MINUTES FOR THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
OF THE CAPE CORAL CITY COUNCIL
Monday, October 15, 2007
Council Chambers 3:00 PM
Meeting called to order by Mayor Pro Tem Boyd at 3:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Council Members Hair, LePera, Stevens, Berardi, Bertolini, Boyd and Day
Mayor Feichthaler was excused
City of Cape Coral Citizens Academy
City Manager Stewart explained that Terri Hall, Legislative Coordinator, will perform the presentation regarding the Citizens Academy, providing an opportunity to reach out to the citizens of Cape Coral.
Legislative Coordinator Hall presented the Citizens Academy program that has proven to be very successful in other communities. The primary goal of the Academy is to provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about the inter-workings of their local government. It is hoped that citizens complete the program with a better understanding of their city government and to go into the community feeling more positive about the operations conducted at City Hall. She explained that participants will gain insight on how their local government works, find open lines of communication with City Staff, and learn how to become involved in programs and activities that will contribute to the betterment of the City. She described the process, stating it is a 12-week program with each four hour session hosted by a different City department. There will be two class sessions per year, one in the winter and one in the summer. The winter class will begin January 10, 2008 and end on March 27, 2008.
City Manager Stewart stated that staff has been working on the Academy, researching other communities and putting together the format to utilize.
Council Member Berardi commented that he believed this was a great public service tool and hoped residents take advantage of the program.
Council Member Bertolini requested clarification on how participants will be chosen.
Legislative Coordinator Hall responded that it will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Residency verification and background checks will be performed.
Council Member LePera offered her support for the program, stating it is a great opportunity to get people interested and participating further with their government.
Council Member Boyd agreed that it was a good program and looked forward to the results.
Presentation of Initial Results of First Three (3) "Lean Government" Events
City Manager Stewart explained that the “Lean Government” was about providing the right service, at the right time, in the right amount, and doing this each and every time while minimizing the resources needed to accomplish this. He clarified the terminology associated with the event and then introduced the participants of the programs, who reviewed the first three phases of the “Lean Government” as follows:
What is “Lean”
u Endless Pursuit of Waste Elimination
What is Waste
v Overproduction
v Transportation
v Motion
v Waiting
v Processing
v Inventory
v Defects
v
u Reduce cycle time
u Free up resources
What is “Kaizen”
Kai Zen
“take apart, separate, change” “for the better, good”
Kaizen = Change for the better
OR
Continuous Improvement
Kaizen Event = focused short term project to improve a process typically using a cross-functional team
Our Lean Journey
u Hire consultant – LeanBreakthru CG
u Establish leadership team
u Conduct 3 kaizen events
v Site Development Review
v Fire Department recruiting
v Code Enforcement mowing
u Results exceed our expectations
Site Development Review
TEAM MEMBERSHIP:
u Michael Ilczyszyn – Team Leader
u Shirley Burns
u Joe Mascari
u Gino Notarianni
u Barry Sullivan
u Mike Strohecker
u Stephanie Smith
u Debbie Festa (industry rep)
u Created cross-departmental team
u Mapped Process and Value Stream
u Identified non-value-added steps for removal and introduced value adding ones for implementation
v Deleted non-technical Sufficiency Review/replaced with Technical Review
v Eliminated Landscape agreements & streamlined Hold Harmless & Deviation forms. Working on various Real Estate agreements
v Streamlined requirements for entering rejection comments
u Implemented new process for 1st reviews:
v Developed queue management/sequencing
v Guaranteed daily work slot for site plan review gauged to current customer input rate
v Each discipline to work in parallel on same review
v Recognized the need for cross-training
SUMMARY OF IMPROVEMENTS
u Reduced SDR intake-to-customer cycle time for 1st Reviews from 28 days to 5 working days
u Reduced internal SDR review times for 1st Reviews to less than 1 day
Fire Department Recruiting
TEAM MEMBERSHIP:
u Chris Mikell – Team Leader
u Wanda Roop
u Patra Hill
u Roger Cole
u Paul Blanchard
u Alisha Fessel
u William Potoczny
u James Heikkila
u Van Patterson
u Created cross-departmental team
u Mapped Process and Value Stream
u Identified non-value-added steps
v Unneeded approval/review steps
v Negotiated reduced lead-times with medical & testing providers
u Implemented improvements to sequence test with highest failure rate at the beginning with 24 hour results before scheduling additional tests
v Reduced lead-time & resulted in cost savings of $6,800 for this hiring cycle
u Phase 2 improvements will apply to next hiring batch in calendar 2008:
v Build pre-qualified candidate pool
v Develop set hiring schedules throughout the year
v Ordinance draft to eliminate non-value added steps that delay process
v Ensure candidates have CPAT certification or have signed up for the test
u Overall hiring time will reduce from approximately 66 days to 30 days
SUMMARY OF IMPROVEMENTS
u Reduced lead-time & resulted in cost savings of $6,800 for this hiring cycle
u Overall hiring time will reduce from approximately 66 days to 30 days
u Will apply process improvements to hiring procedures for other Departments
Code Enforcement Mowing
TEAM MEMBERSHIP
u Craig Aberbach – Team leader
u Mike vanDeutekom
u Jacki Halbisen
u Henry Lopez
u Marilyn Buck
u Troy Watson
u Flo Upton
u Create cross-departmental team
u Mapped Process and Value Stream
u Identified non-value-added steps
v Excessive wait times for mowing company to mow
v Excessive wait times from when notify property owner to when schedule mowing company
v Requirement to attend Code Board hearings
u Implementing new process:
v Reduced time for mowing company to mow from 10-14 day range to 4-6 days
v Ordinance 128-07 drafted to change notification-to-mow lead-time from 30 days to 10 days
v Ordinance 128-07 would also eliminate the Code Board hearing step
u Reducing mowing response from 52 days to 38 days and then to 19 days
SUMMARY OF IMPROVEMENTS
u Reduced time for mowing company to mow from 10-14 day range to 4-6 days
u Reducing mowing response from 52 days to 38 days and then to 19 days
Next Kaizens
u These three projects are just the beginning
u Build on our successes
v PDP with Site plan from application to P&Z
v Procurement cycle
v Mini event: hiring of Public Works Laborers
The Lean Journey is Complex
u We are proud – and want you to be proud – of our staff who have jumped on this new opportunity
v Can generate significant savings
v Potential to “Do More with Less”
City Manager Stewart informed Council that staff will provide reports to keep them updated on the success of the events. He thanked City Staff for their excellent performance and hard work, and stated he was very proud of all who participated.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:48 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie J. Potter, MMC
City Clerk