Preparing for and planning staffing support and resources at the local level is crucial to ensuring that the needs of the community are met, and statutory timelines adhered to. Sometimes, internal team members do not have the capacity to handle all the workload. Busy seasons, staff turnover, leaves of absence and unexpected challenges or needs arise that can throw a wrench in original staff and workload plans. In these instances, a consulting partner can be helpful to maintaining a high level of service while staying within budget and resource constraints. Here are four reasons to consider a professional consultant to help augment your staff’s capacity:
Scalable
Unlike a full-time staffer, a consultant can be there for you as much or as little as you need. This gives you the ability to scale the level of service depending on your busy times or when your staff are unavailable. A consulting team can quickly adapt to your workload.
Cost-effective
Consultants offer many different pricing structures that can range from stable monthly retainers to on-call hourly services. One of the strengths of a consulting partner is the range of expertise levels. Matching expertise with the level of skill needed allows for flexibility in budgets. In addition, an outside consultant can also present other options for partners or creative resources that weren’t initially considered.
Team approach
A team approach means that you have access to the expertise and resources of an entire consulting firm when issues or challenges arise. When partnerships are formed between public and private entities, you are hiring a team and not just an individual. There is always someone with the necessary experience when a question needs an answer, a problem needs to be solved or an application needs to be completed.
Always available
With a consultant comes a deep bench of expertise. When someone isn’t available, you can rest assured that there is always someone available to attend meetings, field questions and review information in the event of a vacation or illness.
People often associate consultants with unnecessary expenses, but there are many cost-effective and creative ways that a consultant can actually reduce costs and help stretch budgets.
Following the Great Recession, many communities were caught playing catch-up as economic growth ramped up again. As many cities face budget deficits and shortfalls in the coming months due to the pandemic, I wondered if there were cost-effective ways to get cities ready for an economic recovery?
I recently sat down with two WSB leaders to unpack what cities and communities can do in times of economic strain to better position themselves for future growth. As many of us who’ve worked in the public sector for years know, the challenges of today will soon pass, and it’s important to be ready for the future.
BF: In your opinion, what is the number one thing a city can do to better prepare themselves for future economic growth?
BB: Review your zoning. Today, communities need more flexibility within zoning. Future opportunities will not come neatly packaged. For instance, consumers interact with retailers differently every year. If your zoning does not allow for an intermixture of residential, light industrial, small-scale fulfillment, artisan, and commercial you may find yourself losing out to communities that welcome a mashup of different uses. I think we’ll see existing commercial and industrial spaces repurposed and that trend will continue into the foreseeable future.
BF: What lingering effects will COVID-19 have on commercial real estate?
JG: I think it’s obvious that we’ll see significant shifts in the way people use office space. How offices are set-up and the way people work has probably changed forever. I also think preparing for the future of what restaurants will look like is important.
BF: What is one piece of advice you would give cities when working with site selectors or future businesses?
BB: You must move beyond the optics. Some cities can be very selective about the types of businesses and industry they allow, and that approach is outdated. If I told you a shingle factory would be a great addition to your community, I would be laughed out of most city council meetings. But I bet if a community withheld judgment and really investigated it they might find that it could be an asset to the community. Manufacturing has changed. What was once considered ugly and undesirable can now be a modern asset that provides hundreds of jobs and increases the communities tax base.
BF: It’s hard to balance all the moving parts of economic development. What is your advice for cities who want to strengthen their economic development priorities?
JG: Don’t be afraid to look for outside help. There are organizations and professionals who dedicate their careers to economic development and that expertise can be very valuable. The best thing about economic development are the opportunities for collaboration between public, private and nonprofit entities. This combination of expertise can really help bolster a community and prepare them for opportunities down the road.
BF: Equity is a big topic in today’s political and social landscape. How does equity fit into economic growth?
BB: Building equity within a community has multiple aspects. Most communities think only of affordable housing. However, equity requires ownership and opportunity. How does your community increase ownership? How does your development process invite participation among diverse groups? Are minorities encouraged to participate in your economic development process or are they not present? Competitive communities will need to answer these questions if they are to understand their prospects in this new political and social landscape.
BF: Funding seems to be the most common barrier to economic development. What would you say to cities that are facing funding issues?
BB: Funding can be challenging, but cities need to be creative. Grants and TIF should not be your only tools. Get creative. Talk to and partner with the private and non-profit sector on creative, community-based and mutually beneficial funding opportunities. Get to know contractors who have insight into the modular building movement and consider how your architectural standards might affect project affordability. Time is money. If modular construction and streamlined approvals can knock six months off a project schedule that is six months of lease payments that can be brought into the project proforma as equity.
BF: How can cities best prepare for potential large expansions in our region?
JG: Get your sites shovel ready! Although there are many definitions of what it means to be shovel ready, following the Site Selector Guild’s definition will help you take your sites to the next level. This will help you be prepared when opportunities arise. As Bob mentions above, time is money. When turnaround time for new projects is shortened, jobs and tax base creation result in better cash flow and performance for the development.
Bart Fischer has over two decades of experience in public administration. Throughout his tenure, he’s worked in five Minnesota communities as the city or assistant city administrator. Bart joined our firm in 2019 as a senior public administrator and focuses on lending his public service expertise to our clients.
A Principal at WSB, Bob leads WSB’s Land Development Services. Over his 26-year career, Bob has worked for both public and private sector clients, beginning as a water resources engineer and evolving into his current land development role. Bob’s current interest – and a focus for WSB’s Land Development Group – is sustainable redevelopment within urban communities.
Jim has over 25 years of experience in economic development, including both redevelopment and greenfield development projects. Most recently, Jim was the State of Minnesota’s Business Development Representative for the Twin Cities metro area, responsible for attracting new businesses to the State and assisting businesses in expanding their current locations. In addition, he managed the State’s Shovel Ready Certification Program which prepares a community for projects that are interested in locating or expanding in their community.
The award recognizes exceptional leadership in the AEC industry
Local engineering firm WSB today announced that Monica Heil, vice president of municipal services, was named by the Zweig Group as a 2020 Rising Star. The Zweig Group, the Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry’s leading research, publishing and advisory services resource, recognizes Rising Stars annually as part of their awards program. Rising Stars are professionals whose exceptional technical capability, leadership ability, effective teaching or research has benefited their employers, clients and community.
“Monica is a bold leader who believes in delivering projects with technical excellence and collaboration and I am so proud that she’s been recognized by our industry,” said Bret Weiss, WSB’s president and CEO. “She plays an important role on our leadership team and is known for her ability to attack projects and challenges head on. Her work on critical infrastructure projects throughout the Twin Cities is not only a benefit to WSB, but to the communities she works in.”
Heil is a civil engineer who has served Minnesota communities for over 15 years. She has a deep understanding of the long-term operations and maintenance needs associated with municipal engineering. She believes in developing long-term solutions that have had a profound effect on the communities she serves.
“I am honored to have been recognized by the Zweig Group, our industry and by WSB as a Rising Star,” said Heil. “It’s humbling when you hear that your efforts are appreciated and respected. The work we do as civil engineers is rewarding, and I’m looking forward to continuing to lead our clients and teams through their most critical and challenging infrastructure projects. “
The Zweig Group’s Rising Stars are selected by a committee of judges who represent civil and structural engineering. The Rising Star Awards were conferred at the Zweig Group’s virtual conference, ELEVATE AEC.
Welcome to Q4! Over the past year, I’ve been writing quarterly updates that offer advice for public professionals – what to watch out for, plan for and anticipate. This update is slightly different. My past articles have largely focused on ways you can serve your community and your residents. However, the end of the year is always a great time to reflect on how you can better yourself, which in turn makes you better able to effectively serve your communities. It goes without saying that 2020 has been a year with unprecedented challenges and unknowns. As public administrators, we are often on the front lines of managing challenges as we do our best to provide some form of stability and certainty in our organizations, professional lives and personal lives. We are often looked to as the problem solvers and are the people others rely on for help, direction and support.
This responsibility provides professional meaning and value, we are always up for that challenge. However, it leads to a question: are we taking care of ourselves too? International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) Executive Director Marc Ott recently wrote in his blog about this very topic. While we are prone to putting our energy and passion into helping others, there is a real danger in not helping and taking care of ourselves. Sometimes it may seem counterintuitive; however, if we aren’t attending to our needs, health and emotional well-being, we often are less effective at helping others.
As we move into the 4th quarter of 2020, let’s look at five ways we can take care of ourselves.
Maintaining, Building and Expanding a Support System
Let’s face it, we need others to help us through the tough times. Now is not the time to isolate yourself from those that can, and are willing to, help you. I have seen it in myself as well as my family. It’s almost easier to “hole up” and self-isolate during these times of social distancing. This is actually the time we need to utilize, build, and expand our support system both professionally and personally.
Take the time to reach out to and attend professional networking opportunities, even if they are virtual. If you do not have a close network of peers that you can go to in times of crisis, consider starting such a group.
On a more personal level, take the time to be with family and friends. It may look different this year, but as the holiday season approaches, take the opportunity to safely gather with family and friends. Focus on those relationships that give you energy and that truly matter in your life.
Focus on What You Can Control
As we have been working together to meet the challenges and unknowns of 2020 at WSB, our COO Jon Chiglo has continued to remind us to, “Focus on what you can control.” There will be many things that will demand attention, worry and concern from us. Often, these are the things we cannot control. Seeking to focus on what you can control, much of which is our attitude and how we respond to situations, will lessen the stress of worrying.
A Healthy Lifestyle
Exercising and eating right are the areas I struggle with the most. I love food and I like the couch! We all have heard the studies that shows how eating right, exercising and getting the proper amount of sleep are excellent for physical and mental health. A couple of practices that I have put into place to help in my struggles are to track my food intake and maintain a calorie counter. I also track my exercise. This tracking allows me to set goals and compare how I am doing month to month. In addition, having an accountability coach is also very motivating. My wife and kids do a great job of keeping me honest in these areas. Finally, since I schedule everything else that I do, I also try to carve out time and schedule sleep into my calendar. I find that a calendar notification going off is more of a motivator than I realized.
Energy Boosting Activities
Just as it is important to be with people that give you energy, it is also important to do those things that give you energy. Carve out that time to do what you love. Again, put it in your calendar and keep that time sacred. For me, it is kayaking, playing board games, and Friday pizza and movie night with my family. Also, meeting friends or extended family on a patio or deck just to catch up and swap stories. Whatever it is for you, make sure you are intentional about creating opportunities to recharge your batteries with activities that boost your energy level.
Interpersonal/Spiritual Introspection
Taking uninterrupted times of solitude and spiritual reflection are also a vital way in which to take care of yourself. No matter how you practice interpersonal or spiritual reflection, you must take the time to do it. It is difficult with family and work schedules tugging at every spare minute; however, taking the time to quietly disconnect for even an hour per week, will pay dividends in your health and productivity.
Our families, friends, colleagues, and communities all rely on us for support and guidance. In order to do that and be our most effective selves, we need to be taking care of ourselves physically and mentally. Remember, you cannot effectively help others without first taking care of yourself.
Bart has been a City Administrator/Manager in the public sector for over 16 years. He is a strategic leader known for relationship development and connecting people around common themes and goals. Bart’s experience lies in leading and creating an organizational culture of collaboration where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
On October 5, 2020, WSB will celebrate our 25th year in
business. Since 1995, we’ve added new service areas, expanded our reach and
served our communities. Throughout our
tenure, our dedicated staff has been a constant.
In honor of our 25th year, we’ll be highlighting 25 stories of the people behind the projects.
Story 6 of 25
Shibani Bisson, Municipal Sr. Project Manager | Joined WSB in 2000
What do you think is special about celebrating 25 years as a company?
I have been with WSB for 20 years and throughout those 20 years, there has been a consistent message of caring for our staff, a culture of support and the notion that we are all in this together. Given the uncertainty in our world right now, it’s because of these values and positive culture that I am certain that WSB’s values will continue to stay true beyond 25 years. The visionary ideals of our current and future leaders make celebrating 25 years very special and I am confident that we will continue to grow successfully because of this.
What WSB value do you connect most with? (Bold, Visionary, Authentic, Passionate, Optimistic)
I think WSB’s culture and way of doing business has always been authentic. It’s been a constant and has set us apart. Recognizing each of our staff’s strengths, having an open-door policy, supporting career paths and encouraging people to be themselves creates a positive and rewarding work culture.
Why do our clients continue to work with us?
I think our clients continue to work with us because they recognize we are committed to building relationships and trust while doing what is in their best interest. Integrity is very important to me and a core value that’s been instilled at WSB. I think acting with integrity contributes to retaining our clients.
On October 5, 2020, WSB will celebrate our 25th year in
business. Since 1995, we’ve added new service areas, expanded our reach and
served our communities. Throughout our
tenure, our dedicated staff has been a constant.
In honor of our 25th year, we’ll be highlighting 25 stories of the people behind the projects.
Story 5 of 25
Emily Brown, Municipal Project Manager | Joined WSB in 2015
What do you think is special about celebrating 25 years as a company?
What is impressive about 25 years is that in many ways WSB still feels like a young company. There is such a focus staying nimble and finding ways to improve our business. I think that focus on not just hitting milestones but continuing to improve and seek out new opportunities is what makes WSB special and makes me excited for the next 25 years.
In what ways have you been able to grow professional at WSB?
Part of the reason I came to this company five years ago was to find more opportunities to lead projects and work directly with clients. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been encouraged to take the lead on projects and have been supported when new challenges have come along. WSB has given me a home where I have and continue to expand my expertise and reach new goals.
What WSB value do you connect most with? (Bold, Visionary, Authentic, Passionate, Optimistic)
I really connect with our commitment to authenticity at this company. I think trust is such an important aspect of our interactions with clients, other companies, our industry and the public. We build trust by being authentic to who we are, what we know and how we commit to the work.
What about your work gives you energy?
I am very fortunate to be able to directly see my work come to life on a project. I get to see every step in the project life cycle and see how it supports the lives of those in the community. Working closely with city staff, contractors and residents gives me an opportunity to resolve issues on the fly and think creatively. I love being able to have a direct effect on the success of a project.
COVID-19 has changed the way we do so many things in life and our children returning to school will be no exception. The school districts have designed five different scenarios to chose from for teaching our children in the 2020-2021 school year, based on the number of reported local COVID cases. Proposed options include full-time, in-person learning and hybrid learning, which have students attending in-person class two days a week. There will be challenges around getting students to school safely and efficiently. Here are five ways to help you facilitate the return of students.
Vehicle traffic to schools will likely increase due to physical distancing requirements limiting bus capacities and parents may elect to drive their student to minimize the student’s physical interaction with others. Estimate how many additional vehicles will be dropping-off/picking-up and what streets they will likely travel. Communicate with your municipality if you believe any of the nearby streets may experience increased congestion.
Shuttle busses can be used to reduce the vehicle traffic to the school by providing shorter, more frequent trips, between the school and a nearby facility. Large commercial sites, office buildings, or parks may be good candidates for a shuttle site; be sure to check with the property owner first. Many counties have property information mapping available on their website that can be used to determine who owns the property.
Encourage alternative modes of transportation to the school such as walking, biking, or other non-motorized methods. An added benefit is a little exercise and fresh air.
Multi-modal transportation is an option for students that live too far from the school to walk or bike the entire way. Parents can drive to a nearby park or place of business and the remainder of the trip to school can be on foot, bike, scooter, or other non-motorized method.
Site circulation through the parking lot should be evaluated to determine if there is enough space for vehicles to line up for the student drop-off/pick-up location. If the need for on-site parking is reduced, consider using traffic cones and signage to mark space for additional lanes during vehicle queuing. Identify locations where students who walk or bike may encounter vehicle traffic once they are on campus and develop a plan to get them through the area as safely as possible. Ideas include using traffic cones to designate a pedestrian lane or having a staff member in a safety vest assist students into the school.
Alyson is a Senior Project Manager in WSB’s Municipal Group and the City Engineer for the City of Minnetrista. With 20 years of engineering experience in the municipal industry, Alyson Fauske has built her career providing municipal engineering services throughout the Twin Cities.
Is your family hitting the road this summer? Learn about the places, spaces and systems that support our lives along the way. Public infrastructure is all around us, so much that sometimes we don’t realize the impact that it has on our communities. View our printable BINGO cards below and try your hand at filling your card. Keep your eyes peeled! Some infrastructure is above and below us.
Obviously, it can’t be understated how difficult and challenging 2020 has been for our communities. Challenges usually bring opportunities and it is all in how we, as public administrators, are able to weave strategies together with these challenges and opportunities. That is what we are faced with year after year, month after month and week after week. Opportunities to provide solutions to unique challenges.
Budgets are a local government’s blueprint to fund community amenities and programs that are necessary to maintain and improve safe, healthy and thriving communities. They are one of the most important ways public administrators can influence creative solutions to the unique challenges public organizations face. That is why the theme of this piece is budget focused.
The summer months are when the “meat” of the budget process happens. As the September 30th deadline for the adoption of a preliminary levy approaches, elected officials and public administrators work hard to proactively project future revenues, evaluate services provided, identify priorities and needs, and come up with creative solutions and opportunities for these priorities.
During this particular time, it is also important to think about how COVID will affect future revenue, continued service provision and operations. As I have spoken with public administration colleagues, there seems to be a cautious optimism. Yes, there will likely be delinquent property tax payments as well as lower revenue from fees and sales taxes for those that have this revenue stream. However, lessons learned from the 2008 recession including ample reserves, calculated cuts and strategic human resource practices as well as the possibility of various stimulus packages, have many organizations prepared to weather this storm.
Some calculated cuts and strategic human resource practices being considered include not hiring seasonal staff, the cancellation of recreation programming and events, the cancellation of community-wide celebrations, offering early retirement buyouts to employees, not hiring for vacated positions, and closely evaluating health insurance and benefit packages.
This year’s budget process allows elected officials and public administrators to plan and implement equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives for the organization’s future. Providing a platform to truly listen to the needs and challenges of the entire community as well as be willing to adjust systems and service provisions based on listening to that feedback is vitally important now more than ever.
Focusing on the budget process in the 3rd quarter of the year should feel normal. The difference this year is the effects of COVID as well as the need to create and implement a plan that is equitable and inclusive for all now and in the future. A strategic and equitable approach to the budget process can lead to successful economic, equitable and healthy communities.
As you work to identify priorities during the 2020 budget process, know that WSB stands ready to assist you in proactively seeking solutions and opportunities for your challenges and needs.
Bart has been a City Administrator/Manager in the public sector for over 16 years. He is a strategic leader known for relationship development and connecting people around common themes and goals. Bart’s experience lies in leading and creating an organizational culture of collaboration where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
All of us have been affected in unprecedented and profound ways by the COVID-19 virus. Some mornings it seems as though just making it through to the end of the day is the goal. As I began putting together my thoughts around what city/county managers & administrators should be thinking about during the 2nd quarter of a “normal” year, it struck me that there aren’t “normal” years. Each one is unique with its own challenges and opportunities. Yes, the COVID-19 virus is a big, unprecedented challenge. However, it’s one that public administrators can navigate because that is what we do. We lead our organizations through good times and bad, all while inter-weaving what is “normal” with the constant changes. My goal here is the same, weave together “normal” 2nd quarter considerations for city/county managers & administrators with the current challenges and changes of COVID-19.
Labor Contracts
Most public sector organizations have labor agreements with at least one, if not multiple, labor unions or bargaining units. The budgeting process is a year-round affair that likely started in quarter one, and because of this, it is important to start planning and strategizing as early as possible for labor negotiations.
With the
onset of the COVID-19 virus and the challenges it presents, it is even more
important to plan where to begin. We are likely facing health insurance
increases, a struggling economy, and political pressure to keep taxes low. How
do public officials tell essential service employees like police officers, fire
fighters and public works employees, who are put their lives on the line daily,
that there could be a freeze in pay and benefit adjustments?
This is the time to come together. Seek out connections and relationships with other public sector administrators and organizations to collectively find creative ways to solve these challenging financial and contractual issues. Start talking with bargaining units now to build trust and communicate expectations.
If you have
labor contracts that expire at the end of this year, start connecting and
communicating with colleagues and peers. Work together to find creative
solutions to challenging contract discussions. Begin conversations and communicate
expectations with your labor groups.
Public Works
Spring is time to start thinking about seasonal transitions in public works. There is the transition of equipment and work plans from winter activities to warm weather duties. Equipment and work plans that are set up for plowing, snow removal, ice rink flooding and inside related work, must now be transitioned to summer activities such as street sweeping, street patching, water line flushing along with lawn, park and public property maintenance. Additionally, second quarter brings the start of street reconstruction and other infrastructure projects.
It is important for administrators & managers to work with their public works directors, city engineers and staff to plan for inevitable challenges. Those may include a diminished workforce due to COVID-19; ensuring the safety of city, consultant and contractor staff; barriers to public engagement and communications regarding projects, work plans and safely interacting with the public.
The
transition from winter to summer activities can be difficult for public
organizations, especially during this time. However, it is also an opportunity
to find and evaluate new and more efficient processes for making these
transitions happen.
Parks
Like public works, parks become an important priority for public entities and residents when spring arrives. Without a doubt, our current situation of closing playgrounds and other high contact amenities is difficult. However, it can provide opportunities for park improvement. With park amenities closed, there is an opportunity for performing any delayed maintenance, replacement or cleaning.
This is the time of the year to be communicating with local athletic associations regarding needs and desires for their upcoming seasons. In the “new normal”, communication regarding plans and expectations becomes even more imperative. Are associations still planning for their seasons and tournaments? If so, will the city/county have the staff to maintain and prep the fields as needed? Are they postponing tournaments, or making them smaller, and at fewer locations to allow for social distancing and better maintenance?
It is essential to start considering and planning for a summer with closed parks and amenities. Take the opportunity to make and implement needed improvements and maintenance during the closure and communicate with the local athletic associations about expectations for the upcoming summer season.
Community Connections
During these interesting times, it is important that cities and counties stay connected to their residents and community. This will look different in today’s social distancing climate, but community connections remain a vital part of a public organization’s success. Public entities must find ways to connect to their constituents, especially those with little or no technology. My colleague Dan Pfeiffer, Director of Public Engagement at WSB, recently provided insight on this topic with his piece, “Staying Connected When Public Meetings Aren’t Possible”.
This is also the time of year when cities start to plan in earnest for summer events and celebrations with parades, carnivals and fireworks. The current state of social distancing and limits on congregating in large groups, make it important to start the conversation now about canceling or modifying these events to accommodate new recommendations.
Finding ways
to successfully maintain community connections will not be easy. Organizations
will be successful in their recovery efforts if they find ways to keep the
members of their community connected during this crisis.
Team Members/Employees
How well an organization communicates with, engages, and treats its team members and staff during the COVID-19 crisis is a barometer for future success. Managing the impacts of COVID-19 virus on employees should include addressing stress, burnout, mental health, flexible work schedules and working from home in order to maintain the health of the individual and the organization.
Connecting with employees during an outbreak and social distancing may look different, but it is still possible. Continue to celebrate milestones such as birthdays and work anniversaries with online meetings, calls and lunch delivered to the employee’s home. Use video calling to reach out, check in and touch base as it is more personal than a text or email. Help model work/life balance. Even though work and home are now one and the same, you do not need to be, and should not expect others to be, available 24/7. Continue to build in and set aside time for both work and personal time.
The
possibility of a diminished workforce remains likely as summer camps and events
are cancelled, budgets tighten, and cities/counties do not hire seasonal
workers. They may also have to find creative ways to use less busy staff to
provide essential services. For example, full time recreation staff that may
not be as busy this summer can assist with parks maintenance or general
administrative work. Find creative ways to keep team members employed and
engaged.
Communicating
and engaging with your team members, even in small ways, is vitally important
and goes a long way toward keeping them focused and productive during these
trying times.
Conclusion
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for us all, I am confident in the work of public administrators and managers to integrate change. During this time, do not overlook the importance of focusing, planning, discussing and communicating about priorities such as labor contracts, public works and parks transitions, community connections and the safety and engagement of team members and employees. The success of our cities, counties and communities depends on it.
Bart has been a City Administrator/Manager in the public sector for over 16 years. He is a strategic leader known for relationship development and connecting people around common themes and goals. Bart’s experience lies in leading and creating an organizational culture of collaboration where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
