JUNE 2015 |
The Monthly Magazine of the League of California Cities速
速
Ride Sharing in the New Economy p.8 What City Officials Need to Know About Cybersecurity p.7 Converting Waste to Energy p.16
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CONTENTS 2 Calendar of League Events 3 President’s Message
Cars of the Future: Connected and Autonomous
8 Legal Notes
Ride Sharing in the New Economy By Joan Borger and Rebecca Moon
By Stephany Aguilar
Just as the Internet and smartphones changed the world, the advent of connected and autonomous vehicles will have a profound impact on our lives and our cities.
6 City Forum
League’s New Mobile Advocacy App Instantly Connects City Officials With Their Legislators
iming is a critical element when T you’re dealing with the legislative process, and this new tool helps city officials respond to calls for action.
W hat City Officials Need to 7 Know About Cybersecurity
By Lea Deesing
ackers generally hit the easiest H targets first. Such an attack may be financially based rather than an attempt to cause mayhem in your city. Risk can be mitigated in many ways, but one of the simplest ways is through a good security awareness training program.
Available Now!
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ities have regulated taxis for C decades for legitimate reasons related to local public safety and consumer protection. Now ride sharing services present a new set of challenges.
everaging the Power L of Social Media When Disaster Strikes
By Kristina Ray Emergencies offer an opportunity to connect with residents.
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onverting Waste to C Energy: How to Make It Happen in Your Community
By the Institute for Local Government Sustainability Team Local jurisdictions with anaerobic digestion projects in their communities report multiple benefits.
19 California Cities Helen Putnam
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City Hall DIRECTORY
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President Stephany Aguilar Council Member Scotts Valley
1400 K Street Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 658-8200 Fax (916) 658-8240
First Vice President Dennis Michael Mayor Rancho Cucamonga
Second Vice President JoAnne Mounce Council Member Lodi
Immediate Past President José Cisneros Treasurer San Francisco
Executive Director Chris McKenzie
For a complete list of the League board of directors, visit www.cacities.org/board.
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Magazine Staff Editor in Chief Jude Hudson, Hudson + Associates (916) 658-8234 email: editor@westerncity.com Managing Editor Eva Spiegel (916) 658-8228 email: espiegel@cacities.org
June 11–12
Policy Committee Meetings, Sacramento The League’s policy committees review issues of interest to cities statewide and make recommendations to the League board of directors.
Advertising Sales Manager Pam Maxwell-Blodgett (916) 658-8256 email: maxwellp@cacities.org
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Administrative Assistant Kimberly Brady (916) 658-8223 email: kbrady@cacities.org
Legislative Advocacy Committee Meeting, Sacramento The committee reviews and recommends friend-of-the-court efforts on cases of significant statewide interest to California cities.
Contributors Martin Gonzalez Koreen Kelleher Patrick Whitnell
24 –26
Mayors and Council Members’ Executive Forum, Monterey This two-day conference, followed immediately by all-day workshops, focuses on current issues and timely topics to help officials in their daily roles and city operations.
Associate Editors Carol Malinowski Carolyn Walker
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Advertising Design ImagePoint Design For photo credits, see page 22. Western City (ISSN 0279-5337) is published monthly by the League of California Cities, 1400 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814. Subscriptions: $39.00/1 year; $63.00/2 years; student: $26.50; foreign: $52.00; single copies: $4.00, including sales tax. Entered as periodical mail January 30, 1930, at the Post Office, Los Angeles, CA 90013, under the Act of April 13, 1879. Periodical postage paid at Sacramento, Calif.
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Board of Directors’ Meeting, Newport Beach The League board reviews, discusses and takes action on a variety of issues affecting cities, including legislation, legal advocacy, education and training, and more.
September 30 –October 2
League of California Cities 2015 Annual Conference & Expo, San Jose This conference offers dozens of educational sessions, numerous professional development opportunities, hundreds of exhibits and a chance to participate in the League’s policy-making activities at the Closing General Assembly.
Event and registration information is available at www.cacities.org/events. For the latest information on League conferences and events, follow us on Twitter @CaCitiesLearn. For legislative and policy updates and more, follow @CaCities. Follow Western City @WesternCityMag. Join us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/westerncity www.facebook.com/LeagueofCaCities
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President’s Message by Stephany Aguilar
An auto manufacturer puts a prototype through its paces at a secure test site.
Cars of the Future: Connected and Autonomous This month Western City focuses on technology and covers topics ranging from the League’s new advocacy smartphone app to anaerobic digestion, cybersecurity and more.
from being opened up by lawmakers for commercial use.) Autonomous vehicles are self-driving and automated. A vehicle may be either connected or autonomous — or both.
Two new technologies in the transportation field — connected and autonomous vehicles — hold great promise for our cities and communities. I recently attended a conference hosted by the California Association of Councils of Governments (CalCOG), where Randy Iwasaki, executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, gave a fascinating presentation about this subject. This column draws extensively on the information he shared.
You may have heard about Google’s work in developing an autonomous vehicle, as it has received widespread attention. However, Google is not the only company engaged in this effort. A number of automobile manufacturers, including Honda, Tesla and Mercedes, are planning tests of both autonomous and connected vehicle prototypes (see “Innovative Site Offers Secure Testing” on page 5).
The distinction between connected vehicles and autonomous vehicles is an interesting one. Connected vehicles communicate wirelessly with other vehicles and devices nearby, using a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) frequency designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for this purpose. (An effort is underway to save the 5.9 ghz DSRC spectrum, which has been dedicated to safety and transportation applications,
Reducing Accidents, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and More This news is exciting for several reasons. First, connected cars will be able to share information that will help reduce collisions and injuries. For example, suppose you are in an intersection waiting to make a left turn in oncoming traffic. In this scenario, let’s assume all of the cars are connected vehicles. Your car would communicate with the approaching car, calculate the time you need to make continued
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Cars of the Future: Connected and Autonomous, continued
your turn and tell the other car to slow down so that you can make the turn safely. Connected cars essentially refuse to crash — they exchange information about speed and braking, among other things, to achieve this. Experts predict that this technology will eliminate about 80 percent of the causes of traffic accidents. Such accidents cause congestion, where large numbers of vehicles are idling. Fewer accidents mean less congestion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality — as well as lives saved and injuries prevented. Futurists tell us that the most prevalent mobile devices of the future will be your smartphone, your computer and your vehicle. It’s likely that a future generation of smartphones will include an autonomous transportation system overlay. Imagine you are going out to dinner. You drive to the restaurant, and then you press a button on your dashboard and say, “Park.” Your autonomous, connected car waits for you and your passengers to disembark,
and then it searches the transportation system overlay for nearby available parking, finds a vacant spot and parks itself. When dinner is over and you’re ready to go home, your smartphone signals the car to come get you. This scenario also has land-use implications. Parking structures and lots will be able to accommodate more vehicles, because autonomous vehicles will park themselves. The vehicle’s doors won’t need to open in the parking space, which will require less room as a result. And with regard to infrastructure, these vehicles will make intersections more efficient. If you’re in your car waiting at a red light and nobody else is in the intersection, your car will “speak” to the traffic signals and vice versa, and the light will change for you. Again, this means fewer greenhouse gas emissions from reduced idling time.
The tipping point is not that distant.
The GoMentum Station test site provides a miniature city setting for trials of connected and autonomous vehicles.
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Experts predict that this technology will eliminate about 80 percent of the causes of traffic accidents. Imagine the day when you don’t have to take the car keys away from your elderly parents when their vision deteriorates and their reflexes slow, because the car will operate and navigate for them. Driving is an erodible skill, but connected, autonomous vehicles will serve to transport those who today would have to forego driving. On another note, autonomous vehicles have the potential to solve a number of transit challenges facing cities today. For example, people will be able to call for a ride and will be asked whether they will accept advertising while riding to their destination; if the answer is yes, the rider will see commercials on a screen during the trip, and the advertisers will subsidize the cost of the ride. An “on demand” ride system would be more efficient and far more convenient for the rider than today’s paratransit model, and it would also help people with disabilities or limited mobility maintain their independence.
Innovative Site Offers Secure Testing The decommissioned Concord Naval Weapons Station in the east San Francisco Bay Area is being repurposed to test connected and autonomous vehicle technologies. This effort is the result of a partnership between the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the City of Concord. The secure test site, which CCTA is calling “GoMentum Station,” encompasses 20 miles of road on more than 5,000 acres with extensive infrastructure including bridges, tunnels, buildings, railroad crossings and underpasses. These features will allow manufacturers to test vehicles and associated technology.
The Tipping Point Approaches How far in the future are these scenarios? According to Paul Godsmark, chief technology officer at the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence, the tipping point is not that distant. He predicts that by 2026, the number of autonomous vehicles on the road will outnumber nonautonomous vehicles. Just as the Internet and smartphones changed the world, the advent of connected and autonomous vehicles will have a profound impact on our lives and our cities. The next time you’re stuck in traffic, remind yourself that this is only temporary. Someday, your driving experience will be part of a new and transformed world. ■
More Information Online For additional information and links to related resources, read the online version of this article at www.westerncity.com.
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League’s New Mobile Advocacy App Instantly Connects City Officials With Their Legislators The state Capitol buzzes with activity during the spring and summer. League staff and city officials walk its halls talking to legislators and their staff or testifying in committees about city priorities and how proposed legislation will impact local communities. While the League uses a number of methods to advocate on behalf of cities, the voices of member cities are the key to shaping policy. But city council members typically have a limited amount of time to spend at the state Capitol. Many local elected officials want to weigh in with their state representatives on legislation and issues that affect their cities. However, staying informed about the latest developments presents a challenge for council members who are busy attending to city business and responding to requests from residents. “Timing is a critical element when you’re dealing with the legislative process,” says Bismarck Obando, public affairs director for the League. “With this in mind, the League looked at ways to make legislative advocacy easier and more convenient for city officials.” The result is a new feature on the League’s mobile application that provides a simpler way to advocate for your city.
Making Advocacy Easier and More Effective “The League is building a new core Legislative Advocacy Team as part of its effort to streamline the process and make it more convenient for our members,” says Obando. “This will also enhance cities’ ability to easily speak with a united voice on key legislation affecting their communities.” Mayors and council members who want to participate in the Legislative Advocacy Team can sign up by completing a simple form. Team members will have access
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to a private area on the League’s mobile app that sends an alert directly to their smartphone or mobile device when action is needed on a bill. When they receive the alert, they can respond by using the app’s special features to take action in several ways. “Many of our members are already using the League’s mobile app,” says Obando. “This new tool is part of the League app, but it’s in a private area reserved exclusively for the Legislative Advocacy Team. It enables city officials with a strong interest in advocacy to respond in a timely way and communicate directly with their legislators on key bills and issues.” City officials who sign up to be part of the League’s Advocacy Team will receive these benefits: • Invitations to a monthly call with the League’s legislative director or other lobbyists; • Recognition at the League’s Annual Conference & Expo; • Periodic updates about important legislation impacting cities; • Calls to action on high-priority legislative issues sent directly to their mobile device; and • Full mobile access to the League’s Action Center & Hot Issues pages.
How to Join the Legislative Advocacy Team If you are a city official who wants to sign up for the Legislative Advocacy Team: 1. Contact your regional public affairs manager to obtain a registration form (information on how to reach your regional public affairs manager can be found at www.cacities.org/ regionalmanagers); and 2. Send the completed registration form to your regional public affairs manager or the League’s Sacramento office. You will receive a confirmation email with your user name, a temporary password and login instructions. “City officials’ ability to quickly reach a legislator’s office during a crucial legislative vote complements the work of the League lobbyists in the state Capitol and the grassroots efforts of the League’s regional public affairs managers,” says Obando. “We encourage city officials to join the Legislative Advocacy Team to help strengthen the voice of cities.” For more information about joining the League’s Legislative Advocacy Team or to obtain a registration form, email your regional public affairs manager or contact Bismarck Obando, director of public affairs, at Bismarck@cacities.org. ■
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Cybersecurity What City Officials Need to Know About
by Lea Deesing It’s Friday morning, and city staff can’t log in to their computer network. The Fire and Police Departments are now relying solely on radio communications, rather than their mobile data systems, to receive incident information. City staff is communicating via text with the few phone numbers they have in their personal smartphones, because the telephone and email systems are down. It’s a payday, and most employees rely on direct deposit to receive their paychecks, but no one received their electronic paycheck on Thursday night.
The counter service staff can’t log in to their systems and does not know how to handle manual transactions. Staffers keep picking up the phone to call the Information Technology (IT) Department help desk, but there’s no dial tone. The situation is causing massive lines to form in planning, permitting and cashiering and affecting other departments. Residents and business owners who need to conduct business with the city are becoming frustrated. After several days of down time, IT staff determines that many city servers were
compromised through a well-orchestrated cybersecurity attack. During recovery, there was great confusion and contention as to which services should be restored first. Weeks later, the IT Department discovers that a Trojan horse virus, transmitted via a city staff member’s personal flash drive, caused the chaos. Although this scenario is hypothetical, recent cybersecurity breaches in both the private and public sectors have captured the attention of local government agencies. continued on page 23
Lea Deesing is chief innovation officer for the City of Riverside and executive director of SmartRiverside, a nonprofit that aims to narrow the digital divide in the Riverside region by empowerment through technology and education. She can be reached at ldeesing@riversideca.gov.
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Western City, June 2015
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Ride S in the New Economy Editor’s note: This article is the first in a two-part Legal Notes series on “New Economy” issues in cities. The second article will cover online short-term residential rentals and will appear in the August issue.
by Joan Borger and Rebecca Moon Two technology entrepreneurs founded a company in 2008 that enabled consumers to use a smartphone application (app) to hire a private car and driver. Initially named UberCab, the company later became known as Uber. The service debuted in San Francisco in 2009 with only 10 drivers. It quickly became a hit, especially with high-tech workers. Uber soon expanded nationally, then globally. Today the service is available in 53 countries and more than 200 cities worldwide, and the company is reportedly worth $50 billion. Uber’s success promptly inspired several competitors, including companies known as Lyft and Sidecar, which offer similar app-based driving services. Customers open the app on their smartphones from the company they choose, enter a destination and immediately see a map of
available drivers in their area and the estimated time of arrival. Payment is handled electronically through the app, which also provides a rating service of the drivers (and the passengers). The concept is often referred to as “ride sharing” in the “new” or “sharing” economy, although customers do not actually “share” rides except when they use car pooling options such as the UberPool or Lyft Line services. In 2013 the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) asserted its jurisdiction over these businesses and created the term “Transportation Network Company” (TNC), defining TNCs as companies that provide prearranged transportation for compensation through the use of an online-enabled app or platform to connect customers with drivers who use their personal vehicles.
Transportation Network Companies Versus Taxicab Businesses What exactly are TNCs, and why did the CPUC assert its state regulatory jurisdiction over them? How are TNCs different from the taxicab companies and service that cities typically regulate? TNCs claim they are technology companies rather than transportation companies, although the CPUC does not agree on that point as discussed further here. TNCs argue that they generally don’t own cars or employ drivers. Rather, they provide an electronic platform that lets passengers and drivers find each other, connecting paying passengers to a fleet of roving independent contractors who drive their personal vehicles. Some TNCs allow passengers to share rides with strangers continued on page 11
Joan Borger is city attorney for the City of Sunnyvale and can be reached at jborger@sunnyvale.ca.gov. Rebecca Moon is senior assistant city attorney for the City of Sunnyvale and can be reached at rmoon@sunnyvale.ca.gov.
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Sharing About Legal Notes This column is provided as general information and not as legal advice. The law is constantly evolving, and attorneys can and do disagree about what the law requires. Local agencies interested in determining how the law applies in a particular situation should consult their local agency attorneys.
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District attorneys in Los Angeles and San Francisco sued Uber in 2014, alleging that the company overcharges consumers and misleads the public about the safety of its drivers.
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Ride Sharing in the New Economy, continued from page 8
and split the fare as noted earlier, and Uber also provides a dispatching service for licensed limousine drivers through its UberBlack and UberSUV platforms. By contrast, many taxicab companies own a fleet of vehicles and either hire drivers as employees or (more commonly) their drivers “lease” vehicles on a daily basis in return for either a flat fee or percentage of receipts. City regulations often require taxicab companies to own a minimum number of vehicles in order to obtain a taxicab franchise. Other cities may allow individual owner-operated cabs that are sponsored by a franchised company. Either way, the company must ensure that its drivers comply with vehicle and driver safety rules and any other city regulations. The main advantage TNCs have over taxis in some cities seems to be convenience. A 2014 study by the UC Berkeley Transportation Center found that TNC wait times in San Francisco were significantly shorter than typical taxi dispatch and hail times. Not surprisingly, TNCs are quickly growing in popularity in larger cities. In San Francisco, traditional taxicab trips declined 65 percent between 2012 and 2014. Cities have regulated taxis for decades for legitimate reasons related to local public safety and consumer protection. State law requires that cities and counties adopt an ordinance or resolution that creates a process for issuing local taxicab permits, registering or establishing taxicab fares, and requiring alcohol and drug testing of drivers. Many local agencies impose additional requirements including minimum levels of insurance, driver background checks, vehicle safety inspections and customer service standards. Most city ordinances make it unlawful for taxicab drivers to refuse service; violators can be fined or lose their permits. Consumer advocates now worry that without proper oversight, app-based dispatching could encourage economic redlining or discrimination against passengers based on race, disability or other unlawful factors.
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Traditional taxi service remains an important transportation option for many people in the community. To understand why TNCs have been able to avoid city franchising and permit requirements, we must look at California’s complicated transportation laws, particularly the role played by the CPUC.
Taxicab and Limousine Regulation in California The taxicab industry has been subject to pervasive local regulation since the 1930s. In California, the CPUC eventually took control of most other forms of private passenger transportation, including limousines and other hired-driver services (known as “charter-party carriers”). The Legislature, however, carved out an express exception for taxis. As a result, the taxi industry is the only major form of private for-hire transportation that is still regulated at the local level by cities and counties in California. Cities therefore have only limited authority to regulate charter-party carriers that operate limousine services. “Limousine” is broadly defined to include any sedan or SUV carrying up to 10 passengers. Cities can: 1. Collect business license tax from limousine services that are domiciled or maintain a business office within the city; 2. Require permits and impose reasonable rules and regulations for the operation of limousines at municipally owned airports; and 3. Establish reasonable rules for the inspection of limousine waybills to verify valid prearranged travel. Historically there was a clear distinction between taxicabs and limousines. The key difference is that charter-party carriers only provide “prearranged” travel and must have a waybill or trip contract documenting their travel arrangements. Taxis can accept hails from the street or a taxi stand. TNCs have now effectively blurred the
line between taxis and charter-party carriers because summoning a driver with a smartphone app is often quicker than hailing a taxi on the street. Meanwhile, GPS technology can eliminate the need for a taxi meter, and the TNC app instantly generates an electronic trip contract.
CPUC Regulation of Transportation Network Companies The CPUC announced in November 2012 that it would impose fines against Uber, Lyft and Sidecar for operating unlicensed transportation services. Shortly thereafter, the CPUC agreed to allow the companies to operate while it sorted out the regulatory issues. The CPUC opened a rule-making proceeding in December 2012 on the issue, which generated hundreds of pages of comments from both TNC advocates and their opponents. On Sept. 19, 2013, the CPUC ruled that TNCs offer a “prearranged” form of travel, officially bringing them under the CPUC’s jurisdiction. The CPUC rejected strenuous arguments from the taxi industry that TNCs should be considered a taxi service and regulated at the local level by cities and counties. Since then, the CPUC proceedings have progressed slowly. In April 2014 the CPUC granted a limited rehearing of its September 2013 decision on several TNC issues, including insurance coverage, driver drug testing and commercial license plate requirements. Meanwhile, the Legislature stepped in with a new law that requires TNC drivers to carry $1 million in liability insurance. The taxicab industry also asked both the Third District Court of Appeal and the state Supreme Court to overturn the CPUC’s ruling, but its petitions were denied in November 2014. In September 2014 the CPUC ordered TNCs to cease and desist ride sharing services such as UberPool and Lyft Line. continued on page 26
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Leveraging the Power of Social Media
r e t s a s i D When
s e k i Str a Ray
by Kristin
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On an unusually warm, dry and windy morning in May 2014, department managers were gathered for their weekly meeting, reviewing routine business of the City of Carlsbad, a Southern California beach community (pop. 110,000) north of San Diego. Suddenly calls, texts and tweets came pouring in. A small brush fire had broken out in the heart of the city, across the street from a new $40 million park, surrounded by dense neighborhoods and rolling hillsides. What followed was a nearly 60-hour around-the-clock emergency response effort that included the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents, local businesses and school children; power outages; road closures and threats to critical habitat areas. A total of 600 acres would burn in what was dubbed the Poinsettia Fire — a scene described by CNN as “an Instagram from hell.” The city’s leaders had made emergency preparedness a high priority, which put Carlsbad in a strong position to protect
lives, property and the environment. Safeguarding the community’s emotional well-being and trust presented a different set of challenges, however, and required a team of trained staff ready to manage communication across multiple digital channels 24 hours a day until long after the fire was extinguished.
New Tools, More Resources Today, traditional media, while still dominant during an emergency, is just one of many communication channels requiring constant attention. The City of Carlsbad could not effectively staff an around-the-clock news and community outreach operation without using some creative approaches. In recent years, the city has expanded its emergency public information officer function to include staff to monitor social media channels for rumors, respond to online comments and correct misinformation. Some staff collect and distribute photos from the field, and others record
and upload to YouTube unedited footage from city news conferences. These positions are in addition to more traditional communication duties of gathering and verifying information, writing news releases, posting website updates and working with the media. More than two dozen Carlsbad city employees have been trained to assist with city communications during an emergency. “My professional training is in evaluating and organizing information,” says Glynn Birdwell, principal librarian for the city and a member of the city’s emergency communication team. “In a crisis, people need facts from trusted sources, and I can provide that service by helping the public information officers verify information before it goes out to the public.” Birdwell and her colleague Leila Dooley, also a librarian, took shifts during the Poinsettia Fire monitoring Twitter and Facebook for misinformation and sharing updates from other emergency response agencies. continued
Kristina Ray is communications manager for the City of Carlsbad and can be reached at Kristina.Ray@carlsbadca.gov.
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Leveraging the Power of Social Media When Disaster Strikes, continued
The city augmented its emergency communication team with personnel pulled from public works, human resources, cultural arts, neighborhood services and planning staff. Regular drills and training had prepared them to use their skills to help with communication in an emergency.
Beyond Information Sharing Disseminating accurate, timely information to help save lives, property and the environment is a public agency’s top priority during an emergency. Once these bases are covered, a second need emerges that is easy to overlook, especially for government. Residents also need reassurance and a chance to express their fears, feelings of gratitude and sense of community. When managed properly, social media can provide a platform for this communication. Prior to the Poinsettia Fire, the City of Carlsbad had already invested in building a strong social media following, and its Facebook page had become the second most popular city page in California. Not only was all essential safety information posted to the city’s emergency web page and shared through social media, the city also used its social media channels to build a sense of community connectedness during and after the fire.
Showing the Human Side of Government The first night of the fire, the city shared a photo via Facebook of community members gathered at the beach, watching the smoke-streaked, brilliant sunset over the ocean. The post, which reinforced Carlsbad’s sense of community and love of the coastline, became the city’s most shared post ever and gave residents an opportunity to take part in a moment of fellowship. A photo of a fully staffed emergency operations center shared at midnight reassured residents that city workers would be there for them, around the clock. On day three, when the coastal fog returned, signaling an end to the extreme fire danger, the city posted a photo of the cloudy skies with the caption, “Welcome back, May gray. You have never looked more beautiful, and we promise to never complain about you ever again.” By avoiding the overly official tone that frequently characterizes government communication, this lighthearted post signaled to the community that things were returning to normal. Residents also posted to the city’s Facebook page. One local mother shared a photo of her son’s Lego creation: a city in flames with a fire engine on the scene.
Another resident posted a photo showing a group of local friends at a backyard gathering, raising their glasses to say thanks to the city. While these types of social media posts are common on people’s personal pages, they weren’t posted there. These personal moments were posted on a city Facebook page. Such posts indicated to city staff that they had become more than “the government” — community members were responding to the city as they would to a neighbor or friend.
Planning for the Future City government is tested during an emergency, whether it’s a massive wildfire, earthquake, mudslide or other emergency. These types of events also offer an opportunity to connect with the community in a way that conveys concern, empathy and a commitment to serving the public. Today’s digital communication environment requires a greater investment in training and resources than ever before. Careful preparation and thoughtful implementation of digital communication during a disaster can result in a safer, stronger community — one that will never look at local government in quite the same way again. ■
Carlsbad’s digital communication team swings into action. Community Relations Manager Susanne Bankhead, far left, works with Courtney Pene, management analyst for the Housing and Neighborhood Services Department, and a staff of administrative assistants, analysts and managers from departments throughout the city. The team answers residents’ questions during an emergency and posts updates on social media channels.
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Tips for Using Media in a Crisis Build Your Team. Effectively managing digital communication requires a large team that is prepared for any crisis. Find staff who use digital communication channels regularly; focus on their interest and skills rather than position. Carlsbad’s team includes staff from the library, public works, planning and police departments and comprises administrative assistants, analysts and managers. Train, Train and Train Again. Include the team in existing public safety drills, and conduct stand-alone “table top” exercises to practice scenarios. Document and continually update lessons learned, easyto-follow checklists, contact databases and protocols. Speak Like a Digital Native. Each social media channel has its own language and culture. Spend time on each platform and pay close attention to how people communicate with each other, use hashtags
and tag each other in posts or photos. Practice posting about daily agency business using friendly, casual language without jargon. This takes practice. Listen. Using social media as a one-way communication tool is one of the biggest mistakes government can make. Listening to comments and posts by others, engaging in conversations through comments and quickly responding to questions are equally important. Build Your Networks. Start building your social media networks now, before a crisis. Follow others in your community, especially agencies that would have a role in an emergency. Promote your channels by posting and sharing content of interest to your community. You can also “boost” your posts for as little as $5 or $10 a day to gain more visibility. This investment will pay off when you have a larger online audience during a crisis.
Be a “Friend.” Government has a reputation for using jargon and being out of touch and unapproachable. Social media provides a way to break this mold and create a different relationship with your community. Think of your followers as friends, not constituents. What would you tell a friend during a crisis? How would you reassure members of your family? Is there an opportunity to share a moment of levity? Empathy and authenticity are key to building trust. Safety First. In a crisis, these social media communication approaches cannot be a substitute for providing a steady stream of essential public safety information through traditional communication channels. For now, social media should supplement — not replace — a well-rounded outreach plan that includes broadcast and print media.
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Converting Waste to Energy: How to Make It Happen in Your Community by the Institute for Local Government Sustainability Team As cities work to meet the state’s waste diversion requirements and goal of diverting 75 percent of California’s waste by 2020, they are turning to innovative strategies like anaerobic digestion to convert waste into energy. Anaerobic digestion is a natural process that breaks down organic materials — such as food scraps and green waste — into gas and fertilizer. It takes place in an oxygenfree environment in an enclosed container or a natural environment sealed off from the air, like a marsh, bog or wetland, and produces a gas that can be captured and converted to energy. Cities are using this energy to fuel fleet vehicles and provide power for facilities. Transforming organic waste materials into energy can also save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce compost for fertilizer.
The Anaerobic Digestion Process Organic material such as food waste or green waste goes into large enclosed “digesters” typically located adjacent to other wasterecovery facilities.
The technology used to process food waste is called wet anaerobic digestion. When a facility primarily uses other organic green waste, the process is known as dry anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion produces biogas, which is primarily methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas can be used as a transportation fuel — it is the equivalent of compressed natural gas — or for producing electricity. A second product of the process is a substance called digestate, which is a solid and/or liquid residual product that can be used for composting and fertilizer. Anaerobic digestion facilities can be stand-alone facilities or located at landfills, composting or recycling facilities or wastewater treatment plants. Locating such facilities close to the source of the input materials, existing processing facilities or the destination for the products can result in process efficiencies, simplified permitting, reduced impacts and cost reductions.
Benefits of Anaerobic Digestion Local jurisdictions with anaerobic digestion projects in their communities report a number of benefits including cost savings, the ability to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals and state regulations, increased community pride and recognition of their role as an environmental leader. When considering an anaerobic digestion facility, communities have the option to produce electrical energy or an equivalent of compressed natural gas. The electrical energy can be used for the facility and/or adjacent facilities. The compressed natural gas equivalent can be used to fuel vehicles that run on natural gas, including dump trucks, delivery trucks and school buses. Either energy choice reduces the amount of energy that the agency purchases from an outside source and can result in significant savings.
The Institute for Local Government (ILG) Sustainability Team members who contributed to this article include Karalee Browne, Melissa Kuehne and Steve Sanders. For more about ILG’s sustainability program, visit www.ca-ilg.org/sustainable-communities.
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The Monterey Regional Waste Management District’s pilot project yields compost, left, and the anaerobic digester facility produces electricity, below.
the Anaerobic Digestion Process
Organic material: food waste or green waste
Used for transportation fuel Used to produce electricity
Digestate
Used for compost and/or fertilizer
Digester
Sacramento Biorefinery Serves Large Region The City of Sacramento is home to an anaerobic digester biorefinery that benefits an eight-county region. In 2011 the County of Sacramento sought to convert a fully permitted, yet unused, transfer station into a useful asset. The county issued a request for proposals from companies interested in waste conversion. Two private-sector firms partnered to create a biodigester and fueling station on the property, using grants and loans from CalRecycle and the California Energy Commission as well as permitting assistance from the City of Sacramento. The facility can process 40,000 tons of food waste per year from area restaurants, food processors, hospitals, elementary schools and supermarkets. Public agencies as well as private companies throughout the region use the 730,000 gallons of biofuel produced annually. The biofuel powers all of the natural gas trucks of the local trash and recycling collection fleet (24 of 55 trucks), as well as a portion of the city’s and county’s waste fleets, security cars,
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Biogas
six California State University Sacramento commuter buses, school buses and two local catering companies’ vehicles. The waste gas, which is not clean enough to use for transportation fuel, produces 1 million kilowatts (kW) of electricity that powers both the facility and the fueling station. The digestate is used to produce 8 million gallons of organic soils and fertilizers for area farms.
Public-Private Partnership Launches Pilot Project Located just north of the City of Marina, the facilities of the Monterey Regional Waste Management District include a pilot project that has been operational since March 2013. This small anaerobic digestion facility boasts a 5,000-ton input capacity and can produce 100 kW of electrical energy daily. The waste management district considered anaerobic digestion as a way to keep organic material out of the landfill and put it to better use. A private-sector company was looking for an opportunity to demonstrate the practicality of its new
technology. The district agreed to host the pilot project and provide the site, and in exchange the company is providing the system for a 5-year term without requiring the $3 million purchase up front. The digestate produced by the facility goes to a private firm that rents part of the district’s land for an on-site composting facility. This firm is responsible for marketing and selling the compost, primarily to local vineyards. The district also worked cooperatively with the hospitality industry to create an “Organics to Energy” brand and an informative website that showcases the project and the participating hospitality businesses sending their food waste to the facility. “The business community was instrumental in making this project a success,” says Jeff Lindenthal, director of community programs for the Monterey Regional Waste Management District. “They are proud to know that their food waste is going to a state-of-the-art facility where the methane is being converted into electricity for local use.” continued
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Converting Waste to Energy: How to Make It Happen in Your Community, continued
Perris Houses One of World’s Largest Facilities One of the largest anaerobic digestion facilities in the world is under construction in the City of Perris. The 52-acre facility is funded largely by grants from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, CalRecycle and the California Energy Commission. The city’s waste hauler is developing the project, which is being rolled out in four phases, with the first coming online in October 2015. Subsequent phases will enable the facility to produce 4 million gallons of biogas each year. When completed, the project will have the capacity to convert over 320,000 tons of organic wastes into renewable natural gas, which is the cleanest of all transportation fuels — six times cleaner than traditional natural gas. The City of Perris supported the project by expediting the proposal to help meet
Cities are using this energy to fuel fleet vehicles and provide power for facilities. The fuel generated by the biodigester located in the City of Sacramento powers fleets from both the private and public sectors, above. state grant deadlines and providing assistance in getting approvals through the local Airport Land Use Commission. “This system will allow us to recover as much as 85 to 90 percent of the waste stream, which dramatically improves our ability to meet the state’s diversion mandate,” says Clara Miramontes, director of development services for the City of Perris.
Finding the Funds As with most recycling facilities, a new anaerobic digestion facility needs a source of funding to build the site and install the equipment. Numerous grant
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Tips on Implementation Cities that have succeeded in bringing anaerobic digestion facilities to their communities offer these suggestions based on lessons learned: • Explore and address any major barriers (such as air quality regulations or issues raised by neighboring jurisdictions) and community concerns (such as noise, traffic and air quality) before launching such a project; • Consider which outputs will work best for your community — electricity or biogas used for fuel;
● Acquisitions
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programs available through state and regional agencies can be used to underwrite these one-time costs. Long-term costs are often similar to fees charged at landfills and thus can often be covered with existing methods.
• Determine the right size facility for your community to balance supply and demand, and make the most of operational efficiencies based on size; • Pre-zone or permit land for composting and/or anaerobic digestion to reduce local permitting delays; and • Consider buying trucks powered by natural gas in anticipation of biogas production.
Financing Options and More Resources Online For links to related resources, including an overview of available financing options and information on anaerobic digestion strategies and siting recycling infrastructure and facilities, read the online version of this article at www.westerncity.com. ■
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Covina Code Enforcement Officer Jennifer McDowell conducts inspections, using the city’s software to identify and track properties.
Covina Develops Software for
Rental Inspection Program The Great Recession created operational challenges for local communities that often did not have the means or ability to respond to the symptoms of economic distress. As foreclosures became widespread, calls from residents about neglected and abandoned properties increased dramatically, overwhelming code enforcement staff in many cities. In the City of Covina (pop. 47,796) a suburban community in the San Gabriel Valley 22 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, the Public Works Department was struggling to maintain its code enforcement programs in the face of a workload that tripled between 2008 and 2011. One part-time and two full-time code enforcement officers saw their inspection load increase from 4,000 inspections a year in 2008 to 12,000 inspections a year in 2011. As the workload grew, the complexity of cases also increased; problem properties were often in foreclosure or non-owner occupied.
In 2009 a group of local apartment owners began demanding a response from the city regarding the deteriorating conditions at specific apartment buildings that were in foreclosure or bank owned. After meeting with the local apartment owners association, public works staff examined code enforcement operations in an effort to identify opportunities to streamline operations and increase revenues. Staff analysis revealed that 64 percent of repeat violations occurred at non-owner occupied properties and that single-family homes were four times more likely to repeat violations than multifamily rental properties.
City Shifts to a Proactive Approach “City staff were overwhelmed and needed a new approach and resources to focus on non-owner occupied properties that were blighted and did not respond to administrative citations,” says Alex Gonzalez,
the city’s interim public works director. “In response, the city developed a plan to move code enforcement from a reactive, complaint-based model to a proactive model to identify and inspect non-owner occupied properties and take action before community standards suffered.” After examining existing rental inspection programs statewide, especially in the neighboring cities of Azusa and Pasadena, the City of Covina reached out to the community with a number of public meetings. This effort culminated in a city council study session that focused on introducing a citywide Rental Inspection Program — coupled with an update of the city’s municipal code to improve operations, provide additional staff training and improve cooperation between code enforcement staff and the Police Department. The rental inspection program revenues are held in the city Community continued
The City of Covina won the Award of Excellence in the Internal Administration category of the 2014 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program. For more about the award program, visit www.helenputnam.org.
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Covina Develops Software for Rental Inspection Program, continued
Improvement Fund and are used to offset the personnel, materials and legal expenses incurred in monitoring, inspecting and bringing all non-owner occupied properties into compliance with local and state codes. The city’s General Fund is used for code enforcement of commercial, industrial and owner-occupied properties. “The process was interesting,” says former City Manager Daryl Parrish. “We knew we had a solid approach to address our problems, and we also knew that we would face opposition from some property owners. However, even the people that were opposed recognized the need. We had to make sure that we rolled out the program in a way that was sensitive and responsive to the needs of the community.”
Developing Software to Identify and Track Problem Properties Building Official Bill Hayes implemented the program. He had to find a way to inspect more than 2,103 targeted properties in a short time and process a range of program exemptions that were built into the program to ensure that the rental inspection fee was imposed only on properties that were being rented as a business
venture and not occupied by extended family members. The city hired a private consulting firm that partnered with the city’s Information Technology Department to develop software, which uses a geographic information system (GIS) to identify and track properties. Over two weeks, the consultant’s employees conducted a building envelope and landscape inspection of the exterior of each non-owner occupied property and recorded pictures and information into the software. If no violations were seen at the property, city staff notified the owner of the inspection date and that no violations were noted. If the exterior inspection did note violations, city staff contacted the owner to schedule an on-site secondary inspection of the property grounds and interior. “Using the consultant to design the system and do the initial round of inspections made the program manageable with only a small increase in initial staff,” says Hayes. “As city staff work through secondary inspections that are more complicated, the response from owners and tenants to the program has been great. Everyone wants an attractive community. When owners understand that this program is citywide and meant to protect their property values — and
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tenants understand that owners will maintain their properties — we get a lot of cooperation.”
Results When Covina launched the program in June 2013, city staff mailed 2,103 program packets to residential property owners who were identified as being subject to the Rental Inspection Fee established by the new ordinance. Of the 2,103 packets mailed: • 51 percent were returned and paid by the deadline; • 19 percent submitted applications for exemption that were approved; • Less than 1 percent submitted applications for exemption that were rejected; • 8 percent were returned by the postal service as undeliverable; and • 29 percent were delivered by the postal service, and the city received no response. As of August 2014, roughly 200 non-owner occupied properties had been moved into the administrative citation process for not complying with the program. The Rental Inspection Program’s results include resources for additional code enforcement staff to manage the program; uniform legal application and enforcement of local and state housing codes; identification of much-needed maintenance on rental properties; education and outreach to absentee or neglectful landlords; and perhaps most important, maintaining and upgrading property values and the quality of life in the City of Covina. Contact: Alex Gonzalez, interim public works director, City of Covina, phone: (626) 384-5215; email: agonzalez@covi naca.gov; or Bill Hayes, building official, City of Covina, phone: (626) 384-5460; email: whayes@covinaca.gov. ■
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Call Pam Maxwell-Blodgett at (800) 262-1801 to place a display (boxed) ad or for rate and deadline information, or email admanager@westerncity.com. Website Job Postings Display ads are posted on our website at no additional charge. But if you miss the deadline for getting your job opportunity ad into the magazine, you can post it on the Western City website right away. To post your job opportunity ad on our automated website, visit www.westerncity.com or contact Kimberly Brady, Western City’s administrative assistant; email: kbrady@ cacities.org; phone: (916) 658-8223.
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Assistant General Manager East Valley Water District, CA The East Valley Water District provides domestic water and sanitary sewer services to the City of Highland and the eastern portions of the City of San Bernardino, with a service population of approximately 101,000. The District is now seeking an Assistant General Manager. The ideal candidate will have expertise, seasoned professional judgment, and effective communication skills. A successful candidate will be a skilled leader who is capable of organizing employees to effectively address and accomplish the goals of the District. The selected candidate will be a visionary with an open management style who will represent the District’s viewpoint with local and regional partners and with state and federal regulatory agencies. Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree with major coursework in engineering, business or public administration, or a related field, and eight (8) years of increasingly responsible management or administrative experience in a water agency, public utility or related organization, which includes at least five (5) years of experience supervising professional and technical staff. Possession of a Master’s degree in a related field is highly desired. The annual salary range for the Assistant General Manager position is $165,491$182,671 for current year 2015. Apply online at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Contact Fred Freeman at (916) 784-9080 with any questions. Closing date June 19, 2015. phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com
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City Manager City of Bell, CA The City of Bell (population 35,000) located on the east bank of the Los Angeles River in southeast Los Angeles County and is nestled between the San Gabriel Mountains and the port of Long Beach in the Los Angeles basin. The City Council is seeking an experienced City Manager to oversee an operating budget of approximately $14 million and a full-time staff of 73 and 80 part-time employees. The new City Manager will be expected to demonstrate and promote the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. Bell will value a candidate who practices an open style of management and works collaboratively with the Council, department heads and staff to foster a working environment that encourages individuals to excel in their areas of responsibility. The selected individual will have a strong community presence and open door policy for the Council, staff and general public. Candidates with experience working with a diverse population and an understanding of the needs of citizens are being sought. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned individual who can hit the ground running. Candidates should possess significant experience in municipal government. A Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field is required, Master’s degree is referred. Bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please apply online at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Please contact Mr. Fred Freeman at (916) 784-9080 should you have any questions. Brochure available. Closing date TBD.
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ust south of Silicon Beach is the highly desirable urban coastal community of Manhattan Beach. The City (pop. 35,000) is known for maintaining an incomparable cosmopolitan quality of life with a quaint small town feel. Manhattan Beach is recruiting its first Director of Information Technology who will lead the transition of elevating what is currently a division of the Finance Department to a fully established standalone department that delivers quality services critical to the success of the organization. While superior management skills are expected, this new Director will also be a forward thinking IT professional with exceptional problem solving abilities. He/she will offer impressive customer service standards which support a high performing municipality that is energized by a continuous improvement mindset. Eight (8) years of increasingly responsible relevant experience which includes at least three (3) years of service in a management capacity, public sector experience and a Bachelor’s degree are required Salary range $156,648 to $204,372. Placement within the range DOQE. Salary is supplemented by an attractive benefits package. Closing date: Sunday, June 21, 2015. Detailed recruitment brochure available at www.tbcrecruiting.com. Teri Black • 424.296.3111 Julie Yuan-Miu • 925.820.8436
CITY OF PASO ROBLES The City of Paso Robles is a community of over 30,000 residents nestled in the scenic coastal mountain range of central California. Situated halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, in San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles is one of California’s best kept secrets. With over 200 wineries nearby and a bustling downtown with a variety of excellent restaurants and quality retail, Paso Robles is fast becoming one of the most desirable and yet relatively affordable places to visit, work and live.
CITY MANAGER
The new City Manager will provide exceptional leadership and a collaborative William Avery & Associates and engaging management style throughout Management Consultants the City organization and with interactions 1 3 / 2 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A with the City Council and the highly engaged community. A Los Gatos, CA 95030 relationship builder with a passion for public service, a value system 408.399.4424 based on ethics and integrity and a personal approach that engenders Fax: 408.399.4423 high levels of trust and confidence will be successful in this position. email: jobs@averyassoc.net www.averyassoc.net
Ideally, the new City Manager will be a seasoned public sector professional with strong financial, management and administration skills. Familiarity with tourism communities and their issues along with background as a City Manager, Assistant/Deputy City Manager or other public sector executive are highly desirable for this position. A formal job announcement, including benefit information and closing date are available at www.averyassoc.net.
Photo/art credits Cover: EpicStockMedia/Shuterstock.com
Pages 12–13, 14: Courtesy of City of Carlsbad
Pages 3 and 4–5: Courtesy of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority
Pages 16–17: Courtesy of Monterey Regional Waste Management District
Page 6: Wallentine/Shutterstock.com
Page 18: Courtesy of City of Sacramento
Page 7: Photosani/Shutterstock.com
Page 19: Courtesy of City of Covina and League of California Cities
Pages 8–9: EpicStockMedia/Shuterstock.com www.bobmurrayassoc.com
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What City Officials Need to Know About Cybersecurity, continued from page 7
Much like thieves operating in a neighborhood, hackers generally hit the easiest targets first. One of the most common breaches can occur after a user clicks on a link in a spam or phishing email. Such an attack may be financially based rather than an attempt to cause mayhem in your city.
of dollars in revenue for its writers by encrypting your data and holding it for ransom until you pay a fee. With big money at stake, some of the top coding talent is being recruited to write these Trojans,” says R.J. Robinson, a Loma Linda-based cybersecurity expert. A Trojan horse virus is one that lies undetected until a future date. Such viruses contain malicious code that can carry out a specific action when the hacker signals the software. Robinson continues, “As a hacker, why would I try to breach a $20,000 security device when I can convince someone to insert an infected $5 thumb drive?”
“Trojan horse virus writing is big business now. A well-written Trojan horse virus like Cryptolocker can generate millions
Risk can be mitigated in many ways, but one of the simplest ways is through a good security awareness training program.
Highly publicized data breaches and cybersecurity attacks raised awareness of these challenges, and consequently many city officials are looking at historically underfunded municipal cyber defense programs.
Cybersecurity Awareness Training
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City of Pasadena
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City of Daly City
Teri Black • 424.296.3111
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Steve Parker • 949.322.8794
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The City of Turlock is seeking a highly motivated professional with exceptional leadership skills to lead the Turlock Fire Department. Located in the heart of California’s Central Valley, and home to CSU Stanislaus, the City of Turlock has grown to reach a population of over 71,043 residents. The Fire Chief will provide exceptional leadership, a collaborative and engaging management style, and be an integral part of the City’s management team. Please apply online at www.cityofturlock.org. Interested parties must submit a letter of interest, resume, and City application by closing date of June 22, 2015. Human Resources (209) 668-5540.
Chief Financial Officer, Las Vegas Valley Water District, NV The Las Vegas Valley Water District (District) was created in 1947 under a special act of the Nevada Legislature for the purpose of obtaining and distributing water, primarily in the Las Vegas Valley. The District is the largest municipal water purveyor in the state of Nevada, serving over 295,000 customers. The District is seeking an experienced professional who is willing to exercise independent judgment and initiative while always keeping the best interests of the community and its residents and the organization as a priority. The successful candidate will be a skilled finance manager with expertise in supervising and mentoring staff, and will bring a customer service focused approach to the Department. Candidates should be skilled at identifying problems in their early stages and be able to work collaboratively to develop the best solutions. Candidates with governmental finance and accounting experience are strongly encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of the principles and practices of general, fund and governmental accounting including financial statement preparation and methods of financial control and reporting; as well as understanding of public agency budgeting, legal requirements for public agency capital financing. The Southern Nevada Water Authority functions associated with debt financing and management are essential duties of the selected candidate. The typical candidate will possess a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related field. At least seven years of senior level financial management experience is required. Candidates with public sector finance experience, a Master’s degree and/or CPA certification are strongly preferred. The salary range for the incoming CFO is $145,700-$205,000. Placement within the salary range will be dependent upon qualifications. The District also offers an attractive benefits package. If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please apply online at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Please contact Mr. Bob Murray at (916) 784-9080 should you have any questions. Brochure available. Closing date June 19, 2015.
phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com
CITY OF MONTEREY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Human Resources Director
Monterey is a historic and progressive coastal city known for its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, hospitality, and sense of community. With a thriving downtown and tourism-based economy, Monterey boasts fine dining and accommodations, as well as an outstanding array of scenic parks and beaches. Monterey is a full-service city with approximately 440 full-time employees. The Human Resources Department has a staff of six employees and an operating budget of approximately $700 thousand and a $2.7 million workers’ compensation budget. The Human Resources Director is an Executive, at-will classification that plans, organizes and directs all phases of the City’s personnel and employee relations functions. Five years experience managing a public personnel program and the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
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The salary for the Human Resources Director is $161,333, plus an attractive benefit package. Please visit the City of Monterey’s website at www.monterey.org for more information. The closing date for this job opportunity is June 30, 2015.
Security Audits and Monitoring Among the many additional security efforts that deserve local government’s attention, one standout is the security audit and penetration test, where paid ethical hackers try to breach your system, then report back their findings so you can take pre-emptive action. “Upper management needs to understand the long-term cost of a data security breach. Not just the monetary cost, but the cost in losing customers’ trust. If you can quantify that, the light bulb usually goes on and suddenly $10,000 or more for a full security audit seems like a bargain,” says Robinson. However, is an annual or biennial security audit enough in the ever-changing cyber landscape? It’s a starting point, but the new trend is to also hire 24/7 managed security service providers operating out of remote “security operations centers.” Such companies have fully dedicated certified security teams who watch your network, inside and out, to identify real time security threats and help develop preventive counter measures. “In the 21st century, when children typically know more about cyberspace than most adults, it’s smart to hire professionals,” says Hargis. These managed security service providers often use special Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools that provide a dashboard view into security and server logs that your city’s IT staff probably doesn’t have time to monitor. Your staff may view these logs after an incident has already occurred, but usually not before.
build a Continuity of Operations Plan In the scenario described earlier, systems should be prioritized in advance through a continuity of operations plan. Such plans are vetted through departmental meetings where questions are asked, such as, “What would happen if your computer system went down for two hours? A day? A week? A month?” It’s surprising what occurs when you have these discussions with departmental staff. They may
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say, “I never thought it would be possible for systems to be down that long. If we simply take this extra step, in advance, we will be as prepared as possible when the systems fail.” For example, a payroll team saves the last successfully run payroll in a PDF format and stores it in a secured location, along with blank check stock. On the day of a disaster, all checks are printed and signed, and required payroll adjustments are made after system recovery. Dennis Vlasich, IT director for the City of Fontana, made it a priority to develop a continuity of operations plan. He says, “Business continuity planning represents the opportunity to take an introspective look at what’s really important in your operations. Just going through the exercise of imagining the impact of the loss of critical systems on the public as well as the agency itself will help you to understand what is important and what is just convenience.” Prioritization of system recovery should be based on criteria such as the critical nature of system transactions and potential scope of impact.
Questions for Leaders to Consider The measures described here and numerous other security efforts may already be underway in your city’s IT Department. But how might you support current cybersecurity efforts in a collaborative way? Do policies need to be written that require executive sponsorship? Can the Human Resources Department help support a security awareness training program? Is support needed for new hardware, software or services? With limited funding, an assessment should be performed at the executive management level regarding the amount of risk your organization is willing to mitigate or simply accept. You can never be 100 percent secure, and most security experts would agree with R.J. Robinson, who says, “If an attacker has the time and desire, they will gain access one way or another. That is why a good backup and recovery plan is so important.” ■
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Cybersecurity Checklist for Cities For a checklist and links to related resources, read the online version of this article at www.westerncity.com.
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City Administrator City of Gridley
The City of Gridley incorporated in 1905 with a population of 6,761 and is situated in the north valley 60 miles north of Sacramento. Gridley’s economy is comprised of agricultural, governmental, and retail service industries. The City has a five-member Council with a Council/Administrator form of government. The City has 47 full time employees, a budget of $16,510,000, and is a full service organization operating its own electrical utility. Candidates will possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university in Public Administration or closely related field and have five years of management experience in municipal government or private industry. Salary is DOQ up to $120,000. The City participates in PERS 2% at 55 retirement plan (Classic) and 2% at 62 (New members). The City provides medical, vacation and sick leave benefits. Candidates will submit a City application and resume marked “Confidential” to Interim City Administrator, City of Gridley, 685 Kentucky, Gridley, CA 95948. Open until filled. Website: www.gridley.ca.us.
ORANGE COUNTY Orange County is a highly desirable place to live, as well as the third largest populated county in California. Residents enjoy over 42 miles of pristine beaches, vast wilderness parks, beautiful nature preserves, and 402 miles of riding and hiking trails. Orange County has top rated attractions, a wide range of cultural arts as well as some of the highest quality public and private schools in the nation. The County Engineer, operating as the Assistant Director, reports to the Director of OC Public Works and is responsible for an annual budget of over $250 million and 460 positions. The County William Avery & Associates Management Consultants Engineer oversees OC Engineering Services, which delivers design, 31/2 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A construction, maintenance and monitoring services for the County. The Los Gatos, CA 95030 incumbent also serves as diplomatic liaison and advocates for department 408.399.4424 interests with Sacramento, Washington DC, the Board of Supervisors, the Fax: 408.399.4423 CEO’s Office, outside agencies and stakeholders. email: jobs@averyassoc.net www.averyassoc.net The selected candidate will have an experience base of five or more years of management in a public works, engineering or other highly technical environment. Possession of valid Registration as a Professional Civil Engineer and the ability to obtain the Registration in California within one year of appointment is also required. A formal job announcement, including benefit information and closing date are available at www.averyassoc.net.
COUNTY ENGINEER/ ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OC PUBLIC WORKS
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Ride Sharing in the New Economy, continued from page 11
In San Francisco, traditional taxicab trips declined 65 percent between 2012 and 2014.
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City of Laguna Niguel Job Opportunities Laguna Niguel (Population 63,000) is a premiere master-planned community located in south Orange County, just minutes away from California’s beautiful beaches and pristine coastline. Professionally staffed with 67 dynamic full-time employees, the City also outsources several services by contract such as police services, building services, and street and landscape maintenance.
Purchasing Manager – $7,715 - $9,644/monthly The ideal candidate will perform a variety of detailed, technical tasks in the procurement of equipment, services, materials and supplies for the City; administer the competitive bidding process; provide financial and administrative analyses in support of purchasing and centralized services functions; develop and implement contract and purchasing policies and procedures.
Human Resources Manager – $8,986 - $11,233/monthly The ideal candidate will manage, supervise, administer and coordinate human resources activities including conducting recruitments, administer City benefit programs, worker’s compensation and risk management activities; negotiate labor agreements with associations and resolve sensitive issues; maintain and administer the City’s classification and compensation plan. For detailed brochures and application requirements, visit www.cityoflagunaniguel.org Filing deadline: June 15, 2015.
Under existing state law, only licensed “passenger stage corporations” (such as airport shuttles) can charge passengers individually for a shared ride in the same vehicle. Charter-party carriers are prohibited from doing so. After the public outcry that followed, the CPUC agreed to review car pooling services as part of the TNC rule-making process. Meanwhile, TNCs are involved in other legal battles, including consumer protection and personal injury lawsuits. Uber is currently defending a class action lawsuit by San Francisco taxi drivers who allege that the company is running an illegal taxi service. A group of 19 taxi companies also recently sued Uber for deceptive advertising. In addition, drivers in San Francisco are separately suing both Uber and Lyft for mischaracterizing themselves as independent contractors and (in Uber’s case) illegally withholding tips. In March 2015, federal district court judges ordered both cases to proceed to full jury trials.
The Role of Cities It remains to be seen whether new state legislation or adverse court decisions will require or encourage TNCs to make changes to their business models or services. In the meantime, some city officials in California are asking: • Can we regulate TNCs locally?; and
Deputy City Manager, City of Signal Hill, CA The City of Signal Hill, population 11,465, located 30 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, consists of 2.2 square miles nestled in the southeast portion of Los Angeles County. The City is seeking an experienced Deputy City Manager who is collaborative, well versed in city issues, and has the ability to lead in an apolitical manner. A visionary who is a team player, loyal, ethical, a hands on manager is being sought. The ideal candidate will have a background in negotiations, economic development, budgets, human resources, and project management. Signal Hill will value a candidate who practices an open style of management and works collaboratively with the Council, department heads and staff to foster a working environment that encourages individuals to excel in their areas of responsibility. The selected individual will have a strong community presence and open door policy for the Council, staff and general public. The ideal candidate will also possess the ability to provide a clear vision for staff, be a collaborative leader with excellent communication skills, and possess high energy. Candidates should possess a bachelor’s degree in planning, public administration or a related field, a master’s degree is desirable, and seven years of increasingly responsible experience in local government, including five years of supervisory experience. The salary range for the Deputy City Manager is $138,413 - $181,608 and is dependent upon qualifications and experience. The City offers an attractive benefits package. If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please apply online at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Please contact Fred Freeman at (916) 784-9080 should you have any questions. Brochure available. Closing date June 19, 2015. phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com
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• If not, should we take any other action to help ensure the public health and safety in our cities where TNCs are operating? With regard to the first question, the CPUC has asserted its jurisdiction over TNCs through its rule-making decisions. Unless that ruling is overturned by the courts, cities must treat TNCs like limousine services rather than like taxicabs.
Looking for Footnotes? For a fully footnoted version, read this article online at www.westerncity.com.
www.cacities.org
At this moment, it appears that cities cannot require TNCs to: • Secure a city franchise or operating permit (except at a municipal airport); • Pay city business license taxes (unless the company is domiciled or has an office in the city); or • Otherwise comply with local taxi rules and regulations. A city may be able to use consumer protection laws to help ensure that TNCs do not engage in deceptive advertising or unlawful or fraudulent business acts or practices within the city limits, if that is a concern. For example, the district attorneys in Los Angeles and San Francisco sued Uber in 2014, alleging that the company overcharges consumers and misleads the public about the safety of its drivers. J
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ordinances to determine what regulatory framework best meets the local transportation needs of today.
More broadly, certain changes to local regulations governing taxicabs might help the taxicab industry remain competitive with TNCs. Historically, for example, some cities have created barriers to the entry of new taxi businesses that limit the number of taxicabs on the street, sometimes leading to chronic shortages of cabs. In response to complaints from taxicab drivers, the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Commission voted in 2013 to add 320 taxi medallions to the city’s fleet. Many taxicab ordinances were enacted decades ago. Cities may want to take a fresh look at their existing
“Disruptive innovation” has been a mantra in Silicon Valley for nearly two decades. Taxicab services and traditional charter-party carrier businesses are just the latest industry to be challenged by technology that has created a new business model to compete with an established business model. Local and state policymakers will continue to work on finding the right balance between encouraging innovation, respecting consumer choices and ensuring that all members of the public have access to safe and effective transportation options in their communities. ■
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City Attorney
City of Antioch, CA Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area
along the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta with its 1,000 miles of inland waterways, the city of Antioch with a population of over 107,000 is home to 31 parks and 600 acres of open space and is considered by many a recreational paradise positioned for significant growth. The city is seeking an exceptional attorney with demonstrated expertise in municipal law with superior communication and interpersonal skills. Graduation from an accredited law school and active membership in the California State Bar required. Salary up to $202,608 annually DOQ, with benefits. Filing deadline is July 6, 2015.
City Manager
City of Palmdale, CA
Located in the heart of the Antelope Valley, the vibrant community of Palmdale (pop. 155,000) allows residents to escape the complexity of the Los Angeles region and enjoy affordable housing and a high quality of life. Appointed by a City Council known for its stability, the new City Manager will embrace the values and strategic plan of the organization, oversee a staff of 184 and 2015/16 proposed total budget of $234.5M, and bring an entrepreneurial approach in leading Palmdale to the next level. Proven local government experience with an emphasis in economic development and strong fiscal management are desired. A Bachelor’s degree in public or business administration or a related field is required; Master’s degree is preferred. Competitive salary DOQ. Filing deadline is July 1, 2015.
Assistant City Manager
City of Tracy, CA With its history of small-town friendliness, pro-business environment,
Please send your cover letter and resume electronically to:
Peckham & McKenney apply@peckhamandmckenney.com Resumes acknowledged within two business days.
(866) 912-1919 Call Bobbi Peckham for Tracy and Palmdale or Phil McKenney for Antioch.
For more information and a detailed brochure, please visit us at
www.peckhamandmckenney.com.
progressive management practices, and high level of service delivery, Tracy (pop. 84,500) is poised for significant economic growth over the next decade. This full-service city has a 2014/15 budget of $226.3M and 446 FTEs. The Assistant City Manager will serve as Chief Operating Officer and will support City Manager Troy Brown in taking the community and organization to the next level. A generalist manager with proven experience and understanding of local government, employee development, community engagement, and labor relations is required. Bachelor’s degree in public/business administration or related field required; Master’s preferred. Salary range up to $180,603; appointment DOQ. Filing deadline is June 15, 2015.
www.westerncity.com
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William Avery & Associates, Inc. Labor Relations / Executive Search / Human Resources Consulting 3 /2 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A Los Gatos, CA 95030 1
408.399.4424 Fax: 408.399.4423 email: jobs@averyassoc.net www.averyassoc.net
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Irvine (949) 251-8628
managementpartners.com Budget Strategies ∙ Service Sharing Organization Analysis ∙ Performance Management Process Improvement ∙ Strategic Planning Executive Recruitment ∙ Facilitation/Team Building
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