Submitted By
Rob Sproule - Public Works Director & Kira Tchang - Assistant Village Manager/ HR Director
Reviewed By
A.M. Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Motion to Approve an Updated Organizational Chart for the Public Works Department
End
Overview
Overview
The Village is facing increased attention and concerns around traffic and mobility needs in the community. In an effort to better address these issues, staff recommends a number of organizational changes creating a new Transportation Engineering Division within the Public Works Department. These proposed changes provide more direct oversight and attention to transportation and traffic issues within the Village. Proposed changes include a reorganization of existing positions and reclassifying and/or title changes for four positions within the Department. There is no increase in the number of FTE with the proposed changes.
End
Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Motion.
Background
The Village, like communities across the country, is facing real and complex transportation and traffic issues. In order to give these issues the appropriate level of attention they deserve and to meet the expectations of the residents of the Village and the goals of the Village Board, staff recommends organizational changes to establish a Transportation Engineering Division within the Public Works Department. By establishing a Division that focuses on transportation and mobility issues, the Village will be in a better position to develop and implement a future Vision Zero plan, implement existing bike plans, ensure compliance with complete streets policies, address neighborhood traffic calming concerns, address accessibility concerns, better manage the Village’s traffic signal and transportation system, and support Parking and Mobility Services for curbside management for parking and mobility needs.
Currently, there is only one full-time engineering staff position focused on these transportation issues. Other engineering staff typically focus on capital improvement projects and planning and assist with transportation items as needed. While this shared duty approach has generally worked in the past, there have been staff capacity and work prioritization issues which have resulted in delays in advancing or implementing transportation-related items and studies for things such as the Village’s Vision Zero planning, bike plans, the Madison Street road diet traffic studies, traffic calming petitions, etc. Also, in the past several years drivers’ behavior has changed resulting in generally more aggressive and reckless driving resulting in safety concerns. To address these issues, combined with the need to provide additional support to the Parking and Mobility Division of the Development Customer Service Department for the management of the curbside lane for parking and mobility concerns, staff recommends a number of organizational changes in the Public Works Department to allocate the necessary staff and resources to focus more directly on addressing these transportation concerns. These organizational changes include the creation of a new Transportation Engineering Division with three (3) FTEs specifically focused on addressing these issues including the Assistant Village Engineer (Transportation Engineer), a Civil Engineer II (Traffic Engineer), and a Civil Engineer I/II (Parking and Mobility Engineer). The proposed organizational changes do not require the addition of any new FTEs but do include the reclassification of one vacant position and the re-titling / promotion of an existing employee that will have a financial impact. The financial impact is expected to be small and staff are estimating that the cost can be accommodated within the existing budget. Staff will present a budget amendment later in the year if necessary. No layoffs are proposed with these changes.
Proposed Changes:
• Assistant Public Works Director: Retitled to Deputy Public Works Director (currently vacant: no salary impact)
• Village Engineer: Reclassified to Assistant Public Works Director / Village Engineer (salary adjustment)
• Assistant Village Engineer: Retitled to Transportation Engineer / Assistant Village Engineer and assign to Transportation Engineering Division (Currently Vacant: no salary impact)
• Administrative Assistant: Reclassified to Civil Engineer II and assign to Transportation Engineering Division (Vacant on 5/1/23: salary impact)
• Civil Engineer II: Assigned to Transportation Engineering Division (current employee - lateral move: no salary impact)
Fiscal Impact
This recommendation presents limited financial impact. No additional FTEs are presented as part of this reorganization. The recommendation does include the reclassification of one (1) existing Administrative Assistant position to a Civil Engineer II and a title change/promotion of the Village Engineer position to Assistant Public Works Director / Village Engineer. Other organizational and position title changes do not present any direct financial impact.
Staff are confident that the total budget for salaries for Fiscal Year 2023 for the department should be sufficient to absorb the two proposed changes. The Assistant Public Works Director position has been vacant since the start of the year. Unspent funds associated with that vacancy should be more than adequate to cover these changes for 2023. Personnel costs in future budget years will be increased to accommodate this increased focus on transportation issues. The financial impact for future budget years is primarily related to the compensation difference between an Administrative Assistant position and a Civil Engineer (approximately $20k to 30K). Staff will submit a Q2 budget amendment to re-classify the necessary funds to new division accounts to support personnel reassignments associated with this newly created division.
DEI Impact
N/A.
Alternatives
The Board can delay action to gain additional information.
Previous Board Action
N/A.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
N/A.
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
Pending Village Board consensus to update the organizational chart, staff will submit a Q2 Budget Amendment to reclassify funds to the newly created division, and appropriate Capital Improvement Funds for the impacted positions is being presented at tonight’s meeting.
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
N/A.