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MEMO <br /> To: Bob Hammitt, Johnny Medlin, Dick Morgan, Gene Shutt <br /> From: Carrie Jennings <br /> Subject: Volunteer Program & Urban Forestry <br /> Date: July 16, 1997 <br /> The following unsolicited comments are drawbacks, (in my opinion, from a support staff perspective) to <br /> the move of Urban Forestry staff to building twelve and the housing of the new Volunteer Program in <br /> building one. <br /> URBAN FORESTRY <br /> • This program requires heavy support from the support staff, including dictation transcriptions <br /> and proofreading, both of which require constant communication. There are also many other <br /> miscellaneous projects placed in the work basket from Urban Forestry staff. <br /> • We would lose the ability to track Mike and Scott using the in/out board. This is an essential <br /> tool in maintaining communication with the public. The public will not willingly accept that we <br /> do not know where they are or when they will be back. It is difficult enough to track staff <br /> involved in this program even when they are housed in the same building. <br /> • We have found it necessary to proof documents leaving this office, especially with the large <br /> volume of public contacts involved with Urban Forestry. We learned from experience (after the <br /> fire when we were all housed in different locations) that the inconvenience of having to walk <br /> across the yard to have documents proofread significantly inhibits our ability to ensure <br /> professional documents leave this office. <br /> • Urban Forestry staff is called frequently to the front counter to review plans, etc. This would be <br /> inefficient use of time for staff to walk across the yard every time there is a citizen at the counter, <br /> and the person would be forced to wait longer. This wait time could easily lead to more chaos in <br /> the front office lobby area, which we have worked hard to eliminate. <br /> • This program area is always the first to be moved, shuffled, and placed in cramped quarters. <br /> This has not gone unnoticed by the staff in this program. They feel pushed aside and <br /> unappreciated as it is, and in my opinion, another move will not help. This is an overworked, <br /> understaffed program area. Do we want to add to the burn-out? <br /> VOLUNTEER PROGRAM <br /> One of the major concerns in this area involves security, on several different levels. I will give you some <br /> examples: <br /> • We have attempted to gain control of the problem of people wandering the yard, either looking <br />