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LEGISLATIVE, FINANCE, AND
ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
AGENDA
August 11, 2008 - 6:00 P.M. - Council Chambers - City Hall - City of Dover
Public comments are welcomed on any item and will be permitted at appropriate times.
When possible, please notify the City Clerk (736-7008 or e-mail at
Tmcdowell@dover.de.us) should you wish to be recognized.
AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS
1. Comprehensive Review of the City’s Donation Policy and Contributions Provided by the City
to Various Organizations
2. Request for Proposals - Banking Services Agreement
3. Proposed Ordinance Authorizing Staff to Permit Relocation of Non-Conforming Signs
(South Governors Avenue)
4. Review of Job Description - City Assessor and Assistant City Assessor
5. Space Plan Update
6. Adjournment by 7:00 P.M.
/tm
S:\ClerksOffice\Agendas&Minutes\Committee-Agendas\2008\08-11-2008 LF&A.wpd
THE AGENDA ITEMS AS LISTED MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED IN SEQUENCE. THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE TO
INCLUDE THE ADDITION OR THE DELETION OF ITEMS, INCLUDING EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
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City of Dover
Finance Department – Information Notes
July 28, 2008
To: Members of Legislative, Finance, & Administrative Committee
From: Donna Mitchell, Controller/Treasurer
Copy: Mayor, City Council, City Manager, & City Clerk
Subject: Community Leader and Organization Recognition Policy
Attached for your review is the above mentioned policy. Below you will find contributions to non-
profit organizations as approved in the annual budget and included in the monthly budget reports
when the contributions are made.
African American Festival – To support the City’s diversity goal we co-sponsor this event as
follows:
FY06 Booth Rental $100.00
FY07 Jazz Performer $2,500.00
FY08 Booth Rental & Sponsorship $15,000.00
FY09 Booth Rental & Sponsorship $15,000.00 Budget
Kent County Tourism & Central Delaware Economic Council – The previous City Manager agreed
several years ago to provide a contribution to Kent County Tourism for their work on Old Dover
Days. Central Delaware Economic Council has been provided annual appropriations for their work
on economic development for the City of Dover. The current history is as follows:
Tourism CDEDC
FY06 $10,000.00 FY06 $15,000.00
FY07 $10,000.00 FY07 $16,000.00
FY08 $15,000.00 FY08 $16,000.00 + $2,500 study
FY09 $15,000.00 Budget FY09 $16,000.00 Budget
Robbins Hose Fire Department – In recognition of the Robbins Hose Company’s support of the City
with the volunteer fire department, the City provides appropriations for dispatch services, operating
cost and capital expenditures. The current history is as follows:
FY06 $948,785
FY07 $1,188,173
FY08 $938,324 (unaudited)
FY09 $1,012,210 Budget
The City Manager also from time to time, authorizes in-kind services, such as building maintenance
for DDDC, brick laying for the Greater Dover Committee, and other work performed by City crews.
These services are neither tracked nor quantified. We have also in the past accepted tickets from
the Schwartz Center in exchange for assistance with their electric account.
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CITY OF DOVER
FINANCIAL POLICIES
Community Leader and Organization Recognition Policy
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on recognition provided to outside agencies and
organizations. As a general rule, the City of Dover will not normally give gifts or awards.
However, there are occasions when recognition in the form of a gift and/or award is in the best
interest of the local community. On these occasions, the City Council, Mayor, or their designee
may recognize, by gifts or awards, to individuals, organizations, or entities who/which provide a
written request and meet the following criteria:
A) Charitable organizations or entities which provide or have provided donations of goods or
services to the government of the City and/or for the benefit of all of the citizens of the City;
or non-profit fundraising events sponsored by organizations or entities which provide or
have provided donations of goods or services to the government of the City and/or for the
benefit of all of the citizens of the City;
B) Special guests of the City, including representatives from other government entities, visitors
from other countries, retiring local business and community leaders, and departing local
business and community leaders who have made a significant contribution to the City.
C) Retiring members of the armed forces stationed at Dover Air Force Base and departing
senior officers or senior enlisted members of the armed forces, or other service members at
Dover Air Force Base who have made a significant contribution to the City.
D) Elected City officials and appointees leaving City service. (No written request required)
E) Any other individual, organization, or entity specifically approved by City Council or the
Mayor.
II. PERMITTED GIFTS/AWARDS & RESTRICTIONS
A) Gifts and awards consist of plaques, Dover cups, coins, golf shirts, and certificates or any
other item approved by City Council and the Mayor.
B) No cash donations are permitted. Cash payments to any organization for the City’s use of
their facilities are considered a business expense, not a recognition gift or award and
therefore this policy does not apply to these payments.
C) Unless otherwise approved by City Council and the Mayor, the aggregate value of any
awards or gifts presented to any one individual, organization, or entity during any calendar
year shall not exceed one-hundred dollars ($100.00).
D) The value of any gift or award should be reasonable, proportional to the contribution made,
and in accordance with other City policies and directives.
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E) No personal benefit should be provided to the grantor of the gift by the grantee.
F) This policy shall not restrict “get well” and sympathy expressions.
III. REPORTING REQUIRMENT
Gifts and/or awards given will be included in the monthly report issued by the Finance Department
for public review.
IV. CHARTER AND CODE OF CONDUCT
All City of Dover policies are to subject to the City of Dover Charter Part II Code of Ordinances
Chapter 2, Article 1, Division 4 “Code of Conduct”, which is “applicable to all elected and
appointed officials and to all employees of the City of Dover.”
V. POLICY ADHERENCE
In consideration of these guidelines and policies, one’s interpretation should be on a strict, rather
than loose, construction basis, and obviously, the objective should not be to rationalize ways and
means for circumvention.
VI. REVIEW & REVISION
The City of Dover Community Leader and Organization Recognition Policy will be reviewed every
three years by the Mayor and City Council.
DISTRIBUTION
1. Mayor, Council, City Manager
2. Department Heads
3. Finance Staff
3. Finance Policy Manual
ADOPTED: February 2, 2004
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TO: Tim Slavin, Chairman, Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee
FROM: Gene Ruane
August 6, 2008
RE: Organizations and the City of Dover’s Donation Policy and Contributions provided
by the City to Various Organizations
I understand that the Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee will review the
City’s Donation Policy and Contributions Provided by the City to Various Organizations
at its meeting on Monday, August 11, 2008.
I therefore submit the following thoughts and opinions for the Committee’s consideration
as this review is made.
Equity
The city can not equitably give gifts and or financial contributions to the hundreds of
organizations, whether charitable, educational or social, which “provide donations,
goods, or services “for the benefit of all the citizens of the city”.
One only has to look in the “blue pages” of the local telephone directory, or in the Dover
Post’s Annual Survey of Dover area Organizations to see that the city can not possibly
contribute fairly to all these organizations and/or entities.
While limiting the eligible recipients to “charitable” organizations may narrow the
overall number of eligible recipient organizations , there are still too many organizations
in the city which can qualify, even if the Council can achieve a consensus about what
“charitable” means (a near impossible task, I would suspect).
What does “charitable” mean anyway? Is it the same as “non-profit”? Does it mean any
organization that has received a 501(c) 3 status from the federal IRS? Does it mean that
an organization has to have received this IRS status to be eligible?
It is my understanding that there are over one-half million IRS-determined "public
charities" operating in fields that cover a vast and complex set of objectives; and, many
of these have local affiliates here in the Dover area.
The further delineation suggested in the policy, namely, that an eligible organization has
to have provided” donations, goods, or services” “for the benefit of all the citizens of the
city? (Emphasis added) only raises another question. How does the city determine
whether an organization does indeed provide such benefits to all citizens? Does this mean
its membership is open to all, if it is a membership organization? Does it mean that any
citizen can receive the organizations donations, goods, or services?
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Most organizations have some kind of criteria which individuals must meet before they
can enroll as members or receive benefits of the organization, thus preventing all citizens
from being eligible. Without such criteria, the organization would be over whelmed and
its resources drained in a very short period.
The delineation that an eligible organization or entity is one which “provides or has
provided donations, goods, or services to the government of the City” raises a host of
similar questions, including the fact that the IRS has a specific set of regulations
regarding such “quid quo pro” contributions.
Value Congruence
Organizations typically embody unique expressions of community values; and, their
missions and objectives vary greatly even when they are "in the same line of work."
The values of the organization with respect to its mission, objectives, and treatment of
employees, beneficiaries, and other publics may or may not be congruent with the city’s
values or with the different set of values to which the Mayor and/or individual
Councilpersons subscribe.
For example, some organizations have a diverse membership and/or a diverse group of
beneficiaries of their services, while others do not.
Some organizations provide services, or advocate (and even lobby) for positions as part
of their objectives which some Dover citizens and/ or individual Councilpersons may
disagree or strongly oppose. Contributions from city funds are seen as supporting these
values and/or positions.
Operating objectives and values of a given organization may be important to one
Councilperson or to the Mayor, but these same objectives and values are not necessarily
important to another Councilperson or to the Mayor.
Charitable Choice and Faith-Based Organizations
Many organizations which might request contributions from the city may also be “faith-
based”. While the Mayor and/ or individual Council members might welcome an
opportunity to make financial contributions to such faith based organizations from city
revenue, others might justifiably find such contributions highly “problematic”. Anyone
who has been following this debate at the national level will recognize that people who
care deeply about religious liberty and about the provision of effective social services
disagree about such “charitable choice”. The debate has too many legal, philosophical,
and ethical dimensions to outline here, but this debate has to be considered when the
council examines its gift/contributions policy.
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Effective Allocation of Limited Resources
Some organizations are managed efficiently and effectively, while others are not; so that
without having objective criteria that measures this, the city will not know whether its
contributions have been used effectively by recipient organizations.
If the city does not have information about an organizations' past operating effectiveness,
its financial health, the reasonableness of its objectives, and its institutional capacity to
achieve objectives, and a system for choosing between organizations that share a similar
mission or focus, the Mayor and/or Council cannot allocate the city’s financial resources
effectively.
Competing Organizations and Equal Opportunity
There are numerous organizations in the Dover area that share a similar mission and
focus and serve the same beneficiaries. If a policy permits the Mayor and/or Council to
allocate financial resources to “organizations”, then, all eligible organizations must be
given equal opportunity to compete for these limited resources.
The Mayor and/or Council cannot allocate its resources fairly or effectively unless it
establishes a specific timeframe and allocation method for all requests for support from
charitable organizations . Such a system has to first identify specific objectives and
categories of services to be supported to meet these objectives. And then, identify all
organizations that can meet these objectives and allow equal opportunity for all these
organizations to compete for the limited resources. And decisions for such allocations
have to be made in a public session.
In the absence of such a system, the Mayor and/or Council are simply responding
reactively and sporadically to requests for donations, rather than seeking out and
regularly supporting organizations that effectively perform work that the city values.
Citizen Expectations and Contractual Services
When citizens contribute to the city’s revenue through taxes, fees, etc., I believe they do
so with the expectation that the revenue will be used to provide city services and
maintain the infrastructure that are necessary for the city to carry out the mission for
which it has been established.
They understand that some services may be contracted out and that non-profit
organizations might be engaged to provides certain services under such contracts.
However, as noted already, these types of contractual allocations have to be done in a
systematic way in accordance with established program guidelines, as for example, when
the city allocates federal Community Development Block Grant revenue.
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Other Citizen Expectations
Citizens do not expect the city to randomly allocate its revenue in response to requests for
contributions from organizations, whether their cause is worthy or not.
Citizens do not expect the Mayor and/or the Council to view city revenue as a kind of
United Way Fund that is to be distributed to favorite charities.
Citizens believe that such decisions are personal choices that each citizen will or will not
make from their own resources and according to their own values.
Potential Conflict of Interest
Because the Mayor and/or Council members may directly belong to the requesting
organization or otherwise are affiliated with them in some way( e.g., their church, their
family) they can not make decisions about which organization should be funded w/o
being potentially involved in either actual or perceived "conflicts of interest.
Therefore, these interests and/or affiliations should always be revealed and procedures
followed in the voting that are in accordance with our Code of Conduct.
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1
ACTION FORM
PROCEEDING: City Council AGENDA ITEM NO: 2
DEPARTMENT OF ORIGIN: Finance DATE SUBMITTED: 08/11/08
PREPARED BY: Donna Mitchell, Controller/Treasurer
SUBJECT: Banking & Cash Management Services
APPROVALS: City Council
EXHIBITS: Evaluation Scores & Analysis
EXPENDITURE REQUIRED: Bank fees are netted against interest income.
AMOUNT BUDGETED: N/A
FUNDING SOURCE (Dept./Page in CIP & Budget): N/A
TIMETABLE:Dependent upon Council Approval
RECOMMENDED ACTION: To approve bank service recommendation.
BACKGROUND
The City solicited proposals for bank services. We received proposals from four banks. The proposals were
evaluated by a team selected from the Finance and Administrative Services Departments. A considerable
amount of information was requested in the RFP and additional information was submitted to the City in response
to four addendums. The RFP required each bank to submit their current audited financial statement including
footnotes and the auditor’s opinion. It also required each bank to submit their current Securities and Exchange
Commission Form 10K or Form 10Q. The submission and review of these statements are imperative to the City
of Dover’s due diligence to ensure the security of the City’s assets. The RFP requested a copy of each bank’s
‘SAS’ 70. This statement is prepared by independent auditors and attests to the banks internal controls in
regards to their on line banking tools which will be utilized by the City of Dover. This last piece of due diligence
ensures the City of Dover’s funds are safe guarded while being transferred using the banks on line software
We received a mix of responses in regards to the City’s requirement to submit the above reports. The mix of
responses is reflected in the Summary Scoring Sheet attached. In today’s economy, especially with all of the
changes occurring in the banking industry, it is critical the City of Dover perform as much due diligence as
possible before selecting a bank.
We also gave each bank the opportunity to meet with our banking RFP selection team to present their proposal.
This provided each potential bank the opportunity to share additional information that could be helpful to the
analysis process. It also gave the team an opportunity to finalize any outstanding questions.
We scored all the proposals on several factors that included content, service, technology, future enhancements,
government banking experience and the qualifications of the team assigned to the City of Dover. The pricing
score is based on a calculation that includes the proposed net earnings using each banks net service fees and
interest rates applied to 2008’s average balance and transaction activity. All four banks provided interest bearing
accounts. Two of the banks submitted no fee proposals by reducing the interest by specified basis points.
References were checked on the two highest scoring banks with good results.
RECOMMENDATION
The Finance Department recommends awarding the City’s banking services to Citizens Bank.
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2 of 2
City of Dover
Finance Department
Bank Services RFP
Evaluation Scores
Potential Commerce Wilmington
Points Citizens Bank North Wachovia Trust
Technical/Service/Experience
Quality, Reputation, Experience in banking,
quality and expertise of staff in government banking
capacity to meet all cash management needs, response
time, location of branch & availability,
record of performance in all forms of banking esp government
completeness of proposal-were all RFP
questions addressed , including submission
of requested current reports, familiarity
with City, and content of response. 0 - 77 70 58 64 68
Price 0 - 23 21 20 14 16
Total Scores 100 91 78 78 84
Interest less fees X X
Interest/Waived Fees - X X
*Per Uniform Bank Performance Reports
The scoring sheet above reflects the summarized average total from responses. It has been the City of Dover’s practice to include the condensed scoring sheet.
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FIRST READING
CITY OF DOVER
ORDINANCE #2008-37
1 BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOVER, IN
2 COUNCIL MET:
3
4 WHEREAS, the Delaware Department of Transportation is making significant changes to
5 Governors Avenue which includes acquisition of additional right-of-way from property owners
6 and widening of the roadway which will require many signs to be moved, many of these signs
7 already being legal non-conforming signs; and
8
9 WHEREAS, the necessity for relocation of the signs is not being caused by the property
10 owners but by the widening of the roadway over which the property owners have no control; and
11
12 WHEREAS, Council has determined that the sign relocation for each individual property
13 owner should be controlled by the City Planner and her staff working with each individual
14 property owner for relocation of the signs upon the condition that there cannot be any increase in
15 the non-conformity of each sign; and
16
17 WHEREAS, the final approval by the City Planner and her staff for each individual sign
18 shall be conclusive for the property owner to maintain the sign at its approved location and
19 condition.
20
21 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that:
22
23 1. The City Planner and her staff shall oversee the relocation of non-conforming
24 signs required to be relocated due to the widening of South Governors Avenue and in accordance
25 with the terms of this Ordinance, she and her staff shall issue final approval for the relocation of
26 each sign upon the condition that the signs shall remain legal non-conforming, as the case may
27 be, and there is no increase in their non-conformity.
28
29
30 SYNOPSIS
31 The proposed ordinance would allow the City Planner to administratively approve
32 relocation of legal non-conforming signs that must be relocated due to the South
33 Governors Avenue improvements, so long as the degree of non-conformity not be
34 increased.
35
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ACTION FORM
PROCEEDING: Legislative, Finance and Administration Committee AGENDA ITEM NO.: 07/28/2008
DEPARTMENT OF ORIGIN: Human Resources DATE SUBMITTED: 07/18/2008
PREPARED BY: Kim Hawkins
SUBJECT: Job Description for City Assessor and Assistant City Assessor
REFERENCE: International Association of Assessing Officer (IAAO)/Research and Technical
Assistance report
RELATED PROJECT: IAAO Management Audit of Assessor’s Department
APPROVALS: n/a
EXHIBITS: Excerpts from the IAAO final report
EXPENDITURE REQUIRED: $ 0 AMOUNT BUDGETED: n/a
FUNDING SOURCE (Dept./Page in CIP & Budget):
TIMETABLE:
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Review and approval of the revised job descriptions
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
The International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) was hired to perform a management audit of the City’s
Assessor’s Office. In the final report that was presented to Council, the IAAO made several suggestions for changes to
the Assessor and Assistant City Assessor’s job description. The recommendations have been incorporated into the current
job descriptions for review and approval by the appropriate City committee and Council. Suggested changes are
highlighted, deletions are striked through and question to appropriate committee is noted in red font.
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CITY OF DOVER
POSITION DESCRIPTION
TITLE: CITY ASSESSOR
FLSA: Exempt
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The essential function of the position within the organization is to oversee operations of the Dover Tax Office. The
position is responsible for staff supervision, planning, training, mass appraisal of real property, billing and
collections, and preparing reports. The position formulates long range goals for the organization; develops policy
and position papers and negotiates with chief administrative officer and/or elected officials. The position shall be
directly responsible to the mayor and council. The City Assessor shall function under the administration of the City
Manager.
PRIMARY DUTIES: This list represents the essential tasks performed by the position. Employees may be
assigned additional duties by management as required.
Analysis and interpretation of statutes, codes, rules and regulations related to the assessment practice in the State of
Delaware and City of Dover.
Publishes, signs and makes available to the public the Assessment roll of the City of Dover.
Defends assessed values through informal, formal and legal appeals.
Analysis of assessment/appraisal performance through the use of descriptive statistics.
Oversight of the revaluation process and any vendor work product.
Supervises staff, including selecting or recommending selection, training, assigning and evaluating work,
counseling, disciplining, and terminating or recommending termination.
Assesses all real property in the City of Dover; calculates, publishes, and submits effective tax rates for adoption by
the City.
Participates in development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and priorities relating to
tax assessment and collection for the City.
Oversees billing and collections, ensuring operations comply with applicable City guidelines and regulations.
Sets up and maintains record/filing system; processes daily paperwork including property cards, reports, memos,
requisitions, and personnel information.
Interacts with taxpayers to provide information for area of responsibility or to discuss and resolve complaints or
problems; provides in-house assessment updates.
Gathers and maintains information/data to support periodic and special reports and papers for the area of
responsibility.
Attends or conducts staff, Council, and other professional meetings to exchange information; attends professional
seminars or conferences to improve professional skills.
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DATA RESPONSIBILITY: Data refers to information, knowledge, and conceptions obtained by observation,
investigation, interpretation, visualization, and mental creation. Data are intangible and include numbers, words,
symbols, ideas, concepts, and oral verbalizations.
Coordinates or determines time, place, or sequence of operations or activities based on analysis of data and possibly
executes determinations or reports on events.
PEOPLE RESPONSIBILITY: People refers to individuals who have contact with or are influenced by the
position.
Supervises or directs others by determining or interpreting work procedures, assigning specific duties, maintaining
harmonious relations, and promoting efficiency.
INVOLVEMENT WITH THINGS: Things refers to inanimate objects such as substances, materials, machines,
tools, equipment, work aids, or products. A thing is tangible and has shape, form, and other physical
characteristics.
Leads or handles machines, tools, equipment, or work aids involving moderate latitude for judgment regarding
attainment of standard or in selecting appropriate items, such as computers and software used for programming
custom applications or the application of custom or commercial financial , accounting, or other complex software or
systems.
ASSETS RESPONSIBILITY: Assets responsibility refers to the responsibility for achieving economies or
preventing loss within the organization.
Requires responsibility for achieving major economies or preventing major losses through the assessment and
management of the City’s taxes.
SAFETY OF OTHERS: Safety of others refers to the responsibility for other people’s safety, either inherent in the
job or to assure the safety of the general public.
Requires some responsibility for safety and health of others and/or for occasional enforcement of the standards of
public safety or health.
MATHEMATICAL REQUIREMENTS: Mathematics deals with quantities, magnitudes, and forms and their
relationships and attributes by the use of numbers and symbols.
Uses practical application of fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions, measurements, or logarithms; may use
algebraic solutions of equations and equalities, deductive geometry, and/or descriptive statistics.
COMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENTS: Communications involves the ability to read, write, and speak.
Reads journals and manuals; composes specialized reports and business letters using proper format and grammar;
speaks to groups of coworkers and people outside the organization.
COMPLEXITY OF WORK: Complexity of work addresses the analysis, initiative, ingenuity, creativity, and
concentration required by the position and the presence of any unusual pressures.
Performs work involving the application of broad principles of professional management and leadership to solve
new problems for which conventional solutions do not exist; requires sustained, intense concentration for accurate
results and continuous exposure to unusual pressure.
IMPACT OF DECISIONS: Impact of decisions refers to consequences such as damage to property, loss of data
or property, exposure of the organization to legal liability, or injury or death to individuals.
Makes decisions with severe impact - affects entire organization, other activities/organizations, the general public,
and a wide geographic area; loss of data and revenue is highly likely.
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EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Education requirements refers to job specific training and education required
for entry into the position.
Requires bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration (or a closely related field) or equivalent years of
experience.
LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED: Licenses, certifications, and
registrations refers to professional, state, or federal licenses, certifications, or registrations required to enter the
position.
Requires an IAAO accreditation or ability to acquire accreditation with 1 year (or an equivalent documented
accreditation or certification)
Certification shall include either an Assessment Administration Specialist (AAS) or Certified Assessment Evaluator
(CAE) from the International Association of Assessing Officers, or the ability to acquire within one (1) year.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Experience refers to the amount of work experience that is required for entry
into the position that would result in reasonable expectation that the person can perform the tasks required by the
position.
Requires four years of related experience with appraisal of real property in a mass appraisal environment.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES REQUIREMENTS
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Physical demands refers to the requirements for physical exertion and coordination of
limb and body movement.
Requires light work involving standing or walking some of the time, exerting up to 20 pounds of force on a regular
basis, and moderate dexterity in operating machinery or office equipment.
UNAVOIDABLE HAZARDS: Unavoidable hazards refers to unusual conditions in the work environment that
may cause illness or injury.
The position is exposed to extreme heat or cold, wet/humid conditions, bright or dim lights, dust/pollen, and traffic.
SENSORY (ADA) REQUIREMENTS: Sensory requirements refers to hearing, sight, touch, taste, and smell
necessary to perform the tasks required by the position efficiently.
The position requires normal visual acuity and field of vision, hearing, and speaking.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE
The City of Dover is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide adequate accommodations
to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA
accommodations with management.
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CITY OF DOVER
POSITION DESCRIPTION
TITLE: ASSISTANT CITY ASSESSOR
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Shall the City implement the changes suggested by the IAAO in regards to hiring an additional
Residential Assessment Technician, the Assistant City Assessor would become Exempt.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The essential function of the position within the organization is to assist with operations management for
the Dover Tax Office. The position is responsible for assisting with staff supervision, planning, training,
appraisal of real property, billing, and collections, and for preparing reports. The position works under
general supervision independently developing work methods and sequences. The position is supervised
and reports directly to the City Assessor.
PRIMARY DUTIES: This list represents the essential tasks performed by the position. Employees may
be assigned additional duties by management as required.
Assist with the analysis of assessment/appraisal performance through the use of descriptive statistics.
Assist with the oversight of the revaluation process and any vendor work product.
Assist with the analysis and interpretation of statutes, codes, rules and regulations related to the assessment
practice in the State of Delaware and the City of Dover.
Assist with defending assessed values through informal, formal and legal appeals.
Assists with staff supervision, including selecting or recommending selection, training, assigning and
evaluating work, counseling, disciplining, and terminating or recommending termination.
Assesses real property in the City of Dover as directed by the Assessor.
Participates in development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and priorities
relating to tax assessment and collection for the City.
Assists with billing and collections, ensuring operations comply with applicable City guidelines and
regulations.
Sets up and maintains record/filing system; processes daily paperwork including property cards, reports,
memos, requisitions, and personnel information.
Interacts with taxpayers to provide information for area of responsibility or to discuss and resolve
complaints or problems; provides in-house assessment updates.
Gathers and maintains information/data to support periodic and special reports for the area of
responsibility.
Attends or conducts staff and other professional meetings to exchange information; attends professional
seminars or conferences to improve professional skills.
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DATA RESPONSIBILITY: Data refers to information, knowledge, and conceptions obtained by
observation, investigation, interpretation, visualization, and mental creation. Data are intangible and
include numbers, words, symbols, ideas, concepts, and oral verbalizations.
Compiles, examines, or evaluates data or information and possibly recommends action based on results.
PEOPLE RESPONSIBILITY: People refers to individuals who have contact with or are influenced by
the position.
Persuades or influences others in favor of a service, course of action, or point of view.
INVOLVEMENT WITH THINGS: Things refers to inanimate objects such as substances, materials,
machines, tools, equipment, work aids, or products. A thing is tangible and has shape, form, and other
physical characteristics.
Leads or handles machines, tools, equipment, or work aids involving moderate latitude for judgment
regarding attainment of standard or in selecting appropriate items, such as computers and software used for
programming custom applications or the application of custom or commercial financial , accounting, or
other complex software or systems.
ASSETS RESPONSIBILITY: Assets responsibility refers to the responsibility for achieving economies or
preventing loss within the organization.
Requires responsibility and opportunity for achieving moderate economies and/or preventing moderate
losses through the management or handling of supplies of high value or moderate amounts of money.
SAFETY OF OTHERS: Safety of others refers to the responsibility for other people’s safety, either
inherent in the job or to assure the safety of the general public.
Requires no responsibility for the safety and health of others.
MATHEMATICAL REQUIREMENTS: Mathematics deals with quantities, magnitudes, and forms and
their relationships and attributes by the use of numbers and symbols.
Uses practical application of fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions, measurements, or logarithms;
may use algebraic solutions of equations and equalities, deductive geometry, and/or descriptive statistics.
COMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENTS: Communications involves the ability to read, write, and
speak.
Reads technical instructions, charts, and/or procedures manuals; composes routine reports and completes
job forms; speaks compound sentences using standard grammar.
COMPLEXITY OF WORK: Complexity of work addresses the analysis, initiative, ingenuity, creativity,
and concentration required by the position and the presence of any unusual pressures.
Performs skilled work involving rules/systems with almost constant problem solving; requires normal
attention with short periods of concentration for accurate results and occasional exposure to unusual
pressure.
IMPACT OF DECISIONS: Impact of decisions refers to consequences such as damage to property, loss
of data or property, exposure of the organization to legal liability, or injury or death to individuals.
Makes decisions with moderately serious impact - affects work unit and may affect other units or citizens.
Page 18
ASSISTANT CITY ASSESSOR
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Education requirements refers to job specific training and education
required for entry into the position.
Requires associate’s degree or the equivalent of two years of college or specialized vocational training in
finance, business administration, or a closely related field or equivalent years of experience.
LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED: Licenses, certifications, and
registrations refers to professional, state, or federal licenses, certifications, or registrations required to
enter the position.
Requires none however an IAAO accreditation or ability to acquire accreditation within 1 year (or an
equivalent documented accreditation or certification) is preferred.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Experience refers to the amount of work experience that is required
for entry into the position that would result in reasonable expectation that the person can perform the tasks
required by the position.
Requires two years of related experience with appraisal of real property in a mass appraisal environment.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES REQUIREMENTS
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Physical demands refers to the requirements for physical exertion and
coordination of limb and body movement.
Requires sedentary work involving standing or walking for brief periods, exerting up to 10 pounds of force
on a regular basis, and moderate dexterity in operating office equipment.
UNAVOIDABLE HAZARDS: Unavoidable hazards refers to unusual conditions in the work
environment that may cause illness or injury.
The position is exposed to no unusual environmental hazards.
SENSORY (ADA) REQUIREMENTS: Sensory requirements refers to hearing, sight, touch, taste, and
smell necessary to perform the tasks required by the position efficiently.
The position requires normal visual acuity and field of vision, hearing, and speaking.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE
The City of Dover is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide adequate
accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged
to discuss ADA accommodations with management.
7
Page 22
(Revised/Updated July 2008)
Page 23
Goal
` Ten Year Plan for City buildings that will create
spaces and places for the City’s elected officials
and employees to provide quality services to the
citizens.
2
Page 24
What does 2008 update/revision include?
` Shows completed projects;
` Adds a new library;
` Adds Public Utilities expansion;
` Changes to City Hall Annex plan due to:
` Planning & Inspections growth more than expected,
required more space;
` Organization of Public Services changed, need for Public
Works addition at William Street.
3
Page 25
How was the Study Done?
` Facility Space Committee: City Manager, City Clerk,
Central Services Director;
` Committee toured all City buildings;
` All department heads were interviewed;
` C d
onducted a needs assessment and proximity matrix;
t
` Created measured drawings of buildings;
` Consulted with architect as needed.
4
Page 26
Space Needs Study Results
2006
Existing Public Highest Future
Department Sq. Ft. 1 – 2 Years Accessibility Immediate Long Range Sq. Ft.
Priority
Reception area, counter
not enough space – reception Reception space, workstation, maybe
597 Important 700
City Clerk area, counter space Area Mayor’s responsibilities will
be closer to Council
City Manager/ Mayor 1,450 p
Important One additional office 1,600
Office for Additional office, audit
Finance 1,197 One additional office Low 1,500
Ray Cola room
Interview Additional office, interview
Human Resources 560 Storage, interview room Somewhat 850
Room room
Consolidation of department
Storage, more privacy,
2,464 Important into one area/more 3,500
Planning/Inspections separation for inspectors
inspectors
Customer Service – Larger office
248 Storage None Larger office area 400
Budgets for Director
Storage, document imaging Meter
Customer Service 3,502 Important
p May actually reduce 4,400
area, conference room Readers area
Large offices with one
Directors office to small, larger
additional office, move
reception area, larger
Public Works – 1,230 Somewhat Office Space closer to supervisors & 1,550
engineer’s offices, small
Admin./Eng. consolidate supervisors into
conference room
one location
5
Page 27
Space Needs Study Results
continued
Existing Public Highest Future
Department Sq. Ft. 1 – 2 Years Accessibility Immediate Long Range Sq. Ft.
Priority
Tax Assessor 551 Somewhat May need less space 500
2,015 Restructure for better Important Restructure for One new office 700
Council Chambers viewing and media better viewing &
presentations media
presentations
Information Windows, less
Technology 1,618 One additional office None GIS person space for computers 1,800
getting smaller
No space for computer/radio Important Communication Move into 2nd floor
Police Department equipment, interview room and IT equipment
converted to offices room
Parks & Recreation 1,171 Important Relieve
overcrowding
Caucus Room 447 Bigger room/better media Ability to divide 1,800
presentation into 2 rooms
Council 247 No private space to meet Important APD An internal office 400
Work/Meeting public when other needs
Room room
Library ? Planning/Design High Inadequate space New Library 52,000
2008
Public U ili
tilities Bldg. ? Security Improvement Somewhat Secure Access Expansion, Secure ?
/Inspection Space Dispatch Center
6
Page 28
Types of Needs Revealed
2006
` Lack of space for public and customers
` Lack of working space for employees
` Poor locations
` Substandard space
` Lack of storage space
` Lack of security
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Page 29
Space for Public & Customers
` City Hall lacks large flexible space for informal meetings;
` City Council Chambers not suitable for presentations;
` City Council Chambers not handicap accessible;
` City Clerks Office & Public Works lack reception areas;
` Human Resources lacks space for employee interviews;
` City Council does not have private room for meetings;
Tax Office isolation causes necessity for locked doors.
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Page 30
Employee Work Areas
I/T: LAN (Network) Analyst lacks space\workbench;
New GIS Coordinator needs office;
Meter Readers: highly over crowded;
Finance: Offices too small, Senior Accountant needs
private office;
Inspections: Inspectors overcrowded, no space for
budgeted Planner.
9
Page 31
Employee Work Areas
Continued
` Public Works (Administration & Engineering): Offices for
director & engineers too small;
` Public Works: Supervisors far from administration;
` Recreation Department: Secretarial space is over crowded
and Weed & Seed Coordinator pspace too small;
` Police Department: Lack interview rooms (converted into
offices).
10
Page 32
No Space for Future Growth
Currently no space for additional
employees in Weyandt Hall, City Hall, and
Parks & Recreation building.
11
Page 33
Substandard Space
` I/T in basement that lacks windows for natural light, humid;
` Grounds Department in old PWII, poor conditions throughout;
` Grounds Department in flood plain;
` Recreation building over 30 years old without renovation, in
poor condition;
d
` Police do not have sufficient p
space for new communications
and computer equipment center.
12
Page 34
Lack of Storage Space
` Human Resources - materials
` Planning and Inspections – files
` Customer Service – materials/files
` Information Tech – material
` City Manager – files
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Page 35
Lack of Security
June 2005 Vulnerability Assessment
City Hall & Weyandt Hall
` Blast Resistant Windows Needed
Install Fire Suppression y
pp System – /
I/T ONLY
` Install Alarm System
Improve Surveillance with CCTV
Restrict Access - key entry, visitor logs, etc. – CITY HALL
` Relocate Mail Room – separate with blast hard walls
l
` HEPA filters to Air Handling System
` Add emergency back up power system
14
Page 36
Three Phases of the Study
` Phase I – Immediate needs
` Phase II – Intermediate needs 2-5 years
` City Hall, Weyandt Hall
` Recreation Renovation
` Police 2nd Floor Expansion
` Library
` Phase III – Long Range needs 5-10 years
` City Hall, Weyandt Hall Consolidation
` Move Grounds Department
` Public Utilities Administration Expansion
15
Page 37
Phase I – Immediate Needs
These were solved last year or will be solved this
fiscal year:
` Meter Reading space enlarged – Weyandt Hall
` GIS Coordinator office space – Weyandt Hall
` Flat Screen Monitors added to Council Chambers
` Police Communication & Data Center to 2nd Floor
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Page 38
Phase II – Intermediate Needs
Move I/T to 3rd floor of Weyandt Hall;
Move Finance to 3rd floor of Weyandt Hall;
Relocate HR in City Hall for more space - DROPPED;
` Build large meeting room in City Hall;
Move Public Works to Williams Street Facility - DROPPED;
Expand and Renovate Inspections;
` Renovate Recreation Offices (Independent Project);
` Police 2nd Floor Expansion (Independent Project);
` Build new Library.
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Page 39
Move I/T to 3rd Floor of
Weyandt Hall
Move I/T staff only to 3rd floor where Delaware
Bankers are currently located;
Solves substandard location in basement;
Integrates GIS Coordinator into I/T - DROPPED;
Basement offices converted for storage and LAN
Analyst Shop.
18
Page 40
Move Finance to 3rd Floor of
Weyandt Hall
Move Finance to space currently rented by Attorney’s;
Increase square footage by 650 to 1,847 relieving
current overcrowding;
Storage area in basement (former I/T space).
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Page 41
3rd Floor - Weyandt Hall
20
Page 42
Basement at Weyandt Hall
21
Page 43
Relocate HR in
City Hall for More Space
` Move Human Resources to former Finance space;
` Increases square f t
ootage by 394 to 954 to meet need;
` Solves the need for interview space;
` Creates room for expansion;
` Enables the creation of an additional City Hall meeting
room;
` New meeting room, will allow HR to use Caucus Room
for interviews and trainings.
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Page 44
Relocate City Clerk
` Relocate the Clerk’s Office across hall to former Finance
space, adds 20 square feet;
` Clerk Staff remains in same location;
` This move enables the space needed for new meeting
room in City Hall;
` Space lost due to expansion of Planning.
23
Page 45
Large Meeting Room in City Hall
` Space now occupied by Human Resources and City
Clerk- 2006;
` Space now occupied by Planning – 2008;
` Build a 645 square foot meeting room (Caucus Room is
only 441 square feet);
` New room would be outfitted for electronic presentations
with presentation boards and easels;
` Folding tables and chairs for easy configuration of space
for different meetings.
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Page 46
Public Works to Williams Street Facility
` Move Public Works Administration and Engineering to
new addition at William Street Warehouse;
` Increase space from 1,230 to 3,450 square feet, allowing
for future expansion;
` Relocates management and engineers closer to work
crews and supervisors;
` Enables expansion of Planning and Inspections;
` Increase available storage space by converting loft to
storage for HR, Clerk & Planning.
25
Page 47
Warehouse - Public Works Addition
William Street
26
Page 48
Expand and Renovate Inspections
` Expand Planning and Inspections into former Public
Works area Finance space;
` Adds 622 square feet to total of 3,186 square feet;
` Relieve overcrowding;
` Creates space for new planner budgeted;
` Assign storage in loft area.
27
Page 49
City Hall – 2006 Floor Plan
28
Page 50
City Hall – Proposed Floor Plan
29
Page 51
Renovate Recreation Offices
(Independent Project)
` Consolidate offices on north side;
` Establish two multiple purpose room on south side;
` Remove active rooms (pool tables);
` Create accessible restrooms;
` Build small storage addition.
30
Page 52
Existing Recreation Building
31
Page 53
Proposed Recreation Building
32
Page 54
Police Department Expansion
` Attic area was designed for future use;
` The hiring of additional personnel has resulted in three
interview rooms being turned into offices;
` Expansion into attic area will enable the interview
rooms to return and allow for future expansion.
33
Page 55
Proposed 2nd Floor Expansion - Attic
Office # 1 Office # 2 Office # 3
SEU/QAUL TASK FORCE S.E.U. LT’S 911
SGT’S OFFICE OFFICE MANAGER’S
OFFICE Roof slants
No floor
space
911 Equipment
Room
Office # 4 Office # 5 Office # 6
STORAGE COMPUTER
FUTURE OFFICES LAB AREA
Computer/Server
Room
Office # 7
Maintenance Area LAN Tech’s
Office
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Page 56
New Library
` 52,000 square foot library proposed;
` Located on City Hall parking lot;
` A hi
rchitect hired for Phase I – l
planning & design;
` Approximately 50% ($9.1 million) of the construction
estimate is reserved.
ti
35
Page 57
Phase III – Long Range
` Public Utilities Addition;
` Move Grounds Department;
` Renovate City Council Chambers;
` Build a new 12,830 square foot East Wing to City Hall;
` Demolish annex and replace with 24,300 square foot
l
West Wing to City Hall;
` Move I/T, Finance, and C t
ustomer Service back to new
wing of City Hall;
` Sell Library and Weyandt Hall b ildi
uildings.
36
Page 58
Move Grounds Out of PWII
` Current Grounds Department in substandard space
located on flood plain;
` Isolated from other Public Works Departments;
` New location to be determined (maybe William Street or
Shutte Park);
` Possible funding with FEMA pre-disaster mitigation
grant;
` Area can be converted to a Riverside Park.
37
Page 59
Existing PWII
38
Page 60
Renovate City Council Chambers
` Permanent change to Chambers;
` Puts all Council behind one dais;
` Creates a presentation area easily seen by audience and
City Council;
` Whole room to be ADA accessible;
` 59 existing public seats to increase to 67.
39
Page 61
New Council Chambers
40
Page 62
Public Utilities Admin. Building Addition
` Build ,
4,708 q
square foot addition (includes basement);
` Move Dispatch Center to basement addition for storm
fortification;
` Additional space for training room;
` Offices for Water/Wastewater Managers.
41
Page 63
Public Utilities Admin. Building
Existing Floor Plan
Existing Building: 7,536 Square Feet
42
Page 64
Public Utilities Admin. Building
Proposed Floor Plan
Existing Square Foot: 7,536
Proposed Square Foot: 4,708 (2nd Floor)
Total Bldg. Square Foot: 12,244
43
Page 65
Build East Wing to City Hall
` Build 12,830 square foot two-story East Wing;
` Temporarily house City Clerk, Human Resources,
Inspections & meeting rooms;
` Architecturally similar to current City Hall;
` Built to next generation standards for security, energy
conservation, and computer technology;
` Drive thru Customer Service Window.
44
Page 66
Demolish Annex/Replace West Wing
` Building new 24,300 square foot West Wing;
` Architecturally mirror East Wing;
` Move Finance, /I/T, Tax Assessor, Customer Service to
City Hall for most efficient and consolidated
management;
` Provide enough space for 20 years of growth;
` Sell Weyandt Hall, Library and parking lot to offset costs
y
for new library and City Hall wings.
45
Page 67
Total City Hall & Weyandt Hall Square
Footage Created
` Public Works Addition - 3,664
` 2½ Story East Wing - 12,830
` 2 ½ Story West Wing - ,
24,300
Total Square Footage Created - 40,794
` Replaces: City Hall Annex - 10,400
Weyandt Hall - 7,800
Current Square Footage - 18,200
46
Page 68
City Hall – Parking & Square Footage
47
Page 69
City Hall –Three Story Concept
48
Page 70
City Hall - Concept
49
Page 71
Space Needs Study
Ten Year Phase Cost Matrix
Current
Description FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 Project Total
Estimate
Public Works Addition 180,000 -
Electric Admin Addition 10,000 -
Parks & Recreation 100,000 65,000 120,000
Police 2nd Floor 123,000 149,507 149,507
Council Chambers 338,000 50,000 381,383 431,383
A/V Communication 32,000 40,841 40,841
Relocate Grounds 180,000 241,217 241,217
City Hall East Wing 2,566,000 3,610,620 3,610,620
City Hall West Wing 4,860,000 7,180,433 7,180,433
Connectors 616,000 433,387 462,444 895,830
City Hall 312,000 460,966 460,966
Total 9 375
,375,000 115,000 422,224 390,724 4 044
,044,007 8 103
,103,843 13 202
,202,498
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Page 72
51