Finance Department Modified Staffing Change Copyrighted
November 18, 2019
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 14.
ITEM TITLE: Finance Department Modified Staffing Change
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval to modifythe
staffing request change approved by City Council on
October 21, 2019 to request a full-time BudgeUFinancial
Analyst.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receiveand File;Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Finance Department Modified Staffing Change City Manager Memo
Request-MVM Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
Dubuque
THE CITY OF �
All-America City
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Finance Department Modified Staffing Change Request
DATE: November 11, 2019
Director of Finance and Budget Jennifer Larson is recommending approval to modify
the staffing request change approved by City Council on October 21, 2019. The City
Council approved eliminating the Budget Manager position and adding a full-time
Budget/Financial Analyst and a part-time Accountant.
The staffing request for a part-time Accountant has been modified to request a full-time
Budget/Financial Analyst instead because there is significant need by departments to
have support related to grant management and reporting. Many departments have
experienced staffing turnover and have lost the institutional knowledge of grant
requirements and reporting. Finance is often a point of contact by departments for grant
reporting questions even though Finance staff members do not have the specific grant
training or knowledge. It is a priority of the Finance Department to have accurate and
timely grant reporting in order to complete the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal
Awards. Due to capacity issues, the Finance Department is utilizing Assistant Public
Works Director Arielle Swift for preparation of the schedule of expenditures of federal
awards (SEFA) and for department grant support.
In order to better address the workload in the Finance Department related to audit,
reporting, and grants, a full-time Budget/Financial Analyst specializing in grants is
requested. The full-time Budget/Financial Analyst would develop a full inventory of all
City grants, attend grant training offered by each grant, review grant contracts and meet
with departments to ensure departments understand eligible grant expenditures, how to
record grant related expenditures and revenue, track grant applications and reporting
deadlines, review grant reports prior to submittal, and ensure that grant draws are done
accurately and timely.
The Fiscal Year 2020 net cost of this modified staffing plan is $8,870 and it results in an
increase of 1.00 full-time equivalents (FTE). The additional cost in Fiscal Year 2020 is
covered by Fiscal Year 2020 vacancy savings in the Finance Department. Fiscal Year
2021 and beyond additional cost of$62,547 will be partially offset by eCivis grant
reporting software savings ($33,000). While there might be some grant reimbursement
most of the remaining continuing cost will impact the general fund. The Finance
Department will be developing department grant tracking by leveraging existing
software including Laserfiche Forms and Workiva Wdesk.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
��1� ��
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jml
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jennifer Larson, Director of Finance and Budget
Jennifer Raber, Finance Manager
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Dubuque
THE CITY OF �
All-America City
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Jennifer Larson, Director of Finance and Budget
SUBJECT: Finance Department Modified Staffing Change Request
DATE: November 11, 2019
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to request approval for modification of the approved
request of adding a part-time Accountant. This request was approved by City Council on
October 21, 2019.
BACKGROUND
The Finance and Budget departments were consolidated as part of the Fiscal Year 2020
adopted budget. The approved consolidation included the following changes in staffing:
� . . . - . - � � . . - . - . - .
Eliminate Finance Director Position -$125,056 -1.00
U rade Bud et Director to Director of Bud et and Finance +$16,395 0.00
U rade Assistant Finance Director to Finance Mana er -$2,889 0.00
Addition of Full-Time Budget Manager +$107,999 +1.00
Upgrade Part-Time Payroll Specialist to Full-Time Payroll +$24,306 +0.30
Accountant
Ado ted Fiscal Year 2020 Net Chan e $20,755 +0.30
The Budget Manager position was filled on June 17, 2019 and became vacant on August 19,
2019. The staffing plan of the Finance Department has been reviewed due to this vacancy.
On October 21, 2019, the City Council approved eliminating the Budget Manager position
and adding a full-time Budget/Financial Analyst and a part-time Accountant.
The net cost of this staffing change was as follows:
- � � � . . . - . . . - . - .
Eliminate Full-Time Budget Manager (8/19/19) -$ 83,226 -1.00
Addition of Full-Time Bud etlFinancial Anal st 12/1/19 +$ 46,048 +1.00
Addition of Part-Time Accountant 12/1/19 +$ 16,162 +0.50
Fiscal Year 2020 Approved Staffing Net Change -$ 21,016" +0.50
"Fiscal Year 2021 increase in cost for the approved staffing change is $7,203.
DISCUSSION
The staffing request for a part-time Accountant has been modified to request a full-time
Budget/Financial Analyst instead because there is significant need by departments to have
support related to grant management and reporting. Many departments have experienced
staffing turnover and have lost the institutional knowledge of grant requirements and
reporting. Finance is often a point of contact by departments for grant reporting questions
even though Finance staff inembers do not have the specific grant training or knowledge. It
is a priority of the Finance Department to have accurate and timely grant reporting in order to
complete the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. Due to capacity issues, the
Finance Department is utilizing Assistant Public Works Director Arielle Swift for preparation of
the schedule of expenditures of federal awards (SEFA) and for department grant support.
In order to better address the workload in the Finance Department related to audit, reporting,
and grants, a full-time Budget/Financial Analyst specializing in grants is requested. The full-
time Budget/Financial Analyst would develop a full inventory of all City grants, attend grant
training offered by each grant, review grant contracts and meet with departments to ensure
departments understand eligible grant expenditures, how to record grant related expenditures
and revenue, track grant applications and reporting deadlines, review grant reports prior to
submittal, and ensure that grant draws are done accurately and timely.
The Budget/Financial Analyst would also assist in other areas in the Finance Department
including certified annual financial report (CAFR) preparation, audit workpaper preparation,
multiple state and county reports (tax increment financing, annual financial report,
outstanding debt report, street financing report, etc.) preparation, and process improvements.
Additional upcoming Finance Department projects that this position would assist with include
implementing Wdata in Wdesk, converting the CAFR from CAFROnline to Wdesk, converting
all audit workpapers from Microsoft Excel to Wdesk, reviewing business processes, revising
the chart of accounts, writing a ERP financial software request for proposal (RFP),
implementing a new ERP financial software, and implementing new Government Accounting
Standard Board (GASB) pronouncements including GASB 87 related to leases and GASB 88
related to additional disclosures for direct debt.
A full-time budget/financial analyst focused on grants is requested (2,080 hours or 1 .00 FTE).
The Fiscal Year 2020 cost of the full-time Budget/Financial Analyst hired December 1 , 2019
is $46,048. The net cost of this modified staffing change request is as follows:
- � - � i i � - � - �
Eliminate Full-Time Bud et Mana er Position 8/19/19 -$ 83,226 -1 .00
Add Full-Time Bud et/Financial Anal st 12/1/19 +$ 46,048 +1 .00
Add Full-Time Bud et/Financial Anal st Grant Focused 12/1/19 +$ 46,048 +1 .00
Re uested Fiscal Year 2020 Net Chan e $ 8,870" +1 .00
"Fiscal Year 2021 increase in cost for the modified staffing plan is $62,547.
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REQUEST
I respectfully recommend approval to hire an additional full-time Budget/Financial Analyst
focusing on grants instead of a part-time Accountant. The additional cost is covered by Fiscal
Year 2020 vacancy savings in the Finance Department. Fiscal Year 2021 and beyond
additional cost of$62,547 will be partially offset by Ecivis grant reporting software savings
($33,000). The Finance Department will be developing department grant tracking by
leveraging existing software including Laserfiche Forms and Workiva Wdesk.
JML
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