March 2015

Continuous Process Improvement

 Ken Miller, in Extreme Government Makeover, describes the use of  triage as a way to streamline processes. It involves moving from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more targeted process based on the needs and circumstances of the customer. A common private sector example is the "8 items or less" express checkout line in a grocery store. Using the same concept, some cities waive a plans review process for builders who have demonstrated proficiency in the building codes, and are willing to take their chances on inspections in the field during construction.

Our Parks & Recreation department is using this concept in a proposal to improve the way special event permits are reviewed and issued. Based on objective criteria, some event permits will be issued immediately, with other departments simply kept informed of the date and nature of the event. Others (for example, those requiring a street closure) will get more scrutiny. And still other events won't need a permit at all.

This new process will provide significantly better customer service, and it will reduce staff time.

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Our Library staff have made a significant improvement in the way magazines and other periodicals are processed. By using a software module available through the library network, they have reduced staff time in processing periodicals from 28 hours per week to 7 hours per week, a 75% reduction.  And it provides better customer service: library patrons can now see (via the on-line system) what the most most current issue available is at all times.

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With the Support of IT, the Police Department is transitioning from stationary in-car computers, to portable tablets. Not only does this reduce the amount of hardware in the patrol car, it allows the officer to gather records information or write a report “in the field,” away from the car. This can be especially helpful when at the scene of an accident or crime. The Police Department anticipates time savings as a result of this new mobility – no more need to hand write information for report writing at a later time – officers will only handle the information once.

The Police Department recently switched brick and mortar uniform store, to an online uniform vendor. As needed, this new vendor comes to the police department to ensure correct measurements for purchases, however, most transactions are completed online, with delivery to the Police department. The police Department is finding the service to be better than previously received and is reporting a time savings by eliminating travel to the brick and mortar store, previously in Portland.

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Something as mundane as how your workspace is organized can make a big difference in how efficient you are. Julia Childs stored her cooking implements on a pegboard, with the outline of each tool marked, the same technique used by journeyman mechanics. Along those lines, Jessica Numanoglu in the Planning & Building Services Department reorganized the commonly-used electronic folders to make working documents easier to find, and to consolidate similar topics in one place.

February 2015

City Council Goals

At their January 10 retreat, the members of the City Council discussed their goals for the coming year and beyond.  The following list is a draft and hasn't been formally reviewed by the Council, but it reflects the gist of the Council's discussion.

2015 City Council Goals

D R A F T

Balance community expectations for city services, infrastructure maintenance and facilities within existing resources, adjusting taxes and fees, when necessary, with fiscal prudence and restraint

2015

Sell the West End Building.

Balance the goals of community aesthetics and environmental quality with the preservation of property rights and individual freedom

2015

Adopt changes to the development code by June, 2015 to implement the reform of regulations on “sensitive lands.”

Convene a community dialog on the tree code to see if there is a better way to meet the intent of the code while responding to residents’ desire for less stringent regulation.

2015 and 2016

Streamline the development code to make it more business-friendly, while still maintaining community standards.

Improve the city's infrastructure to meet current standards and provide for managed future growth

2015

To the extent finances are available, invest in a street maintenance program that will, over five years, result in attaining and maintaining a Pavement Condition Index of 70.

Develop a financially feasible plan for a community facility (library services, meeting rooms, police presence) in Lake Grove in conjunction with the Boones Ferry project.

Long Term

Complete new or expanded Police/LOCOM facilities (by 2016). Upgrade the Operations Center (by 2017). Complete Boones Ferry Improvements (by 2019).

Build funds through a set-aside in the operating budget to complete major repairs to the exterior walls and windows of City Hall.

Identify strategies for making it safer and easier to walk and bicycle in neighborhoods. When planning for major road resurfacing projects, include cost estimates for associated paths and/or sidewalks.

Consider the feasibility and options for a bike/pedestrian trail on or near the Willamette Shoreline Trolley right-of-way.

Build the tax base by supporting business investment in Lake Oswego

2015

Complete property acquisition and actively market the North Anchor properties. Plans for development should involve nearby residents and other community members, as well as those with expertise in the market for commercial real estate.

With the involvement of property owners and surrounding residents, develop a plan for the southwest industrial area.

Improve the effectiveness of Lake Oswego’s city government

2015

Hold a community round table forum twice per year.

Long Term

Consider a ballot measure making housekeeping (not substantive) changes to the Charter on the November 2016 election.

Identify strategies for reducing state mandates and preemptions and returning local control to our community.

January 2015

Holiday Luncheon 2014

Geek Awards 2014

Pictured below is Chip Larouche presenting the IT Department's coveted Geek Awards to (clockwise) Carissa Barrett, library; Patti Smith, public works operations; Deana Strean, police LOCOM, Bob Burgeson, public works water treatment plant; and Jerry Zollner, parks. Not pictured: Mark Anderson, fire.

Parks and Rec Party

The Parks and Recreation Department held a holiday party on December 16. The event featured food, awards, and an amazing display of talent (?).

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December 2014

Reminder: Please join us at the holiday luncheon 11:30-1:00 Thursday December 11, West End Building.

Continuous Process Improvement
Just some of the accomplishments so far:

• IT and Finance--an improved on-line form for utility customer move in/move out requests
• Parks & Rec--a streamlined on-line park shelter reservation process
• Planning & Building and Engineering departments--a streamlined process for removal of hazard trees in the right-of-way while still complying with the tree code
• IT - a better network connection to the Tennis Center that not only provides improved public WiFi access, but also saves the city $1,680/year
• Planning & Building--a pilot project to offer "intake appointments" for complex projects. The goal is to identify missing parts of an application on the spot rather than waiting days or weeks for a completness check
• Planning & Building--a laminated "cheat sheet" at the counter to match accounting system codes with the corresponding permit types. This low-tech solution will save time in fixing mis-coded entries.
• IT--creation of a common drive and modifying login configuration to allow Public Works and Engineering to documents dealing with the operation and maintenance of streets and utilities.

Celebrating a Great Program: Lake Oswego's "Culture of Survival"
On November 12, the fire and police departments hosted a ceremony for survivors of sudden cardiac arrest, and for the people who helped save their lives. One of many recognized was Jessica Metteer, who had the training and presence of mind to administer CPR to a co-worker named Hallie. Here is a copy of an e-mail from Jessica:

Dear Chief Johnson & Chief Wilson –

I just wanted to send you a note to thank you for hosting the breakfast this morning recognizing and celebrating the survivors of sudden cardiac arrest. The brave men and women of Lake Oswego Fire & Police, AMR, and 911 Dispatch that were so fast to respond, so reassuring and supportive of my efforts to help, and have been so encouraging and gracious in the almost four years since the day when Hallie collapsed; they are my heroes, today and always. It was an honor to get to see so many of them today. 

I am so lucky to have been in the right place at the right time, just once. I am eternally grateful for the people who make it their life’s work to always be there.

Attached is a pic of Hallie and me from this morning.

The Continuing Saga of the West End Building...
Nick Bunick and the nonprofit organization The Great Tomorrow have, as of this writing, been unsuccesful in securing financing for the building. The City Council has directed staff to seek a broker to list the property for sale. Mr. Bunick remains optimistic that his organization will be able to purchase the property.

Rites of Passage and Council Goal-Setting
On December 16, Mayor Studebaker and his fellow councilors will recognize the contributions of outgoing councilors Donna Jordan (eight years on the City Council) and Lauren Hughes (appointed to complete the year and a half remaining on Mike Kehoe's term). Newly elected councilors Joe Buck and Jackie Manz and re-elected councilor Jeff Gudman will take their oaths of office on January 6. They will hit the ground running with a town hall forum on needs and priorities for the city on Thursday, January 8 and a goal-setting retreat on Saturday, January 10.

Charter Amendment
Lake Oswego voters supported amendment of the city's charter on road widening elections. Major widening projects that add a travel lane of 500 feet or more can still go to the voters, but smaller projects won't. This will, among other things, save a significant amount of staff time in our engineering department.

November 2014

On October 7 the Fire Department held a ceremony recognizing individuals who had joined the department during Chief Wilson's tenure, and those who have been promoted. The ceremony opened with a nice touch: the presentation of colors by the Police Department's Honor Guard. Congratulations to all 23 individuals recognized in the ceremony!

Emergency Preparation: We'll Leave a Light on For You
Staff representatives from all departments participated in a winter storm "tabletop exercise" on October 29. One issue that came up is that a major storm or natural disaster could strand employees, or make it hard to report to work. It occurred to me that my wife and I would be glad to make a guest bedroom available to any staff member caught in that situation, and wondered if others of us who live in or near Lake Oswego might be willing to do the same. If you live in Lake Oswego, or within an easy drive, would you be willing to be contacted about a spare bedroom if we face a serious emergency? If so, please let Bonnie Hirshberger know, at x3992 or bhirshberger@ci.oswego.or.us.  If we can develop this list ahead of time, it is one less thing to have to worry about in the middle of an emergency. Thanks!

City Council Decisions and Issues
On appeal, the City Council voted to override the Development Review Commission's 3-2 decsion,
and to approve the application for development of Block 137 (the "Wizer Block"). Planning & Building Services Director Scot Siegel recognized staff from his and other departments for their teamwork in managing this long and complex process. In breaking news, a notice of intent to file an appeal to the state Land Use Board of Appeals has been submitted.

In other actions, over the past two months the Council:

• Approved a lease of property in Foothills as temporary space for Parks Maintenance to make it easier to upgrade the Operations Center
• Received an award of $80,000 from the Energy Trust of Oregon for the street light LED conversion project
• Adopted an updated Transportation Systems Plan
• Approved changes to the Community Development Code that will make the code more clear
• Directed staff to proceed with the Laurel Street pathway, including a section of sidewalk between Hallinan and Cornell
• Directed staff to proceed with a number of changes to the Sensitive Lands regulations that can be done in 2014 without raising too much concern from Metro and DEQ (more extensive changes will be made in the first half of 2015, supported by more research and data)
• Joined other cities in Oregon in adopting a local tax on marijuana sales as a preemptive step in case the ballot measure passes
• Held a joint meeting with the Lake Oswego School Board

Recognizing Veterans
The nation will celebrate Veterans Day on November 11. A special "Honor Their Service" tribute will be held at our Adult Community Center at 2:00pm on the 11th. Many city staff members have served our country in the armed forces. Many have seen active duty in combat zones, and several continue to serve in the Reserves. One behalf of all your colleagues in the City of Lake Oswego, thank you for your service.

September 2014

Lake Oswego Brand
While we're not too bureaucratic about it (we have no Style Czar), we do have a style guide for printed material that is prepared for public use. It's available on the city intranet at http://lo-web1.ci.oswego.or.us/private/PublicAffairs/   Some of the reasons for following the style guide include:

1. A consistent look, so that printed material is readily identifiable as coming from the City of Lake Oswego.
2. A reminder that we offer a wide variety of services and that all departments are part of the larger city organization.
3. Maintaining high standards for the appearance of our printed material.

Continuous Process Improvement
The department directors met on August 12 to, among other things, discuss opportunities for "Continuous Process Improvement." The concept originated in manufacturing, but it can be applied to any process that results in provision of a service or good. It's certainly not new to our organization, and there are many examples of it happening right now: new police records and computer-aided-dispatch systems, moving to digitized documents that are available to anyone on the web, better methods for teaching CPR, an improved recreation registration system, a state-of-the-art water treatment plant, LED street lights, a new fueling system that automatically reads and stores the vehicle's vital stats, and many more.

What might be new (or newer) is the emphasis on continuous improvement. This means we allocate time and resources and have the discipline to be relentless in improving our service-delivery processes. There are two other critical elements of Continuous Process Improvement: 1) It has to be customer-focused, and 2) the best ideas and solutions come from the folks in the front lines who are directly providing the service.

Lake Oswego University
Building on the theme of Continuous Process Improvement, the text for September's Lake Oswego University sessions is Ken Miller's  Extreme Government Makeover. You don't need to be enrolled in LOU to read it; I highly recommend it to anyone on our staff. But for a "Cliffs Notes" short version, here are some good video clips from Ken Miller:

• Increasing government's capacity to do more good
• The 3 Myths That Keep Government From Radically Improving

In his book, he makes these points.
First, before trying to improve a process, do these things:

• Make sure you're "in the right business." Do people still need the service? Does the problem that caused the creation of a regulation still exist?
• Understand the customers and their needs. Note: a prerequisite, emphasized in Miller's We Don't Make Widgets, is to be able to identify the customer, as distinct from owners (i.e., residents) and stakeholders (for example, special interest groups).
• Build a better widget. Before improving the process, ask yourself if the thing that comes out of the process should be improved.

And only after you've answered these questions, improve the process using these techniques:

• Triage: don't use a one-size-fits-all approach; tailor processes to the different needs and abilities of customers (example: the option for library patrons to self-check-out).
• Simultaneous processing (e.g., if more than one person needs to review an application, have them do it concurrently rather than passing the application from one person to the next).
• Find and eliminate bottlenecks.
• "Quit your batching," or, move things through a process continuously rather than letting them pile up to be processed in a batch.
• Eliminate backlogs. "The secret to dealing with backlog is to never get behind in the first place."

There's more, but this is enough for a blog!

Have a good Labor Day holiday; my thanks to our police and fire colleagues who will be on duty on Monday. See you on September 5 at the Lake Oswego Employee BBQ Picnic!
--Scott

August 2014

Take Time to Enjoy Our City Too!
There are a lot of activities for families to enjoy this summer. Here are just a few of them:

 

• Wednesday evening concerts. 7pm at Westlake Park in August
• Sunday evening concerts. 6pm in Millenium Park
• Movies in the Park. Two more in August -- Thursday evenings at Millenium Park.
• National Night Out -- a whole bunch of block parties. Tuesday August 5
• Library events in a variety of times and venues
• Farmers Market -- Saturday mornings at Millenium Plaza
• Collector Car & Classic Boat Show -- 10-3 August 19, George Rogers Park and Lakewood Bay (sponsored by Oswego Heritage Council)

And remember to keep your calendar clear for our staff picnic on Friday, September 5.

Continuing sagas...

• Late at night on July 30, the Development Review Commission voted 3-2 to deny the application for development of Block 137 (Wizer). A final decision and adoption of findings is scheduled for August 18. Decisions of the DRC can be appealed to the City Council.
• A milestone in the WEB sale is fast approaching: the end of the buyer's "due diligence" period and the deadline for a non-refundable earnest money deposit ($250,000). Stay tuned...

Delighting Customers is the topic of a special Lake Oswego University presentation at noon on Tuesday, August 14 in Millenium Park (at the pergola). Our guest speaker is Dr. Eric Allenbaugh, a Lake Oswego resident and nationally-recognized speaker and writer on organizational leadership. Please join us, whether or not you are officially registered for LOU.

Speaking of customer service, a resident called to tell me how impressed she was by the quick and personal response they received from staff of the Engineering Department. Another resident thanked us for addressing a neighborhood issue involving hedges and right-of-way; that one involved a team approach from engineering, streets, and citizen services. Another resident told me how pleased he was with the response from a police officer and the police chief in dealing with a noise problem. A resident used the citizen request system to compliment the street department for fishing her keys out of a storm drain: "I wanted to let the City of Lake Oswego know that they have hired two outstanding employees... who truly serve the city." Complaints help us improve our services, and we know we should welcome them. But it is nice when folks take the time to let us know when they catch us doing good, too.