071294 - 4/10 work week - Box 067TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS
ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
FRANK G. TRIPEPI, CITY MANAGNL~
JULY 6, 1994
DISCUSSION OF 4/10 WORK WEEK
This item has been placed on the Agenda for discussion at the request of
the City Council. As the Council will recall, the City implemented a
4/10 work week in March 1993 in order to reduce costs, meet potential
SCAQMD "Regulation XV" requirements and increase the availability of city
Hall staff to those residents who ordinarily are not able to visit City
Hall between the hours"of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. When this program was
initiated, the Council, indicated that it wanted an evaluation of the
program on a periodic basis to determine whether or not those goals were
being met.
The following is a table indicating the savings in utility and service
costs realized by closing City Hall on Fridays. The figures were
obtained by comparing utility costs with bills paid during the same
period during the previous year. For example, to calculate the savings
in utility costs for April 1994, staff merely compared the bills for that
month with the bills from April 1993.
SAVINGS IN CITY HALL UTILITY EXPENSES
UTILITY TOTAL EXPENSES TOTAL EXPENSES TOTAL
4/10 WORK WEEK 5/8 WORK WEEK SAVINGS
So. Cal Edison $33,806.01
So. Cal Gas 3,800.88
Pac Bell 27,615.67
,Cal American Water 1,646.28
Janitorial Services 11,000.00
Total $77,868.84
y1,
1
$39,556.85
4,292.62
29,341.23
2,330.55
12,300.00
$87,821.25
$5,750.84
491.74
1,725.56
684.27
1,200.00
$9,852.41
COUNCIL AGENDA
JUL. 121994
ITEM No. V77 14.
Page 2.
A second point which should be noted is that there has been no reduction
in levels of staffing for Recreation and Parks services. The Parks and
Recreation Department has staggered its staff and parks crews to ensure
that there is coverage from Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00
p.m. This was achieved by giving half the crews Mondays off and the
other half Fridays off. All recreation classes continue to run six (6)
days each week, the parks continue to remain open and operational five
(5) days each week, and the two community centers remain open seven (7)
days each week. In short, the 4/10 program has had virtually no impact
on recreation and parks programs.
Third, the Council may recall that there was some concern that the AQMD
would expand Regulation XV trip reduction standards to include employers
of 25 persons or more. Currently, Regulation XV requirements state that
any employer with 100 or more employees must prepare and implement a
program to reduce the number of work related trips in single occupancy
vehicles. Gordon Mize of the SCAQMD indicated, however, that Regulation
XV is slated to be expanded to include employers with at least 25
employees by July 1, 1995. Of even more concern to the City, though, was
Mr. Mize's explanation of what the AQMD regards as an "employee." He
stated that any individual who works at least four (4) hours each week,
including contract personnel, should be counted toward the total number
of employees at a specific facility. If that standard is interpreted
literally, Rosemead is required under current standards to file a
Regulation XV plan and implement its provisions.
To date, the AQMD has not indicated its intent to mandate full compliance
under those very narrow standards. Mr. Mize indicated that the agency is
reviewing its enforcement standards, but, in brief, it is safe to assume
that Rosemead will not face penalties in the short-term. It is possible,
however, that we will be required to comply by July 1, 1995.
An additional issue in which the Council expressed interest is the number
of persons being served by the City Hall staff under the 4/10 Plan. The
Building Department indicates that between the period from March 1993
through March 1994, their staff served a similar number of persons daily
that it did in the six months prior to the implementation of the 4/10
Plan. However, it bears mentioning that a total of 1014 persons were
served at the counter between the hours of 7:00 - 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 -
6:00 p.m. during the period of March 1993 through June 1994. The monthly
tally is indicated on "Attachment A."
Page 3.
The Planning Department reports that it served a monthly average of 323
persons from March 1993 through June 1994, since implementing the 4/10
work week. For the six month period prior to March 1993, the Department
served an average of 343 persons each month. The monthly totals are
attached as "Attachment B." Please note that the Building Department
serves an average of 63 persons per month between the hours of 7:00 a.m.
- 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. The Planning Department figures
for the same time period average 13 persons each month, as indicated on
"Attachment B."
In addition, staff has established dedicated "hot lines" and answering
machines used by residents for scheduling building inspections and
reporting graffiti. Building Department staff and graffiti removal crews
are scheduled Monday through Friday, and they check messages daily. As a
result, there is no reduction of services in those areas.
Finally, it should be noted that staff has not received any complaints
about the change in work schedules or City Hall hours. In fact, as you
can see from one of the attachments, we did receive a telephone call
complimenting the City on its expanded hours. Also, the attached charts
indicate that a substantial number of people have chosen to conduct
business at City Hall during the expanded early morning and afternoon
hours.
FGT:nv
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