2011 2:00:00 PM

Monday, September 12, 2011 2:00 PM
City Council Chambers, Legislative Building, 745 Fourth Street, Sparks, Nevada

General Business: 6.3

Title: Presentation, discussion, and possible action on the "Scope of Work for Business Licenses" approved by the Shared Services Elected Officials Subcommittee and requesting the City Manager to continue participating in the work plan as outlined. (FOR POSSIBLE ACTION)

Petitioner/Presenter: Shaun Carey, City Manager/Steve Driscoll, Assistant City Manager

Recommendation: The City Council to approve the CIty Manager's continued participation in the "Scope of Work for Business Licenses" as outlined.

Financial Impact: Fiscal impacts will be identified by each jurisdiction’s staff as work progresses through each of the work tasks. Those impacts requiring Council oversight and/or approval will be brought back to the Council as appropriate.

Business Impact (Per NRS 237):
A Business Impact Statement is not required because this is not a rule.

Agenda Item Brief: The Shared Services Elected Officials Committee (SSEOC) appointed a subcommittee to work with staff from the City of Reno, the City of Sparks and Washoe County on building permits and business licenses. That subcommittee approved a scope of work for business licenses on June 16, 2011. The City Council will review and discuss that Scope of Work and possibly direct City staff to fully participate in the work plan outlined in the Scope of Work.

Background: SHARED SERVICE ELECTED OFFICIALS COMMITTEE The City of Sparks participates as a member of the Shared Services Elected Officials Committee (SSEOC), with Mayor Martini and Councilmember Schmitt representing the City Council on the SSEOC. The SSEOC includes elected officials from the City of Reno, Washoe County, and the Washoe County School District. The SSEOC developed a prioritized list of services for potential sharing between the jurisdictions. Building permits and business licensure were two of the services identified within this prioritized list. The SSEOC subsequently appointed a subcommittee to analyze and provide recommendations for these two services. SSEOC SUBCOMMITTEE The members of the SSEOC subcommittee were appointed by both the Reno City Council and the County Commission. City representatives include Councilmember Sharon Zadra, Denise Jacobsen and Craig Willcut. County representatives include Commissioner Breternitz, Dick Bostdorf and Greg Peek. The SSEOC subcommittee first focused on building permit services, and shifted to business license services in May of 2011. The City of Sparks elected to join the discussions on business license services, and staff from all three jurisdictions began meeting weekly in mid-April 2011 in order to prepare approaches and recommendations for the first SSEOC subcommittee discussions on business licenses on May 19, 2011. The subcommittee approved in concept the approaches proposed by the three jurisdictions and directed that staff return with a draft work plan at the subcommittee’s June 16, 2011 meeting. The SSEOC subcommittee approved the attached Scope of Work for Business Licenses on June 16, 2011 (see Attachment). The SSEOC subcommittee will receive an update from staff on its progress towards completing the tasks within the Scope of Work on September 15, 2011. Staff presented the approved Scope of Work to the SSEOC on July 18, 2011. The SSEOC was complimentary of staff’s efforts to date in fulfilling the work plan outlined within the Scope of Work. Commissioner Breternitz, as the SSEOC Chairman, requested staff from all three jurisdictions present the approved Scope of Work to each elected body so the work plan could be reviewed and formally approved as a work program for each jurisdiction’s licensing staff. The Sparks City Council had already approved such a work program for its staff. Washoe County presented the Scope of Work to the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners at their meeting on August 23, 2011. City of Reno staff presented a companion item to the Reno City Council at their meeting on August 24, 2011. Mayor Martini and Councilmember Schmitt, at the August 23, 2001 Council Workshop, requested an update of the Business Licensing project’s Scope of Work and the current work effort status. This staff report is result of the combined Sparks City Council and SSEOC request. SCOPE OF WORK The work plan objectives within the Scope of Work (page 1) mirror those approved for the building permit services work plan. The desired outcomes are reflected on page 2, and the tasks within the work plan also begin on page 2. A short discussion of each of the seven work tasks follows. 1. Document Existing Shared Services. Two years ago, business license staff from all three jurisdictions began meeting quarterly to discuss matters of common interest. One result of these meetings was a common paper application shared among all three jurisdictions (see Attachment B). This application has been in use for almost two years and will be modified slightly to accommodate the multi-jurisdictional license (work task 2). Additionally, each jurisdiction’s business license home page has a web link to the other two jurisdiction’s business license web pages. 2. Multi-jurisdictional Licensure. The concept is for a business owner who desires to conduct business within two or more of the jurisdictions to apply at one jurisdiction (where their business office is located) to complete and turn in one set of the license application and associated forms. The “home” jurisdiction will accept the fees for all three jurisdictions and process the license application. Upon license approval, the “home” jurisdiction will forward a copy of the application and fee receipt to the other jurisdictions. The appropriate jurisdiction fees will be electronically transmitted and deposited to the appropriate accounts. Each jurisdiction will separately mail the license to the business owner. The business owner is saved from visiting all three jurisdictions to obtain a license. This concept will provide a “one-stop” shop for businesses operating within two or more jurisdictions; such businesses are typically service industries (e.g., landscaping, plumbing, contractors, etc.). A potential flow chart illustrating multi-jurisdictional licensure is included as Attachment C. Staff hopes to have the concept fully operational by January 2012. 3. On-line License Application. The three jurisdictions will coordinate and cooperate to develop a “common” approach to permit on-line license application and/or renewal. Such an approach will include the ability to make payments on-line. The jurisdictions face some challenges in that each jurisdiction uses separate license tracking and accounting software applications, plus many types of first time license applications require face to face coordination with licensing staff. However, staff is confident that a measure of on-line license application or renewal is feasible by the target outlined in the work plan (April 2013). 4. Code Amendments. Staff anticipates that minor code amendment possibilities will be identified as progress develops on the various work tasks. The work plan provides some examples of such potential code amendments to one or more of the jurisdiction’s licensing codes. Each jurisdiction’s staff will separately bring identified code amendments to their elected officials as part of the normal ordinance process. 5. State of Nevada Business License Portal. The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office has been working on an on-line “portal” to provide better business license information and service. All three jurisdictions were involved several years ago with initial plans for the portal; however, that initial effort made little progress. Recently, the Secretary of State has resumed efforts to complete the portal and staff will work with Secretary of State’s staff, plus each jurisdiction’s technology services staff, to assist in the portal. Staff has tentatively scheduled an initial meeting with Secretary of State’s staff in mid-September and the work plan outlines completion of this task by April 2012. 6. Regional Business License. The ultimate goal of the work plan is to develop a truly regional business license that is a single license valid within all three jurisdictions. Staff intends to use the multi-jurisdictional business license as a springboard towards further discussions on a regional license. The work plan calls for a June 2014 target for this long-range task. 7. Parallel Processes. As work proceeds on each of the separate work tasks, staff will contact other jurisdictions to solicit best practices. Staff also intends to form a stakeholders group in the fall of this year to assist with the multi-jurisdictional license task, principally to review the concept and work flow products for improvements from the customer’s perspective. A list of potential stakeholder participants is shown on page 9, and staff welcomes any suggestions of additional participants.

Analysis: Attachment A -- Scope of Work for Business Licenses Attachment B -- Shared Business License Applicaation Attachment C -- Multi-Jurisdicational Flow Chart

Alternatives: 1. The Council, after discussion, could approve the proposed "Scope of Work for Business Licenses" as outlined by staff and direct the City Manager to continue participating in the work plan as outlined. 2. The Council, after discussion, could offer suggestions to modify the proposed "Scope of Work for Business Licenses" as outlined by staff and direct the City Manager to continue participating in the work plan as modified. 3. The Council, after discussion, could choose to not approve the proposed "Scope of Work for Business Licenses" as outlined by staff and direct the City Manager to no longer participate in the work plan.

Recommended Motion: “I move to direct the City Manager to continue participating in the work plan outlined within the Scope of Work for Business Licenses approved by the Shared Services Elected Officials Subcommittee on Building Permits and Business Licenses.”

Attached Files:

Microsoft Word - 20110912 Shared Bus Lic Application.pdf

20110912 Scope of Work for Business Licenses.doc

20110516 County license flow chart.docx

6.3 Work scope.pdf

6.3 County license flow chart.pdf

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