The Human Resources Division is responsible for personnel, labor relations and employment and training services such as:

Personnel recruitment, selection, hiring, and administration of all City personnel services.
Labor Relations and Negotiations with the City's three represented bargaining groups
and with confidential and unrepresented employees.
Employee Benefits and Assistance, such as the City Employee Assistance Program,
health insurance, retirement benefits, employee recognition programs, training and staff
development programs, volunteer and intern programs.
Gardena One-Stop Employment and Business Center provides programs in compliance
with the Federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and other grant funding sources. Offers
training programs to dislocated/laid off workers through on-the-job training, vocational
training, job search assistance, job-development and support services. Provides quality
employment and training programs to economically disadvantaged youth and adults with
the following barriers: Basic skills deficient, dropouts, recipients of cash welfare
payments, disabled, homeless, offenders, residents of high crime/high poverty areas.
Operates as a business unit separate from the Administrative Services Department
and is responsible for the development, submission, and contract compliance of City
grant-in-aid programs.

The Financial Services Division works with, but independent of, the City Treasurers Office, and is responsible for accounting, budgeting, and financial administration, which includes:

Accounting and reporting of the City's expenditures and revenues such as payroll,
general fund and special funds.
Budgeting of all City services and coordination of department budgeting and oversight,
expenditure and revenue reporting.
Auditing and reporting, preparation and/or coordination of state and federal reports, the
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), quarterly reports to the City Finance
Committee and other reports as requested.

The Business Support Division is responsible for support services to all City operating departments and comprised of:

Purchasing and Contract Administration handles centralized purchases, competitive
procurements, and a number of citywide service contracts, such as animal control,
police towing services, fire services through the Consolidated Fire Protection District of
Los Angeles County, provides technical support and assistance to all City departments
on purchasing options and is responsible for the inventory and disposition of City
supplies and equipment.

Communication Services is responsible for the integrated use of the City's various
information and outreach services, including printed, web-based, cable television, and
telephone services. Staff produces brochures, forms, a City newsletter, an employee
newsletter, and maintains the City's website, government access channel, and provides
training and technical assistance to all City departments in the efficient and professional
use of electronic, audio, and visual communication equipment. The Gardena Cable
Usage Corporation is a separate entity from the City with a nine member advisory board
appointed by the City Council. A limited budget is allocated to the Corporation to
manage and encourage the use of public access television.

Business License administers the City's business license and permits regulations
and coordinates the review and approval process with all City departments.

Information Systems provides for the planning, coordination and administration of the
City's overall computer network system, including purchase and maintenance of all
City computer hardware and software. Information Systems staff provides technical
assistance and support to City departments in the application of technology systems
in their daily work operations.

PUBLIC SERVICE GOAL: To continually improve strategies and management practices throughout the organization that enhance customer service, ensure compliance with regulatory and statutory regulations, maximize the allocation of resources throughout the organization and enhance the City's public and professional image.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2005-2006

HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION

Personnel and Employment Services Division
Conducted 30 new hire recruitments for various City departments and processed 79 new
employees.
Reviewed and updated job classifications for all new recruitments.
Conducted salary studies on various positions.
Participated in planning for Employee Recognition Breakfast.
Completed annual salary survey for sworn personnel.
Provided personnel management and supervisor training through Southern California
Employee Relations Consortium.

BUSINESS SUPPORT DIVISION

Purchasing / Contract Administration and Business License
Continued to identify competitive pricing opportunities for equipment and services to
decrease the cost of City operations and enhance staff efficiency.
Developed a new procedure and a form to ensure City assets are stored and disposed of
in a timely manner.
Trained staff on the use of State Board of Equalization (AB 990) supplied data to increase
and collection of lost sales tax and business license fee revenue to the City.
Audited the delivery addresses serviced by the Residential Trash Hauler Agreement as
compared to that submitted to Los Angeles County as a property assessment.

Information/Communication Systems and Cable Television/Usage Corporation
Created the inventory and call structure for the deployment of help desk software to track
and manage Information and Communications Technology related, service call activity and related assets more effectively.
Transferred the City's databases to a separate application server to improve data retrieval
and reporting performance.
Worked with the City Clerk's Office to create a plan and establish index standards for the
deployment of the City's Document Imaging and Management System.
Completed the web page structure for developing the City's Intranet and identified the web forms to build in fiscal year 2006-2007.
Created a newsletter to mail along with the business license renewal notices for purposes
of marketing the City's new customer service program, Gardena Direct, and promote
web-based business license renewals.
Replaced obsolete equipment related to the binding and folding functions performed by the City's Print Shop to improve customer service.
Trained City staff to use the scanning feature available on all City copiers to provide a more efficient method for sharing hard copy documents and reduce copy costs.
Assisted Gardena Cable Usage Corporation in transferring title of the cable studio property to the City and redefining the organization's role in the community.


FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION

Received Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) "Distinguished Budget
Presentation Award" (10th year) and California Society of Municipal Finance Officers
(CSMFO) "Excellence in Operational Budgeting" award (10th year).
Analyzed revenue and expenditure accounts and made adjustments to realign and
simplify the Chart of Accounts.
Conducted Request for Proposal and selected auditing firm for fiscal year 2004/2005
audit.
Prepared quarterly financial statements and reported to City Finance Committee.
Presented updated fee schedule to Council, which was adopted in July 2005, with
potential $300,000 in additional annual revenue.
Worked with newly elected City Treasurer and new Deputy Treasurer to develop improved,
efficiencies and controls between the two separate offices.
Implemented billing and collection process with local businesses in compliance with
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
Prepared financial data and summary reports for the refunding of the Certificates of
Participation issued in June 2006.
Analyzed outstanding accounts and increased revenue by collecting and prosecuting on
accounts recievables.
Held quarterly review meetings with sales tax consultant, Community Development
Director and Economic Development Manager to maintain a watch on revenue from local
businesses.
Received Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) "Certificate of Achievement
for Excellence in Financial Reporting" award (20 years) for the comprehensive Annual
Financial Report (CAFR).