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Parks and library report implementation steps after completed audit; pilots and shared contracts highlighted
Summary
Library and Parks staff told the Audit Committee they have begun implementing several audit recommendations including unified HR guidelines, a pilot for vapor monitors in restrooms, shared emergency-lockdown terminology and greater use of city master contracts and shared vendor lists.
City library and parks staff reported implementation activity on audit recommendations, describing new shared processes for human resources, public-safety procedures and procurement that aim to reduce duplication and provide shared services across co-located facilities.
Josh (library staff) told the Audit Committee the departments’ HR consultant teams have coordinated to produce unified guidelines, forms and a performance-based recognition implementation approach for both departments. He said the teams are also preparing shared FAQ documents for parental leave and joint training opportunities, and are working toward shared workplace-injury forms.
On public safety, Josh said the library is piloting vapor monitors in two locations to detect smoking and vaping in restrooms; parks staff were invited to observe the pilot given the high cost of devices and limited vendor options. Josh also said parks and the library have implemented common emergency-lockdown terminology aligned with St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) so staff across departments will use the same secure-status language in communications.
On procurement, staff reported expanded use of master contracts and shared vendor lists. Josh said the library recently used a master contract for security services and that procurement staff (Hero) are pursuing master contracts as an enterprise approach; staff also said they are streamlining contracts for small, temporary vendors (for example, performers) so small community vendors are not required to produce unnecessarily large insurance certificates.
Staff characterized projects using a cost/return framing: low-cost, high-return items include shared vendor lists, master contracts, equipment sharing at co-located sites, and HR collaboration; high-cost, high-return items include standardized maintenance systems and significant public-safety infrastructure; high-cost, low-return items included a city-wide enterprise security camera system and centralized HR functions, which staff said are not immediate priorities.
Tom (parks staff) and Josh said the audit work helped build relationships between departments and acted as a catalyst to move projects that had previously stalled due to day-to-day workloads.
Committee members thanked staff for work underway and discussed using upcoming audit assistance resources to support further departmental work. No committee vote or formal policy change was taken during the update.
