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INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9488
April 17, 2012
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 1 of 2
SUBJECT: PROGRESS REPORT: THE BIG IDEA CHALLENGE
The purpose of this informal report is to provide the City Council an update on the progress on
the Big Idea Challenge. As you recall, the city launched an employee incentive program entitled,
cost saving ideas for the city.
Thanks to a $5,000 donation from Community Trust Bank, the winne
receive a cash award.
Employees were given until December 31, 2011 to share their idea Those ideas were vetted
through an extensive review process, and six employees were ultimately awarded for their ideas.
Those ideas were then sent back to departmental staff to evaluate and facilitate implementation.
The following is an update on the progress of that evaluation/im:
Idea #1: Allow employees to donate 40 hours of vacation time to their 457 deferred
compensation plan (Human Resources Department).
Update: Currently, the city has procedures in place that allow employees
hours of accrued vacation time at the end of the calendar year. There is also a
procedure in place that allows employees who are discontinuing t
with the city to shift their terminal leave pay into their 457 a
Resources staff is currently evaluating the legal, pension and IRS impacts and
implications of allowing employees to donate 40 hours of accrued
their 457 accounts each year. They anticipate having draft propo
, 2012.
Idea #2: Institute a tobacco free hiring policy for future hires and designate all city
facilities smoke-free (Human Resources Department).
Update: The Human Resources Department is currently engaged in data gath
compiling policies from private and public sector employers for tobacco cessation,
smoke-free environment and tobacco free hiring policies and programs. Karen
a
presentation to the City Council in May. Tobacco free programs and policies will be
HR plans to have information
gathered related to potential program features, employee impacts
2012.
Idea #3: Require Fire Permits to be picked up or charge for mailing (Fire Department).
Update: The program has been implemented in full, and savings are already being realized.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9488
April 17, 2012
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 2 of 2
SUBJECT: PROGRESS REPORT: THE BIG IDEA CHALLENGE
Idea #4: red contributions toward
roadway improvements under Community Facilities Agreements (Planning
and Development Department).
Update: The Planning and Development Department staff is developing pote
implementation strategies with the Transportation and Public Works and City
presented to the Development Advisory Committee for input before
recommendation for Council. It is anticipated that a presentatiil would
be likely in the late fall or winter of 2012.
Idea #5: Establish a policy disallowing city vehicles to idle unnecessarily (Equipment
Services Department).
Update: The Equipment Services Department (ESD) staff is gathering anti-idling policies
from other government agencies. Also, ESD staff will meet with cit
determine what departmental policies are already established rel-idling.
Finally, ESD staff will meet with air quality staff at the North
of Governments regarding their anti-idling ordinance that has been passed by many
North Texas governments. Fort Worth has been reluctant to adopt rdinance in
the past due to enforcement challenges. Even though other North Texas
jurisdictions have adopted the ordinance, those jurisdictions may be facing
challenges with respect to enforcement. This research will culminate in a draft anti-
idling policy to be adopted into the appropriate policies and procedures based upon
ation.
Idea #6: E-mail monthly permit renewal notifications instead of sending them by mail
(Planning and Development Department).
Update: The idea is in software development. The first step has been to
coordinate what software changes are required to automate the email through the
current alarm billing system. IT is reviewing the request and is
required software changes, costs and possible implementation sch
anticipate implementation by the end of the fiscal year if no major resource or
software issues are encountered.
Tom Higgins
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS