Better City Government: Street Survey & Design Process Review

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: September 21, 1999
Author/Local: E.C. Batty / 7315
RTS No. 1010

CC File No. 1375

Council: October 5, 1999

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Better City Government: Street Survey and Design Process Review

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT following the successful integration of digital technology into the Streets Survey and Design sections (with the ongoing saving of two full time equivalent positions less equipment replacement costs after the year 2002), that the reorganization of the Streets Design and Construction and Information Services Branches now be approved, involving further staff changes as outlined below;

i) the creation of an EA II position in the Streets Design and Construction Branch,

ii) the elimination of an EA 1 position in the Information Services Branch,

iii) the elimination of an EA III position and creation of an EA II position in the Information Services Branch,

along with other budget adjustments as outlined in this report at no net cost to the budget.

B. THAT the new positions created in the foregoing be subject to a classification review by the Director of Human Resources.

COUNCIL POLICY

Establishment of new positions requires Council approval.

On February 4, 1994, subject to Council discretion any recommendations for increased staff or enhanced programs are to be accompanied by recommendations for matching cost savings or related revenue increases.

Council approved the Service Improvement Reserve at its meeting of May 18, 1995.Council approval is required for projects over $100,000.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to discuss the successful integration of digital technology into the Streets Survey and Design sections as outlined in the Service Improvement proposal presented to Council in 1996. This report also requests approval of staffing changes in the Streets Design and Construction, and Information Services Branches arising from the process review.

BACKGROUND

On June 27, 1996, Council received a letter from the General Manager of Engineering Services outlining a work program for process redesign initiatives for 1996. Two of the initiatives were; the implementation of digital survey technology (Total Station) and another involved the application of digital drafting and design software.

On December 3, 1996 the Corporate Management Team approved funding of $15,000 from the Strategic Initiative Fund to hire a consultant to perform business process review of the streets design process in Engineering. The consultant's recommendations formed the basis of a business case to seek funding to implement the recommendations.

On April 1, 1997 the Corporate Management team approved the business case to seek Council approval to borrow $250,000 from the Service Improvement Reserve to purchase equipment and training as recommended by the consultant.

On May 15, 1997 Council approved the business case to transfer the Street Design Process from a manual process to a digital process and effect other process efficiencies.

DISCUSSION

There has been a successful transition from manual to digital technology in the Streets Survey and Design sections. The purchase of equipment, software, and training necessary for the change has been carried out within the $250,000 budget of the Service Improvement initiative proposed to Council. Survey and design work has been carried out in the section totally in the digital format since early 1998.

The $250,000 was provided as a loan, and was to be repaid through the elimination of two FTE positions and a reduction in overtime. A Survey Assistant position was eliminated in 1997 to begin repayment. Overtime has been reduced over several years, and in 1999 the anticipated reduction of $12,000 in overtime has been realized. The second FTE to complete the necessary reductions is the elimination of a second Survey Assistant position. This hasbeen achieved through a reduction in survey staff requirements. No regular employee will be affected. With these reductions now in place, the full $250,000 loan will be repaid by the year 2003. After that, a saving of two FTE salaries will be ongoing, except for funding of computer workstation and survey equipment replacements, as outlined in the original business case.

The business case provided the funding for the purchase of the digital equipment and software as well as training to assist staff in the change to new technology. Once the equipment was in place and new techniques were used by staff, the actual process of street survey and design was reviewed to maximize the benefits of the new technology. The following section outlines the changes being recommended to complete the reorganization of the drafting and design process.

Reorganization

The original streets survey, drafting and design work flow went through three separate sections and involved two separate Engineering Services Branches. The process review identified several changes to improve the survey and design procedures.

The staff in the Information Services Branch drafting section involved in the streets related functions were relocated to the same area as the street survey and design staff, and the responsibility for them reassigned to the Streets Design and Construction Branch. This required; the upgrading of a Streets Design EA IV to supervise the larger Streets Design section, and the creation of a regular junior designer position which had been temporary for several years. This allowed the full transfer of all the streets design and other related functions, which had been carried out in the Information Services Branch, to the Streets Design and Construction Branch. The Information Services Branch was therefore able to reduce its net staffing requirements and allow for the elimination of a EA I position and the downgrading of an EA III position to an EA II.

The revised reorganization has undergone a trial for over six months and has been working successfully. Funding is available to ensure that the new digital technology in the Streets Design and Survey sections is supported adequately. The detailed staffing and budget reallocations which were part of the reorganization are shown in Appendix I. There is no net budget cost.

Additional Benefits

In addition to the successful business case, the use of digital technology has resulted in other benefits.
-staff morale is improved by working with current, up to date equipment and technology.
-street survey and design information which is now in digital format can be easily used in theCity's GIS system.
- information can be transferred quickly and inexpensively through electronic networks.
-digital information available from other systems, such as legal base and traffic geometrics can be easily transposed to the design drawings.
-utility location information can be overlaid with street designs to identify conflicts and assist construction forces.
-storage needs for paper plans is reduced, as more street information is collected and stored in digital format.
-information is available at the work station instead of having to physically retrieve it.

PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS

A copy of this report has been sent to CUPE Local 15. There has been on-going consultation with the Union throughout the development of this revised process. Implementation of the reorganization outlined in this report will not involve any layoffs in the Streets Design and Construction Branch. Regular staff may be affected in the Information Services Branch. The EA I position to be eliminated is occupied by a regular employee. This employee can apply for other positions, but if this is unsuccessful, there are layoff provisions in the collective agreement to deal with these situations.

CONCLUSION

The Streets Survey and Design sections have completed a successful transition from manual to digital technology. The transition has been completed within the budget of the original Service Improvement proposal. Process reviews have improved the efficiency of the street design process. Staff morale has been improved through the migration to current, up to date technology. Centralization of the process provides for better, more stream lined management. The change to technology which is a standard in the industry provides a powerful tool, allowing further improvement as staff become more familiar with it. In addition we will also benefit as the technology is improved through demands and experience of the overall civil survey/design industry.

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APPENDIX I

BUDGET IMPLICATIONS OF THE STREETS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION BRANCH - SURVEY AND DESIGN SECTIONS REORGANIZATION

Positions to be added or altered in the Streets Design and Construction Branch

Net Annual Cost/(Saving)

Add EA II (pg17)

$ 39,500

Upgrade EA IV (pg25) one pay grade

AutoCad support for Streets Design

$ 2,600

$15,500

Sub-total

$57,600

Positions to be deleted or altered in the Information Services Branch

Net Annual Cost/(Saving)

Eliminate EA I ( pg 13)

($ 33,600)

Downgrade EA III (pg 21) to EA II (pg17)

($ 7,000)

Reduce Information Services Temporary Budget

($17,000)

Sub-total

($57,600)

* * * * *

Comments or questions? You can send us email.


TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Better City Government: Street Survey and Design Process Review

Positions to be added or altered in the Streets Design and Construction Branch	Net Annual Cost/(Saving)
Add EA II (pg17)	$ 39,500
Upgrade EA IV (pg25) one pay grade AutoCad support for Streets Design	$ 2,600 $15,500
Sub-total	$57,600

Positions to be deleted or altered in the Information Services Branch	Net Annual Cost/(Saving)
Eliminate EA I ( pg 13)	($ 33,600)
Downgrade EA III (pg 21) to EA II (pg17)	($ 7,000)

Reduce Information Services Temporary Budget	($17,000)
Sub-total	($57,600)