HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - August 3, 2022 H-04CITY OF
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CALIFORNIA
AGENDA ITEM
N-4
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
AGENDA TITLE: Provide Direction to Staff on Whether to Begin a Proactive Community Improvement
Model
MEETING DATE: August 3, 2022
PREPARED BY: City Manager
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Provide direction to staff on whether to begin a proactive community
improvement model.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This item is on at the request of Council member Khan. As a reminder
to Council, the Council Adopted Protocol Manual allows any council
member to put an item on the agenda:
6.3b Placing Items on the Agenda Pursuant to LMC Section 2.04.180 "Preparation of agendas,"
matters may be placed on the agenda for consideration by request of 1) any member of the City
Council, 2) the City Manager, 3) the City Clerk, and 4) the City Attorney. Any reasonable request by
any person named in this section shall be honored, subject to the City Manager's discretion as to the
preparation of accompanying staff reports.
At the same time the Protocol Manual prohibits staff from performing extensive staff work on a staff report
without the direction of the support of the majority of the Council.
7.5 Communications with Staff Pursuant to LMC Section 2.12.070, "Council to Deal Exclusively
through City Manager," the City Council and its members, except for the purpose of inquiry, shall deal
with administrative services solely through the City Manager, and neither the City Council nor any
member thereof shall give orders to any of the subordinates of the City Manager. A Council Member
shall not direct staff to initiate any action, change a course of action, or prepare any report that is
significant in nature, nor shall a Council Member initiate any project or study without the approval of a
majority of Council.
The above sections strike a balance between ensuring that all council members have a right to air their
concerns and ensuring that staff time is not monopolized by a single member's concerns that do not have
majority support of the council. Accordingly, this staff report does not go into significant detail on how a plan
might best be formulated and requests Council direction on whether to attempt to engage in this public
outreach process to create a plan to present to council.
APPROVED:
Stephen Schwabauer, City Manager
Provide Direction to Staff on Whether to Begin a Proactive Code Enforcement Model
August 3, 2022
Page 2 of 2
Today, Community Improvement operates on a complaint driven basis and does not actively patrol looking for
code violations. Officers respond to complaints from residents or contractors. Staff does have a number of
concerns with the proactive Community Improvement model. The primary concern is the amount of staff that
would be required to staff a proactive enforcement model. If Lodi follows the proactive model, the public will
have an even greater expectation that we address every violation.
Since the transfer of Community Improvement from the Police Department, now over a year ago, is just now
reaching Council's direction to have a staff of three Community Improvement Officers. Recruiting qualified
applicants has been difficult. The current complaint based model generates 10 to 15 calls per day, per officer.
Creating a successful, proactive Community Improvement model will require a minimum of two additional
Community Improvement Officers, and one additional administrative staff, with all necessary equipment and
vehicle costs. The true logistical difficulty is the City's ability to find/hire the number of qualified staff, to carry
out a proactive program in a timely fashion.
Staff also acknowledges that a proactive Community Improvement program would be less effective at current
staffing levels and as such, we are happy to take Council direction on whether to begin the process of bringing
forward a proposal for council consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT: Not applicable.
FUNDING AVAILABLE: Not applicable.
Stephen Schwabauer
City Manager