MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL

 

 

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA  TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2000

 

 

The Council of the City of San Jose convened in Adjourned Regular Session at 8:15 a.m. in the San José McEnery Convention Center, Room J.

 

               Present: Council Members - Chavez, Dando, Diaz, Diquisto, Fiscalini, LeZotte, Matthews, Powers, Shirakawa, Jr., Woody; Gonzales.

 

               Absent: Council Members - Diaz (excused).

 

ORDERS OF THE DAY

 

               Upon motion by Vice Mayor Fiscalini, seconded by Council Member Powers, and unanimously carried, the Orders of the Day and the Amended Agenda were approved. Vote: 10-0-1-0. Absent: Diaz.

 

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

 

9a.         Endorsement of the City Service Area Performance Measures, Milestone #2 of Investing in Results.  (City Manager’s Office)

               (Council referral 4/11/00 – Item 9a)

 

               Documents filed:  Memorandum from City Manager, Del D. Borgsdorf, dated April 6, 2000, recommending Council endorse performance measures at the City Service Area level as indicators of progress toward goals and objectives in service delivery and as a component of the context for discussing policy direction and resource allocations.

 

               Discussion/Action: Mayor Gonzales opened the meeting on Investing in Results: Milestone 2; stated he is pleased with the progress to date and believes the process has tremendous potential process for the City’s organization and more importantly, for the residents of San José.

 

               INTRODUCTION - City Manager Del Borgsdorf explained the process whereby incremental decisions have been grouped and tested against City Service Areas and the Council policy priorities identified at the previous Council workshop. He stated the Quest Partnership team comprise the core group which is taking responsibility for the process, that seven of the 14 service areas have been selected for presentation to showcase the progress to date on performance measures, introduced members of the Quest Partnership team, and introduced Assistant to the City Manager Pamela Stone Jacobs to describe the chronology of the progress to date. She stated the process involves a culture change and the core team focused efforts on building a framework to support the culture change, that the alignment model is the graphical representation of the framework, and presented background leading up to Milestone 2. She stated the timeline calls for performance measures at the operations level by July 2000, that the framework is in place with the purpose of delivering community benefits and services which customers need and want, and the framework will need refinement over the next several years as the process leads to a fully integrated performance based budget.

 

               II.         USING PERFORMANCE MEASURES – From Policy Priority to Front-Line Action - Assistant City Manager Debra Figone stated performance measures for City Service Areas (CSAs) as one component of a comprehensive system of service delivery and management, can indicate where improvement is needed and where resources should be directed. She stated services will be measured in four key measurement areas: (1) quality, (2) timeliness (or cycle time), (3) customer satisfaction, and (4) cost. She stated the term “indicators” are being used to identify high level measures that are typically outside of the City’s control but which are important to understand for their impact on City Service Areas.  She introduced the first of the seven presentations. Transportation – Deputy City Manager Kay Winer led the Transportation Team’s presentation of transportation services that cut across departments and was joined by Streets and Traffic Director Wayne Tanda for discussion of the condition of the City’s streets. Council Member Woody requested Staff develop methods to assist Council Members in providing timelines on projects affecting the community. Council Member Chavez stated she would like to understand in more detail how the process will become operational. Council Member Dando suggested neighborhood centers be used to organize discussions on specific neighborhood problems, identify solutions and follow-up on implementation. Mayor Gonzales pointed out the need to use terminology that residents would understand.  Environmental and Utility Services – Environmental Services Director Carl Mosher led a presentation by the Environmental and Utility Team and with James Derryberry, Director of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement, focused on land use as it relates to the environment.  Public Safety – Police Chief William Lansdowne, assisted by Deputy Chief Adonna Amoroso, led the Public Safety presentation. Council discussion ensued around the area of response times and subsequent questions were answered by the Administration.  Community and Library Services – City Librarian Jane Light and Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Director Mark Linder made the presentation. 

 

RECESS/RECONVENE

 

               The Council of City of San José recessed at 9:35 a.m., reconvened at 9:50 a.m. and resumed the Investing in Results, Milestone 2 presentation.

 

               Facilities and Equipment Services – Conventions, Arts and Entertainment Director Nancy Johnson led the presentation.  Land Use and Regulatory Services – Deputy City Manager Darrell Dearborn and Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Director Derryberry made the presentation.  Park and Open Space – The presentation was made by Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Director Mark Linder.  City Council Question and Answer – Mayor Gonzales stated all fourteen of the City’s Service Areas are important and requested Council discussion of the remaining seven areas be scheduled. Concerns were expressed by Council Member Woody about establishing good communication systems with neighborhoods and focusing on customer satisfaction. Council Member LeZotte stated concerns that aggressive pursuit of development could be detrimental to quality of life and environmental issues. Mayor Gonzales stated certain aspects of growth can facilitate the addressing of environmental issues. Council Member Powers suggested the Administration consider the County’s role as an outside partner in the area of land use issues. At the Parks and Open Space presentation, Mayor Gonzales requested the cycle time should stress completing projects within the budget year, and stated that customer satisfaction should be heavily weighted around residents. Mayor Gonzales thanked participants and requested discussions of the remaining seven CSAs be scheduled. City Manager Borgsdorf thanked the Mayor and City Council for their input and comments and stated the Administration would schedule another session to complete discussion of performance measures in the City Service Areas.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

               By unanimous consent, the Council of the City of San José adjourned at 11:55 a.m., and the Investing in Results, Milestone 2, meeting was continued to the April 18, 2000 City Council meeting.

 

RON GONZALES, MAYOR

 

 

ATTEST:

 

PATRICIA L. O’HEARN, CITY CLERK