Attachments 2007-05-29
City of Northampton, Massachusetts
Planning and Development
City Hall, 210 Main Street, Room 11
Northampton, MA 01060
Direct: (413) 587-1265 (413) 587-1264 fax
WFeiden@NorthamptonMA.gov
Friday, August 03, 2007
TO: Community Preservation Committee
FROM: Wayne Feiden, AICP, Director of Planning and Development
RE: Community Preservation Committee Staffing
DATE: May 25, 2007
At your last meeting, you asked Planning and Development staff to work with Jack
Horner on a detailed proposal for CPC staffing. Jack and I met with the Mayor and
Finance Director Chris Pile both the get the Mayor’s input and to figure out exactly how
this should be done.
Job Description:
1. Attached is the proposed revised job description for our
Planning and Conservation Planner, the planner in Planning and Development
who would have primary responsibility for staffing CPC. As we discussed, the
overall responsibility for staffing would be that of Planning and Development,
and as such would be my responsibility to ensure that you have adequate staffing
and that we ensure that the CPC work gets done, to the extent that there are hours
available for it. The CPC would be responsible for prioritizing and assigning
work tasks for the planner and identifying what you want done.
Budget:
2. The Mayor has agreed to support the staffing scheme discussed by the
CPC and to include it in the budget she is submitting to City Council next week.
The final budget amount to support two days a week of staff time is $23,030
.
If you remember, in my memo to you on OPD staffing options, which you
discussed at your April 18, 2007 meeting, I suggested:
a. Projected minimum staff needs: 0.4 FTE (full-time-equivalent staff)
b. Projected breakdown: 75% as professional staff and 25% as clerical support
c. Additional needs for planning: 0.2 FTE for a limited time (the initial planning
stage)
d. Additional project implementation (IF this is the CPC’s approach): 0.2 FTE
e. Estimated budget range, depending on services $20,000 to $35,000
not
We are at the low end of my project budget because we are providing the
support for additional planning and project support services. I think we all agreed
that it makes sense to move along with this limited staffing and have the CPC
assess needs again as we all get a sense of how this process will work and what
duties you will want to assign to staff.
Budget Transfers:
3. The budget outlined above will be included in the Mayor’s
budget that goes to City Council next week. Assuming that the CPC votes to go
ahead when you meet on May 29, 2007, City Council would approve this as part
of their FY2008 budget.
When the City closes its books on fiscal year 2008, the Auditor will make the
transfers required to comply with CPA, 10% of FY2007 receipts into open space,
historic preservation, and affordable housing accounts.
At your meeting next week, Jack Horner will ask you to formally vote to
appropriate FY2008 administration monies.
CPC Staffing Letter of Intent:
4. When Jack Horner and I met with the Mayor,
she suggested that rather than a Memorandum of Understanding between CPC
and Office of Planning and Development, she would issue a Letter of Intent
addressing the same points. Also attached is a draft copy of that letter for your
review and comment before we ask the Mayor to formalize it.
PLANNER -- CONSERVATION & LAND USE
Department: Office of Planning & Development Grade: 10
Division: N/A RevisionDate: 5/25/2007
Appointing Authority: Human Resources Director Bargaining Unit: NAPEA
Definition
:
Technical and administrative work in overseeing the maintenance and management of
conservation areas, assisting in the administration of the land use and wetlands permit
process, assisting in comprehensive and strategic planning efforts, staffing the
Community Preservation Committee and all other related work as required.
Supervision
:
Works under the administrative direction of the Director of the Office of Planning and
Development.
The Community Preservation Committee sets their own priorities and will be establish
specific CPC assignments.
Exercises considerable independent judgment in rendering professional advice to the
Community Preservation Commission, and Conservation Commission, concerning the
administration of the Community Preservation Act and Ordinance, the Wetlands
Protection Act, Regulations, and Ordinace,, and related planning and visioning.
Shares supervises of one clerical employee.
Job Environment
:
Work is generally performed under typical office conditions; intermittent but frequent
inspection work is conducted in the field with exposure to various weather conditions.
Operates computer terminals and general office equipment as well as power and hand
tools for field work; operates automobile.
Makes frequent contact with volunteer organizations, developers, consultants, state and
municipal officials, other town departments, and the general public.
Has access to some department-related confidential information such as bid proposals.
Errors in either technical application of recognized planning procedures, or in the
interpretation of statistically related data, could result in delays in processing important
information.
Essential Functions
:
Conservation Area Management: Coordinate the maintenance, management and
monitoring of conservation areas and easements. Work with the Conservation
Commission, abutters, management partners, volunteers, neighborhoods and potential
volunteers. Develop new management partners. Aid in open space and recreation
planning and plan implementation. Collect and analyze data to aid in the above.
Land Use and Wetlands Permit Process: Assist in helping city boards and the public
through the permit process. Provide written and verbal information to boards and the
public. Help coordinate the collection, analysis and flow of information to support the
process. Follow-up on permit conditions. Plan and implement permit streamlining
measures.
Staffing:Provide primary staffing for the Community Preservation Committee and for
the Conservation Commission.
Comprehensive and Strategic Planning: Participate in all aspects of comprehensive,
strategic, and current planning.
Special Projects: Coordinate and participate in a wide variety of data collection and
analysis projects, including the Northampton Geographic Information System.
Performs similar or related work as required or as situation dictates.
Recommended Minimum Qualifications:
Education and Experience
:
Bachelor's degree in planning or related field and two years of experience in municipal
planning or related field; graduate degree in planning desirable (AICP certification
desired); or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
Knowledge, Ability, Skill
:
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of planning, zoning (expertise in
MGL c. 40 and 40A desired) land use and conservation area management; knowledge of
wetlands and stormwater (expertise in 310 CMR 10 desired); knowledge of the
Community Preservation Act . Skill in the use of computers required; skill in geographic
information systems desired.
Ability to communicate effectively in oral, graphic and written form and to establish
harmonious working relationships with city officials, governmental representatives,
community groups, and the general public.
Must be a Notary Public or able to obtain Notary Public status within six months of being
hired.
Massachusetts Class D driver's license required.
Physical Requirements
:
Minimal physical effort generally required for work performed in the office. Light
physical effort occasionally required in the performance of field investigations. Position
requires the ability to operate a keyboard. Occasionally may be required to walk and
stand for extended periods of time during field investigations. Ability to operate a motor
vehicle.
APPROVAL:
_______________________________________
Appointing Authority/Human Resources Director
May ___, 2007
Dear Community Preservation Committee members:
As requested by the Community Preservation Committee, I am committing the City,
acting through the Office of Planning and Development, to provide staffing to the
Community Preservation Committee.
To implement this, I have taken the following action:
1. I included staffing of the Community Preservation Committee in the City budget I
am submitting to City Council. The budget will fund 2 days a week (0.4 FTE) of
time from the Office of Planning and Development to staff the CPC. The $23,030
cost for this will be drawn from the CPA Administrative Account, as previously
voted on by the CPC.
2. I have directed that the Office of Planning and Development, which will be
funded by this appropriation, to set aside 0.4 FTE (2 days a week) to provide this
staffing. Although an OPD staff person will be assigned this work, the Office of
Planning and Development, through its director, is responsible for overall
supervision and coordination of the work.
We are committed to providing quality staffing for the Community Preservation
Committee and in doing everything to make CPA a success. I respect the independence
of the CPC and it is your responsibility to assign tasks to the planner that the Office of
Planning and Development has assigned to the CPC.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mary Clare Higgins
Mayor