07/14/09
Revised administrative code reduces number of Town departments
For the first time in more than 16 years, the Town has updated the administrative code that outlines the Town's departmental structure. By unanimous vote, the council approved the new administrative code, one which retains the planning and the building codes departments as separate departments.
Councilors voted last month to table the proposal put forth by Town Manager Michael McGovern, which included a proposal to have the town's building inspector report to the town planner.
"In this time of desire for streamlined government and efficient administration, my earlier draft sought to reduce the number of departments from 11 to 7," said McGovern, in a memo to the Town Council dated June 27, 2009. "The draft now before you reduces the number of departments to 8, with 3 of those within the (Assessing/Codes/Planning) office.
At their June 8 meeting, councilors tabled the administrative code proposal because of concern that the independent judgment of the code-enforcement officer, who is also the building inspector, would be compromised.
"I remain unconvinced of why we need three departments in one small office," McGovern's memo continues. "Within the framework you are authorizing, I will do my best to ensure effective and efficient administration of all municipal operations," the memo says.
Presenting his original proposal last month, McGovern said he was proposing the structure to facilitate administrative functions in the assessing, codes and planning office.
The offices were merged several years ago following a Town Hall remodeling that brought the planning office, then located in the basement of Town Hall where the Cape Courier now rents space, to the top floor of the building. The assessing and codes offices, then housed in the current William H. Jordan Conference Room, were also moved to the same top-floor office.
"It was good to have those together, because they are related to land use and they are seeing a lot of the same citizens," McGovern said at the June 8 meeting. However, the work flow is not always clear for the two clerical staff persons serving the three departments. "It's really unworkable administratively in many respects," McGovern said.
Looking at other models in other communities, McGovern said, about half have the planner and code officer reporting to the town manager, as is the case in Cape Elizabeth; and half have the codes officer reporting to the planner. None of the models had the planner reporting to the code officer.
The approved administrative code, which retains separate codes and planning offices, reflects the consensus of Town councilors at a workshop held June 27.
"On balance, I believe the new administrative code is an improvement over the administrative code that has been in place," McGovern's memo says.
One of the most important changes in the administrative code, McGovern said, is in the Fire Department. When the volunteer fire companies met this year, they voluntarily agreed to discontinue election of their own officers in favor of appointments by the fire chief. "It's a major change in the human resources aspect of the Fire Department," McGovern said.
The administrative code update, the first since 1993, reflects a number of changes that have occurred within the town. These include the Water Extrication Team becoming a company of the Fire Department, the discontinuance of the sewer board of appeals, and the Fire/Police Unit moving from the Police Department to the Fire Department.
It also includes a new section outlining purchasing procedures.
Here are other highlights of the revised code:
- The Administration Department, the Finance Department and the Records Department are combined into a single Administrative Services Department. The Town Clerk serves as the head of this department with the duties described in the document.
- The Legal Department is no longer included in the administrative code. The town attorney position is provided for in the municipal charter.
- The Department of Emergency Preparedness is no longer a separate department, instead it is incorporated into the fire department and the director of emergency preparedness will report to the fire chief. It is hoped that this change will bring emergency management preparedness into the volunteer recruitment environment of the fire department as we need more voluntary assistance during significant local emergencies.
- The Library Department would now be designated simply as the Thomas Memorial Library.
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