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County of Cayuga County Administrator J. Justin Woods, JD, MPA 160 Genesee Street · Auburn, NY 13021 · (315)253-1525 ∙ Fax (315)253-1586 ∙ E-Mail: [EMAIL REDACTED] MEMO Date: October 12, 2018 To: Legislature CC: Bill Dashnaw, Dan Bowen, Gary Duckett, Larry Roser, Mike Russell, Doug Dello Stritto RE: Proposed DPW Law – Public Hearing October 23 Background: Following receipt of the CGR Organizational Assessment, the Legislature’s Public Works Committee voted in April to direct staff to draft a law creating a Department of Public Works (DPW). In June, I also presented a list of recommendations based on the CGR Report to the full Legislature. At that time, I made some interim staffing recommendations, and requested the Legislature’s direction to create a Department of Public Works. The Legislature instructed me to maintain current staffing, and to draft the DPW law. This memo and the following documents are prepared as an informational package for the public hearing: • Proposed DPW Organizational Chart • Existing Departmental Organizational Charts • DPW Director Recruitment Notice The proposed law would combine four departments (Highway, Building, Parks, Sealer) into a single Department of Public Works, and it would expand the Highway Superintendent ($71k) position into a DPW Director (estimated salary $90-110k). The DPW Director would oversee a DPW with three Divisions – Administration (including Weights & Measures), Highway, and Buildings & Grounds (including Parks). In addition to increasing coordination among public works, these moves will integrate all of the capital project planning and budgeting. It will also group all public works related departments into a single reporting structure, reducing the number of direct reports to the Administrator. Lastly, by combining the County Sealer into the department, the County Sealer will have access to administrative support. The financial impact of this change is 20-30k in salary costs, which will be budgeted in the 2019 Budget. It is anticipated that better management will also yield additional savings, but that number is not immediately quantifiable. However, Bill will provide an update on the cumulative savings from some of the management decisions made in 2018 as examples. Once a new DPW Director is hired, we will need to fill the vacant General Supervisor position, which is budgeted, but currently being used to fund Dashnaw’s consulting contract. The General Highway Supervisor will oversee the Highway Division, and the B&G Superintendent will oversee B&G and Parks. This will free the DPW Director to focus on budgets, capital planning, and strategic and organizational decisions. I look forward to your questions at Ways and Means and during the public hearing. ---PAGE BREAK--- County Legislature Director of Public Works Administration Division County Sealer (Weights & Measures) Engineering & Surveying Support Staff Highway Division (General Supervisor) Highways Garages Signs Buildings & Grounds (Superintendent) Parks & Trails Museums Buildings County Administrator Department: Proposed Department of Public Works Department Head: TBD ---PAGE BREAK--- Department: Highway (Existing) Department Head: Dan Bowen (Acting) Highway Superintendent General Highway Supervisor Auburn Highway Supervisor Heavy MEO Medium MEO Seasonal (10) Ira Foreperson Heavy MEO Medium MEO Venice Supervisor Heavy MEO Medium MEO Welder Highway Supervisor - Sign Maintenance/ Floater Sign Maintenance Sr. Engineering Technician (Survey) Garage Manager Auto Mechanic Foreperson Auto Mechanic Diesel Auto Mechanic Helper Auto Mechanic Principal Clerk Sr. Account Clerk Data Entry Clerk ---PAGE BREAK--- Department: Buildings & Grounds (Existing) Department Head: Gary Duckett Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds Clerk (PT) Building Maintenance Supervisor Downtown Mobile Work Crew Supervisor Building Maintenance Mechanic PT Building Maintenance Mechanic Mobile Work Crew Building Maintenance Supervisor County House Rd Building Maintenance Mechanic Janitor ---PAGE BREAK--- Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds Park Maintenance Supervisor Nature Center Director (PT) Labor Part-Time Seasonal Workers PT Clerk Working Foreperson Building Maintenance Mechanic Seasonal Labor Maintenance (Up to 19) Museum Manger (PT) Labor Part-Time (Up to 15) Seasonal Security Guards (Up to 13) Seasonal Ticket Booth (Up to 6) Seasonal Lifeguards (Up to 11) Department: Parks & Trails (Existing) Department Head: Gary Duckett ---PAGE BREAK--- County Sealer (Weights & Measures) Department: County Sealer (Existing) Department Head: Larry Roser ---PAGE BREAK--- Director of Public Works Recruitment Notice Cayuga County cayugacounty.us ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Director of Public Works The Position & Department The newly created Public Works Director will serve as the County Highway Superintendent and also supervise ĂŶ ŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚ ĚĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ Buildings & Grounds, Parks & Trails, and Weights & Measures. Currently, these functions operate as separate departments. This broader view of Public Works creates opportunities for greater upward mobility for and cross-training ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞƐ. It is also intended to integrate capital planning and budgeting. ÇŚĞ ŶĞǁ 5ĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ tƵďůŝĐ íŽƌŬƐ ǁŝůů ŚĂǀĞ ĂŶ ĂƉƉƌŽdžŝŵĂƚĞ ĂŶŶƵĂů ďƵĚŐĞƚ ŽĨ Ψϭϱ ŵŝůůŝŽŶ͕ ĂŶĚ ĞŵƉůŽLJ ϲϱ ĨƵůůͲƚŝŵĞ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞĞƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƐĞĂƐŽŶĂů ǁŽƌŬĞƌƐ͘ The position is appointed ĨŽƌ Ă ϰ LJĞĂƌ ƚĞƌŵ by the County Legislature with operational oversight by ƚŚĞ /ounty Administrator. There is a Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds that also oversees Parks & Trails, and the hired candidate will be able to fill a vacant General Highway Supervisor position. The Vision The Public Works Director will be directly involved with the implementation of progressive initiatives, such as: • Developing Capital Improvement Plans & Budgets • County-Wide Shared Services • Facilitating Joint Purchasing of Equipment & Materials • Park Planning & Redevelopment Projects • Flood Mitigation Projects ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 Director of Public Works The Ideal Candidate Cayuga County’s next Public Works Director should possess a demonstrated record of accomplishments in developing and managing people, budgets, and large-scale bridge, highway, and capital construction projects. This individual should also have experience with state and federally funded reimbursement projects. The successful candidate will have strong leadership abilities, and will be able to make strategic decisions pertaining to staff and procedures. The ideal candidate will have the patience to work through multiple projects and timelines, along with the tenacity and perseverance to finalize projects. The hired candidate is expected to set a positive example of competence, professionalism, energy, and work ethic for the organization and community. The successful candidate must possess a strong focus on community needs and the communication skills to engage stakeholders in finding common solutions. Education & Experience The ideal candidate will have 10 years of experience managing people, large budgets, and capital projects, including road construction, facilities, and snow and ice removal. A licensed engineer (PE), MBA, or MPA are preferred credentials. Compensation & Benefits The salary range for this position is $85,000 - $115,000 annually, based on qualifications and experience, with a competitive compensation package that includes health benefits and participation in the NYS pension system. The expected hiring range is in the low to middle of the range. For questions, contact Mike Russell at [EMAIL REDACTED] or (315) 253-1480. Apply Apply online at ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 The Community Cayuga County is a great place to live and work and offers extensive opportunities for entertainment, outdoor and cultural activities. In the middle of the Finger Lakes wine country, you can enjoy clear lakes, spectacular scenery, charming villages and award‐winning wines. From boating and fishing on one of our eight lakes to enjoying music, theatre, fine arts and history, you will find our Finger Lakes culture rich and varied. Cayuga County (population 80,000) is located in the western central part of the state, in the Finger Lakes region. Owasco Lake is in the center of the county, and Cayuga Lake forms part of the western boundary. Lake Ontario is on the northern border, and Skaneateles Lake and Cross Lake form part of the eastern border. The county has a total area of 864 square miles, of which 692 square miles is land and 172 square miles (20%) is water. Cayuga County has more waterfront land than any other county in the state not adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. The county was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Cayuga County is strategically situated near major upstate population centers (Rochester, Syracuse) and is home to both major industrial enterprises and robust small businesses. The county‐wide workforce of over 40,000 is heavily engaged in the agricultural, manufacturing and services sectors. The county is home to Cayuga Community College and Wells College. The cost of living in Cayuga County is 3% below the national average and 29% below the state average. Director of Public Works The City of Auburn (population 27,000) is Cayuga's county seat and its largest community. Auburn's first-rate historical and cultural attractions such as the Harriet Tubman Home (Underground Railroad) and Seward House Museum, which jumped to national attention in the best‐selling book, 'Team of Rivals', blend with charming ethnic neighborhoods and first‐class entertainment at the Merry‐Go‐Round Playhouse and Auburn Public Theater. Watch the Auburn Doubledays play baseball at Falcon Park or see where sound on film was invented at the Case Research Lab. Auburn is the location of many county-wide government offices, banking and finance, legal and medical services. Downtown Auburn is the hub of business activity and in the Downtown Business Improvement District alone there are over 200 retail, financial, food, entertainment and professional businesses as well as dozens of not‐for‐profit organizations and government agencies. Cayuga County's smaller towns and villages are truly the essence of what the Finger Lakes are all about – rural charm with a sophisticated flair. Aurora, on the east side of the longest of the Finger Lakes, Cayuga Lake, has been said to have a 'Norman Rockwell' quality and it lives up to its reputation.