COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

County Manager’s Office

DATE:

January 8, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

January 23, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

None

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

John L. Maltbie, County Manager

SUBJECT:

2006-07 Grand Jury Response

Recommendation

Accept this report containing the County’s responses to the following 2006-07 Grand Jury report: Improving Access to County Employee Directory Information.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goal 20: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

This activity contributes to the goal by ensuring that all Grand Jury findings and recommendations are thoroughly reviewed by the appropriate County departments and that, when appropriate, process improvements are made to improve the quality and efficiency of services provided to the public and other agencies.

Discussion

The County is mandated to respond to the Grand Jury within 90 days from the date that reports are filed with the County Clerk and Elected Officials are mandated to respond within 60 days. It is also the County’s policy to provide periodic updates to the Board and the Grand Jury on the progress of past Grand Jury recommendations requiring ongoing or further action. To that end, attached is the County’s response to the Grand Jury report on Improving Access to County Employee Directory Information issued November 6, 2006.

Improving Access to County Employee Directory Information

Findings:

Staff is in general agreement with the Grand Jury’s findings.

Recommendations:

The Board of Supervisors should assign the responsibility and authority for obtaining and disseminating directory information to the Information Services Department. Specifically, ISD should be directed to:

1. Continue efforts to move to an electronic version of the Directory that has the types of information currently found in the Green Book’s white and gray pages, and is updated regularly.

Response: Concur. ISD has created and deployed the SMC Directory application into production. In addition, nightly updates to the SMC Directory from the payroll system are in production.

2. Cease printing the Green Book’s white pages now that intranet directory information has become widely available.

Response: Concur. The Green Book will be printed and distributed in FY 2007-08 for the final time, to facilitate the migration to SMC Directory.

3. Make the information currently found in the Directory’s gray pages available on the intranet in a form that can be downloaded and printed for those who may need hard copies; these versions would be modified as necessary during the ongoing reorganization of County government. In addition, printing and distributing updated gray pages on a regular basis until the reorganization is completed should be considered.

Response: Concur. During the 1^st quarter of 2007, ISD will be modifying the format of SMC Directory Department and Employee reports to make them more printable.

4. Establish standards for the minimum information that should be on a department web page and coordinate among departments so that they meet those standards. Include basic information about all government agencies, districts, special districts, and joint power authorities operating within the County.

Response: Concur. During the 1^st quarter of 2007, ISD will work with all Departments to establish standards for Internet-based departmental information.

5. Make available on a public website as much searchable information from the electronic directory as is possible within the constraints of privacy.

Response: Concur. During the 1^st quarter of 2007, ISD will be adding a “Contact Us” section to the County Internet home page that will contain basic departmental information.

6. Consider multiple listings for some departments under names that are commonly used, but do not correspond to “official” names.

Response: Concur. During the 1^st quarter of 2007, ISD will work with all Departments to establish standards for Internet-based departmental information.