National Engineers Week: Creating An Efficient Engineering Division

The Engineering Division operates with a small staff of just three dedicated employees. Our civil engineers have been working non-stop to make big changes in the Engineering Department! These changes allow our expert team to work efficiently and handle anything.

So, how exactly does our small Engineering Division manage over 12 development projects (both public and private!); prepare and execute over 10 water, sewer, and stormwater projects; and oversee right-of-way permitting, development plan reviews, public improvements permitting, construction inspects, and the City’s G.I.S. and AutoCAD base maps? Let’s find out more!

Cross Training: Every member of the Engineering Division is being trained in all apects of the Division. Our engineers learn about reviewing and approving permits; understanding how apply System Development Changes to new developments and redevelopments; performing plan reviews, construction inspections, and how to file, archive, store, and manage the tremendous amount of plans and documents the Division handles.

Cross-training and flexibility is crucial to ensure that the Engineering Division’s service to the community is always top-tier. It allows staff to support each other’s projects and step in to cover one another’s work when needed. This wide range of skills means staff can effectively execute their many projects. It makes our Engineering Division more efficient and enables them to work well together so that no one feels overwhelmed (or under-challenged!).

Restructuring Management: This year the Engineering Division restructured to improve efficiency and service. The Division recently transitioned to an Engineering-Manager-led structure. The new structure keeps engineers unburdened day-to-day management of the Division. Instead, they can focus on performing the Division’s necessary civil engineering work.

The Engineering Manager now handles the administrative activities and operations of the Division. The new Division structure will allow our team to update to the City’s engineering standards, standard detail drawings, and other documents. Many of them have not been updated in more than 20 years!

Streamlining Processes: The Engineering Division is using new processes and technology to improve their efficiency. The updates also provide new and improved services to the community. In the past month, the Division has switched to electronic-based permitting. E-permitting allows citizens, utility providers, and developers to fill out, submit, and pay for permits online. It also allows for faster processing and approval of permits. Don’t worry, the Engineering Division still processes permits in-person for those who do not want to use the electronic form.

Much of the Division's filing and document storage has also switched to software-based solutions. This reduces paper waste and ensures that engineers can locate information faster. This change has already shortened document retrieval to a matter of minutes.

These changes and tools are only a few examples of how our three-person Engineering Division is evaluating its day-to-day practices. Through cross-training and efficiency, our talented engineers take on the work of maintaining an entire city!