Table of Contents
Introduction
Program Changes
Regionalism
Improving Communication with Townships
Fund Stabilization Policies
Budget Formulation Policy
Minimum Fund Balance Policy
Debt Management Policy
Summit County Engineer: Divisions and Sections
Budget Process
Performance Measures
Administration Division
Administration Section
Finance/Budget Section
Information Technology Section
Personnel/Records/Training Section
Human Resource Group
Records Group
Training Group
GIS Section
Engineering Division
Administration Section
Construction Section
Utility Coordination Group
Right-of-WayCoordination Group
Project Inspection Group
Engineering Services Section
Highway and Drainage Section
Highway Group
Allotment Group
Drainage Group
Survey Section
Public Services Division
Administration Section
Bridge and Ditch Section
Fleet Maintenance Section
North Station Section and South Station Section
Specialized Services Section
Infrastructure Measures
Bridge Inspections
Pavement Condition Index
2012 Capital Budget
Revenue Projections
Financial Overview/Expenditure Projections
Summit County Engineer Organization Chart
MVGT Special Capital Project Fund Summary
Assessed Subdivision Fund Summaries
District 1 – Northern District
District 2 – Southern District
Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Summit County Engineer’s office respectfully submits this budget proposal for the review of County Council and the Executive. Along with the budget worksheets, this document is designed to detail the steps this office has taken to create the budget, provide the reasoning behind our budget requests and explain various program and budget changes instituted by the Engineer.
This year our office continued its commitment to zero based budgeting. This budget has been completely rebuilt starting directly from the people who perform the public services we provide. Each section leader details their annual expenditures and revenue. Expenditures are then reviewed by the division leaders and department head before being submitted to the budget division for inclusion in the final budget worksheets for the approval of the Engineer. Instead of simply increasing the previous year’s budget by a certain percent, we analyzed all expenditures to ensure the efficiency and cost effectiveness of this office.
In addition, each section was asked to provide performance measures for their section to determine that our goals were being met on a quantitative basis. This budget continues the effort to maintain an historical record of performance data to objectively show Council and SummitCounty citizens how we are doing.
Program Changes
The current administration is dedicated to improving the efficiency, responsiveness, and transparency of our operations. The following programs represent changes we made to improve the functions of the Engineer’s office and provide accountability to those we serve.
Regionalism
In this economy, governments must find ways to do more with less. A main goal of this office is to identify ways in which to regionalize the services we provide. Over the last two years, we have implemented several new ideas that are mutually beneficial to our office and the communities in SummitCounty.
In 2009 we updated our contract with the City of New Franklin to continue to perform their snow and ice control. We were also able to perform roadside mowing for the Village of Boston Heights.
In the City of Norton,we provide engineering services. This is a win-win situation for both our office and Norton. Norton will have a dedicated City Engineer at a lower cost for them and our office will save money in personnel.
In 2011, we signed agreements with the Village of Lakemore to provide general maintenance services for their village using county employees and equipment.
Finally, in 2011 we opened our pavement maintenance program to all municipalities and townships in SummitCounty, a goal listed in last year’s budget document presented to Council. This increases the amount of material needed to perform the pavement repairs, lowering the per-unit cost to both this office and to the townships. The response to the initial program was better than expected and we are hopeful the program will be expanded in the future. This budget includes the continued improvements for the 2012 construction season.
Improving Communication with Townships
Beginning in 2010, the Engineer assigned staff representatives to work directly with each township. The assigned employees attend township meetings and are available to township trustees, staff, and residents for any questions they may have regarding transportation projects in their area. By assigning staff members to become experts in the needs and concerns of each township, we hope to improve cooperation and foster better working relationships with all of the townships we represent.
Fund Stabilization Policies
Proper management of the Engineer’s office requires keeping the office in good fiscal order. The policies listed here provide the basis for making future financial decisions. They also assist the office in determining whether immediate spending reductions are needed as well as the issues that need to be resolved in future budget cycles.
Budget Formulation Policy
This budget continues the practice of tracking gross revenue from other major funding sources. These sources include money that is regularly received from the state and federal government for highway funding that may be paid directly to contractors. This practice more accurately represents the value and/or cost of the improvements administered by the Engineer. Accounting for all costs and funding sources provides a complete picture of available financial resources and actual project costs to the County Council and the public.
Minimum Fund Balance Policy
The Motor Vehicle Gas Tax fund is managed by the CountyEngineer to assure that maintenance and road improvements are properly funded. The financial integrity of the fund is paramount to our continued ability to provide services. Maintaining a reasonable fund balance is required to ensure that we are not spending beyond our means, but we are also planning to fully utilize the tax dollars we collect on the improvements for which they are intended. The Engineer uses the budget process and continued monitoring of expenditure levels throughout the year to maintain an unencumbered fund balance of 10% to 15% of net fund expenditures with 12.5% being the target level.
Debt Management Policy
This administration controls its use of debt financing for capital projects and instead opts to fund projects on a pay-as-you-go basis. Although debt financing can have significant advantages and needs to be considered on certain projects, this office's reliance on road taxes pre-supposes a commitment to regular road maintenance and improvements. Therefore, our improvement program does not require unusually high or unanticipated expenditures in any given year. Debt financing will be reserved for construction of new highways rather than maintenance or normal improvements to existing roadways and for such cases as where a new revenue source may be provided to fund a project such that this revenue source would carry the cost of the debt service. Overall debt service levels are monitored and will be maintained at a level not to exceed 6% of the SCE’s total operating budget. Future debt service requirements will be a primary consideration in the issuance of any new debt. To the extent possible, existing debt service will be reduced through refinancing and payment alternatives to restore a debt service level that is within the 6% cap.
SummitCountyEngineer: Divisions and Sections
The Engineer’s office is currently organized into three divisions. Within each of these divisions, work and budgets are tracked by sixteen individual sections to improve performance and accountability.
Budget Process
The Engineer’s Office uses a zero base budget approach to scrutinize every expenditure request. This effort was best accomplished by dividing the budget into component work sections and asking section leaders to provide rationale for all budget requests.
Section Leaders prepare the Program Requests. Each section leader is given broad parameters about spending levels but are primarily tasked with creating a budget that will support the activities they believe are essential to running their section. They are encouraged to include all expenditures that they believe are necessary and to prepare their rationale for each item they request. Section leaders are also able to list items they would like to improve their operations, but these are not included in their program requests because they are only reviewed in detail if funding is available. Meetings are then held with each section leader to discuss their program requests in preparation for a division review of the budget. Section leaders also provide capital requests for those programs within their purview.
Each division leader is charged with implementing the first round of budget adjustments. In the division review, duplicate items are eliminated and appropriations are adjusted between line-items to match the county’s accounting system. Some additional adjustments may be made at this time due to financial constraints at the division level. However, the emphasis is still on requesting all funds needed to perform division operations.
The final review phase occurs when the Engineer and the division leaders meet to discuss the overall budget for the department. At this point, adjustments are made based upon financial constraints. Cuts are implemented after discussion of the funding that is expected to be available. If additional funds are available, then the discretionary requests of the section leaders are considered for funding as well. Each division is responsible for making the necessary arguments in support of their requests, but decisions are made with the objectives and priorities of the whole department in mind. In addition, the capital requests are discussed during this final review phase.
Once the budget is completed, it is distributed internally for review by the section leaders as a final quality control review. Upon Council approval of the budget, the budget is discussed with each section leader and all adjustments are explained and the overall spending constraints for their section are discussed. Each division and section leader is then charged with making their own management decisions during the course of the budget year and they are given authority to make adjustments as needed to fulfill their obligations so long as they stay within the overall appropriation limits set by Council.
Performance Measures
The creation and implementation of performance measures to the Engineer’s office started in 2010. Each section was asked to list their goals and objectives and provide a way to numerically track each objective. Performance measures were first included in the 2011 budget. In most instances, it is still too early to fully report on progress until a full year of data is compiled.
The purpose of implementing performance measures is to ensure that this office is fulfilling its mission statement and providing services to the public in the most efficient and cost effective manner. Performance measure tables are provided below for each section. Figures included for 2011 indicate the performance targets established by the section leaders due to the fact that a full year’s data is currently unavailable. Likewise, 2012 figures represent the targeted level of performance unless additional data is available.
Administration Division
The administrative division is responsible for all the basic administrative function of the Engineer’s office essential to maintaining the day-to-day operation of the Engineer’s office including budgeting and finance, information technology and computer programming, personnel and human resources, inventory and supplies, government affairs, and record retention. Beginning with the 2012 Budget, the GIS Section will be moved from the Engineering Division to the Administration Division. This move will consolidate non-engineering and non-maintenance functions with the Administration Division.
Administration Section
The administration section provides oversight to the entire division. It is responsible for managing division operations to ensure that individual sections are meeting their stated objectives and those division operations are consistent with overall departmental goals and objectives.
2012 Operating Budget Request
Major Budgetary Changes:
The $105,000 reduction in contract services represents the elimination of a contract with the sheriff’s office for vehicle weight enforcement. This program had to be cut due to insufficient funds and will be reinstated once funding is available. Individual requests for weight enforcement will need to be funded by the requesting jurisdiction.
Personnel: Elected Official, Director of Administration, Executive Assistant 2, Government Affairs Liaison, Administrative Staff Advisor 1, Assistant Prosecutor (20% of base salary and benefits only)
Proposed Personnel Changes:
The position of Administrative Staff Advisor 1 will be changed to Administrative Staff Advisor 2. The position is assuming additional duties to implement a regional surface water management program and coordinating surface water management in various subdivisions within the townships.
Performance Measures
Performance Measure Discussion:
Since 2008, MVGT fund revenue has declined by nearly 3.5%. In order to meet the fund balance performance objectives stated above, the office reduced operating costs by 6.3% over the same period. Current projections for 2011 year-end fund balance are below the policy minimum balance. However, the office is continuing with cost cutting measures to restore fund balance levels prior to year-end. The 2012 budget is balanced with projected expenditures that are within the projected fund revenue and will therefore restore fund balances to the required level by the end of 2012.
Debt service expenditures have been reduced by 32% since 2008 in order to meet the debt service performance objectives. Unfortunately, these reductions have not proved sufficient to meet performance objectives due to the high level of debt service existing prior to creating the measure.
In 2011, several task order contracts budgeted as capital items in the past were moved to the operating budget of the office. This has permitted more money to be available for project oriented capital needs. It has also adversely impacted the office’s ability to meet the operating expenditure performance measure.
Finance/Budget Section
The Finance Section provides oversight, control and management of all budgetary functions for the Summit County Engineer’s Office. In addition to the typical accounting functions, the Finance Section manages inventory control, asset accounting, cost accounting, budget management and finance planning.
2012 Operating Budget Request
Personnel: Budget/Management Director, Fiscal Officer 2, Computer Operator 2/Advanced Fiscal Operations
Proposed Personnel Changes:
No personnel changes are anticipated for 2012.
Performance Measures
Performance Measure Discussion:
Figures included for 2011 and 2012 indicate the performance targets established by the section leaders due to the fact that a full year’s data is currently unavailable.
Information Technology Section
The Information Technology (IT) Section plans, implements, and supports all hardware, software, and network infrastructure for the Engineer’s Office. The IT Section also advances the Office’s efforts to incorporate cost-effective technology into our operations to improve our delivery of services and information to the citizens of SummitCounty.
2012 Operating Budget Request
Personnel: Network Administrator, Software Engineer
Proposed Personnel Changes:
No personnel changes are anticipated for 2012.
Performance Measures
Performance Measure Discussion:
Figures included for 2011 and 2012 indicate the performance targets established by the section leaders due to the fact that a full year’s data is currently unavailable.
Personnel/Records/Training Section
This Section oversees several components of the Administration Division. This section works with the county’s Central Human Resources Department to implement county policies within the Engineer’s Department and provide mandated training. It is also responsible for most public records needs of the office. Its functions are performed through three primary workgroups.
Human Resource Group
The Human Resource (HR) Group coordinates the human resource functions of the Summit County Engineer’s Office, acting as a source of information and support for employees and managers in all aspects of employment, including policy, procedure, compensation, and employee benefits. The HR Group is also responsible for labor relations, labor contract negotiations and Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance for the Engineer’s Office.
The HR Group assures compliance with federal and state labor and workplace safety laws, County Human Resource Commission Rules, and the County’s Classification/Compensation Plan. The section maintains an employee database for the Office’s regular staff.
Records Group
The Records Group is responsible for maintaining the public records of the office in a manner that ensures records are available to fulfill public records requests. It provides document scanning services, to ensure digital storage of information generated by the Engineer’s Office is properly cataloged and maintained. This group also prepares and updates the office’s record retention schedules and monitors document storage and destruction.