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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Alex Alexandrou, Chief Management Officer
Alex Voigt, Assistant Chief of Staff
DATE: September 5, 2017
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance Amending Chapter 2, Article IV of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances entitled "Departments".
PURPOSE:
The proposed changes to Chapter 2, Article IV will codify current administrative practices as well as establish new and existing city departments. This amendment will kick start a comprehensive city-wide reorganization process with the goal of improving processes and services both internally and externally prior to the budget implementation.
BACKGROUND:
In 2009, the city underwent a significant reorganization to address budgetary challenges which included the re-alignment of several city departments. At that time, all changes were addressed through the budget process but were never codified.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed amendment will establish new city departments, streamline and define existing departments and clearly establish the process of hiring and appointing Department and Division Heads. Some of the changes will mirror what has become administrative practice over time and reflects the current administration's intention to initiate strategic change citywide.
The proposed changes have been summarized below, the current Chapter 2 as well as the revised Chapter 2 are attached for your review. Following the approval of the amended code, outside Legal Counsel will conduct a comprehensive overview of the City Code as a whole to ensure all of the updates are addressed appropriately throughout.
Establishment of New Departments:
Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-276 establishes the following departments:
• Development Services
• Innovation & Core Services
Existing departments that will remain:
• Finance
• Fire
• Human Resources
• Police
• Public Works (Changed)
• Law
• City Clerk
Appointment of Department/Division Heads:
Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-278 and 2-279 proposes to mirror the process of 2-277, which calls for the Mayor to appoint and the City Council to confirm.
New Departments:
Development Services will be comprised of the following divisions:
• Airport
• Building and Permits
• Economic Development
• Planning & Zoning
• Neighborhood Standards
• Animal Control
The Innovation & Core Services Department will be comprised of the following divisions:
• Information Technologies
• Community Services
Existing Departments:
Human Resources:
• Human Resources
• Civil Service
• Risk Management
The Law Department:
• Corporation Counsel
• Assistant Corporation Counsel
• Community Based Prosecutor
Public Works:
• Electrical Maintenance
• Engineering
• Fleet and Facilities Maintenance
• Water Production
• Water and Sewer Maintenance
• Street Maintenance
Finance, the City Clerk, Fire and Police remain the same.
Chapter 2, Article III also proposes to create Section 2-203 entitled “Freedom of information officers”. This provides the ability of the Mayor to hire a staff member within the City Clerk’s Office to manage the city’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests. Relocating the position from the Law Department to the City Clerk’s Office where records are stored and managed is a current best practice adopted by many municipalities. Per City policy individual departments are required to have employees assigned to respond to FOIA requests who currently coordinate their efforts with the Law Department.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
This change to Chapter 2 will have a positive impact citywide by accurately updating and reflecting the City organizational chart and related administrative processes.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully requested that the codification and changes to Chapter 2 be forwarded to the Tuesday, August 22nd City Council Meeting.
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
An Ordinance Amending Chapter 2 of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances Entitled "Administration".
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora deems it necessary and desirable to amend the City Code provisions related to the organization of City Departments so as to more accurately reflect the operational realities of the provision of City services to the public and further the City’s goal of operating in the most effective and efficient manner possible.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows:
SECTION 1: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-276 entitled “Established,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 2-276 - Established.
The following departments are established:
(1) Community development department Development services department.
(2) Public property department Reserved.
(3) Finance department.
(4) Fire department.
(5) Organizational development department Innovation and core services department.
(6) Law department.
(7) Human resources department.
(8) Police department.
(9) Public works department.”
SECTION 2: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-277 entitled “Department heads,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 2-277 - Department heads.
Each department shall be subject to the direction and control of the department head of the department. Each department head shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. The job description of each department head shall be as established by the city council Mayor and provided to the City Council at Committee of the Whole, along with a summary of qualifications, at the time of appointment and proposed confirmation of both the proposed job description and appointment separately by City Council. Each department head shall report to the mayor.
Each department head shall either be a resident of the City of Aurora at the time of appointment and confirmation by City Council, or within twelve (12) months of the date of appointment and confirmation by City Council which time period may be extended upon the approval of the mayor and the city council. That the residency requirement for City department heads established by Section 2 of this Ordinance shall not apply to department heads who were appointed prior to the effective date of this Ordinance.”
SECTION 3: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-278 entitled “Departmental divisions, subdivisions and heads of each,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 2-278 - Departmental divisions, subdivisions and heads of each.
Departments may be organized into divisions and subdivisions. Each division and subdivision shall be under the control of a division head and subdivision head, respectively. Each division head shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council, and shall be under the direction and control of and report to the department head of the department of which the division is a part and has full authority to manage the division to which assigned. The job description of each department, division head shall be as established by the mayor and provided to the City Council at Committee of the Whole, along with a summary of qualifications, at the time of appointment and proposed confirmation of both the proposed job description and appointment separately by City Council. Each subdivision head shall be under the direction and control of and report to the division head of the division of which the subdivision is a part and has full authority to manage the subdivision to which assigned.”
SECTION 4: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-279 entitled “Assistant department/division heads,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-279 - Assistant department heads and assistant/division heads.
Assistant department heads/ and assistant division heads may be established from time to time. Assistant department heads/ and assistant division heads shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. The job description of each assistant department head/ and assistant division head shall be established by the mayor and provided to the City Council at Committee of the Whole, along with a summary of qualifications, at the time of appointment and proposed confirmation of both the proposed job description and appointment separately by City Council. city council.”
SECTION 5: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-280 entitled “Community development department,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances is hereby amended by repealing said section in its entirety and replacing it with the following section, which shall read in its entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-280. - Development services department.
(a) The chief development services officer is the department head of the development services department.
(b) The development services department is divided into the following divisions:
(1) Airport division. The head of this division is the airport director.
(2) Division of buildings and permits. The head of this division is the building and permits director.
(3) Division of economic development. The head of this division is the economic development director.
(4) Division of planning and zoning. This division is divided into the following subdivisions:
A. Planning and Preservation.
B. Zoning.
(5) Division of property standards. The head of this division is the neighborhood property standards director.
(6) Division of Animal Control. The head of this division is the animal control director.
(c) The functions of the development services department shall be as established by state law, city ordinance or resolution and at the administrative direction of the mayor.”
SECTION 6: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-281 entitled “Public property department,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances shall be amended by repealing said section in its entirety and replacing it with the following section, which shall read in its entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-281 - Innovation and core services department.
(a) The chief innovation officer is the head of the innovation and core services department.
(b) The innovation and core services department is divided into the following divisions:
(1) Information technology division. The head of this division is the information technology director. The information technology division is divided into the following subdivisions:
A. Management information systems.
B. Police technical services.
(2) Community services division. The head of this division is the community services director. The community services division is divided into the following subdivisions:
A. Customer service.
B. Public art.
C. Neighborhood redevelopment.
D. Special events.
E. Youth and senior services.
(c) The functions of the innovation and core services department shall be as established by state law, city ordinance or resolution and at the administrative direction of the mayor.”
SECTION 7: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-282 entitled “Finance department,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances shall be amended by repealing said section in its entirety and replacing it with the following section, which shall read in its entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-282. - Finance department.
(a) The finance director chief financial officer is the department head of the finance department.
(b) The finance department is divided into the following divisions:
(1) Division of accounting. The head of this division is the accounting director.
(2) Division of budgeting. The head of this division is the budgeting director.
(3) Division of procurement purchasing. The head of this division is the procurement purchasing director.
(4) Division of revenue and collection. The head of this division is the revenue and collection director. The division of revenue and collection includes the subdivision of MVPS revenue and collection.
(5) Division of water billing. The head of this division is the water billing director.
(c) The functions of the finance department shall be as established by state law, city ordinance or resolution and at the administrative direction of the mayor.”
SECTION 8: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-284 entitled “Organizational development department,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances shall be amended by repealing said section in its entirety designating said section as “Reserved”.
SECTION 9: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-285 entitled “Law department,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances shall be amended to read in its entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-285. - Law department.
(a) The corporation counsel is the department head of the law department.
(b) In addition to the corporation counsel, T the legal staff in the law department shall consist of attorneys an assistant corporation counsel and a community based prosecutor, and other staff attorneys as needed who shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council.
(c) The functions of the law department shall be as established by state law, city ordinance or resolution and at the administrative direction of the mayor. The law department may, subject to approval by the mayor, employ special counsel as may be required, subject to the limitations imposed by the annual budget.”
SECTION 10: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-286 entitled “Human resources department,” of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances shall be amended to read in its entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-286. - Human resources department.
(a) The human resources director is the department head of the human resources department.
(b) The functions of the human resources department shall be as established by state law, city ordinance or resolution and at the administrative direction of the mayor.
(c) The human resources department shall be divided into the following divisions:
(1) Division of human resources.
(2) Division of civil service.
(3) Division of Risk management.
(d) The functions of the human resources department shall be as established by state law, city ordinance or resolution and at the administrative direction of the mayor.”
SECTION 11: That Chapter 2, Article IV, Section 2-288 of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances entitled “Public works department,” shall be amended by repealing subsections (a) and (b) and replacing said subsections with the following new subsections, which shall read in their entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-288. - Public works department.
(a) The public works director is the department head of the public works department.
(b) The public works department is divided into the following divisions:
(1) Division of electrical maintenance. The head of this division is the electrical maintenance director.
(2) Division of engineering. The head of this division is the city engineer, who shall be assisted by an assistant city engineer.
(3) Division of fleet and facilities maintenance. The head of this division is the fleet and facilities maintenance director, who shall be assisted by an assistant director of fleet and facilities maintenance. The division of fleet and facilities maintenance shall be divided into the following subdivisions:
A. Fleet and parking maintenance.
B. Central services.
C. ATC Route 25.
D. Parks Maintenance.
E. Route 59.
F. Zoo.
G. MVPS
H. Downtown Services.
I. Phillips Park Golf Course.
(4) Division of water production. The head of this division is the water superintendent, who shall be assisted by an assistant superintendent of water.
(5) Division of water and sewer maintenance. The head of this division is the water and sewer maintenance superintendent, who shall be assisted by an assistant water and sewer maintenance superintendent. The division of water and sewer maintenance shall include the subdivision of water meter maintenance.
(6) Division of street maintenance. The head of this division is the street maintenance superintendent.”
SECTION 12: That Chapter 2, Article III of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances is hereby amended by creating Section 2-203 entitled “Freedom of Information Officers,” which shall read in its entirety as follows:
“Sec. 2-203 - Freedom of information officers.
Subject to budgetary constraints, the mayor or the mayor’s designee may appoint freedom of information officers to assist the city clerk and deputy city clerk in satisfying the city’s obligations under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1, et seq.”
SECTION 13: That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect, and shall be controlling, upon its passage and approval.
SECTION 14: That all ordinances or parts of ordinances thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of any such conflict.
SECTION 15: That any Section or provision of this ordinance that is construed to be invalid or void shall not affect the remaining Sections or provisions which shall remain in full force and effect thereafter.