative functions (finance, IT, HR) have been placed under RMA Deputy Director of Admin. With the expertise and resources of the RMA we can begin to make significant advancement toward reaching Goals 1 &5 of the Strategic Plan - Financial Stability and Operational & Staff Effectiveness. This change has already experienced progress on implementing improved cash handling/management practices, procuring an online reservation system and increasing/improving staff training opportunities.
• RMA Land Use & Community Development Division (LU&CD). Land Use functions such as Planning Manager, Events Management and Historian/Museum Manager would be integrated into the planning unit under a Chief of Planning that reports to the RMA Deputy Director of LU&CD. The expertise and resources of the RMA Land Use group can help make significant advancement toward reaching Goals 2, 3, 4 & 6 of the Strategic Plan - Parks Assets & Infrastructure, Partnerships, Marketing, and Park Management Plans.
A draft organizational chart showing the integration and potential staffing changes is included as Attachment A.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
RMA and Parks Department staff worked with the Board of Supervisor’s Parks Ad Hoc Committee in developing the proposed reorganization. On November 1, 2016, RMA met with representatives of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Monterey County Parks Rangers’ Association to advise them of the recommendation and get their input.
Prepared by: John Guertin, Acting Deputy Director - Land Use & Community Development
Approved by: Carl P. Holm, AICP, RMA Director/Interim Parks Director
The following attachments are on file with the Parks Department:
Attachment A - Draft Organizational Chart