The League provides a broad array of consulting services to assist municipal officials in effectively managing their municipal enterprises. The League uses a wide variety of resources to provide this service for its members including in-house staff and private consulting firms under contract with the League.
Costs vary according to the scope of the work involved. Factors involved include the number of municipal employees or positions if it is a pay and classification study, the size of the municipality, number of employees to be trained, proposed scope of services and other factors.
Contact a member of the League's Management Consulting Services staff (919-715-4000) for more information about this type of study and how much it will cost. Or e-mail rshepher@nclm.org . hwright@nclm.org or mhenley@nclm.org .
Position Classification, Pay Plan and Personnel Policies - We will conduct a comprehen-sive update of the class and pay plan and personnel policies for your city or town. If you don't have a pay and class plan, we will propose one for you.
Major objectives for this study:
Study and evaluate all municipal positions - regular, full-time - to determine the proper position classification and salary for each employee.
Conduct a comprehensive salary survey of appropriate public and private sector organizations to determine if your salaries/wages and benefits are competitive within the applicable job market.
Prepare current class specifications based on current job duties and responsibilities.
Prepare a new or revised pay plan as required to maintain a competitive system of salaries and wages.
Identify those classes of positions that are "exempt" and "non-exempt" in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Conduct a total review of current personnel policies as required to implement a modern program of personnel administration.
Pay Plan Update (only) - Is your pay plan market competitive? If not, you can't compete for qualified employees for your municipal workforce. The purpose of this study is to update your present pay plan to ensure that it is current and competitive. It is highly important to emphasize that this study effort is contingent upon class specifications of the municipality being current. A pay plan update will not be undertaken unless this condition can be met.
Personnel Policy as a Stand Alone Document - This study will assist a municipality in developing a current personnel policy that reflects modern personnel policies and practices and meets the legal guidelines for personnel service in a municipality. This service may involve the total review and rewrite of the existing personnel policy or the creation of an initial personnel policy for a municipality.
A personnel policy provision that is inconsistent with current laws may subject your municipality to a stiff fine or penalty or an expensive out-of-court settlement.
RetreatFacilitation - We will provide facilitators who are neutral in the content of discussions and experienced in planning and conducting effective meetings with local governments. Components of facilitation include: assisting you in designing a successful agenda to accomplish the outcomes you desire; helping you make good use of time, consider valid information, and make informed decisions that reflect the needs of group members; focus the conflict on the substance of the disagreement, not on persons; see that all members have a chance to talk; help make sure everyone is clearly understood; keep the group on track; and keeping a record of main points of agreement.
Performance Appraisal Development and Training Of Staff In Its implementation - Development of a job-related performance evaluation system including policy, performance standards and/or forms, and, if desired, integration with the organization's performance pay system. The system is developed with the full involvement of management and participation by employees. This approach ensures that the system meets the organization's needs and that there is support for and understanding of the system. Prior to doing this study, it is important to have an up-to-date classification and pay system.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Audit Of The Organization - An FLSA audit consists of having an external person work with managers and supervisors in an organization to determine whether the departments and work units are in compliance with this federal law. Managers and supervisors are asked to identify any specific concerns about FLSA compliance they have. The organization is expected to provide current position descriptions on each position during the process as well as make accessible requested employee and/or payroll records.
This review is NOT an official audit recognized by the Federal Department of Labor, but it may be helpful to organizations that want to assure that compliance with this law is present in their policies and practices.
Assessment Centers - An assessment center is a process for eliciting and evaluating important behaviors related to effective job performance. It is a series of exercises designed to simulate job tasks that will enable an organization to assess an individual's skills, knowledge and abilities. Assessment centers may be used to identify candidates for hiring or promotion, to identify training and development needs, or for other purposes. Assessment center exercises may include in-depth structured interviews, role-play situations, group discussions, in-basket, or other exercises.
Supervisory Training - This is comprehensive supervisory training custom tailored to your organization and needs. The client organization may request a training needs assessment, choose topics from a comprehensive list, or identify additional topics. Training programs will be tailored to the current developmental level of participants. Exercises and case studies will be tailored to their work situations and environment. Schedules will be designed around organizational needs with potential for two-hour, half-day, or full-day sessions, and training may be provided on-site or at a central location if several organizations choose to collaborate.
Customized Training - In addition to supervisory training, other customized training tailored to the organization's needs can be provided. The client organization may choose topics from a list or identify specific topics. Training programs will be tailored to the current developmental level of participants; exercises and case studies will be tailored to their work situations and environment; schedules will be designed around organizational needs with potential for two-hour, half-day, or full-day sessions; training may be provided on-site or at a central location if several organizations choose to collaborate.
Typical training topics
Effective Customer Service
Time Management
Training the Trainer
Training the Facilitator
Communications Skills in the Workplace
Communications Skills for Administrative Support Workers
Conflict Resolution Skills
Women in Government
Personal Improvement through Self-Assessment
Goal Setting
How to Handle Difficult People
Sexual Harassment Prevention for Employees
Assertiveness Skills
Working as an Effective Team Member
Total Quality Management Problem-solving Skills
Negotiation Skills
Mediation Skills
Organization Process Re-engineering
Making Meetings Effective
Cultural Diversity Awareness
What are the products of this service?
Circuit Rider Personnel Officer - This service provides on-site professional human resource management services to an organization. Services and arrangements are tailored to the specific needs and resources of an organization. Some examples are: temporarily replacing a personnel director in the case of family or medical leave; serving as contract personnel director in a small organization that does not have the resources or need for a full-time personnel director; or when an organization decides to downsize or out-source some or all of the human resources functions.
Developing a personnel office/function or reviewing and assessing the operation of existing personnel office/function - This study includes the design and development of a personnel office function or a comprehensive review and evaluation of the status of an organization's personnel (human resources) management program. The work is accomplished through the input and cooperation of the management team (usually consisting of city/town manager, assistant city/town manager, and department heads). The study provides assistance in developing, designing, revising, and/or refining a comprehensive personnel (human resources) program for the organization.
Overall Organization and Management Study - This is a comprehensive review and appraisal of the overall organization and management structure and all functions, services and departments of the municipality. The purpose is to create the most effective and efficient organization, operating systems and procedures, and allocations of manpower necessary for carrying out its assigned duties and responsibilities. The study can be envisioned as a blue print for improving the management and operations of the municipality. We have found that many study recommendations can be implemented immediately to reduce costs, for example, while other recommendations are long range. Typical elements of this study effort may include the following (and these will be customized to suit client needs).
Organization and Management Study of Selected Departments, Functions and Services - This study will focus on the comprehensive appraisal of selected department(s), functions and services as determined by the client. The objectives and scope of services of the study would be driven entirely by the needs of the municipality. This may be a departmental study effort,; for example, a study of the fire department to develop an improved fire department organization and management structure and operating system, it may include the objective of assessing fire station location needs-to develop a blueprint for the relocation and/or construction of new physical facilities. This may be a single function study to assess and make recommendations for placing the sanitation service on a self-supporting basis, or to determine the feasibility of privatizing the sanitation operation.
The League can assist in appraising and evaluating most all municipal functions and services including police, fire, public works, sanitation, utilities and other municipal functions.
Combined Organization and Management and Personnel Study - This is a two-fold study effort, which would provide for the development of an optimal organizational system and staffing plan and would create an appropriate classification and pay plan to implement the devised organizational system and personnel system. This type study is frequently requested because it combines two major work components into one study effort at significantly reduced costs over the performance of both work components as separate studies. Both studies would be performed as described in the Position Classification and Pay Plan and Overall Organization and Management Study. By performing both studies simultaneously, significantly less labor and travel expense would be incurred. Data gathering, interviews with municipal staffs, and travel expenses can be combined for many of the study work elements.
Rightsizing to Achieve Planned Reductions in Costs - When costs must be reduced, a planned approach is much more effective and less disruptive. It avoids across-the-board cuts, which penalize the more productive operating units and employees. This study will independently analyze your organization's staffing levels by department and function to determine the most appropriate number of personnel required to perform the existing as well as alternative levels of service.
Revenue Enhancement Studies - This study will identify sources of revenue to offset the cost of providing specified services. The study will involve a comprehensive analysis of the services provided by your organization and will recommend charges for specified services previously financed by property taxes. A fee schedule for the identified services will be developed that relates to the cost of providing such services. The scope of services for this study can also be structured to determine that revenues from existing services (where charges are currently being imposed) are based upon the cost of
Privatization of Services - The League can assist municipalities who wish to consider: (1) contracting with a private entity for the provision of service(s), or (2) to assist in a determination of service(s) to transfer to the private sector.
Other Customized Organization and Management Studies - The League has the capability to customize almost any type of management study to fit the specific needs of the municipality. For example, the League can develop a multi-year capital improvements plan for your city or town. The League can establish baseline management policies and procedures in a procedure format. The League can assist in the development of a centralized municipal purchasing operation including the development of staffing requirements, purchasing policies, central supply and distribution, and inventory management and control procedures. The League can conduct a space needs study for your organization to determine short and long-range space needs and requirements. Simply determine your specific management needs and call the League's Management Consulting Services staff for assistance.
Charter Revision (to modernize and streamline your current charter) -The purpose of this study is to eliminate obsolete and invalid charter provisions, and to retain only essential provisions specifying the general framework of municipal government, the form of government, corporate boundaries, method of election, a listing of principal officers, and certain unique powers and provisions not contained in general state law.
Ordinance Codification - The purpose of this service is to provide the municipality with a comprehensive and modern code of ordinances that is essential to efficient municipal government.
Feasibility Study For Political Consolidation (to determine the feasibility for consolidation of two or more units of municipal government) - The League will review, analyze, and evaluate the feasibility for merger of two or more municipalities.
Feasibility Study for Functional Consolidation of Services Between Two or More Units of Municipal Government (feasibility study for developing interlocal agreements for the provision of specific services) - This study will review and assess the feasibility for combining specific services between two or more units of government.
