COUNCIL COMMUNICATION


DATE:        3/22/99


SUBJECT:  FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE 99-O-083
Amending the City of Laredo FY1998-99 annual budget by creating the
following positions:  one (1) Customer Service Representative, one
(1) Budget Analyst, and one (1) Secretary at a cost of $39,573
including fringe benefits and a one-time capital out lay request of
$7,500 for a total of $47,073 which will be funded by expenditure
line item savings from City Secretary and Budget Office, and
anticipated salary savings in the reserve appropriation line item,
and authorizing the City Manager to imple ment said budget.

INITIATED BY:                   STAFF SOURCE:
Florencio Pena, III             Heberto L. Ramirez, Budget Officer
City Manager                    Horacio de Leon,
                                Asst. to City Manager

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
On March 1, 1999, City Manager presented a staff report on a
Customer Service Plan and Performance Measurements Program for the
City of Laredo.

This ordinance was introduced on March 15, 1999.

BACKGROUND:
The City Council has directed the City Manager to move forward with
a Customer Service Plan and Performance Measurement Program that
will improve customer service citywide.  The Customer Service Plan
will provide a comprehensive plan for city employe es which
stipulates the City Council's expectations in relation to customer
interaction, citizen requests and complaints.  Additionally, this
plan provides a structure that ensures proper training, resources
and evaluation of customer service perform ance.  A customer service
coordinator position is being requested.  A computer software
tracking program is also a major component of this plan.  The
software will create a centralized database for use in reporting,
query information, statistics, and other needed functions.

We are requesting an additional secretary position for the Mayor and
City Council under the supervision of the City Secretary's office to
assist in the many secretarial duties and telephone calls from
citizens requesting information and reporting ser vice requests and
complaints.

The Budget Office is currently developing and implementing a
performance measurement program which will track important
performance dimensions of City operations which will in turn
document performance strengths and alert officials to performance
def iciencies, and validate the effectiveness and efficiency of
performance improvement initiatives.  In FY1998-99, City Departments
will be responsible for identifying one area (division) to track its
performance.  In FY1999-00, this process is expected to be fully
implemented.  A budget analyst position is being requested as part
of this program to work with division managers and directors.  The
need for staff support to develop and foster this program is
essential for the implementation of this program.

FINANCIAL:
An estimated cost of $47,073 in personnel and capital outlay costs
in FY1998-99 is proposed.  Funding of $3,000 is available in City
Secretary's budget, $5,000 is available in the Budget Office line
items, and $39,073 is available from the reserve ap propriation line
item.

RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance.


                     ORDINANCE 99-O-083

AMENDING THE CITY OF LAREDO FY1998-99 ANNUAL BUDGET BY
CREATING THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:  ONE (1) CUSTOMER SERVICE
REPRESENTATIVE, ONE (1) BUDGET ANALYST, AND ONE (1) SECRETARY
AT A COST OF $39,573 INCLUDING FRINGE BENEFITS AND A ONE-TIME
CAPITAL OUTLAY REQUEST OF $7,500 FOR A TOTAL OF $47,073 WHICH
WILL BE FUNDED BY EXPENDITURE LINE ITEM SAVINGS FROM CITY
SECRETARY AND BUDGET OFFICE, AND ANTICIPATED SALARY SAVINGS
IN THE RESERVE APPROPRIATION LINE ITEM, AND AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT SAID BUDGET.

      WHEREAS, on March 1, 1999 the City Council directed the City
Manager to move forward with a Customer Service Plan and Performance
Measurement Program to improve customer service citywide; and

      WHEREAS, the programs will provide a comprehensive plan for
city employees which stipulate City Council's expectations in
relation to customer service interaction, citizen request and
complaints; and

      WHEREAS, the Budget Office is in the process of developing and
implementing a performance measurement program that will track
performance dimensions of City operations which will in turn
document performance strengths and alert officials to performan ce
deficiencies, and validate the effectiveness and efficiency of
performance improvement initiatives; and

      WHEREAS, the described transfers below are done pursuant to
the requirements of Section 6.08 (4) of the City Charter; and

      WHEREAS, this ordinance was introduced on March 15, 1999;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAREDO THAT:

The FY1998-99 annual budget be amended by creating the following
positions: (1) Customers Service Representative, one (1) Budget
Analyst, and one (1) Secretary at a cost of $39,573 including fringe
benefits and one-time capital outlay request in the amount of $7,500
for a total of $47,073 which will be funded as follows:  City
Secretary's line-item savings of $3,000, Budget Office line-item
savings of $5,000, and $39,533 from reserve appropriation.

PASSED BY THE COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR ON THIS THE 22nd DAY
OF MARCH, 1999.


                              __________________________
                                  ELIZABETH G. FLORES
                                         MAYOR



ATTEST:

____________________
GUSTAVO GUEVARA, JR.
CITY SECRETARY

____________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

____________________
JAIME L. FLORES
CITY ATTORNEY