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Our neighborhoods are safe and provide residents with access to quality health care and seamless services |
Healthy Community includes the following departments:
• Health System
• Sheriff’s Office
• Probation Department
• District Attorney / Public Administrator
• Coroner’s Office
• Public Safety Communications
• County Fire
• County Service Area #1
The mission of the Health System is to build a healthy community and increase San Mateo County residents’ longevity and quality of life by preventing health issues before they occur, protecting the public from environmental and disease hazards, providing services to vulnerable populations, and partnering with others to accomplish the mission. The Health System includes six programs in the Medical Center: Administration and Quality Management Services, Patient Care Services, Psychiatry Services, Clinical Ancillary and Support Services, Long-Term Care Services, Ambulatory Services; and seventeen programs in its other divisions: Health Administration, Health Policy and Planning, Conservatorship Program, Community-Based Programs, IHSS Public Authority, Behavioral Health and Recovery Administration, Mental Health Youth Services, Mental Health Adult Services, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, Community Health Administration, Public Health, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Environmental Health, Emergency Medical Services, Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer, Family Health Services and Correctional Health Services.
The Health System monitors 240 performance measures, of which 140 are Quality and Outcome measures. The Health System met 72% of Quality and Outcome measure targets for FY 2009-10, which is below the countywide standard of 75%. Performance for 61% of Quality and Outcome measures has improved or remained the same from the prior year, with the trend over the last five years showing 69% of these measures demonstrating favorable performance. SMMC shows favorable performance trends in department headline measures: cost per adjusted patient day is declining, volume of inpatient days is declining and volume of outpatient visits is increasing (thus saving bed days). However, SMMC has experienced an increase in County payer source for both Patient Care and Psychiatry Care Services - unemployment remains very high and County payer source may continue to be high in the current economic environment. SMMC is also monitoring an increase in readmission rates in Psychiatry Care. Aging and Adult Services is also monitoring unfavorable trends. The Conservatorship Program has experienced an increase in accountings filed (number and percent) requiring the Public Guardian to request a continuance from the Court. The Public Guardian currently manages over 700 individuals’ medical needs and financial assets and is required to report all activities on each client through account filings to the Court. When program staff cannot meet deadlines for reporting client case management and financial management activities, a continuance is required. Another unfavorable trend in the Conservatorship program is placing conservatees within San Mateo County. It has long been a challenge to find placements for conservatees with challenging behaviors, but it has become more difficult as local facilities close due to the current economic recession. The Health System, across all programs serving children, has experienced declines in the number of child participants – from immunization, early childhood and nutrition programs in Family Health Services to enrollment in Healthy Kids medical insurance coverage. This may be an early indication of lower income families moving out of San Mateo County to live in lower cost-of-living communities.
The Health System received 15,882 surveys distributed by eight divisions, including Community Based Organizations carrying out services in partnership with the County. Ninety-one percent of respondents rated overall satisfaction as good or excellent. The San Mateo Medical Center received the most surveys at 10,754, with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services receiving 2,272 surveys. Other divisions actively surveying client satisfaction include Administration, Policy and Planning, Aging and Adult Services, Community Health, Family Health Services and Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer. The divisions use a variety of means to distribute surveys including mailing, web-based tools, and counter displays at clinics and other public point of service sites. Overall, Health System clients were satisfied with the services the Health System provides and felt that their lives were improved as a result of these services. Clients were complementary of staff overall and many noted specific positive staff interactions.
The duration of the economic downturn, combined with increasing rates of chronic disease, and the projected increase in the older adult population will continue to challenge San Mateo County’s health care delivery system well into the future. The challenge to program performance across the Health System is to curb increases in preventable diseases through primary prevention activities outside of doctors’ offices, find ways of creating more sustainable supports for families so that they obtain and retain living-wage jobs, and simultaneously serve the growing number of people who are already sick and who don’t have insurance – all with fewer resources from the County and the State. Federal health care reform slated to be implemented in 2014 should mitigate some of today’s challenges, but 2014 is still two and half years away.
Story Behind Performance:
The Sheriff’s Office protects life and property, preserves the public peace, enforces state laws and county ordinances, prevents crime, supports positive youth development, apprehends criminals, supervises and cares for incarcerated prisoners, coordinates emergency services, processes civil actions, and provides security for the Court, Health Systems, County employees, SamTrans / Caltrain and the public visiting County facilities. There are nine programs within the Office: Administrative and Support Services, Professional Standards Bureau, Forensic Laboratory, Patrol Bureau, Investigations Bureau, Office of Emergency Services, Maguire Correctional Facility, Custody Programs, and Court Security and Transportation Services.
There are 77 Quality and Outcome measures monitored. Performance targets for the current year will not meet the county wide standard of 75%. Performance for 53% of Quality and Outcome measures has improved or remained the same from the prior year and the trend over the last five years shows 74% of these measures are moving in a favorable direction. Some of the major issues contributing to these trends include a decrease in the average response time for priority-dispatched calls for rural and transit areas; a decrease in the average daily population (ADP) at the Maguire Correctional Facility (MCF); a decrease in the projected number of inmate vs. inmate and inmate vs. staff assaults in MCF and the Women’s Correctional Center; an increase in the number of jail beds saved using custody alternative programs such as the Sheriff’s Work Program and the Electronic Monitoring Program; and an increase in the value of work performed by work crews.
The Sheriff’s Office received nine surveys with 100% of respondents rating overall satisfaction as good or excellent. Compared to the prior year, overall satisfaction has increased and the number of survey responses has decreased significantly. The Sheriff’s Office is considering sending the survey’s out electronically in order to increase response rate in FY 2010-11. Many of the community policing programs, such as bicycle safety, car seat inspections, Sheriff’s Activities League (SAL), and the school resource officers received the most written comments. There were ten employees who were acknowledged by name that provided excellent customer service with overall customer feedback being positive with a number of responses recognizing staff as great, thorough, excellent, and demonstrating best practices.
Major issues or trends that could affect future performance in service quality and outcome measures include declining Proposition 172 revenues, which may require service reductions to manage costs; reductions in General Fund support due to declining property and sales tax revenues; increasing salary and benefits costs; increasing retirement obligations; and potential state legislation that may increase County jail populations.
Story Behind Performance:
The Probation Department protects the public by providing quality cost-effective services to reduce the incidence and impact of delinquency and crime, to assist in the re-socialization of the offender, and to provide assistance and support to victims in our community. There are four programs within the Department: Administrative Services, Adult Supervision and Court Services, Juvenile Supervision and Court Services, and Institution Services.
There are 55 Quality and Outcome measures monitored and performance targets for the current year will not meet the countywide standard. While this is below the 75% goal, the Department has shown significant improvement over the last few years. Performance for 42% of Quality and Outcome measures has declined from the prior year; however, the trend over the last five years shows that 71% are moving in a favorable direction. Some of the major issues contributing to these trends include an increase in the percent of probationers that are completing probation without a new sustained law violation; an increase in the percent of probationers completing the Bridges Program; an increase in the percent of youth completing probation without a new sustained law violation; and an increase in the monetary value of the Community Care Program with regards to services provided to the community.
The Probation Department received nine survey responses with 100% of respondents rating overall satisfaction as good or better. There were ten employees who were acknowledged by name that provided excellent customer service. Overall customer feedback was positive and a number of responses recognized staff as being excellent, responsive, fair, kind, skilled, courteous, professional, understanding, and respectful regardless of the fact that the majority of the people who enter the offices where the surveys are located are significantly stressed, angry, and / or embarrassed. Some areas of improvement and enhancement of customer service were identified with regards to quicker response time for community service opportunities.
Major issues or trends that could affect future performance in service quality and outcome measures include declining Proposition 172 revenues, which may require service reductions to manage costs; lower than anticipated vehicle license fee (VLF) revenues; and reductions in General Fund support due to declining property and sales tax revenues. The impact of reduced funding and the possibility of future reductions will reduce or eliminate tested, productive programs that directly contribute to Shared Vision 2025 (Healthy Community). In addition, current funding levels, although compliant with reduction targets, challenge our ability to comply with Title 15 mandates.
Story Behind Performance:
The District Attorney’s Office serves the people of the State of California by prosecuting adult and juvenile offenders, enforcing consumer and environmental laws, administering decedent estates, providing legal and investigative support to other law enforcement agencies and disseminating public information about law enforcement while ensuring public safety and accountability for criminal conduct. There are two divisions within the District Attorney’s Office, Criminal and Public Administrator.
There are eight Quality and Outcome measures monitored and performance targets for the current year will not meet the county wide standard of 75%. Performance for most of these measures will remain the same or show improvement from the prior year and the trend over the last five years is moving in a favorable direction. Some of the major issues contributing to these trends includes an increase in the number of victims that received services as a result of being contacted by letter or telephone; the percentage of total filings with convictions consistently remaining above 90%; an increase in the number of victim compensation claims approved; an increase in the number of victims referred to a therapist or other resource agency; and an increase in the number of victims provided court services such as orientation, support, escort, or case status.
The District Attorney / Public Administrator Office received a total of 75 surveys from two programs, the Public Administrator and the Victim Center with 92% of respondents rating overall satisfaction as excellent or good. Customer surveys are mailed to all heirs in the estates the Office administers; attorneys representing heirs; and all stakeholders involved with the administration of an estate including the auctioneer service provider, certified public accounting firm, funeral homes, cemeteries, real estate agents, probate referees, and jewelry and art appraisers. The Victim Center mails surveys to all clients served by the Center. There were six employees who were acknowledged as providing good customer service and overall customer feedback was positive with a number of responses recognizing staff as being excellent, professional, courteous, helpful, and responsive.
Major issues or trends that could affect future performance in service quality and outcome measures include declining Proposition 172 revenues, which may require service reductions to manage costs; reductions in General Fund support due to declining property and sales tax revenues; declining State and Federal funding sources, which will require service reductions for victims of crime, increasing salary and benefits costs; increasing retirement obligations; the need to obtain a case management system, which will assist to better measure the quality and outcome of criminal prosecution; and the need to maintain pace with the technological improvements that external law enforcement agencies are implementing, such as the electronic submission of police reports and items of discovery.
Story Behind Performance:
The Coroner’s Office serves the residents of San Mateo County by providing prompt and independent investigations to determine the mode, manner, and cause of death of decedents under the Coroner’s jurisdiction while providing a high quality of service in a courteous manner balancing the needs of those we serve with the Coroner’s legal requirements. There are two divisions within the Office, Investigations Services and Pathology Services.
There are six Quality and Outcome measures monitored and performance targets for the current year will meet the county wide standard of 75%. Performance for most of these measures will be the same or show improvement from the prior year and the trend over the last five years is moving in a favorable direction. Some of the major issues contributing to these trends include an increase in the percent of calls that are responded to within 15 minutes; an increase in the number of cases receiving a clinical inspection, which are less invasive and take less time to complete; and the percent of pathology cases for which an autopsy case is conducted remaining stable.
The Coroner’s Office received 96 surveys with 93% of respondents rating overall satisfaction as excellent or good. There were eleven employees who were acknowledged as providing good customer service and overall customer feedback was positive with a number of responses recognizing staff as being sympathetic, kind, professional, helpful, supportive, courteous, knowledgeable, responsive, compassionate, competent, and sensitivity. However, some areas for improvement or enhancement of customer service were identified and the Office will be implementing a number of process changes with regards to contacting families and communicating the services offered by the Office. The number of survey responses has increased this year. Surveys are available in the lobby area and are also distributed to the families of the deceased where the Office performs autopsy investigations or are within jurisdiction rights. Cares surveys are not mailed to families of homicide victims or cases involving a child’s death.
Major issues or trends that could affect future performance in service quality and outcome measures include declining Proposition 172 revenues, which may require service reductions to manage costs; reductions in General Fund support due to declining property and sales tax revenues; and increasing retirement obligations.
Story Behind Performance:
The Office of Public Safety Communications (PSC) provides high quality law enforcement, fire and medical dispatch, and communications service to the public and public safety agencies in order to protect the health and safety of the people of San Mateo County.
PSC monitored eight Quality and Outcome measures and six, or 75% met or exceeded year-end performance targets. Performance continues to be strong with 60% of measures ending the fiscal year showing improvement or remaining stable over the prior year and 80% performing favorably over the last five years. High priority calls continue to be dispatched within established time frames and remain above industry standards. Due to high retention, employees have gained an expertise allowing time processing to improve.
PSC customer satisfaction remains high with 208, or 100% of survey respondents rating overall satisfaction with services as good or better. The 9-1-1 public and public safety agencies served by PSC were surveyed. Both dispatch and administrative staff mail surveys to public safety agencies served and to the 9-1-1 public. Because calls for service information can be sensitive, staff send surveys to appropriate calls. Although the majority of responses were complimentary, some callers wanted to know why so many questions were asked of them during the 9-1-1 call. Those comments were mostly from medical calls where callers are put through Emergency Medical Dispatch protocols. Several employees were recognized for excellent customer service. Respondents took the time to compliment staff on helpfulness, courtesy, patience, and professionalism.
Future trends in 9-1-1 Service Delivery both locally and globally, in relation to impacts to PSC performance measures indicate that wireless 9-1-1 call processing to meet current standards will remain a challenge as those calls continue to increase. Additionally, as discussions of consolidation continue at all levels of government, PSC performance measures may be impacted should neighboring agencies consider consolidation with PSC.
Story Behind Performance:
Fire Protection Services ensures the protection of life, property and the environment for the residents and visitors of San Mateo County by providing full service emergency and non-emergency response, fire prevention, public education, fire safety planning, community support and training.
County Fire monitored three Quality and Outcome measures with 33% meeting performance targets. Of the three measures, 75% have improved or remained stable over the prior year and 100% have shown a favorable performance trend over the last five years. County Fire tracks response times for fire and emergency medical service calls and building plan reviews completed within 10 working days of submittal. Response times indicate that 87% of calls were responded to within the time criteria and 81% of plan reviews were completed within 10 working days. Response times can be impacted by location within the large geographic area of unincorporated San Mateo County and the nature of the call. A few calls in outlying areas affect the response time averages. There were no fire related deaths or injuries during FY 2009-10. No customer surveys were collected in FY 2009-10.
Future performance will be enhanced by a recent purchase of a new rescue vehicle for the La Honda area, which will help further improve response times in rural San Mateo County. Reduced property tax revenues, the primary source of funding for County Fire, could potentially impact future performance.
Story Behind Performance:
County Service Area #1 provides contract management ensuring enhanced police and fire protection services for the residents of the unincorporated area west of the City of San Mateo and east of Highway 280.
There were five Quality and Outcome measures monitored and two, or 40% met year-end performance targets. Performance improved or remained the same for 50% of the measures and 25% reflect a favorable performance trend over the last five years. The Sheriff continues to focus on methods to reduce increasing Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) calls, including exploring beat patrols to improve placement of officers geographically closer to the community. Response times for fire and emergency medical calls continue to be high. An effort to include residents through the use of community meetings has assisted in redefining area goals.
Reduced property tax revenues, the primary source of funding enhanced services for CSA #1, could potentially impact future performance.
Our economic strategy fosters innovation in all sectors, creates jobs,
builds community and educational opportunities for all residents.
Prosperous Community includes the following departments:
• Human Services Agency
• Department of Child Support Services
• Human Resources Department
Story Behind Performance:
The Human Services Agency (HSA) assists individuals and families to achieve economic self-sufficiency, promotes community and family strength, and works to ensure child safety and well-being. The vision is that every child, adult, and family lives in a safe, healthy, thriving community. There are five major program areas in the Human Services Agency: Office of the Agency Director, Program Support, Economic Self Sufficiency, Child Welfare Services, and Prevention and Early Intervention.
HSA monitors 19 Quality and Outcome performance measures. Of the 19 measures, 12 or 63% will meet current year performance targets. Of the seven measures that will not meet target, three measures monitor the timely response for IT related support requests to the Business Systems Group (BSG), one measure monitors the percent of case record reviews for the food stamp program found to be without error, one measure monitors the percent of CalWORKS participants leaving cash aid with employment, one measure monitors timely social worker visits with children on active Child Welfare cases, and one measure monitors the Cares survey responses rating overall satisfaction as good or better. The BSG help desk completed an operational restructure in November 2009, transitioning core information technology (IT) services to the County’s Information Services Division. The remaining workload required more rigorous troubleshooting and repair, and a new baseline for work request response will be developed for FY 2010-11. Caseloads for Food Stamp Benefits Analysts increased and no positions were added due to the hiring freeze. More errors in the food stamps cases were observed by HSA’s quality assurance unit. HSA will bring the measure back up to target levels through a combination of additional training and implementation of technologies to streamline benefits applications. The Welfare to Work (WTW) requirement for work participation was suspended by the Governor’s budget, which impacted the total number of clients who leave cash aid. An unrelenting unemployment rate and flat economic activity have also contributed to fewer employment opportunities for lower skilled workers. Despite these changes, over 300 individuals volunteered to participate in a WTW activity and over 100 are employed at least 15 hours per week. Child Welfare Services was challenged to schedule timely visits, especially with a relatively high percentage of child placements in other counties. Despite not meeting the internal performance target, the Agency continues to exceed the state standard of 90% of timely social worker visits. Over the past five years performance trends for 74% of the Agency’s measures are moving in a favorable direction. The Agency has undertaken initiatives contributing to favorable performance trends: the organization was restructured to balance workload and increase efficiency, data collection and analysis activities were reviewed and refined; evidence-based practices were adopted in client serving programs, and innovative approaches to customer service were initiated and will be evaluated in the coming year.
For the past two years, the Agency has seen a modest decrease in customer satisfaction rating. A probable cause is the magnified demand for services, which impacts clients’ wait time and creates case processing delays. A total of 956 surveys were received from seven Human Services Agency (HSA) sites including four family resource centers. The surveys are distributed in-person at various sites and through the mail with 87% of respondents rating overall satisfaction as excellent or good. While this report focuses on overall satisfaction, customer feedback included Courtesy of Staff, Knowledge of Staff, and Written Information. As part of meeting Council on Accreditation standards, HSA has set a quality improvement goal to revamp its methodology for measuring customer satisfaction and improving the scope of participation, reliability, and validity of measurement.
The weak economy and budget pressures have factored into HSA’s performance, although more clients have been served through HSA services than in previous years. The Agency is committed to utilizing resources in a cost effective manner, through realigning responsibilities and developing required staff competencies, by leveraging new and ongoing federal funding programs targeted at jobs creation and safety net services, and maintaining strong relationships with community partners who extend the Agency’s reach to San Mateo County’s most vulnerable clients.
Story Behind Performance:
The Department of Child Support Services enhances the quality of life for children and families by helping parents meet the financial, medical, and emotional needs of their children by establishing and enforcing child support orders in an effective, efficient and professional manner.
The Department monitors 14 performance measures, of which six are Quality and Outcome measures. Child Support Services met 83% of Quality and Outcome measure targets for FY 2009-10, which exceeds the countywide standard of 75%. Performance for 83% of Quality and Outcome measures has improved or remained the same from the prior, with the trend over the last five years also showing 83% of these measures demonstrating favorable performance. Child support collections are directly tied to the local economy and rate of unemployment. The Department experienced both a decrease in collections from previous years related to reduced employment and employee payrolls, and a decline in the number of children served as low-income families with children leave San Mateo County for lower cost-of-living regions. This trend is expected to continue.
The Department received 311 surveys with 81% of respondents rating overall satisfaction as good or better. A total of 4,920 surveys were sent to customers who either contacted the Department in person or via telephone, for which the response rate was 6%, similar to previous years. Custodial parties returned 78% of the surveys. Courtesy of Staff and Knowledge of Staff Assisting were the highest scoring categories, at 87% and 83% respectively; and Appropriate Follow-up was the lowest scoring category at 74%. Positive comments about services were received on 63% of the surveys and 15 staff were acknowledged by name, three of which were acknowledged more than once. All surveys are reviewed and a monthly report that includes positive and negative comments and improvement suggestions is provided to management and supervisory staff. Surveys are available in the lobby, in interview booths. In addition, surveys are mailed to randomly selected clients throughout the year.
Looking forward, there are a couple of watch points that may impact performance. Child support’s funding is comprised of Federal and State Funds. Over the past eight years the funding provided has failed to keep pace with increases in operating funds and negotiated increases for employees’ salaries and benefits. This has resulted in a 31% reduction in staff. Other factors that may impact performance in the foreseeable future include the possible implementation of a centralized and/or shared services by the California Department of Child Support Services in certain functional areas such as call centers, mail processing activities and accounting functions, as well as the Department’s capacity to utilize technology to develop targeted performance activities and efficiencies in work flow. The state and local economic climate will remain a major factor on performance for the Department.
Story Behind Performance:
The Human Resources Department (HRD) works collaboratively with all County departments to recruit, develop, and retain a high performing and diverse workforce; foster a healthy, safe, and productive work environment for employees, their families, and the public; and maximize individual and organizational potential and position San Mateo County as an employer of choice. The Department consists of seven divisions: Administration and Support, Personnel Services, Employee and Labor Relations, Training and Development, Risk Management, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Benefits Administration. The Department also provides support to the Commission on the Status of Women, Domestic Violence Council and Civil Service Commission.
HRD managers monitored 15 Quality and Outcome measures with 100% meeting year-end performance targets. Performance for 80% improved or remained the same over the prior year and 100% performance favorably over the last five years. Some of the major issues contributing to these trends include a decrease in the time to fill vacancies, a decrease in the percentage of employees leaving County service within one year, an increase in the percentage of positions filled with internal candidates and an increase in the percent of participants utilizing skills or reporting change in behavior after attending a training and development class.
Customer satisfaction remains high with 2,736, or 94% of survey respondents rating overall satisfaction with services as good or better. The Department collects surveys during the new employee recruitment process (from hiring managers) and from employees receiving services from HRD in the areas of payroll and personnel, labor relations, risk management, benefits and training. The Department uses customer feedback to develop priorities and improve customer service. Some priorities for the future include implementing an online benefits enrollment system, implementing the new Countywide Collaborative Performance Management Process (CPMS), continuing to provide departments with Annual Workforce Planning Reports that include key employee demographics and trends, and expanding training and education related to human resource functions.
Major issues or trends that could impact future performance in service quality and outcome measures include: declining financial resources that will result in customer needs in the areas of change management and employee transition program; a changing workforce; and an increase in complex employment laws and issues.
Our growth occurs near transit, promotes affordable, livable connected communities.
Livable Community includes the following departments:
• Planning and Building Department
• Department of Housing
Story Behind Performance:
The Planning and Building Department serves the County and its communities by helping them achieve a better future through the preparation and administration of land use plans and regulations and by ensuring development proposals conform to the applicable zoning and building requirements. There are three programs within Planning and Building: Administration and Support, Long Range Planning, and Development Review Services.
There are 16 Quality and Outcome measures monitored. Program Managers reported that 69% of the performance measures met their targets by year-end. Of the 16 measures, 56% show improvement or stable performance over the prior year and 73% reflect a favorable performance trend over the last five years. The economic downturn has greatly impacted the Planning and Building Department. The number of building permits issued, the number of customers seen at the Development Review Center, and the number of building permits finalized all decreased during FY 2009-10. However, the Department is taking advantage of this situation by focusing on long-range planning activities such as the Housing Element update, the North Fair Oaks Community Plan, and the Midcoast Local Coastal Program Update.
The Planning and Building Department received a total of 31 customer survey responses in FY 2009-10. The survey response rate is low, but the Department is making an effort to increase the number of customer surveys returned, by personally distributing surveys in the field and at the Development Review Center after services are rendered. Out of the customers that responded to the surveys, 93% rated overall satisfaction with service as good or excellent. Most of the customers responded with very positive feedback, and 26 employees were personally recognized in the customer service surveys for providing excellent service.
The Department expects that uncertainty in the construction development market will continue during the next fiscal year, causing fewer permits to be issued, fewer customers at the counter, and fewer items requiring a public hearing. Although unfavorable, this trend will allow the Department to focus on long range planning activities and a backlog of long term projects such as the counter brochure revision. The Development Review Center will also continue to focus on customer service and decreasing wait times at the front counter, while many of the development projects are voluntarily put on hold by project applicants.
Story Behind Performance:
The Department of Housing is a catalyst for increasing access to affordable housing, increasing the supply of workforce housing, and supporting related community development, so that housing permanently exists for people of all income levels and generations in San Mateo County. There are two programs in the Department of Housing: Housing and Community Development, and the Housing Authority.
There are seven Quality and Outcome measures monitored. Program Managers reported that 57% of the performance measures met their targets by year-end. Of the seven measures, 71% show improvement or stable performance over the prior year and 86% reflect a favorable performance trend over the last five years. The number of affordable housing units developed and occupied and the number of households benefitting from Homeowner Assistance Loans were negatively affected by the economic recession. Due to diminished public subsidy levels, there is currently only one new affordable housing project in the pipeline that is ready to be occupied. Remarkably, the number of clients successfully transitioning out of rental housing assistance increased from 42 to 90 households in FY 2009-10.
The Housing Department received a total of 400 customer survey responses in FY 2009-10. Out of the customers that responded to the surveys, 90% rated overall satisfaction with service as good or excellent. The most common customer feedback was related to the need to reduce the wait time for rental assistance and Section 8 programs. Customers were also concerned with the inability to reach staff in the office or on the telephone. Thirty-one employees were personally recognized in the customer service surveys for providing excellent service.
Performance measures related to housing development are likely to under-perform for several years due to the scarcity of funding. However, performance measures based on historically stable factors such as the number of Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and the percent of rental assistance capacity being utilized should remain fairly stable. Customer service and availability of staff will most certainly be affected by the reduction of three employees in FY 2010-11.
Our natural resources are preserved through environmental stewardship,
reducing our carbon emissions, and using energy, water and land more efficiently.
Environmentally Conscious Community includes the following departments:
• Department of Public Works
• Parks Department
• Coyote Point Marina
Story Behind Performance:
The Department of Public Works provides efficient, economical and responsive infrastructure systems and maintenance; facility engineering, design, development and maintenance; utilities and environmental services to San Mateo County Services ensure safe, cost effective, accessible and attractive facilities. There are ten programs in the Department: Administrative Services, Engineering Services, Facilities Services, Road Construction and Operations, Construction Services, Vehicle and Equipment Services, Waste Management, Transportation Services, Utilities, and Airports.
There are 51 Quality and Outcome measures monitored. Program Managers reported that 76% of the performance measures met their targets by year-end. Of the 51 measures, 71% show improvement or stable performance over the prior year and 84% reflect a favorable performance trend over the last five years. Unit costs for road maintenance and repairs decreased in FY 2009-10 as a result of highly competitive market conditions in the construction industry. The number of Engineering Services design phase projects delivered on time was 100%, but the number of design phase projects completed within budget did not meet the year end target because when the design phase was complete, funding was not available for the construction phase. Once the construction phase funding was restored through Prop 1B and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the projects had to be revisited by the engineering design team, thereby driving up the cost of each project. The percent of funded facilities/capital projects managed by Public Works project management staff completed on time and within budget remained high at 98%. The Vehicle and Equipment Services division came very close to meeting their fuel economy target of 30 miles per gallon for all compact and mid-size vehicles in the County fleet. The actual fuel economy was 29 miles per gallon, and is expected to increase next year when new fuel-efficient vehicles replace less efficient ones. In the Utilities division, the percent of time spent on scheduled sewer work increased, while the percent of time spent on unscheduled work decreased as a result of the sewer crew being fully staffed and better use of the computerized maintenance management system used to manage sewer preventative maintenance efforts. Finally, the Airports division exceeded their target for the percent of hangers and T-shades rented at San Carlos and Half Moon Bay airports by reporting that 98% of these aircraft storage facilities were occupied at year end.
The Public Works Department received a total of 1,355 customer survey responses in FY 2009-10. The survey response rate is low at 8%, but the Department is making an effort to increase the number of customer surveys returned, by personally distributing surveys in the field after services are rendered. Out of the customers that responded to the surveys, 92% rated overall satisfaction with service as good or excellent. Most of the customers responded with very positive feedback and 65 employees were personally recognized in the customer service surveys for providing excellent service.
In the future, performance measures related to road construction, facility maintenance, and capital projects will be greatly affected by decreased funding from the State and Federal Government. The Department will rely on funding from Prop 1B and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in FY 2010-11 to complete current capital projects, but funding is uncertain for FY 2011-12 and beyond. The Construction Services division will continue to struggle with increasing the percent of jobs estimated and assigned because Departments are hesitating to initiate new construction projects in the current economic climate. Because of the deteriorating condition of sewer pipes and other related infrastructure, the Utilities division expects to see an increase in the percent of unscheduled sewer work performed each year and the number of sewage spills in the unincorporated County areas. The total fleet average fuel economy in miles per gallon is expected to increase as non-compact vehicles and equipment are replaced with more fuel-efficient alternatives. The Commute Alternatives Program expects to see fewer overall participants in the future because of the reduction in County employees. Finally, the Public Works Department expects to be successful over the next few years in reducing the total amount of electricity and natural gas consumed by County facilities. These reductions will be achieved by promoting employee energy conservation programs, replacing inefficient systems, and completing the County Parking Garage Solar Panel Installation.
The San Mateo County Parks Department preserves the County’s natural and cultural treasures, and provides safe, accessible parks, recreation and learning opportunities to enhance the community’s quality of life. There are two programs in the Parks Department: Administration and Support and Operations and Maintenance.
There are 16 Quality and Outcome measures monitored. Program Managers reported that 81% of the performance measures met their targets by year-end. Of the 16 measures, 81% show improvement or stable performance over the prior year and 92% reflect a favorable performance trend over the last five years. While the total number of park reservations over the last four years has been steadily increasing, 1,396 fewer reservations were made in FY 2009-10, when compared to the prior fiscal year. Along the same lines, 836 fewer visitors were reported at the end of FY 2009-10. The reason for the decrease could be that this is one of the coolest summer seasons on record in the Bay Area, causing people to choose more indoor activities. The delay in completing capital projects was also negatively affected by inclement weather in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. State and Federal funding for capital projects has decreased as a result of the economic downturn and reduced the ability of the Parks Department to fund necessary capital improvement projects.
The Parks Department received a total of 659 customer survey responses in FY 2009-10. Out of the customers that responded to the surveys, 83% rated overall satisfaction with service as good or excellent. Many of the customers commented on the ease of using the online park reservation system and some offered suggestions about how to make the online system work more efficiently. Eight employees and several Park Rangers were personally recognized in the customer service surveys for providing excellent service.
Future performance will be affected by the fact that while more residents and visitors are depending on the parks for recreation in the economic downturn, fewer resources are available to address deferred maintenance issues and fund adequate staffing levels. It is imperative that the Department maintain the current level of funding and number of positions in order to provide basic services and prevent park closures. The Department expects to take on new responsibilities within the next few years, such as managing the new Mid-Coast acquisitions, including Quarry Park, Pillar Point Bluffs and Devil’s Slide. The Department expects to see the percentage of park reservations made online to increase, as customers become more familiar with the process.
Story Behind Performance:
The Coyote Point Marina Program provides and maintains safe public access to the San Francisco Bay through the highest quality berthing, launching facilities and support services in order to provide emergency response, environmental protection, security and assistance for the Marina users, outside agencies, visitors, special interest groups, employees and the community.
There are two Quality and Outcome measures monitored. Program Managers reported that 50% of the performance measures met their targets by year-end. Of the two measures, 100% show improvement or stable performance over the prior year and 100% reflect a favorable performance trend over the last five years. The boating industry has been greatly impacted by the economic downturn. Despite increased marketing efforts at the Marina and new partnerships with Marina stakeholders to increase visibility, attendance and the customer base, we continue to see fewer boat purchases and less filled berth spaces.
The Coyote Point Marina received a total of 132 customer survey responses in FY 2009-10. Out of the customers that responded to the surveys, 97% rated overall satisfaction with service as good or excellent. The surveys are distributed to all Marina tenants in the third quarter of each fiscal year. Many of the customers commented on the need to dredge the Coyote Point Marina. The Board of Supervisors recently addressed this issue by approving the Coyote Point Dredging Project on August 24, 2010. The cost of the project will be approximately $533,900 (including a 15% contingency). Five employees were personally recognized in the customer service surveys for providing excellent service.
In FY 2009-10, the Coyote Point Marina program received a $2.1 million dollar loan from the State of California Department of Boating and Waterways to proceed with plans and specifications for the replacement of Dock 29, which formerly housed the largest vessels in the Marina, but deteriorated to the point of being unusable. We anticipate that with the replacement of Dock 29, larger boats that cannot currently be housed at the Coyote Point Marina will be attracted to berth there with a commensurate increase in berth occupancy and rental revenue. It is hoped that with economic recovery and Dock 29 firmly in place, berth occupancy will increase at Coyote Point Marina.
Our leaders forge partnerships, promote regional solutions, with informed and engaged residents, and approach issues with fiscal accountability and concern for future impacts.
Collaborative Community includes the following departments:
• County Manager / Clerk of the Board
• Real Property Services
• Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
• Controller’s Office
• Treasurer-Tax Collector
• County Counsel
• Information Services Department
Story Behind Performance:
The County Manager/Clerk of the Board implements the policies and goals established by the Board of Supervisors for the residents of San Mateo County by planning, directing and coordinating the work of County departments; preparing the County budget and monitoring financial and operational performance; administering the legislative program and coordinating Countywide public affairs and events; preparing agenda items and providing support to the Board for its public meetings; providing high quality dispatch and communications services to the public and public safety agencies; and procuring quality goods and services, distributing internal and U.S. Mail and providing copying services for County departments. The County Manager/Clerk of the Board is made up of four programs: County Management, Intergovernmental and Public Affairs (IGPA), Clerk of the Board, and Shared Services.
The County Manager’s Office (CMO) monitored 25 Quality and Outcome performance measures with 68% meeting performance targets by year end and 68% improved or maintained performance over the prior year. Performance moved in a favorable direction over the last five years for 83% of the measures. The percent of budget exceeding appropriations at year end has declined from a high point of 5.8% in FY 2006-07 to 1.5% by the end of FY 2009-10. The IGPA unit developed and acted on 90% legislative and communication strategies and the Clerk of the Board completed 99% of Board agenda accurately and streamlined processes, which reduced the processing time for Board meeting minutes from 69 days in FY 2005-06 to 25 days by the end of FY 2009-10.
The CMO collects customer survey responses from training participants, County staff involved in budget development and monitoring processes, departments and community partners using services provided by the Intergovernmental and Public Affairs Unit, and departments and community partners served by Shared Services. The CMO provided training to over 300 employees on a wide range of subjects including budget development and monitoring processes, position control, Outcome Based Management, management development and succession planning, legislation, communication, and Board memo and agenda processing. More than 175 employees completed surveys and 100% expressed overall satisfaction with training as good or better and 100% indicated that training provided information that improved the quality of their work. The Clerk of the Board is modifying its customer survey process and results will be reported in FY 2010-11.
Major issues or trends that could affect future performance in service quality and outcome measures include anticipated service level reductions that will be made to address the County’s structural budget deficit. Some of the changes include staffing reductions in County Management and the Budget and Performance Unit. The Intergovernmental and Public Affairs Unit will continue to experience increased workloads related to state and federal budget reductions.
Story Behind Performance:
Real Property Services (RPS) serves County departments, other public agencies and the public by efficiently and effectively researching historical records, negotiating leases as either landlord or tenant, disposing of surplus real property and purchasing property on behalf of the County. The Division is also responsible for creating or renewing concession and permit agreements, and providing right of way expertise and appraisal services.
RPS staff monitored two Quality and Outcome measures and both met performance targets by year end. Performance for both measures improved over the prior year and both moved in a favorable direction over the last five years. The economic downturn continues to drive Countywide average asking rates lower, allowing RPS to negotiate leases at attractive rates and on advantageous terms. Overall satisfaction with customer service was 96% at year end.
As County departments seek real estate oriented solutions in an effort to achieve budget reductions, Real Property Services may see an escalation in requests for the assistance and services they provide, which may affect future performance.
Story Behind Performance:
The mission of the County Clerk, Assessor, Recorder and Elections Office (CARE) is to maintain an accurate public record of recorded transactions relating to people, businesses and property within San Mateo County; ensure equitable treatment of County property owners by providing timely and fair valuation of land, improvements, businesses and personal property; maintain accurate voter registration files; and conduct accurate and secure elections on behalf of the citizens of San Mateo County. The Department includes the following programs: Appraisal Services, Administration and Support, Elections, and County Clerk-Recorder.
There are 23 Quality and Outcome measures monitored. Program Managers reported that 83% of the performance measures met their targets by year-end. Of the 22 measures that were used for the year over year calculation, 50% show improvement or stable performance over the prior year and 86% reflect a favorable performance trend over the last five years. Some of the measures showing a decline in performance from the prior year are related to the percent of eligible and registered voters who voted in the last election. The reason for the decrease in voters is that there were fewer and less popular elections in FY 2009-10. This also negatively affected the percent of voters who voted by mail in the last election. The percent of documents electronically recorded in the County Clerk – Recorder did not meet target because the program was not implemented as planned during FY 2009-10. All of the performance measures in the Appraisal Services met and exceeded targets for FY 2009-10. For example, the percent of mandatory audits completed by the close of roll increased from 92% in FY 2008-09 to 100% in FY 2009-10. Furthermore, the median days from residential sale to notice of supplemental assessment decreased from 24 days in FY 2008-09 to 14 days in FY 2009-10.
The Assessor – County Clerk – Recorder received a total of 113 customer survey responses in FY 2009-10. Customer service survey cards are made available at the reception areas of the Assessor - County Clerk – Recorder and Elections offices. In an effort to increase the number of surveys received, staff continues to encourage customers to fill out the cards following services rendered. Survey cards may also be deposited into one of the survey card boxes in the reception areas. Out of the customers who took the time to fill out the surveys, 90% rated overall satisfaction with service as good or excellent. Most of the customers responded with positive feedback, but a few suggested ways to improve service. Approximately 25 employees were personally recognized in the customer service surveys for providing excellent service.
Future performance will be impacted by retirements and positions held vacant due to budget cuts. The Appraisal division will be managing staffing and leadership transitions, along with a heavy workload caused by Decline in Value applications. The current budget situation precludes the Department from executing a staffing and succession plan that adequately addresses workload management and business continuity. Another key challenge for the future will be managing the change associated with implementing new technology while conducting normal business activities. For example, the customer service ratings for Information Technology support staff in Administration and Support decreased in FY 2009-10 because the division introduced a technological upgrade that made customers unhappy during the startup phase. Along the same lines, the Clerk-Recorders division will begin electronically recording documents, which may potentially cause customer dissatisfaction in the short-term. On the bright side, the Elections will be implementing a new law to allow voters to opt into receiving voter pamphlets and sample ballots electronically, saving paper, printing and mailing costs.
Story Behind Performance:
The Controller’s Office contributes to the stability and efficiency of the County by working collaboratively with County departments, cities, special districts, other local agencies, and the taxpayers of San Mateo County to provide high quality accounting, auditing, payroll and tax accounting services and financial information in a courteous, cooperative and cost effective manner. The Controller’s Office includes six programs: Administration, Internal Audit, Payroll Services, Controller Information Services, General Accounting, and Property Tax / Special Accounting.
The Controller’s Office monitored 27 Quality and Outcome performance measures and 100% met performance targets by year end. Performance improved or remained the same for 100% and all measures moved in a favorable direction over the last five years. Internal Audit completed several grant related audits, which were requested by departments and also made 45 recommendations, which is more than double the average over the last five years. Payroll Services was able to process 100% of transactions through the Automated Time Keeping System (ATKS) now that all departments use the system.
The Department received 821 survey responses with 95% rating overall satisfaction with services as good or better. Input from respondents is used to maintain high performance satisfaction levels. Several employees were recognized in responses for excellent customer service. Respondents complimented staff on politeness, flexibility, swiftness in responding, understanding, and professionalism.
Looking forward, the main issue impacting performance is budget reductions. The elimination of three positions in FY 2010-11 will cause a reduction in fiscal services and administrative services provided to the County. Some of the responsibilities assigned to the reduced positions will be re-assigned to the remaining staff in the office, and this increase in workload could have negative effects on performance. The larger budget reductions we expect in future years would have a stronger negative impact on performance.
Story Behind Performance:
The Treasurer-Tax Collector (TTC) manages and protects the County’s financial assets and ensures the greatest return on County funds through the efficient collection of property taxes, professional administration of the County treasury and support to County departments in their effort to recover revenues due to the County. The TTC includes three programs: Tax Collector, Treasurer, and Revenue Services.
TTC managers monitored 16 Quality and Outcome performance measures with 81% meeting or exceeding performance targets by year end. Performance improved or was maintained over the prior year for 63% of measures and 69% moved in a favorable direction over the last five years. Most of the measures showing a decline in performance over the prior year are for tax collection rates and dollar amounts collected. Most of the measures about processing tax bills show a favorable performance trend. The percent of deposits processed within one day remains at high level. The cost of collections and the percent of debtors contacted within five days continue to perform at a high level.
Customer satisfaction levels remain high with 43, or 98% of respondents rating overall satisfaction with services as good or better. Some customers suggested increasing the number and type of services available online. Responses included several comments recognizing employees for customer service. Customers said that employees were quick to respond, helpful even during busy times, and provided great service.
The current economic conditions and high unemployment rate will continue to impact collection of unpaid accounts. However, there were fewer bankruptcies filed in the current year with fewer escaped back tax bills. The TTC expects this trend to continue. Customers also want more web-based services, but implementation and maintenance costs will increase cost of delivering services, which may not be manageable under current budget constraints.
Story Behind Performance:
The County Counsel’s Office (CCO) provides high quality and timely legal services to the Board of Supervisors, all County departments and agencies, elected officials, boards and commissions, various school districts, special districts, and other public agencies so that they may carry out their responsibilities in a manner fully consistent with the law. The County Counsel’s Office provides legal representation to clients in disputes before administrative agencies and the courts with the goal of achieving the best results in a timely manner.
The CCO monitors four Quality and Outcome performance measures and 100% met performance targets by year end. All performance measures improved performance over the prior year and all measures showed a favorable performance trend over the last five years. The CCO continues to see an increase in caseloads mostly driven by the current economic environment. More individuals are requiring legal conservatorship proceedings to ensure a healthy and safe community. Over the last five years, the Child Protective Services (CPS) caseload has grown from 262 to 318 by the end of FY 2009-10, which is an increase of more than 21%. These caseload increases place a larger burden on staff and the impact could be potential erosion in the ability to provide timely services to other clients. The CCO completes a customer satisfaction survey process every other fiscal year and consistently has received high satisfaction ratings. Surveys completed in June 2010 indicated an overall satisfaction level of 98%.
Looking forward, the County Counsel’s Office will have to manage with fewer financial resources. Further, given an increased amount of attention being given to financial issues, the Office will be required “to do more with less.” The Office is committed to providing an uncompromised, high level of service on all matters and therefore will be challenged to find ways to operate more efficiently without sacrificing quality. Because of a worsening financial situation, the County as a whole and many departments will be undertaking major initiatives that change the way the County does business. Implementation of the various “budget balancing” strategies being considered by the County will require legal analysis and advice, and legal assistance in their implementation.
Story Behind Performance:
The Information Services Department (ISD) works with all County departments to build and support a robust information technology (IT) environment, to better serve the residents of the County. There are two programs within ISD, Information Technology Availability and Project Management.
Program Managers monitored 17 Quality and Outcome measures and 82% met performance targets by year-end. Of the 17 measures, 65% improved or maintained performance over the prior year and 100% reflected a favorable performance trend over the last five years.
The number of IT projects managed is down from prior years as departments are choosing to defer or cancel projects because of funding issues. Project Management staff continue to earn high marks from customers on projects meeting goals and overall satisfaction with information technology availability remains high at 100%.
Going forward, the uncertain economic environment will likely result in more projects being postponed or canceled. ISD will work with County departments to prioritize IT projects with both the largest return on investment and program benefit. The number of file servers converted from stand-alone platforms to shared or Virtual Management platforms is expected to increase in support of the County’s Green Initiative. Additionally, ISD will be migrating workstations to virtual desktop environments, thereby saving energy, reducing CO2 emissions and ultimately lowering the support costs of workstations. This effort combined with server virtualization is continuing to move the Information Technology Availability Program towards “Green Computing.”
