Since 1999, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety has undergone significant organizational change. This change included hiring a new Director, eliminating Commander positions, promoting new Captain II personnel, promoting four new Captain I’s and a general restructuring of the department functions. During this period the Department experienced the greatest number of separations due to retirement and hired more new officers than in any other period in its 52-year history.

Despite these dramatic and fundamental changes, the Department is able to maintain a high level of community trust. Its high level of community satisfaction and low level of complaint combine to paint a very bright external picture of the department and the community it serves. Internally, we have fallen behind in our ability of manage our internal relations, provide adequate and timely supervisor training, effectively communicate with our bargaining unit(s), and build trust, respect, leadership and cooperation within our ranks. While we have been able to improve some aspects of our team-building effort, we recognize that some of the areas where further improvement is warranted require the use of special consultants who are well-schooled in organizational dynamics, development and relationship building.

Both of these consultants provided professional services to the Department of Public Safety during the last fiscal year. Purchase orders were opened and charges have been incurred against those items. Tim Dunkin’s P.O. ends on September 30, 2002 and we have reached the maximum specified amount of $50,000. Rhonda Hilyer’s P.O. ends June 30, 2002 and charges against this account totaled $28,985 out of a maximum amount of $50,000. This process both extends their essential professional relationships as well as formalizes the consultant services agreement procedures required by the Office of the City Attorney. As previously noted, project funding was previously approved.

4.1E Police Services Sub-Element: Sustain a highly trained Police Services Division in order to assure that Police Services are provided in a quality and efficient manner.

4.2A.2 Fire Services Sub-Element: Provide training that is adequate for required duties.

Staff requests approval to award a one-year contract not to exceed $69,000 to Agreement Dynamics, Inc., of Seattle, Washington. This firm offers a highly acclaimed, collaborative training program and process, known as RESOLVE. This process, developed by Agreement Dynamics, provides tools to solve problems in positive and productive ways that build trust, respect and better working relationships between individuals and among workgroups. In addition to the RESOLVE program, the Department has also initiated the Success Signals program, which teaches communication skills to support the RESOLVE process and improve organizational effectiveness. These programs are complementary and are designed for concurrent introduction.

Both the RESOLVE and Success Signals programs will be presented to Public Safety staff through facilitated workshops and personal consultation, including follow-up by telephone or e-mail.

Rhonda Hilyer, President and founder of Agreement Dynamics will provide RESOLVE services. Ms. Hilyer is an internationally known consultant with a reputation for helping convert traditional, conflict-based environments into productive, collaborative workplaces. Her numerous public and private clients include King County, Washington; the Port of Seattle; the Port of Tacoma; the City of Seattle; the City of Bellevue; the University of Washington; Todd Pacific Shipyards; IBM; General Dynamics; and many unions, including most of those representing City of Seattle employees. Her hourly rate is $185 for work performed from her Seattle offices and her daily rate is $2,000 (plus expenses reimbursed at actual cost) for onsite work in California.

Staff also requests approval to award a one-year contract not to exceed $195,000 to Tim Dunkin of San Jose, California. Mr. Dunkin has attended the RESOLVE training and is a certified trainer in Agreement Dynamics' Success Signals program. This local resource will provide strong support for the implementation of the RESOLVE process by someone who is well known to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. Formerly a manager for the City of Sunnyvale, Mr. Dunkin has worked nationally as a management consultant for the past seven years, specializing in facilitation, training and executive coaching in the public sector. His local clients include the County of Santa Clara, the City of San Jose, the Town of Menlo Park and De Anza Community College. He has also worked with staff from seven Sunnyvale departments, primarily regarding the City’s Workplace Improvement effort as a facilitator and trainer. Mr. Dunkin's direct knowledge of Sunnyvale culture, processes and systems make him especially qualified and valuable in this effort to improve communication and organizational effectiveness in the Department of Public Safety. His hourly rate is $150.

Total cost for the two contracts will not exceed $264,806. A portion of each contract will be pulled from one of two funds depending on what expenses and which personnel meet Asset Forfeiture Fund distribution guidelines.

Funds are available and were previously approved as follows:

Special Project No. 823640 (Asset Forfeiture Fund) - Supervisory/Managerial Development in Public Safety: $195,806

It is recommended Council award two contracts for organizational development consulting services in substantially the same form as the attached drafts: