Housing and Community Development Staffing RequestCity of Dubuque
City Council
CONSENT ITEMS # 19.
Copyrighted
December 15, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Housing and Community Development Staffing Request
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval to add a
full-time Grants Supervisor and add a full-time Administrative
Support Professional (Grants) under the grants division in the
Housing and Community Development Department.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo
2. Department Memo - Housing and Community Develop Dept Staffing Request
Page 381 of 1019
THE CITY OF
DUB E-E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Housing and Community Development Staffing Request
DATE: December 10, 2025
Dubuque
All -America Ciq
IIIr
II
2007.2012.2013
2017*2019
Interim Housing & Community Development Director Sandi Fowler and Talent
Acquisition Manager Kristen Dietz are recommending City Council approval to add a
full-time Grants Supervisor and add a full-time Administrative Support Professional
(Grants) under the grants division in the Housing and Community Development
Department.
The Housing and Community Development Department has been strategically
restructuring based on workload and capacity in collaboration with Human Resources
Department and City Manager's Office. The need for the Admin Support Professional
and the Grants Supervisor positions is driven by significant staffing capacity gaps within
the Housing and Community Development Department and the increasing complexity of
federal and state grant compliance requirements. These roles are essential to ensuring
that the department can sustain its operational workload, meet stringent regulatory
obligations, and maintain compliance across all grant -funded programs.
These positions would be budgeted to grant funding with the exception of 10% of the
Grants Supervisor position being to general fund. The $5,883.99 in general fund money
needed for the current fiscal year, FY 2026, would come from general fund money
remaining from the FY 2025 budget close out. The positions support and are primarily
funded by CD13G, Lead Paint, Healthy Homes, and Older Adults grants.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
/-� _� LT
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
Page 382 of 1019
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Sandi Fowler, Interim Housing & Community Development Director
Kristen Dietz, Talent Acquisition Manager
Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Laura Bendorf, Budget Manager
Shelley Stickfort, Chief Human Resources Officer
2
Page 383 of 1019
THE CITY OF
DUB Q TE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Dubuque
AII•Ameriee City
NlIx:I�11_<]
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
FROM: Sandi Fowler, Interim Housing and Community Development Director
Kristen Dietz, Talent Acquisition Manager
SUBJECT: Housing and Community Development Staffing Request
DATE: December 9, 2025
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to request approval to add a full-time Grants Supervisor and
add a full-time Administrative Support Professional (Grants) under the grants division in the Housing and
Community Development Department.
BACKGROUND
The Housing and Community Development Department has been strategically restructuring based on
workload and capacity in collaboration with Human Resources Department and City Manager's Office.
The need for the Admin Support Professional and the Grants Supervisor positions is driven by
significant staffing capacity gaps within the Housing and Community Development Department and the
increasing complexity of federal and state grant compliance requirements. These roles are essential to
ensuring that the department can sustain its operational workload, meet stringent regulatory
obligations, and maintain compliance across all grant -funded programs.
DISCUSSION
After working with Human Resources to conduct a compensation and classification analysis based on
departmental needs of knowledge, skills, and abilities, Interim Housing and Community Development
Director and Talent Acquisition Manager determined a Grants Supervisor and Administrative Support
Professional would best serve our needs. This would increase Housing and Community Development
personnel complement by +2.00 full-time equivalent (FTE).
The net cost of this staffing change request is as follows:
Requested Fiscal Year 2026 Change
$ Change
FTE Chg.
General Fund
Cost FY2026
Addition of Full -Time Grants Supervisor NB-14 (- 6 months*)
+$58,839.88
+1.00
$5,883.99
Addition of Full -Time Admin Support Professional NB-7 (- 6
months*
+$42,004.99
+1.00
0
FY2026 Net Change
$ 100,844.87
+2.00
$5,883.99
*Assumes a start date of January 5, 2026
BUDGET IMPACT
These positions would be budgeted to grant funding with the exception of 10% of the Grants
Supervisor position being to general fund. The positions support and are primarily funded by CDBG,
Lead Paint, Healthy Homes, and Older Adults grants. This request advances the City of Dubuque's
2026 strategic goals by strengthening our ability to ensure livable neighborhoods and quality housing,
Page 384 of 1019
maintain a vibrant, healthy and safe community, and sustain a high-performance municipal
organization. By adding dedicated capacity through the Admin and Grants Supervisor roles, the
department will also support efficient, grant compliance and service delivery — furthering fiscal
responsibility, effective use of resources, and alignment with the City's priority for a connected,
sustainable, and well -managed community.
RECOMMENDATION
I respectfully recommend approval of a full-time Grants Supervisor and add a full-time Administrative
Support Professional under the grants division in the Housing and Community Development Department.
CC: Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jennifer Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Laura Bendorf, Budget Manager
Shelley Stickfort, CHRO
2
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