Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

General Manager of Corporate Services and Chief Information Officer

SUBJECT:

Staffing Request to Initiate Reorganization of the Information Technology Department

 

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

POLICY

On June 19, 1990, Council established "information" as one of the City's corporate priorities.

Council is the approval body for major corporate reorganizations.

BACKGROUND
Council passed the Better City Government initiative in November 1994. That direction outlined three key aspects of the initiative of which information systems was explicitly one, and implied in another (reengineering). Information was recognized as a key aspect of the City both in terms of administration and its relationship to the public “where information is understood to be a vital tool in helping employees to do their jobs.”

At the July 25, 1996 meeting of the CS&B Committee Council approved the reorganization of the information technology function by creating a new department within the Corporate Services Group comprised of the then present Information Services operation and Telecommunications section of Engineering, including responsibility over and for the underground communication plant and the telecommunications equipment but excluding the Radio Shop operations.

Council instructed that all staff affected by this reorganization retain their existing positions and salary levels in the organization at start up, subject to a full position review and classification assessment at a later date to reflect the City's changing work and job requirements. Additionally, staff is to report back to Council on staffing issues concerning the new Information Technology department in order to bring level of its services to full functional capacity to adequately respond to workload considerations connected with the City's Better City Government and customer service initiatives.

The reorganization of the Information Technology Department has made progress with the hiring of Chief Information Officer, transfer of the designated Engineering Services Telecommunications section, a move of the Department to new quarters and a discussion paper on the concept of operations and proposed structures for the new organization which has been reviewed by CMT and approved in principle.

GROWTH OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AT CITY OF VANCOUVER

Information systems use has grown dramatically in the last ten years and especially the last 3 with investments, through the infrastructure program, to upgrade and expand desktop systems, invest in web / internet technologies and replacement of core administrative systems. Staff have enthusiastically taken up the technology and the use of systems and networks (especially e-mail) has exploded. We have become dependent on our systems both for administrative work and our relation to the public. Moreover, it is has become expected by the public that we use automated means for business, and often where we don’t we appear dated.

The investment has grown from about 1,700 screens (mostly terminals) in 1992 to 3,500 this year. Sites that are networked have grown from the general City hall area to 90 with us forecasting a built-out number of 140. This is not only related to office systems use such as e-mail, but also applications that are a part of business, such as SAP system, Report Tracking System, Geographic Information Systems which are used on widely for routine business across the city, as opposed to centralized ‘background’ support.

While some have questioned the value of our investments it would be difficult to imagine operating the City without widespread e-mail, office automation tools, and taking widespread advantage of investments such as GIS. In fact one of the management challenges we face is how to better manage our information now that it is significantly in electronic form. We have only begun to make widespread use of technology to better structure the business and especially our relationship with the public; there are especially significant opportunities in the areas electronic based customer self serve - also know generally as electronic commerce.
ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTION

The role of information technology has changed; we have become more widely dependent on technology. We need to adjust the organization to reflect this fact.

A reorganization has been drafted which recognizes this changing role from a department focused group for specific and limited services (i.e. the financial system, the pay system, etc.) to a broad based corporate service organization that is reflected by:

As our services shift to electronic means we must invest in more and higher skilled staff to ensure it is appropriate to service and keeps functioning. Additionally, security and disaster recovery for information technology become more difficult with greater openness to the public and dependency. The current situation is that the department is based on a staffing level that was reflective of a restricted and centrally “behind the scenes” focused service.

The CIO has drafted a target reorganization plan that in the longer term orients the corporate information technology services to better serve the changing environment and greater planning and policy roles of the department. Specifically,

INITIAL ORGANIZATIONAL STEPS (THIS REQUEST)

Fully achieving the proposed organization will take several years and increased personnel commitments. Council will decide on the level of commitment, in consideration of other priorities, as to commitment to growth in this area; growth should be incremental to allow controlled growth (or none). However the basic principles of a new organization and fundamental structures should be put in place now (which this proposal does) and built upon as Council decides is fit.

This request for staffing aims at the above objectives and allows the key aspects of the new organization to be put in place. Specifically to strengthen

·business management capacity, contracts, corporate wide purchasing etc.
·coordination of decentralized efforts and policy & standards to economize and get greater use and coordination of investment

·service to the public aspects of investments

·better alignment of existing functions
The key positions have had job descriptions written and a compensation study completed with consultation with the GVRD.
Information technology is a growth area in the economy, businesses and government. We will need to continue to invest in technology and the related resources, including material and personnel, as we become more dependent on, or elect to deliver, our services through electronic means.

REQUEST

Three new positions are requested as follows:

This will free a current managerial position to be re-deployed to financial and business management, an area that we currently are not adequately addressing (i.e. contract negotiations, financial management and general business operations) and has grown significantly with the varied and expanding operation. Additionally, the position will bring greater emphasis on broad customer services and corporate training efforts (training has been severely constrained through past budget cuts).
·Project Manager for Policy and Planning Coordination to establish consistent practices and plans across the City, in decentralized and centralized units. Our decentralized mode of operation requires formal coordination efforts to facilitate economy from commonality & standardization and yet allow decentralized efforts. Currently much of this work simply does not get done or we use short term contractors at much higher rates.

·Senior Systems Analyst (electronic commerce) primarily to build upon the web an various current investments in applications aimed at bringing services, including financial transactions, to the public directly through electronic means (i.e internet based payments). This is a new area of work for the City and one with outstanding potential for direct and progressive service to the public at the public’s convenience. This position will allow specialization to facilitate development in this area.
FINANCIAL IMPACT

The estimated costs for the above positions is $ 220,000 ongoing (including benefits).
Sources are as follows:

The above estimates are based on estimated classifications that require final approval of the General Manager Human Resources.
Copies of this report will be forwarded to CUPE Local 15.

CONCLUSION
This request will allow the Information Technology Department to organise to better manage the current information technology services at the City and be in a better structural position to take on new demands as they become needed as services become more technology based.

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