Stormwater Meeting Citizens Expectations Steven W. Hicks, Director - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Stormwater

• Rain or snow that runs off

pavement, rooftops & lawns

• Water enters streams, rivers &
• ceans with pollutants

Steven W. Hicks, Director Transit, Utilities, and Public Works Mid-Atlantic Chapter Conference May 8-10, 2013

Meeting Citizen’s Expectations

1

Overview

• Starting as New Director
• Petersburg Profile
• Public Works Profile
• Organizational Structure
• Challenges
• Core functions of Public Works
• First year initiatives
• Adjusting Leadership Styles
• Safety, Collaboration, and Customer Service
• How are we meeting customer’s expectations

2

Starting as New Director

3

“Being a Director has also this great drawback, that if we pursue it we must direct our lives in such a way as to please the fancy of men, avoiding what they dislike and seeking what is pleasing to them”.

Starting as New Director

4

“The reality is, if you can not resolve or be responsive to City Council’s or City Manager’s concerns in a decisive and timely fashion, the perception is that your not taking care of everybody else’s concerns.” Perception is reality. And in some cases the hidden truth. Bottom line – When we talk about our Customers, they are the

• nes who decides if we are meeting “Citizen’s Expectations”

Starting as New Director

• Started March 5, 2012
• Prior Experience – VDOT and James City County
• First Director since July 2001
• City Engineer was acting for 11 years
• Had three acting division heads
• Eleven key vacant positions

5

Petersburg Profile

6

• Budget FY14 - $95M
• 29,000 square miles
• 32,420 in population (+2.35%)
• 7 Council Members
• 750 employees

City’s Mission and Goals

MISSION A city rich in history, dedicated to providing superior services and promoting community pride. GOALS To create and maintain… 1) a clean city 2) a safe city 3) a customer service centered city. 4) a results driven city

7

Public Works Profile

• Budget FY14 - $27M
• 205 employees
• 365 lane miles
• 5 MGD
• 19 sewer pump stations
• 2 water pump stations
• 5 water tanks
• 3,900 acres to maintain
• 685,000 transit passengers

8

9

Director City Engineer Stormwater Management Land Development Traffic Engineering Transit Street Operations Solid Waste Grounds Cemetery Fleet Services Facilities Utilities Water Sewer Billing

Challenges

• Key positions not filled
• Personnel issues
• 40 temp agency employees full-time
• Aging infrastructure (Street, Facilities, Utilities)
• Identify what we need to do great
• Old vehicles and equipment (no replacement program)
• No Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
• No technology (Emails, GIS, Phones)

10

Challenges

• Many initiatives (how to narrow them down)
• Elected officials
• Other departments
• The community
• Restore credibility
• Media
• Environmental regulations
• Policy, Programs, and Projects

11

Core Functions – we must do great!

1) Potholes 2) Trash and Bulky Pick-up (Litter) 3) Drainage 4) Mowing 5) Traffic Signals

12

Kitchen Conversations

Core Functions – we must do great!

13

• Core functions – we must do great! Not good
• If you can’t take care of this, how can Citizens trust you to

support, CIP, SWM fees, and increase water and sewer rates

• It is not the Alligators that will kill you, but the mosquitos

Core Functions – we must do great!

14

• Citizens are forgiving when we have a water line break and

need to close the road for repairs. They get it. They know we cannot predict this. It’s like a flat tire

• They are not forgiving when there has been a pothole on

Washington Street for 5-days, or their trash has not been picked-up

First Year Initiatives

15

• City-wide trash, recycling and bulk service (11,200 customers)
• Stormwater Utility Fees
• Right of Way Permit Fees and Policy
• 5-year CIP
• Pavement Schedule
• Utility Fee increase (14.3%)
• Cemetery Fee increase
• Increase reliability and frequency of transit services

Adjusting Leadership Styles

16

What leadership style works best for me and my organization? There are many leadership styles from which to choose

• Autocratic
• Bureaucratic
• Laissez-faire
• Democratic

Adjusting Leadership Styles

17

Not everything old was bad and not everything new is good Different styles are needed for different situations and each leader needs to know when to exhibit a particular approach I used all of the four leadership styles to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives.

Autocratic Leadership Style

18

• The classical approach
• Manager retains as much power and decision-making authority
• Does not consult staff, nor allowed to give any input
• Staff expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations
• Structured set of rewards and punishments

Autocratic Leadership Style

19

• Greatly criticized during the past 40 years
• Generation X and Y (Bee hive generation) staff highly resistant

Autocratic leaders:

• Rely on threats and punishment to influence staff
• Do not trust staff
• Do not allow employee input

Autocratic Leadership Style

20

Not all bad:

• Sometimes the most effective style to use

When:

• New, untrained staff don’t know which tasks to perform or

which procedures to follow

• Limited time in which to make a decision
• Work needs to be coordinated with another department
• r organization
• A manager’s power is challenged by staff

Autocratic Leadership Style

21

Should not be used, when:

• Staff become tense, fearful, or resentful
• Staff expects their opinions heard
• Low staff morale and high turnover

Bureaucratic Leadership Style

22

• Manages “by the book”
• Everything done according to procedure or policy
• If not covered by the book, referred to the next level above

(delegate up)

• Enforces the rules – police officer, accountants, inspectors

Bureaucratic Leadership Style

23

Most effective, when:

• Staff performing routine tasks over and over
• Staff needs to understand certain standards or procedures
• Safety or security training conducted
• Staff performing tasks that require handling cash

Bureaucratic Leadership Style

24

Ineffective, when:

• Work habits form that are hard to break, especially if they are

no longer useful

• Staff lose their interest in their jobs and in their co-workers
• Staff do only what is expected of them and no more

Democratic Leadership Style

25

• Also known as participative style
• Encourages staff to be a part of the decision making
• Gathers information from staff before making a decision
• Keeps staff informed about everything that affects their work and

shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities

• Staff like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation,

team spirit, and high morale

• Allows staff to establish goals and deadlines
• Promotes within the organization

Democratic Leadership Style

26

Most effective, when:

• Highly skilled or experienced staff
• Implementing operational changes that affect staff
• A large or complex problem that requires lots of input to solve
• Want to encourage team building and participation
• Want to provide opportunities for staff to develop a high sense of

personal growth and job satisfaction

Democratic Leadership Style

27

Ineffective, when:

• Not enough time to get everyone’s input
• Easier and more cost-effective for the manager to make the

decision

• Can’t afford mistakes
• Manager feels vulnerable or threatened by this type of leadership
• Staff safety is critical concern

Laissez-Faire Leadership Style

28

• Also know as the “hands-off” style
• The manager provides little or no direction and gives staff as much

freedom as possible

• All authority and power given to the staff and they determine

goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own

Laissez-Faire Leadership Style

29

Most effective, when:

• Staff highly skilled, experienced, and educated
• Staff has pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on

their own

• Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants used
• Staff trustworthy and experienced

Laissez-Faire Leadership Style

30

Ineffective, when:

• Staff feel insecure at the unavailability of a manager (Gen X & Y)
• The manager cannot provide regular feedback to staff on how well

they are doing

• Managers unable to thank staff for their good work
• The manager doesn’t understand his or her responsibilities and

hoping the staff cover for him or her

Petersburg Public Works Leadership Style

31

• Creates and sustains a context that maximizes resource’s

capabilities (staff and dollars)

• Facilitate multiple levels of transformation; and
• Align them with core values and a unified purpose (visibility)

Make change happen in:

• Self,
• Others,
• Groups, and
• Community

Petersburg Public Works Leadership Style

32

• Emphasizes and expects accountability and credibility
• Generate shared and innovative responses and solutions
• Facilitate collaboration and synergism – working with and through
• ther people instead of bowing to authoritarianism
• Rethinking systems to introduce change on parts of the whole and

their relationship to one another

• Endorses alteration “change”

Petersburg Public Works Leadership Style

33

• Must have mutual respect
• Put staff needs first
• Fostering synergy and reinforcing behavioral change
• Communicate clear expectations
• Create a climate of trust and confidence – very important

Guiding Principles

34

Safety Collaboration Customer Service

Engineering Transit Street Operations Utilities Facilities

Guiding Principles

35

• Safety – Zero Tolerance (Employees and Citizens)
• We are in the business of providing safe and clean drinking water
• We are in the business of each mile traveled, the journey is safe
• Collaboration – Resolve issues by using everyone’s talent
• That includes your customers, engage them – let them know the

problem and they will assist in the solution

• Customer Service – Be responsive and accessible
• Listen, Listen, Listen…
• Know your customer

How are we meeting Customers’ Expectations?

36

• Embraced the City’s mission, vision, and strategic plan
• Walk the walk and talk the talk – Leadership Matters!
• We have to be authentic – you have to tell people the truth
• Reorganization - Consolidated Grounds with Street Operations and

moved individuals in the right positions – this is on-going

• Increasing professionalism – must be respectful to all customers
• Project Management – On time and On budget (include your

customers)

How are we meeting Customers’ Expectations?

37

• CIP – City Manager’s initiative, which tells the story, but manages

expectations

• Business Tools – IT, GIS, Asset Management, and the right equipment
• Core functions – we must do great. Not good
• Take care of the low hanging fruits
• Transparent – engage the community in our decision process
• We will return your call in 24-hours
• We will respond to your letter and emails

How are we meeting Customers’ Expectations?

38

Established Workforce Goals :

• Value diversity – Continue to strive to provide opportunities and

value diversity in the City’s workforce.

• Recognition – Establish a recognition program that recognizes an

Employee of the Month, Employee of the Fiscal Year, and Safety Awards for those who did not have an accident for the Fiscal Year

• Communication – Management team are to meet with employees

regularly to listen and determine what is working well and what is not

How are we meeting Customers’ Expectations?

39

Established Workforce Goals :

• Annual Safety Rodeo – Allow employees to demonstrate their

skills and knowledge while being safe

• Career Ladders – Work with Human Resources to identify

employee growth potential, future needs and trends

• Training and Development – Encourage individual growth and

career development plans. Provide opportunities for cross-training and on-the-job training.

Stormwater

• Rain or snow that runs off

pavement, rooftops & lawns

• Water enters streams, rivers &
• ceans with pollutants

Steven W. Hicks, Director Transit, Utilities, and Public Works Mid-Atlantic Chapter Conference May 8-10, 2013

Questions???

40