Special Notice / Hearing: No
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Manager
Subject: Departmental Responses to the Board’s Inquiries at the FY 2019-21 Recommended Budget Hearings
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Approve the responses provided by the County Departments to the Board of Supervisor’s inquiries in the Fiscal Year 2019-21 Recommended Budget Hearings.
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BACKGROUND:
On June 12 and 13, 2019, the Board of Supervisors held hearings regarding the FY 2019-21 Recommended Budget during which all County departments presented their respective budgets as well as other highlights. During the hearings, Board members inquired as to the specific programs and functions of various of the departments. At the Board’s September 24, 2019, hearing to adopt the FY 2019-20 budget, the Board approved various departments’ responses to those inquiries. The memo sets forth additional information responsive to the Board’s questions.
DISCUSSION:
Department of Housing
Inquiry 1: Develop timetable for addressing housing for employees, including analysis on expanding the down payment assistance program.
An analysis on this inquiry is in progress by the Department of Housing and will be reported to the Board directly at a future date.
Department of Public Works
Inquiry 1: Provide an evaluation of fleet operations, especially for electric vehicles.
A detailed study on the County’s fleet operations is currently being conducted by the County Manager’s Office. The final report will be presented to the Board at a future date.
Information Services Department (ISD)
Inquiry 1: Report on the status of technology replacement and implementation. Consider providing periodic status reports on the acquisition of IT systems.
During the onset of a two-year budget cycle, ISD updated the County’s five-year Information Technology Capital Improvement Plan (ITCIP) in partnership with the County Manager’s Office (CMO) and County departments. The ITCIP serves as a guidance document for the Board to make informed decisions regarding investments in technology projects which enable departments to fulfill their missions.
During the FY 2019-20 Recommended Budget hearings, the Board requested that ISD gather and report information regarding active technology projects underway in County departments. ISD developed a survey to gather progress updates from departments on their active technology projects for report back to the Board. Based on the responses gathered by ISD from County departments, there are a total of fifty-three (53) technology projects underway in the County.
These projects include replacement of aging technology infrastructure, applications and end-user equipment to facilitate digital transformation necessary to effectively and efficiently deliver services to County citizens.
|
Technology Project Category |
Projects Underway |
|
Application Implementation |
17 |
|
Application Upgrade |
12 |
|
Cybersecurity |
2 |
|
Disaster Recovery |
2 |
|
Network Infrastructure |
6 |
|
New Equipment/Refreshes |
9 |
|
Radio Infrastructure |
2 |
|
Telephony Infrastructure |
3 |
|
TOTAL |
53 |
Please refer to Attachment A: ISD_Status of Technology Projects for a detailed log of technology applications.
Library
Inquiry 1: Provide data on the elimination of late fines and corresponding results.
San Mateo County Libraries kicked off 2019 by eliminating all fines! The goal was to ensure that all members of the community have equitable access to library books and other valuable resources and materials. Studies have shown that late fines can be a significant barrier to access and can drive borrowers away, particularly individuals with low or fixed incomes.
This new policy builds upon previous successful initiatives approved by the Library JPA Governing Board. Fine-free library cards were introduced for children and teens in 2016 and fine-free library cards were launched for seniors in 2018.
Libraries that moved to a more customer- focused policy reported that the elimination of fines resulted in higher use, increased customer satisfaction, and positive interactions with library patrons.
In fact, San Mateo County libraries have experienced a 15% increase in circulation after going fine-free (6-month period, January - June 2019).
Parks Department
Inquiry 1: Provide details on funding of mini-parks.
The Parks Department is working on mini-park opportunities in North Fair Oaks. The current and potential future mini-park sites in North Fair Oaks are on San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) lands. County staff has been speaking with the SFPUC legal and real estate staff about acceptable uses of SFPUC of land, leasing costs and other expenses associated with mini-parks on their properties. When all the information is gathered, Parks will report back to the Board.
Project Development Unit
Inquiry 1: Provide the status of renovations and rebuilding Fire Station 17.
A tour of Fire Station 17 has been scheduled for January 2020. A needs assessment and feasibility study will be conducted after that tour and a report back will be provided to the Board accordingly.
Sheriff
Inquiry 1: In the upcoming study session, include a focus on programs reducing recidivism and their implementation and success.
The Sheriff’s staff is collecting and analyzing data over a three-year timeframe. That analysis is still a work in progress and a report for the Board will be complete in the first quarter of year 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact with approving this informational report.