[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6659447,"mediaKeyId","2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4","parentId",2460273,"title","Council and staff use '1alignment exercise to surface staffing, CIP and service gaps","audioSeconds",1215,"startMs",8512000,"endMs",9727000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4&start=8512&end=9727","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4/thumbnail_8512000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6659447/Folsom/Sacramento-County/California/Council-and-staff-use-1alignment-exercise-to-surface-staffing-CIP-and-service-gaps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659447-6915351486a67b32caec4a5b64d618a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171454&Signature=G7117CFJalUSolXRzkY~hTjoKZilEwpylk0eAHWM72DmGnQ7eT4hDyXSYP62TaTErQmLz0aNJLC8jkjI8y9G4FyScQi7NG0lTbaMF91wNNjhUJIqc-cGN8FqVqr1DtQXQWjyYV8iPh094NsuQxajJD7Uf-rtuOTcGBHhxX0FvnO5xR87fleQ6vZv1a2zPHz35XZcxRLOdkpkXgvqHGzeM-u3thS1cIZdhdQFJO5n06Vof17vex3Bl1pI2JjxGjhuQ-ZbBsjFb8iuF0WZWY~WtS~a5sLtmW8cwDTyPeq-rPfmEBuKG9UKd0Cc7Ve5L21UuZPsf-A9Vp4ZyEBCz5ujbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-01T00:30:06Z","article","The Folsom City Council and executive staff used a co-alignment exercise Feb. 28 to identify where the city's priorities, organizational structure and external networks are out of sync.

City leaders worked through a four-part co-alignment model (agenda, domain, network, structure) and placed a set of candidate problems on the map. Common themes that surfaced during the discussion were: insufficient staffing relative to the workload across multiple departments; a backlog of deferred maintenance and capital-renewal needs in parks, facilities and roads; limited library access for residents in the Folsom Plan area; tensions in the historic district between preservation goals and proposed downtown growth; and technology/automation shortfalls that hinder operational efficiency.

Councilmembers and directors described how those misalignments manifest in daily operations. Public-works and engineering staff said state reporting requirements and regulatory responsibilities have increased workload and reduced the time available to deliver capital projects. Parks staff said the CIP historically emphasizes new facilities tied to growth while renovation and lifecycle funding for existing assets has been deferred. Library staff said closures and limited branch presence mean some residents in newer growth areas travel outside the city for services.

Multiple participants also said public-safety staffing and recruitment present a structural-domain challenge: expectations for 24/7 policing and fire/EMS coverage continue to rise while the city competes with neighboring jurisdictions and special districts for limited personnel. Participants raised technology and information-technology investment as part of the structural response that could improve service delivery without proportional increases in headcount.

The exercise did not produce formal policy actions; rather, participants used the model to surface top priorities for future council discussion and for staff work during the spring budget season. Participants asked staff to bring more quantified analyses to upcoming budget briefings: staffing studies, prioritized capital-renewal cost estimates, and options for library service expansion and technology investments.

Ending: The co-alignment exercise produced a council- and staff-generated list of priorities that staff will quantify and return with options during the formal budget and CIP cycles.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Folsom City Council Special - February 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a Feb. 28 workshop session on co-alignment theory, councilmembers and department directors identified misalignments between the city's agenda, structure, networks and service domain, highlighting staffing, deferred maintenance and library service access as recurring themes.","taxTitle","Folsom , Sacramento County, California","taxId",2899,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6659451,"Community development director reviews land-use framework, housing progress and specific plans",853,7451000,8304000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4&start=7451&end=8304","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4/thumbnail_7451000.jpg","/articles/6659451/Folsom/Sacramento-County/California/Community-development-director-reviews-land-use-framework-housing-progress-and-specific-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659451-6dc68c956c6e537def2b8ace32f1b47b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171454&Signature=iY85iCfjHGMUsMJOxDU40TNemIgZLYlV7Yrs8Wyk6EUPNfGBP72ra5nhy2fNm851PIPrPdpErCJeMpJ66lutoGKsG4zn6om6SzR9IXGMJItgD-T-vipkUaVVq~HAQQ6LfbwshEoeP98JmX2uKS~fsw6Xx-8hXm3rPZvtu9ONvVwZAKVFX08kAemPNzjbHt5X7WqelT0RiiW3ofga9Fy9o7xhDyle5gtWTqhkHQf-bUazmEhmIoKUeh~QtuYyC2cgXbOjf91U2IfACx6kzbMUCeK1zTrRq2ePssDtHX5j1WPekbnOezCKcLUrxn3XeQ-9nKg1jRIaqbl~Nfosq59GkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Pam Johns, Folsom's Community Development Director, told the City Council Feb. 28 that the city's land-use framework relies on state planning law, the general plan and zoning code, and a mix of specific plans and area plans that together govern development and consistency reviews.

Johns reviewed the hierarchy of laws and plans that apply to land use: state statutes and the Government Code, the Subdivision Map Act, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Brown Act (meeting law), the Mitigation Fee Act and local implementation through Folsom's general plan and zoning code. She said specific plans apply to roughly one-third of the city's land area and that several large master-planned areas were annexed and developed under those plans.

Johns told the council the city had completed approximately half of its total unit allocation for the current housing cycle and had made progress on lower-income unit obligations, noting the city is roughly three-and-a-half years into an eight-year regional housing cycle. \"From an above-moderate perspective, we've provided all the housing we were expected to provide,\" Johns said, noting the state will monitor progress and ask what further measures the city will take to meet allocations for lower-income units.

She also discussed how the city handles discretionary review, appeals and environmental review. Most discretionary land-use decisions are subject to public hearing; director- or commission-level decisions can be appealed to the council within 10 days, and council decisions are final unless challenged in court. The city contracts with consultants for technical CEQA work, and developers generally fund the required environmental analyses.

Johns reviewed specific-area planning in Folsom, including the River District and Central Business District vision plans, and noted that older master plans (for example, the historic district and earlier master-planned neighborhoods) sometimes contain provisions that are inconsistent with newer zoning or standards; staff said they have addressed many inconsistencies but will continue to refine rules as needed.

On deed-restricted affordable housing, Johns explained that the city can require deed restrictions when it provides financing or loan support (for example, housing trust funds) and that recent general-plan amendments included deed-restriction commitments for certain sites in the South of Highway 50 plan area. When affordable projects are privately financed without city participation, the property owner may not accept a city deed restriction unless they request city funding or the council requires it as part of an approval condition.

Ending: Johns said the department will continue to bring forward zoning-code updates, monitor housing progress, and pursue targeted area-plan and vision-plan work as directed by council.

(There were no land-use approvals or final actions recorded during the workshop; the session was informational.)","Pam Johns, community development director, outlined Folsom's planning framework, specific plans, CEQA process and the city's progress toward its housing allocation during a Feb. 28 workshop.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6659455,"City staff reviews procurement rules, advises firms to register for solicitations",2715,3295000,6010000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4&start=3295&end=6010","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4/thumbnail_3295000.jpg","/articles/6659455/Folsom/Sacramento-County/California/City-staff-reviews-procurement-rules-advises-firms-to-register-for-solicitations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659455-7a080ecdf24d8151c1af371c4a26fd39/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171454&Signature=D-dz6JyIRSSZ0S5d1UJMqSx7CDpkmMib3xsh7jjHdH4c0ipmVjEKP5IeGvmxq7vOINfU5Eli9e0tuXaMFGXNFmz5mYYaepnByvJuy-g2MmLsMijKNXe1US2lWxcAdKleuK50LASkjDRSd77KU8jKptCDYXYhKSEvu7fBAfgSmQFDd5pl3dvIg9JHklwbfY7Q4Kw6baTjIRo2NvOj~QPogyVxuMKjfhIatqWIrUxQTKVyhvpKmgu0nIFVlWv8VZaClzLYuRiVrpl4I16eQQCvCAHfff3l269gOB401cKdEc9Y8AHjqjSVfRyCFcxfyuZmb7r8LY5cp5eu0gum1k7krA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Procurement staff reviewed the city's contracting rules, selection methods and risks at a Feb. 28 workshop, and urged businesses seeking city work to make themselves known to staff.

Marcus Yasutaki, Environmental Water Resources, described how the city differentiates public-works projects (competitive sealed bidding), professional services (qualifications-based selection / request for proposals) and nonprofessional services (request for proposals where cost is evaluated). He also summarized emergency procedures used when urgent repairs are required.

Under the procurement rules Marcus described, public-works projects are awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder after advertised bids are opened and verified. Professional services follow the Brooks Act/Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) approach in which selection is based on demonstrated competence and qualifications; when cost is considered, staff weigh technical scores and cost to identify best value. Nonprofessional services (landscaping, janitorial, etc.) are procured by RFP with cost factored in the award decision. Emergency services may be procured under a waiver of bid to allow immediate repairs, Marcus said.

Marcus told council members that failure to follow statutory procurement methods can expose the city to bid protests, legal challenge, loss of state or federal funding and increased project costs. \"If you aren't careful, you can potentially have increased project costs, additional life cycle costs because something did not go right in the bidding process and something was potentially missed,\" Marcus said.

Council members raised questions about how small businesses find city solicitations. Marcus said departments maintain lists for typical consultants and contractors in each discipline; if firms contact the department and ask to be added to a distribution list they will be notified when a relevant RFP is released. Staff said they would follow up with the information technology team to evaluate a centralized vendor-registration or keyword-notification system to alert interested businesses when bids are posted.

Marcus also described the content of typical staff reports for council contract actions: the municipal-code section authorizing the award, an explanation of the selection process, the ranking of technical proposals (if applicable) and the budget or funding source for the contract. If an awarded contract exceeds budget, the staff report will request an appropriation increase for council consideration, he said.

Ending: Procurement staff urged businesses to register with departments that most closely match their services and asked council support for staff follow-up to improve the city's vendor-notification process.","Public works and procurement processes were reviewed at the Folsom workshop; staff described selection methods for public-works, professional and nonprofessional services and recommended small businesses register with the city for notices.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6659458,"Folsom finance staff outlines budget process, warns of maintenance funding gap",2052,2836000,4888000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4&start=2836&end=4888","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2460273-1d0cfcef2da60383951fa9c61a390dd4/thumbnail_2836000.jpg","/articles/6659458/Folsom/Sacramento-County/California/Folsom-finance-staff-outlines-budget-process-warns-of-maintenance-funding-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6659458-92d6d683643c01fc42f6e7c38736589f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171454&Signature=le-19Bd3h1p0YTtY6HFNm8bO9wy-kWsHOGj9pgEmVeP9~vsk73pPsumG0PEItOXgwhl63JTAzBCe9sGMhfnS-CCxnxJRsE5c0V9fe0c~AAb3nZ3VTr2MyQO04CcDy-wSNS5q6A1oGGRYkg7jWQRH27cq5C-e8bolgllXGS0POHCOemYabquCOYUwHeXN89jJ2EI2vbxfak6iK05MJm6iYnb0YoIUPEON16Df2mXzNJOcdqVMQjTwx1kynUEx3tFuvJjrdfagxVSDGEB1WI170YWDfP13gyMkQeVid9p-BDznDrc9tB4N5IqPX-5Tuq7C2yKSpfkp7tn8ao5gsI1Dlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff led a workshop Feb. 28 to brief the Folsom City Council on how the city prepares its annual budget, how funds are constrained by legal restrictions, and where shortfalls are most likely to appear.

The presentation explained that the budget and accounting framework is guided by national accounting standards, the Folsom Municipal Code and best-practice recommendations from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Finance staff said the city follows a policy range of 17 to 20 percent for unassigned general fund balance and maintains an operating contingency of at least 1 percent, but that funding for ongoing building, equipment and technology replacement is insufficient.

Finance staff said the city's overall adopted budget for fiscal year 2024'25 was roughly $247 million, with about $117 million appropriated in the general fund and approximately $115 million in general-fund revenues budgeted for the year. Major general-fund revenue sources cited were property tax (about 39 percent of general-fund revenue) and sales tax (about 25 percent). Staff noted the city uses conservative revenue forecasting and engages external consultants for major sources such as sales and property taxes because projections must be made many months in advance of cash receipts.

Stacy (Finance presenter), identified in the workshop as the staff member leading the briefing, described how the city separates resources into enterprise funds, special revenue funds, capital projects funds, internal service funds and fiduciary funds. She said enterprise fund rate revenues (for water, wastewater and solid waste) cannot be used for general-fund operations; impact fees collected for new development are legally restricted to specified capital uses (parks, fire stations, police facilities, library, etc.); and internal service funds (for example, the risk management fund that pays benefits) are billed to departments and are intended to be neutral in effect.

\"Revenue estimates do not pay bills,\" Stacy said during the presentation, summarizing the GFOA guidance that overly optimistic revenue forecasts often precede fiscal stress.

On reserves and one-time revenues, staff reiterated the city's policy that nonrecurring revenue should not be used for ongoing operations. Finance staff pointed to the city's practice of dedicating one-time federal funds (for example, ARPA in previous years) to one-time projects or to reducing long-term liabilities.

Multiple council members and department heads raised follow-up questions in the workshop. Questions focused on the composition of the internal service/risk management fund (staff confirmed it carries roughly $20 million in budgeted expenses and that each operating fund pays an overhead allocation for benefits), the need to quantify an appropriate annual contribution for building and equipment replacement, and the city's plan to implement OpenGov budgeting software to give the public and council easier access to line-item data.

Stacy said the city updated its fund-balance policy in December 2023 to a 17'20 percent target for unassigned general-fund balance and that any balance above the policy was designated for capital to reduce long-term obligations. She also said the city currently lacks a dedicated replacement fund for major financial systems and has no set-aside for a significant future software upgrade.

Council members and department directors repeatedly raised the maintenance backlog and deferred capital-renewal spending as a priority. Several participants said that while the city has planning policies and a capital improvement program (CIP), much of recent CIP spending has been for new facilities associated with growth rather than the renovation or replacement of existing assets. Staff acknowledged they are not currently budgeting at the levels the city's financial policies recommend for orderly lifecycle replacement of fleet, facilities and parks.

No formal decisions or votes were taken at the workshop; staff said the proposed FY 2025'26 budget will be presented May 27, with a public hearing and first opportunity for adoption June 10 and a final adoption deadline of June 30, per the municipal code. Finance staff said that if the council does not adopt a budget by June 30, the manager's proposed budget is deemed adopted under the code.

The discussion produced a set of follow-up items staff said it would pursue ahead of the formal budget season, including: providing a quantified assessment of required annual funding for building-and-equipment replacement, preparing public-facing OpenGov budget pages, and continuing conservative revenue forecasting.

Ending: The briefing identified fund-type constraints and long-term obligations as the principal drivers of near-term fiscal choices and flagged deferred maintenance and capital-renewal funding as the highest priorities for follow-up in the coming budget cycle.","City finance staff reviewed Folsom's budget process, fund structure and reserve policy at a Feb. 28 workshop, urging council attention to long-term sustainability and underfunded building-and-equipment needs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council and staff use '1alignment exercise to surface staffing, CIP and service gaps

Community development director reviews land-use framework, housing progress and specific plans

City staff reviews procurement rules, advises firms to register for solicitations

Folsom finance staff outlines budget process, warns of maintenance funding gap