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15 <br /> <br />Consultant services help maintain and manage workload and processing times <br />during periods of higher volume, and when staff is not available or doesn’t have <br />specific expertise. Reducing these funds could impact advancement of critical long- <br />range planning projects, such as the Safety Element, General Plan Update, <br />Stoneridge mall, and East Pleasanton-related services if not reimbursed by <br />developers. It may also slow Housing Element implementation items, and Climate <br />Action Plan (CAP) 2.0 implementation items. Finally, it may result in an additional <br />approximately five business days turnaround time for building permit plan submittal <br />processing and plan review. <br /> <br />Due to the City Council’s prioritization of economic development and the regulatory <br />requirements around permit processing timelines and housing element <br />implementation, an approximately 50% reduction of the total amount, rather than the <br />entire $450,000 put forward in the initial reduction list, is recommended at this time. <br /> <br />20. Reduce in-person permit counter service to 2.5 days/week - $150,000, starting in <br />Year 1 <br />This item would reduce temporary, part-time staffing, and freeze a vacant clerical <br />position in the Community Development Department. These staffing reductions will <br />result in decreased service levels within the Permit Center, necessitating closure of <br />the public counter for two and a half days per week due to the loss of staff to fill <br />public counter/cashier shifts. <br /> <br />This item is recommended because it leverages existing staff vacancy and yields <br />notable savings, without major personnel impacts. Community impacts would be <br />mitigated by continuing to provide online/ phone/ email-based service during the <br />days when the in-person permit counter is closed. <br /> <br />21. Freeze Sustainability Manager position – Already frozen, no additional savings <br />This reduction would continue to freeze the vacant Sustainability Manager position <br />that is currently frozen in the budget, so no new savings will be realized. Freezing <br />this position will reduce the City’s ability to perform CAP 2.0 Implementation tasks <br />and necessitate the pause of the Energy and Environment Commission due to lack <br />of staff resources to support the Commission’s ongoing work. In spite of these <br />impacts, this item is recommended because it leverages existing staff vacancies <br />without impacting core services. <br /> <br />Alternatives (Reduction Options) <br />The potential reduction list included an additional seven potential program and service <br />savings that are not included in the preliminary recommendation. The following is a list <br />of each non-selected reduction with an explanation for why it was not included. <br /> <br />Page 17 of 40