County Manager Announces Redesign

Last January, the county manager’s 90 day letter addressed the issue of Organizational Development. It had become evident to that increased efficiency and effectiveness could be achieved by transforming the organizational structure and decreasing the county manager’s span of control. Last night he presented the commission with the results of that transformation. Staff has spent the past four months developing the attached organizational redesign. The management team helped develop this structure. Commissioners approved the redesign last night.

The critical functions are aligned to create staff synergy and increase horizontal and vertical information flow within the county structure. Thereby reaching the ultimate goal of improved information flow to external stakeholders and ultimately the citizens. Under the past structure the organizational hierarchy consisted of division department program, now with the redesign it will consist of department division programs/sections/services. The county manager’s executive team will consist of the deputy county manager, two assistant county managers, and the county engineer. Through this redesign Sedgwick County was able to align the organization by function and go from eight direct reports under the county manager to four. When the manager began the organizational redesign process he promised the commission a “zero sum game” meaning no increase to the organizational head count and no additional costs, this goal has been achieved.

There are no names currently attached to this chart, individuals for new roles will be announced as they are identified through the redesign process. The county will take a phased approach for implementation beginning with the Department of Public Works, followed by the Department of Public Safety and Code Enforcement, then General Services Administration, and finally the Department of Public Services. The General Services Administration will include all central support services, including a new internal audit function.