Council approves consultant-led process-improvement program to seek efficiencies

Cape Coral's City Council voted 8-0 on April 16 to authorize a consultant-led continuous improvement and process-engineering effort aimed at streamlining city operations and cutting inefficiencies.

Councilmember Kilraign, who introduced the request, said falling permit activity signaled potential economic headwinds and argued the city should examine internal processes to keep services affordable. "This resolution is a continuous improvement, process engineering, resolution," Kilraign said.

City Manager explained the initiative as a year-two internal focus after a year one of external goals. He said the city would bring in a consultant to train staff on process mapping, identify roadblocks and internal controls causing delays, and then transition the work to staff. The manager said no new staff are requested and the work will be done with the existing complement.

Councilmembers from across the dais voiced support. Councilmember Steinke and others said an independent firm can provide objective recommendations and that expected returns on investment could be large compared with the small cost to the budget. The council emphasized the first targets will be permit demand, maintenance operations and capital improvement project procurement.

The resolution passed with an 8-0 roll call. Staff will return with details on the consultant contract and a project plan; the manager said he will assign departmental representatives to participate in the effort and report back to council on recommended operational changes.