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Special City Council Strategic Planning Meeting Saturday, February 7, 2009 Page 13 and funding for that reception desk; necessitating clients or citizens going to other service counters close to that lobby area. Mr. Miller noted, however, that this would impact the Police Department, Parks and Recreation Department and Administration. Mr. Miller advised that there was one other thing that would be considered within the Finance/Accounting Division, by looking at more efficiency in all positions of the department. Mr. Miller advised that this was something done by the department on an ongoing basis; with significant revisions to-date, reducing from ten to seven FTE; with changes made to those positions as well five years ago, reducing staffing on a professional level, requiring afour-year degree, now down to three positions being systematically downgraded over the last five years. However, Mr. Miller noted that by this deliberate reduction in skill levels, it had impacted and eroded internal controls; and also reduced department response time for one-time events and requests. Mr. Miller assured Councilmembers that the department would keep plugging away; attempting to find new areas and innovations; however, he opined that they were running out of options and places to go. Discussion among Councilmembers and staff included discretionary options in our licensing, whether state mandated for regulation or not (i.e., massage therapists); clarification that Liquor and Massage licenses were both mandated; recognizing that the City's role and level of involvement in the licensing process provided checks and balances in ensuring the health, safety and welfare of its citizens whether mandated or having other public purposes for legitimate business practices; in-house publication of financial materials rather than outsourcing; reducing color copy usage to reduce costs; and potential savings for major printing (i.e., Comprehensive Plan) and quality/color of draft versions versus final versions. Community Development Director Patrick Trudgeon Mr. Trudgeon noted that the Community Development Department was funded by user fees: building permits and other land use applications. Mr. Trudgeon advised that, therefore, many of the decisions made by City Manager Malinen in December, and recent MVHC concerns didn't directly impact that department as much as the other departments, with the exception of the indirect impacts that will be felt from reductions in interdepartmental cooperative efforts and assistance, affecting the department's sustainability in maintaining its funding sources. Mr. Trudgeon opined that staff continued to get stretched thinner, both through resources and equipment, making it more difficult for staff to perform their functions efficiently while not affecting the end work product and/or service. Mr. Trudgeon noted the staff cooperation interdepartmentally in regulating ordinances and reviewing projects, and the expertise required to accomplish that in the best interest of the City and its citizens. Mr. Trudgeon noted that, while not indicating any obvious or quantifiable financial cost, the City Council was most aware of this when issues come before them that have not been thoroughly vetted or thought out, based on limited staff time and/or focus.