Agenda - 05-05-2009 - 6b - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 • Administrative duties can be realigned to create efficiencies. 3. Broader opportunities for succession planning would exist in the larger department 4. Better overall coordination of the management of the County's many assets. Purchasing and Central Services As previously noted, this action would realign the Purchasing function with the new department rather than with Financial Services. Although the alignment of a portion of the Purchasing and Central Services Department with Financial Services was approved by the Board in March 2008, functionally the reorganization was not carried out, pending physical relocation of the Purchasing function to the Link Center. Funding for the Link Center was delayed, thereby delaying the commencement of the renovation. In addition to the natural connectivity to duties of the new department, maintaining the Purchasing function outside of Financial Services provides better separation of duties and strengthens internal control. As part of the proposed new department, the same employees responsible for initiating purchases will not be the same employees who can effect payment for the purchases, nor will they be supervised by an employee who can do so. This would not be the case if consolidated with Financial Services. Organization In this proposal, the current Director of Purchasing and Central Services would assume the role of Department Director of the proposed new department. To realize the greatest efficiency with limited resources the new department is likely to operate within functional or project oriented work teams before finalizing a formalized organizational chart. It is expected the departmental structure will evolve as duties are realigned with the stated purpose of the department and as attrition occurs among the staff. The preliminary organization chart is attached to help the readers understand the categories around which the work teams would be formed. Service Locations The new department would be located on the third floor of the new office building. The building is scheduled for completion in late Spring-2009. Public Works operations staff would remain at their current location on Highway 86N, Hillsborough. Name of Department Several alternative names were considered for the proposed department. The working title for the proposed department is: Asset Management & Purchasing Department Reorganization Timeline The consolidation of Engineering, Public Works and the Purchasing and Central Services Department would become effective July 1, 2009.