Timeline for Implementation of Project Management, Fiscal Reforms Still to Come

Back on March 15, the Piedmont League of Women Voters issued its that was plagued by cost overruns. The with its analysis of city finances was received by City Council on Sept. 6. Council accepted the on the handling of the undergrounding project on Oct. 17.

Monday, council discussed the recommendations contained in those three reports regarding the management of construction projects and city finances going forward, but has yet to take up the recommendations as action items. 

In a staff report presented Monday, City Administrator Geoff Grote outlined for the council what he sees as the five most pressing recommendations:

• to gain control over personnel costs and fringe benefits in particular, which the tax committee had pointed to as unsustainable;
• adopt the fund balance objectives laid out by the tax committee, particularly with regard to reserving funds for equipment replacement; 
• bring in a project manager for large capital and construction projects, as suggested by both the audit subcommittee and the League of Women Voters as well as the tax committee;
• avoid conflicts of interest in large projects;
• and take steps to ensure the costs of new city commitments are not paid for out of the general fund. 

Councilman Jeff Wieler asked that a resolution extending the moratorium on undergrounding projects, which is currently set to expire in March, be added to the priority list.

Several people, mostly members of the committees that had authored the recommendations, stepped up to the podium at Monday's meeting to urge the council to act swiftly. The clock is ticking. 

The municipal parcel tax could be on the ballot as soon as , and four of the nine tax committee members have signed on to an saying they would not support the measure if the city had not yet moved on their recommendations. , the council could vote to approve the proposed development of Blair Park, embarking the city on a new large construction project and commitment to maintain sports fields.

City Councilman John Chiang Monday asked Grote to put together a timeline with targets for executing the recommendations of the tax committee, league, and audit subcommittee. Noting that consideration of the Blair Park development would monopolize the council's next meeting Dec. 5, followed by budget and labor contracts in subsequent meetings, Grote suggested something could be put together next year.

"We'll be bringing something back the second meeting in January if that works for you all," he said.

If the council approves the Blair Park development, Grote acknowledged the council would have to move on the issue of project management sooner.

"The issue is going to be what will be the project management system adopted there," Grote said. "The council will have to use the principles that are set forth in these various reports. … There has to be a professional, experienced project manager who will protect the city's interests going forward—that's the critical principle."

Meantime, the council directed staff to post all three reports prominently on the homepage of the city website to encourage more feedback from the community. (All three reports are also attached to this article, along with the city administrator's staff report.)

contributed additional reporting for this article.