88-375 �NMITE - G�TV CLERK
PINK - FINANCE GITY OF S INT PAITL Council (//�G
CAN�RY - DEPARTMENT /� a ��7�
BLU - MAYOR Flle NO• � ���
r Co ncil es l ti n � N� �
� a
Presented By
Referred To Committee: Date
Out of Committee By Date
WHEREAS, the Council of the Ci y of Saint Paul has approved an
ordinance providing for the dissol tion of the Information .and
Complaint Office upon the adoption of a Citizen Service Program,. and
WHEREAS, the Mayor' s Office ha informally transmitted a draft
proposal to establish a pilot Citi en Service Program which would
be evaluated by the City Council a -to its effectiveness in
September, 1988 before the Council considers legislation to create a
permanent Citizen Service Program, and
WHEREAS, there is a need to pr ceed as quickly as possible with
the pilot program to ensure that c mplaints are handled promptly,
effectively, and completely, and
WHEREAS, the Council has revi ed the proposed
Citizen Service Program and desir s to add a number of stipulations
to make the program more responsi e to citizen requests and
complaints ; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby
approve the pilot Citizen Service Program as desribed in the
attached document, dated March 4, 1988, with the following
stipulations:
1. That within 45 days from pass ge of this resolution, the
Citizen Service Program staff will begin to notify complainants
in writing as to the disposit on of all non-routine requests or
complaints, including who the matter has been assigned to, how
long it should take for resol tion, and in which City Council
ward the problem is located.
Page 1 of 3
COUNCIL MEMBERS Requested by Department of:
Yeas Nays
Dimond
�� � In Favor
Gosw;tz '
RettmaeF^
�,�;y�� _ Against BY
Sonnen
Wilson
Form Approved by City Attorney
Adopted by Council: Date
Certified Passed by Council Secretary By ��''�'e� �' ��2��� `,— l'��
gy.
tilpproved by IVlavor: Date Approved by Mayor Eor Submission to Council
By BN
• � �'�'�r.�
2 . That within 45 days from p ssage of this resolution, the
Citizen Service Program st ff will provide written and/or
electronic data on the ref rral of all complaints or requests to
each appropriate City Coun ilmember and District Council.
3. That the Citizen Service P ogram staff will continue to provide
assistance to citizens thr ugh the use of Room 179 and the
establishment of a service information desk staffed by both the
City and the County in the elevator lobby of the
City Hall/Courthouse Build ng.
4. That the Citizen Service P ogram staff will endeavor to be an
advocate for citizens and ill continue to provide personal
assistance to citizens on face-to-face basis whenever
necessary;
5. That the Citizen Service P ogram will develop by May l, 1988, a
management information sys em which will provide accurate data
to the Council on the perf rmance of each City Department in
responding to citizen comp aints. Citizen Service Program staff
will also work with Traini g and Development personnel to
provide training for all C'ty managers to improve City
responsiveness to citizen equests and complaints.
6. That the Customer Service taff will provide the Council with a
complete report by Septemb r 1, 1988 on the accomplishments of
the pilot Citizen Service rogram, including the number of
employees trained, and rec mmendations for establishing a
permanent Citizen Service rogram.
Page 2 0 3
WHI7E - C�ITV CLERK
PINK - FINANCE COUIICII ��/t
CANARV - DEPARTMENT GITY OF AINT PAUL /� ���
BLU�. - MAVOR File NO. �+ -
� Council Resolution
Presented By r �- b
Referred To Committee: Date
Out of Committee By Date
7. That the Mayor will recommen the proper budget amendments to
support the pilot Citizen Se vice Program and that such
amendment shall not call for any increase in staff for the
departments or divisions res onsible for handling citizen
requests and complaints unde the pilot Citizen Service
Program. However, additional staff or resourees may be
requested for training, computerization and/or survey anal�sis,
and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Co ncil does hereby appoint
Robert Kessler as the Acting Dire tor of the Information and
Complaint Office, on a temporary asis, to oversee the development
of the Pilot Citizen Service Prog am at his current grade and title,
with customary authority over the City Council-approved budget and
the personnel of the existing Inf rmation and Complaint Office.
Page 3 of 3
COUNCIL MEMBERS Requested by Department of:
Yeas Nays
Dimond
�� In Favor
coswitz
Rettmaerr'
��� Against BY
Sonnen
�Ison
�R � 5 �ggg Form Approved by City Attorney
Adopted by Council: Date
Certified Pass d c'1 S ret r BY v�"� �" �� �7��
By y � `-
Approved b avor: Date `�.-ai; i .•.`°� d��R Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council
By BY
PI�IISNED Py1�R 2 � 1988.
�-��75-
�I° Q13583 �
Maqor's Office DEPARTMENT •
Bo Ress er GONTACT NAME
' PHONE �
� Marc , DATE
ASSIGN NUliBER FOR ROUTING ORDER: (Sae re erse side.) �
_ Department Director � Mayor (or Assistant)
, Finance and Management Services Direc r � City Clerk �
� Budget Director _
� City Attorney _
TOTAL NUMBER OF SIGNATURE PAGES: 1 (C1 p all locationa for signature.)
W V B C 0 N C I � (Purpose/Rationale)
;
Will appoint Robert Ressler as the Acting irector of the Informa.tfon and Complaint
Office. Mr. Ressler will then implement t e Pilot Citizen Servtee 'Program'::fio`improve
the responsiveness of the City. If succes ful�, the Council will be asked to create a
permanent Citizen Service Program in Septe ber, 1988. , ,
COS N DGETAR N P S L C D: No changes in the total
amount of funds for the Informa.tion and Co laint Office is requested. A reallocation
of funds will be necessary and the require budget revision will be forwarded to Council
before Ma.y 1, 1988. �
UD T ACT V R C D CR DIT D:
(Mayor's signature not required if under $1 ,000.)
Total Amount of Transgction: Activity Numbera
Funding Source:
ATTACHMENTS: (List and number all attachme ts.:)
Mayoral transmittal letter.
Council Resolution containing program propo 1.
ADMINISTRATIVE P&QCEDURES
_Yes _No Rules, Regulations, Proced res, or Budget Amendment required? ,
_Yes _No . If yes, are they or timeta le attached? '
DEPARTMENT R.EVIEW CITY ATTORNEY RE9IEW
AYes No Council resolution required? Resolution required? X Yes No
_Yes x No Insurance required? Insurance sufficient? _Yes _,No
_Yes _No Insurance attached?
�� � 75�-
`� '
�� -
. . _ . . . ��
�� 2. That within 45 days from assage of this resolution, the
Citizen Service Pro+gram s aff will provide written and/or
� electronic data on the re erral of all complaints or requests ta
' each appropriate City Cou cilmember and District Council.
I 3 . That the Citizen Service rogram staff will continue to �ovide
P
� assistance to citizens th ough the use of Room 179 and the
establishment of a. servic information desk staffed by both the
City and the County in th elevator lobby of the
City Hall/Courthouse Buil ing.
! 4. That the Citizen Service ogram staff will endeavor to be an
� advocate for citizens and ill continue to provide personal
, assistance to citizens on face-to-face basis whenever
necessary;
5. That the Citizen Service P ogram will develop by May 1, 1988, a
management information sys em which will provide accurate data
to the Council on the perf rmance of each_C�+-�._�artm nt �n
respQnding to_citizen com aints Citizen Service Program staff
will also work with Traini g and Development personnel to
provide training for all C ty managers to improve City �
' responsiveness to citizen equests and complain�_�._.____�__ ____ -
��$ " 6. That the Customer Service taff will provide the Council with a
complete report by Septemb r 1, 1988 on the accomplishments of
the pilot Citizen Service rogram, including the number of
employees trained, and rec mendations for establishing a
permanent Citizen Service ogram.
Page 2 of 3
,__ __ . , ,. _ . _ _
_ .,., ..�_,....�_.�,.�.. _...__,_.._.,�..�.,
_ . _ _ -
� _
-.—
��-���
REVISED MARCH 4, 1988
�,
PROPOSA TO CREATE A
CITIZEN SERVICE PROG FOR THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL
, INT ODUCTION
The purpose of this report is to propose the establishment of
a. City of Saint Paul Citizen ervice Program that will operate
under the direction of the Ma or in accordance with policy
approved by the City Council. The primary objective of the
program is to ensure that eve legitimate request for
service, information, or comp aint is handled properly,
quickly, and completely. The program will build upon the
experience and expertise of t e existing Information and
Complaint Office to re-energi e the entire complaint-handling
system. The goal of the prog am is to make the City of Saint
Paul one of, if not, the most responsive local governments in
the entire country.
Such an ambitious goal is pos ible because the City already
has a strong tradition of res onsiveness. There are many
dedicated employees who belie e that the most important part
of their job is to serve the ublic. Our challenge, then, is
to build upon the enthusiasm nd "can do" attitude of our
responsive employees and spre d it throughout the
organization. This proposal ontains a detailed description,
preliminary work program, and budget for the Citizen Service
Program. It is offered as a ilot to be evaluated as to its
effectiveness in September, 1 88 before a decision is made to
include the program in the 19 9 City budget. Until the final
decision is made, no changes 'n staff are recommended other
than to appoint Robert Kessle on a temporary basis, as the
Acting Director of the Inform tion and Complaint Office.
Mr. Kessler would continue to report directly to Mayor Latimer
throughout the implementation of the program and he would
remain in the same title and rade that he now holds.
Upon Council approval of a pe anent citizen Citizen Service
Program, the administration w uld determine the most
appropriate means of naming a permanent Director.
I. DESCRIPT ON OF THE PROBLEM
The Information and Complaint Office was established in 1975
to ensure that the City respo ded effectively to citizen
requests and complaints. Thr ugh dynamic leadership, the
office functioned as an advoc te for the citizen and was
responsible for improving man city services and programs. In
addition, the office prepared various reports on the number
and type of complaints receiv d.
. ���7�
P"roposal to Create a "�7�'rJ
Citizen Service Program for he City of Saint Paul _.�/
March 4, 1988 _2_
The environment of city gove nment began to change with the
establishment of the ward sy tem in 1983. Gradually the
councilmembers and their sta f began to act as advocates for
citizen complaints. In 1985 the administrative control of the
Information and Complaint Of ice was transferred to the City
Council and the staff began o function apart from the Mayor
and the Mayor's staff.
Initially the office continu d to function effectively because
of an established rapport wi h the various operating
departments. Gradually the eputation and clout of the office
began to diminish as departm nt employees began to recognize
that the staff were no longe "speaking for the Mayor. " At
the same time, several City ouncil Offices had become very
adept at getting action to r ests arid complaints. Their
aggressive work served to fu her dilute the clout of the
Information and Complaint Of ice in the minds of many
department employees.
In early 1987, the Mayor atte ded over 50 neighborhood and
community meetings to promote his Better Neighborhoods
Program. During most meeting , he was confronted with
numerous complaints--some min r--some significant, and some
that threatened the stability and liveability of the
neighborhood. As staff set o t to resolve or refer the
growing list of complaints, i made sense to contact the
operating departments directl for action rather than going
through the Information and C mplaint Office.
Surprisingly, there was a dis ernable difference in the way
the operating departments res onded. When they assumed that
staff was from the Inforniatio and Complaint Office, they were
sometimes reticent and unimag native, although remaining
curteous. When they realized that staff were calling from the
Mayor's Office itself, their ttitude and willingness to
cooperate often changed great y. It was apparent that some
departmental employees were m king a determination as to how
to respond to a complaint bas d on who was calling.
Presumably, if the Mayor, Cou cilmembers or one of their
direct staff called, the resp nse was more cooperative than if
it came from the Information nd Complaint Office or a citizen
directly.
Getting an appropriate respon e from the City should not
depend on who is making the r est. Everyone should be
(�-���3�>s�,
Proposal to Create a �
Citizen Service Program for he City of Saint Paul (�
March 4, 1988 _3_ ���
treated fairly and equally. That is the goal of the
Citizen Service Program--to ake the system responsive to the
citizen without having to pl ad your case to a higher
authority.
II. OBJECTI S OF THE PROGRAM
There is no specific policy r procedure that guides employee
behavior in regard to compla'nt handling in the City of
Saint Paul. Procedures vary from department to department and
expectations range from doin just enough to placate a caller
to making sure that the probl m is thoroughly taken care of.
The Citizen Service Program ill restore confidence in the
City's ability to respond uni ormly and effectively to
requests and complaints by ac omplishing the following
objectives.
1. To carry out City Counci policy to encourage and train
all City employees to be consumer-oriented in responding
to requests and complain s.
2 . To act as the Mayor's pe sonal representative and
advocate in dealing with City departments on citizen
requests and complaints.
3. To improve the complaint referral and follow-up process
through the use of compu ers and specific response
standards. .
4. To develop an effective eporting system that describes
citizens � satisfication ith the City�s response to
requests and complaints.
5. To provide increased publ 'c information on City services
and who to call for actio .
III. MAJOR COMPONENTS F CITIZEN SERVICE PROGRAM
1. Desi nation of de artment 1 com laint officers and
develo ment of coordinate com laint-handlin
procedures. Each City de artment, and several of the
largest divisions, will a point a top-level complaint
officer to work closely w th the Citizen Service staff
to:
a. develop complaint-han ling policy and response
standards.
b. determine explicit pr edures for the handling of
complaint calls.
�����
Proposal to Create a �
Citizen Service Program for he City of Saint Paul
March 4, 1988 _4_
c. develop the appropr ate public information pieces for
internal and extern 1 distribution.
The day-to-day role of he complaint officer will be
determined by the depar ment directors, in cooperation
with the Consumer Servi e Program staff. In most cases,
each city department al eady has a person who oversees
the handling of complai ts. Therefore, the designation
of a complaint officer ill formalize an already existing
informal process. In g neral, it is expected that the
main function of the de artmental complaint officer will
be to make decisions re arding the allocation of
resources to resolve un sual or especially "thorny��
complaints and to coord'nate actions to deal with
complaints that involve other administrative units or
jurisdictions.
2 . Establishment of a com a'nt handlin olic and
com laint res onse stan rds. It should be the policy of
the City of Saint Paul at employees shall not refer a
citizen request or compl int regarding a City service or
program to another empl ee until they are certain of
exactly who is responsib e for the request or complaint.
It should be the respons 'bility of the employee receiving
the call to make sure th request or complaint is handled
or referred to the right person using a three-way
telephone transfer whene er possible.
3 . Provision of trainin fo all Cit em lo ees on ro er
com laint referra techn' es. Instruction would be
provided by City employe s and outside consultants in
cooperation with Personn 1's Office of Training and
Development. The traini g will be designed to cover both
the technical and philos phical aspects of complaint
referral.
4. Develo ment of Com laint Re ortin S stem. The
Consumer Service staff w 11 work closely with each City
department to report on he number and type of complaints
received by ward. In ad ition, the office will analyze
the City's response, bot in terms of time and outcome to
provide information to t e City Council and to improve
City operations as neces ary and appropriate.
5. Publication of a booklet Em lo ee's Guide that lists
who to refer calls to fo action. The publication would
be provided to all City mployees to enable them to
determine who to refer c lls to. The booklet would also
contain the City policy n complaint referral and
summarize procedures for dealing with citizen requests
and complaints. The pub ication will be updated
annually.
���75_
Proposal to Create a �.L�'
Citizen Service Program for the City of Saint Paul
March 4, 1988
-5-
6• Provision of Citizen A vocac . The Citizen Service staff
(consisting of the exi ting Information and Complaint
Office staff) will con inue to provic�e advocacy for
citizen complaints, es ecially for individuals who have
been unable to get a s tisfactory response from a
particular City employ e or operating department. The
intention is to use th "clout" of the Mayor's Office to
ensure timely response to all legitimate complaints. In
addition, staff will u e the services of the
Dispute Resolution Cen er to resolve complaints that do
not involve the City d'rectly.
7. Installation of a com erized com laint referral s stem
to eventuall link all it o eratin de artments. A
computerized complaint eferral system will speed up the
referral process and ma e it easier to "follow" the
progress of complaints. The system will also be designed
to:
a. Allow multiple acce s to the system from various City
departments.
b. Send a follow-up qu stionnaire to a certain
percentage (10 to 2 � range) of callers to determine
citizen satisfactio with the City response.
c. Maintain a record o all complaints by address.
d. Initiate work order for certain types of complaints.
e. Conduct statistical analysis on number and type of
complaints, as well as information on response time
and final dispositi n.
8. Establishment of a full -staffed Cit -Count Service
Desk. A service/inform ion desk will be located in the
center of the elevator 1 bby of City Hall (behind the
Indian God of Peace) . I will provide information,
directions, and friendly support to the public throughout
the business day.
The service desk would b staffed by City and County
personnel on a regular b sis and would complement the
senior citizen volunteer . The need for an Information
or Service Desk is vital because of the change to
automatic elevators. Pe ple often have difficulty
determining where to go n the building, even after
reading the building dir ctory. The service desk would
ensure that City Hall wi 1 remain "user friendly. '�
�--�-�7S
Proposal to Create a
Citizen Service Program for he City of Saint Paul �
March 4, 1988 _6_
Additional signage will be used at the two street-level
entrances and at the sk ay connection to direct people
to the information desk. The records of the current
office will be transfer ed to storage or put on microfilm
as appropriate.
9. Redirection of the func ion of the Information and
Complaint Office. The irector and staff of the
Information and Complai t Office will be responsible for
implementing the Consum r Service Program. In doing so,
the staff will redirect their attention to concentrate on
the objectives of the C nsumer Service Program.
Initially a substantial amount of time will be spent on
setting standards, empl yee training, and public
information. Neverthel ss, personal advocacy and
information services wi 1 remain primary objectives to
ensure that citizens wi 1 continue to have a sympathetic
office to turn to if th are unable to locate the
appropriate individual r receive a satisfactory response
to their request or com laint.
IV. PRELI INARY WORK PLAN
1. Each department and maj division designates a
high-level complaint of icer or ombusdperson [by
February 26, 1988]
2 . A departmental staff ad 'sory committee is formed
consisting of the depart ent complaint officers,
City Council staff and t e director of the
Consumer Service Program. [by February 26, 1988]
3 . Committee defines what a legitimate complaint or request
is (in broad terms) . [M rch 15, 1988]
4. Committee develops a com laint referral policy and
guidelines (consistent w'th the goals of the Consumer
Service Program) for the processing and handling of
complaints. [March 1, 1 88]
5. Committee develops and r eommends for adoption certain
complaint response stand rds for all common complaints.
[April 1, 1988]
6. Committee develops and p blishes an Employee's Guide
which contains all the i formation needed to refer a
complaint or request, in luding the established response
standards and complaint olicy and procedures.
[May 1, 1988]
�� 75-
Proposal to Create a ��
Citizen Service Program fo the City of Saint Paul
March 4, 1988
-7-
7. Committee develops, i cooperation with the Training
staff, a training plan for appropriate City employees to
train them on City com laint-handling polic
usage and data privacy procedures [May 15, 1988�mputer
8. Training is carried ou on a regular basis in cooperation
with the Mayor's Offic and Training staff. [May 15
through July 15, 1988]
9. Committee develops a p lic information lan to
accurate information t citizens on the City�s Consumer
Service Program [May 15, 1988]
10. A b�ief, concise "Citiz n's Guide" is published and
distributed on an annua basis. The guide will be
designed for quick refe ence and regular use by
citizens. [September 1 1988]
11. Initiation of a study b the Personnel Office to
appropriately classify 11 the employees of the former
Information and Complai t Office according to their
duties under the Consum Service Program.
[June 1, 1988]
12 • Establishment of a joint y-staffed City of Saint Paul,
Ramsey County informatio desk near the elevators on the
first floor of City Hall [April, 1988]
13. Improvement of signage i the City Hall Courthouse
building to direct visit rs to the information desk.
[May, 1988]
14. Initiation of monthly co uter
qualitative reports on Ci generated quantitative and
activities. Y complaint-handling
[June, 1988]
15. Development of legislatio and budget to establish the
Consumer Service Program s a distinct part of the
Mayor's Office. [August 1 1988]
V• BUDGET and PE ONNEL (in process)
The current budget provides fo four positions, three of which
are full-time Civil Service pos'tions, and one (the Complaint
and Information Officer) is unc assified. Doris Quinn is
filling the Complaint Officer s ot on an acting basis. The
Classification Study perfozmed
April, 1987, recommended substa tialeuPersonnel Office in
positions, therefore, no change in currentdpayfratestis
recommended until all job descr ptions and grades have been
re-evaluated by the Personnel O fice.
/
� ���ys
Proposal to Create a ' ���
V'
Citizen Service Program for he City of Saint Paul _
March 4, 1988 -g-
There is then currently one acant position in the office that
is being filled by a tempora y employee. A recommendation for
use of any remaining funds w 11 be forwarded to the Council by
May 1, 1988.
� ���7�
-�'�' � CITY OF AIN'.P PAUL
''��i�:i;?
OFFIC� OF T E CITY COZT�TCIL Men7bBfS:
Kiki Sonnen,chair
��� Roger Goswitz
Bab Long
KIK1 SONNEN
Councilmember S�B�f:
MOLLY O'ROURKE
Joe Hannasch, Research
Legislative Aide T8(�Byl't18,Secretary
, Jane McPeak,Aitvrney
Rules and Polic Gommittee f��PO�T.
Date: March , 1988
Time: 10:0o m.
Place: City ouncil Chambers
3rd F oor, City HaI�
1. Resolution directing Council Resear h Director to implement the transfer. ot
the Board of Appeals function, staf , and revenue from the City Council
Department to the Community Service Department and its Special Fund (Referred
to Committee 2/4/88)
Sent on to City Council on a tied v te (2 ayes, 2 nays) vithout recommendation.
2. Resolution amending Administrative ode, Chapter A-2, Rule 3 regarding Committee
Member's participation and cablecas ing of committee Meetings.
Substitute resolution approved as a nded with recoimnendation. �
3. Resolution amend�ng Council policie and procedures for Cable TV Channel 18
and providing for cablecasting of a 1 Council committee raeet�ngs and ag�ndas.
Approved with recaFnme.nda.tinn,.
,� �^ 4. &�e�j� ����� ��{. , _�' ��C.�a .Program `aith stipulations \ .
�` �'��� ^'��� .notification, ssistance and advacacy and appoint
� R�� ,. . as �ti�tg D�,rector of the Information and Compliant Office.
.._,___.----_.APP��-_��t �':'�ded. (S e attachme�t) _...._--._.--•'""`
- - __ .._.. .
5. Mayor's Office's Proposal to creat a Consumer Service Program for the City.
Approved as amended. �(See attached)_
CIT'Y HALL SEVENTH FLOOR Sf�INT PAUL, MINNFSOTA 55102 612/29S-5373
48
. �� .; ,
_ . _ _ iy3.t//� --
WMITE - C�TV CLERK - �L' '�� � i��
PINK - FINANGE G I TY OF A I NT PALT L Council �!' �`��
CANARV - DEPARTMENT
BI.UE - MAYOR File NO•
� Council Resolution . Q�� _
� �� lo�
Presented y ' -��"-���..�
Referred To ��� `� �'��� Commi ttee: Date '��1�^��
Out of Committee By Date
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Sa'nt Paul has approved an
ordinance providing for the dis olution o the Information and
Complaint Office upon the adopt 'on of a onsumer Service Program,
and
WHEREAS, the Mayor' s Office has 'nformally transmitted a draft
proposal to establish a pilot C ns er Service Program which would
be evaluated by the City Counci to its effectiveness in July,
1988 before the Council conside legislation to create a permanent
Consumer Service Program, and
WHEREAS, there is a need proceed as quickly as possible with
the pilot program to ensure a complaints are handled promptly,
effectively, and completely, and
WHEREAS, the Council h s reviewed the proposed
Consumer Service Program nd desires to add several stipulations to
make the program more re ponsive to citizen requests and complaints ;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Council o the City of Saint Paul does hereby
approve the pilot Con umer Servi e Program as desribed in the
attached document, d ted Februar 5, 1988, with the following
stipulations:
1. That within 45 days from pas age of this resolution, the
Consumer Serv 'ce Program sta f will begin to notify complainants
in writing as to the disposi ion of all non-routine requests or
complaints, ' ncluding who th matter has been assigned to, how
long it should take for reso ution, and in which City Council
ward the problem is located.
Page 1 f 2
COUNCIL MEMBERS Requested by Department of:
Yeas Nays
Dimond
�� In Favor
Goswitz
Rettman B
scne;be� Against Y
Sonnen
Wilson
Form Approved by City Attorney
Adopted by Council: Date ,, /�
�' . �Yti'LG1�c�crcc_.
Certified Passed by Council Secretary By ``��'�^- � �'�� l��
sy
Approved by 1�lavor: Date _ Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council
gy By
-- WHITE - CITV CLERK ... . . . .�� �� � � � T�� '/I . . � ..
PINK - FINANCE COUnCIl � ��/ � `��
CANARV - DEPARTMEN7 G I TY OF. A I NT PALT L
BLUE - MAVOR File NO. � /
Council esolution
Presented By
Referred To Committee: Date
Out of Committee By Date
2. That within 45 ys from pas age of this resolution, the
Consumer Service Progra� sta f will provide writter� a�d/or
electronic data o the refer al of all non-routin� eampiaints or
requests to each a ropriate City Councilm�mber. (Rov�tine
requests would incl de such tems as pot holes, sidew�lk snow
shoveling, and snow owing omplaints. Information or� these
complaints will be pr vided o the Council in summary form. )
3. That the Cor�s�a�er 3ervi Pr gram staff will continue to provide
assistance to citizens on th first floor of City Hall through
the establishment of a ser i e/information center in the
elevator lobby.
4. That the Consumer Service Pr ram staff will endeavor to be an
advocate for eitizens and wi 1 continue to provide p��rsonal
assistance to citizens on a ac -to-face basis whenever
necessary; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the C uncil oes hereby appoint
Robert Ressler as the Acting Dir ctor o the Information and
Complaint Office at his current rade an title with c.ustomary
authority over the City Cmuncil pproved b get and the p�rsonnel of
the Information and Complaint Of ice.
,
��
' Page 2 f 2
COUNCIL MEMBERS Requested by Department of:
Yeas Nays
Dimond
�� In Favor
ca�c�
Rettman
�hQ1�i A gai ns t BY
Sonnen
Wilson
Form Approved by City Attorney
Adopted by Council: Date
Certified Passed by Council Secretary gy��ti?-�-' /�/ , V2���li1 � �����
By
t�pproved by INavor: Date Approve Mayor for Submis ' n t C ncil
By — B
Mavor' s �Of f ice DE PARTMENT l�l� 0'7394
�h x�ssler , CONTACT U`��`� �J
298-4323 PHONE
_�bruarv 8 `1988 DATE ��W� 1 i�' QQ ,
_ �
�
ASSIGN NUhB.ER FOR ROUTING ORDER Cl i Al l Loca ions for S.i natur�e :
De.partment Director Directoi^ of Management/Mayor
Finance and' Management Services Director � City Clerk
Budget Dire�tor
City Attorney,
WHAT WILL BE ACHIEVEO BY TAKING ACTION ON THE TTACHED MATER LS? (Purpose/
Rationale) :
Will appoint R�bert KessTer as the cting Dir ctor of the Information and
Complaint Office. Kessler will the intpleme t the Pilot Consumer Service
Pragram to improve the responsivene s of th City. If successful, the
Council will be asked to create a p rmane Consumer Service Program in
August, 1988 .
COST BEHEFIT BUDGETARY AND PERSONNEL IMPACTS CIPATED: `No changes in the total amount
of fund5 for the Informa�iex� and Comp1 nt 0 ice is requested. However, funds
remaining from the vaca.nt position cr ed by Mary Ann Hecht' s departure would be
used tor microfilming, public inform�'t on, and camputer stations. A separate
budget revision will be processed, as ppropriate. and necessary. A description
of the budget changes is contained on he last page of the attached proposal.
FINANCING SOURCE AND BUDGET ACTIVITY NUNBER CFf GED OR CREDITED: (Mayor's signa-
ture not re-
Total Amount of "Transaction: quired if under
� $10,004)
Funding Source: •
Activity Number• .
�-
ATTACHMENTS (List and Numbe,� Al l Attachments) : Mayoral transmittal letter.
. � Council Resolution containing program
proposal. _
�PARTMENT REVIEW CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW
x Yes No Council Resolution Required? ' Resolution Required? Yes No
Yes �No Insurance Required? Insurance Sufficient? Yes No
Yes �No Insurance Attached:
(SEE •REVERSE SIDE FO �NSTRUCTIONS)
Revised 12/84
- . HOW TO USE THE GREEN SHEET ,
The GREEN SHEET has several PURPOSES: � � �
1. to assist in routing documents and in securing required signatures
2. to brief the reviewers of documents on the impacts of approval
3. to help ensure that necessary supporting materials are prepared, and, if
- required, attached.
Providing complete informa'tion under the listed headings enables reviewers to make
decisions on the documents and eliminates follow-up contacts that may delay execution.
Th� COST/BENEFIT, BUDGETARY AND PERSONNEL II�ACTS heading provides space to explain
� the cost/benefit aspects of the decision. Costs and benefits related both to City
budget (General Fund and/or Special Funds) and to broader financial impacts (cost
to users, homeowners or other groups affected by the action) . The personnel impact
is a description of change or shift of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions. �
If a CONTRACT amount is less th,an $10,000, the Mayor's signature is not required,
if the department director siqns. A contract must a�ways be first sigs�ed by the
outside agenc^y before routing through City offices. .
Below is the preferred ROUTING for the five most frequent types of documents:
CONTRACTS (assumes authorized budget exists) '
� 1. putside Agency 4. Mayor
2. Initiating Department 5. Finance Director
3. City Attorney 6. Finance Accountinq
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER (Budget Revision) ADMINISTRATI�E ORDERS (all others) .
1. Activity Manager 1. Initiatinq Department
2. Department Accountant 2. City Attorn�y
3. Department Director _ 3. Direetor of Management/Mayor
4. Budget Director 4. City Clerk '
5. City Clerk , �
6. Chief Accountant, F&M5
COUNCIL RESOT,UTION (Amend. Bdqts./Accept. Grants) COUNCIL RESOLUTION (all others)
1. Department Director 1. Initiatinq Department
2. Budget Director 2. City Attorney
3. City Attorney 3. Director of Manaqement/Mayor
4. Director of Management/Mayor 4. City Clerk
5. Chair, Finance, Mngmt. & Personnel Com. 5. City Council
6. City Clerk ,
7.. City Council
8. Chief Accountant, F'&MS
SUPPORTING MATERIALS. In the ATTACIiI�NTS section, identify all attachments. If the
Green Sheet is well done, no letter of transmittal need be included (unless siqning
such a letter is one of the requested actions) .
Note: If an agreement requires eviderice of insurance/co-insurance, a Certificate of
Insurance should be one of the attachments at time of routing.
Note: Actions which require City Council Resolutions include:
l. Contractual relationship with another governmental unit.
2.. Collective barqaining contracts. •
3. Purchase, sale or lease of'land.
4. Issuance of bonds by City.
5. Eminent damain.
6. Assumption of liability by City, or granting by City of indemnificz}tion. :
7. Agreements with State or Federal Goverrunent under which they are providing �
funding.
8. Budget a:aenc'�aents. .
�3 7��
���.
�l**�, CITY O SAINT PAUL
,�`6 '� OFFIC OF THE MAYOR
o 1 = �
� i i1�i 1�u �
e
♦� �a
3 7 CITY HALL
�as+
SAINT PA L, MINNESOTA 55102
GEORGE LATIMER ( 12) 298-4323
MAYOR
February 5, 1988
Council President James Sch ibel
and Members of the Saint P ul City Council
Seventh Floor-City Hall
Saint Paul, Minnesota 551 2
Dear Councilmembers:
I am pleased to formally su mit the pilot Consumer Service
Program for your considerat'on. We have revised and clarified
the proposal considerably b sed on comments and concerns raised
by several Councilmembers an staff in reaction to the draft
distributed last week. The roposal is stronger and more
responsive, as a result, and proves that we can work together
throughout the development a d implementation of this very
ambitious program.
However, the proposal is not complete. It needs to be developed
further in the coming months through continued cooperation. The
most important role for the ouncil is the establishment of the
complaint handling and refer al policy and the response standards
described in the proposal.
I urge your swift approval o the attached resolution so we can
get started. It is important to move quickly because complaint
handling is more fragmented n w than ever before.
I pledge the full cooperation of my office to work closely with
you throughout the implementa ion of the Consumer Service Program
so that we are successful in ecoming one of the most responsive
local governments in the coun ry.
Very truly yours,
eo Latimer
Ma r
GL:drm
Attachment
cc: Department Directors
8 46
_ �iJ- ' � � ---
, C�� �
FINAL: February 5, 1988
PROPOS L TO CREATE A
CONSUMER SERVICE PROG FOR THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL
IN RODUCTION
The purpose of this report i to propose the establishment of
a City of Saint Paul Consume Service Program that will
operate under the direction f the Mayor in accordance with
policy approved by the City ouncil. The primary objective of
the program is to ensure tha every legitimate request for
service, information, or com laint is handled properly,
quickly, and completely. Th program will build upon the
experience and expertise of he existing Information and
Complaint Office to re-energ ze the entire complaint-handling
system. The goal of the pro ram is to make the City of Saint
Paul one of, if not, the mos responsive local governments in
the entire country.
Such an ambitious goal is po sible because the City already
has a strong tradition of re ponsiveness. There are many
dedicated employees who beli ve that the most important part
of their job is to serve the public. Our challenge, then, is
to build upon the enthusiasm and "can do" attitude of our
responsive employees and spr ad it throughout the
organization. This proposal contains a detailed description,
preliminary work program, an budget for the Consumer Service
Program. It is offered as a ilot to be evaluated as to its
effectiveness in July 1988 before a decision is made to
include the program in the 19 9 City budget. Until the final
decision is made, no changes 'n staff are recommended other
than to appoint Robert Kessle as the Acting Director of the
Information and Complaint Off'ce. Mr. Kessler would continue
to report directly to Mayor L timer throughout the
implementation of the program and he would remain in the same
title and grade that he now h lds.
Upon Council approval of the onsumer Service Program during
the 1989 budget review proces , the administration will
determine the most appropriat means of naming a permanent
Director.
I. DESCRIPTI N OF THE PROBLEM
The Information and Complaint Office was established in 1975
to ensure that the City respo ded effectively to citizen
requests and complaints. Thr ugh dynamic leadership, the
office functioned as an advoc te for the citizen and was
responsible for improving man city services and programs. In
addition, the office prepared various reports on the number
and type of complaints receiv d.
. ii- �-t�-,� �_>
. � �_.
Proposal to Create a
Customer Service Program for he City of Saint Paul
February 5, 1988 -2-
The environment of city gover ment began to change with the
establishment of the ward sys em in 1983 . Gradually the
councilmembers and their staf began to act as advocates for
citizen complaints. In 1985 he administrative control of the
Information and Complaint Off ce was transferred to the City
Council and the staff began t function apart from the Mayor
and the Mayor's staff.
Initially the office continue to function effectively because
of an established rapport wit the various operating
departments. Gradually the r putation and clout of the office
began to diminish as departme t employees began to recognize
that the staff were no longer "speaking for the Mayor. " At
the same time, several City C uncil Offices had become very
adept at getting action to re ests and complaints. Their
aggressive work served to fur her dilute the clout of the
Information and Complaint Off ce in the minds of many
department employees.
In early 1987, the Mayor atte ded over 50 neighborhood and
community meetings to promote his Better Neighborhoods
Program. During most meeting , he was confronted with
numerous complaints--some min r--some significant, and some
that threatened the stability and liveability of the
neighborhood. As staff set o t to resolve or refer the
growing list of complaints, i made sense to contact the
operating departments directl for action rather than going
through the Information and C mplaint Office.
Surprisingly, there was a dis ernable difference in the way
the operating departments res onded. When they assumed that
staff was from the Informatio and Complaint Office, they were
sometimes reticent and unimag native, although remaining
curteous. When they realized that staff were calling from the
Mayor's Office itself, their ttitude and willingness to
cooperate often changed great y. It was apparent that some
departmental employees were m king a determination as to how
to respond to a complaint bas d on who was calling.
Presumably, if the Mayor, Cou cilmembers or one of their
direct staff called, the resp nse was more cooperative than if
it came from the Information nd Complaint Office or a citizen
directly.
Getting an appropriate respon e from the City should not
depend on who is making the r quest. Everyone should be
����� � ����.
�
Proposal to Create a
Customer Service Program for he City of Saint Paul
February 5, 1988 -3-
treated fairly and equally. hat is the goal of the Consumer
Service Program--to make the ystem responsive to the consumer
without having to plead your ase to a higher authority.
II. OBJECTI ES OF THE PROGRAM
There is no specific policy o procedure that guides employee
behavior in regard to complai t handling in the City of
Saint Paul. Procedures vary rom department to department and
expectations range from doing just enough to placate a caller
to making sure that the probl m is thoroughly taken care of.
The Consumer Service Program ill restore confidence in the
City's ability to respond uni ormly and effectively to
requests and complaints by ac omplishing the following
objectives.
1. To carry out City Counci policy to encourage and train
all City employees ta be consumer-oriented in responding
to requests and complain s.
2 . To act as the Mayor's pe sonal representative and
advocate in dealing with City departments on citizen
requests and complaints.
3 . To improve the complaint referral and follow-up process
through the use of compu ers and specific response
standards.
4. To develop an effective eporting system that describes
citizens ' satisfication ith the City's response to
requests and complaints.
5. To provide increased pub ic information on City services
and who to call for acti n.
III. MAJOR COMPONENTS F CONSUMER SERVICE PROGRAM
1. Desi nation of de artmen al com laint officers and
develo ment of coordinat d com laint-handlin
procedures. Each City d partment, and several of the
largest divisions, will ppoint a top-level complaint
officer to work closely ith the Consumer Service staff
to:
a. develop complaint-ha dling policy and response
standards.
b. determine explicit p ocedures for the handling of
complaint calls.
- �/j--�-� - �.'S _
Proposal to Create a
Customer Service Program for he City of Saint Paul
February 5, 1988 -4-
c. develop the appropri te public information pieces for
internal and externa distribution.
The day-to-day role of t e complaint officer will be
determined by the depart ent directors, in cooperation
with the Consumer Servic Program staff. In most cases,
each city department alr ady has a person who oversees
the handling of complain s. Therefore, the designation
of a complaint officer w 11 formalize an already existing
informal process. In ge eral, it is expected that the
main function of the dep rtmental complaint officer will
be to make decisions reg rding the allocation of
resources to resolve unu ual or especially "thorny"
complaints and to coordi ate actions to deal with
complaints that involve ther administrative units or
jurisdictions.
2 . Establishment of a com 1 'nt handlin olic and
com laint res onse stand rds. It should be the policy of
the City of Saint Paul t at employees shall not refer a
citizen request or compl int regarding a City service or
program to another emplo ee until they are certain of
exactly who is responsib e for the request or complaint.
It should be the respons bility of the employee receiving
the call to make sure th request or complaint is handled
or referred to the right person.
3 . Provision of trainin fo all Cit em lo ees on ro er
com laint referral techn ues. Instruction would be
provided by City employe s and outside consultants in
cooperation with Personn 1 's Office of Training and
Development. The traini g will be designed to cover both
the technical and philos phical aspects of complaint
referral.
4 . Develo ment of Com laint Re ortin S stem. The
Consumer Service staff w 11 work closely with each City
department to report on he number and type of complaints
received by ward. In ad ition, the office will analyze
the City's response, bot in terms of time and outcome to
provide information to t e City Council and to improve
City operations as neces ary and appropriate.
5. Publication of a booklet Em lo ee's Guide that lists
who to refer calls to fo action. The publication would
be provided to all City mployees to enable them to
determine who to refer c lls to. The booklet would also
contain the City policy n complaint referral and
summarize procedures for dealing with citizen requests
and complaints.
�_� � _��
�r���� �
Proposal to Create a
Customer Service Program for he City of Saint Paul
February 5, 1988 -5-
6. Provision of Citizen Adv cac . The Consumer Service
staff (consisting of the existing Information and
Complaint Office staff) ill continue to provide advocacy
for citizen complaints, specially for individuals who
have been unable to get satisfactory response from a
particular City employee or operating department. The
intention is to use the 'clout" of the Mayor's Office to
ensure timely responses o all legitimate complaints. In
addition, staff will use the services of the
Dispute Resolution Cente to resolve complaints that do
not involve the City dir ctly.
7. Installation of a com ut rized com laint referral s stem
to eventuall link all C t o eratin de artments. A
computerized complaint r ferral system will speed up the
referral process and mak it easier to "follow" the
progress of complaints. The system will also be designed
to:
a. Allow multiple acces to the system from various City
departments.
b. Send a follow-up que tionnaire to a certain
percentage (10 to 20 range) of callers to determine
citizen satisfaction with the City response.
c. Maintain a record of all complaints by address.
d. Initiate work orders for certain types of complaints.
e. Conduct statistical nalysis on number and type of
complaints, as well s information on response time
and final dispositio .
8. Establishment of a full staffed Cit -Count Service
Desk. A service/informa ion desk will be located in the
center of the elevator 1 by of City Hall (behind the
Indian God of Peace) . I will provide information,
directions, and friendly support to the public throughout
the business day.
The service desk would be staffed by City and County
personnel on a regular ba is and would complement the
senior citizen volunteers. The need for an Information
or Service Desk is vital ecause of the change to
automatic elevators. Peo le often have difficulty
determining where to go i the building, even after
reading the building dire tory. The service desk would
ensure that City Hall wil remain "user friendly. "
Additional signage will b used at the two street-level
entrances and at the skyw y connection to direct people
to the information desk. The existing Information and
Complaint Office space co ld be vacated to make room for
�;f--_4f`� ���_�
Proposal to Create a
Customer Service Program for he City of Saint Paul
February 5, 1988 -6-
another office after the information/service desk is
fully operational. The taff would be moved to the 3rd
floor of City Hall and t e office records would be
transferred to storage o put on microfilm.
9. Redirection of the funct on of the Information and
Complaint Office. The d rector and staff of the
Information and Complain Office will be responsible for
implementing the Consume Service Program. In doing so,
the staff will redirect heir attention to concentrate on
the objectives of the Co sumer Service Program.
Initially a substantial mount of time will be spent on
setting standards, emplo ee training, and public
information. Neverthele s, personal advocacy and
information services wil remain primary objectives to
ensure that citizens wil continue to have a sympathetic
office to turn to if the are unable to locate the
appropriate individual o receive a satisfactory response
to their request or comp aint.
IV. PRELIM NARY WORK PLAN
1. Each department and majo division designates a
high-level complaint off 'cer or ombusdperson [by
February 26, 1988]
2. A departmental staff adv'sory committee is formed
consisting of the depart ent complaint officers,
City Council staff and t e director of the
Consumer Service Program. [by February 26, 1988]
3 . Committee defines what a legitimate complaint or request
is (in broad terms) . [M rch 15, 1988]
4. Committee develops a com laint referral policy and
guidelines (consistent wi h the goals of the Consumer
Service Program) for the rocessing and handling of
complaints. [March 1, 19 8]
5. Committee develops and re ommends for adoption certain
complaint response standa ds for all common complaints.
[April 1, 1988]
6. Committee develops and pu lishes an Employee's Guide
which contains all the in ormation needed to refer a
complaint or request, inc uding the established response
standards and complaint p licy and procedures.
[May 1, 1988]
� , �6�f-,�,�- �>5
Proposal to Create a
Customer Service Program for e City of Saint Paul
February 5, 1988 -�-
7. Committee develops, in c peration with the Training
staff, a training plan fo appropriate City employees to
train them on City complaint-handling policy, computer
usage and data privacy pr cedures [May 15, 1988]
8. Training is carried out o a regular basis in cooperation
with the Mayor's Office a d Training staff. [May 15
through July 15, 1988]
9. Committee develops a publ 'c information plan to provide
accurate information to c'tizens on the City's Consumer
Service Program [May 15, 988J
10. A brief, concise "Citizen's Guide" is published and
distributed to each house old in the City on an annual
basis. The guide will be designed for quick reference
and regular use by citize s. [September 1, 1988]
11. Initiation of a study by he Personnel Office to
appropriately classify al the employees of the former
Information and Complaint Office according to their
duties under the Consumer Service Program.
[June 1, 1988]
12 . Establishment of a jointl -staffed City of Saint Paul,
Ramsey County information desk near the elevators on the
first floor of City Hall. [March 1, 1988]
13. Improvement of signage in the City Hall Courthouse
building to direct visito s to the information desk.
[March 1, 1988]
14. Initiation of monthly com uter generated quantitative and
qualitative reports on Ci y complaint-handling
activities. [April 1, 19 8]
15. Development of legislatio and budget to establish the
Consumer Service Program June 1, 1988] as a distinct
part of the Mayor's Offic . ]
V. BUDGET and PER ONNEL (in process)
The current budget provides fo four positions, three of which
are full-time Civil Service po itions, and one (the Complaint
and Information Officer) is un lassified. Doris Quinn is
filling the Complaint Officer lot on an acting basis. The
Classification Study performed y the Personnel Office in
April, 1987, recommended subst tial upgrades for both
positions, therefore, no chang in current pay rates is
recommended until all job desc iptions and grades have been
re-evaluated by the Personnel Office.
. ._..-
. _ ����,_�y;
Proposal to Create a
Customer Service Program for t e City of Saint Paul
February 5, 1988 -g-
There is then currently one va ant position in the office that
will not be filled leaving app oximately $28, 000 available for
the following one-time expendi ures.
2 computer work stations $ 8, 000
4, 000 copies of Employee' Guide 1, 000
(15 to 20 pages)
115, 000 copies of Citizen s Guide 10, 000
(10 to 12 pages)
Microfilming of records 10, 000
$ 28, 000