Council receives Community Development organizational assessment; staff to report back in six months

The City Council received a report on a recent organizational assessment of the Community Development Department and directed staff to return with a six‑month progress update.

Community Development Director Mark Weiner summarized findings from a 2023 Matrix Consulting Group assessment and outlined actions the department has already taken: monthly cross‑department meetings, a bi‑monthly “lunch and learn” training series, an online customer feedback survey, application checklists for common permits, and a transition to e‑permitting with a public portal. Weiner said the city has implemented City Tech and is preparing to launch iWORK as the next iteration of the permitting system; the software will provide an online application flow, parcel mapping and a public permit lookup that, when live, will allow residents and applicants to query status and active permits by address.

The assessment flagged needs in five categories: management/administration, technology, process improvement, customer outreach and staffing. On staffing, the report recommended a permit‑center supervisor, a third plan check engineer and converting an administrative position to a building analyst to reduce outsourcing of plan checks and improve turnaround time. Weiner said staffing additions were not immediately budgeted and recommended staff and the city manager evaluate reorganization and fee adjustments during the next budget cycle; he asked the council for a policy commitment to consider additional positions during the fiscal process if needed.

Councilmembers praised many of the department’s recent changes and asked staff to benchmark current performance so the city can track improvements. Councilmember Narenheim called for a midterm check and asked for metrics that show review times and permit volumes. City Manager Wichanski and Director Weiner proposed a six‑month follow‑up report that will include performance metrics, progress on iWORK implementation, and any recommended staffing or fee adjustments.

Action: The council voted to receive and file the assessment and directed staff to return with a six‑month progress report and metrics. The motion passed unanimously.

What happens next: Department staff will roll out iWORK permitting for public use, expand application checklists and process flowcharts, and prepare a budget response report in time for the next budget cycle that will evaluate potential staff additions against contract expenditures for outsourced plan checks.