OK I'll do it

[Lost_in_MSP]

I'm not usually a 'joiner' but I'm doing it anyway.

I am a recent transplant to Minnesota "big-city" planning.

However, the City in all its wisdom and glory, decided a few months back that they were going to restructure their 'development functions.' So we are being merged into a new department that includes planning, the development agency, jobs/training programs (don't know why?), and citizen engagement. It's all a great mess at the moment, and change is always stressful. Many of the planners here feel that Planning is going to be driven by development now, with planners left without an independent voice in the process.

I'm wondering if anybody else has survived this type of transition, and HOW?? I guess it could be worse, I could be in a city that just eliminates the Planning Department......oh wait....I just may already be there!

Anyway, nice to be here.

 

[Runner]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Chet]

Welcome. Sounds like an interesting reorganization, good luck surviving it!

 

[nerudite]

I have been in the middle of a huge re-org like that... and it... sucks. In the City of Vancouer we re-orged the Planning Department to annex all the development review engineers, fire plans examiners, building plans examiners, etc. into one department. Everyone who moved from the "host departments" to Planning were very upset and did not want to be away from their departments. Although it was great for meetings and helping customers at the counter, it turned out that all of the engineers, fire plans examiners, etc. were not receiving updated training and were left out of the loop when standards changed. So customer service turned out about the same overall, while morale went through the floor. We ended up within five years sending all of the engineers back to their departments in another reorg. I managed the 2nd reorganization (and the new engineering development review process)... the morale problems were enough to put me off management for awhile. But, from what I hear, the new system (which is really just the original configuration, but tweaked a little) is working out just fine.

Things work out in the end... but reorganization in bureaucracy is always a hellish experience. So... with that, welcome to the forums. Post your experiences and maybe we can all commiserate a little. Good luck!

 

[Cardinal]

Welcome. I wish you luck with your reorganization. There are a small number of us economic development professionals out there who understand the value of planning and the importance of sometimes saying "no" to development just for the sake of "growth."

 

[Chet]

Nerudite - People are fickle. We recently reorg'd where the employees could park. Mind you, we moved it closer to the building and made the stalls wider to reduce dings, AND THEY STILL BITCHED ABOUT IT.

Dont even get me started on climate controls.

 

[Rem]

Welcome aboard.

I love reorganisations - with my current employer I had 5 different jobs in my first six years - all the result of restructures. Now I feel like I'm in a rut because I've had the same job for 5 years.

But, our restructures provided benefits to our residents - possibly at some personal expense to the staff. How could any planning department today look the same as a planning department 10 years ago and be confident it is responding to contemporary challenges and objectives? I'm with Chet, people will complain regardless, but if you're focussed on making things better, push through. We can't be NIMBY's at work and then go and preach change to our communities.

 

[H]

welcome to site

planners independent voice, that is a novel idea

 

[Cardinal]

Dont even get me started on climate controls.

Grrrr! Anyone know where I can get a thermostat with access codes? Seriously.

 

[nerudite]

Grrrr! Anyone know where I can get a thermostat with access codes? Seriously.

[OT]
Just get one of those lockbox cover dealies...

[/OT]

 

[PlannerGirl]

welcome!!!! I helped do a reorg in NC and It worked for the better-but I did not like the idea of all the reviewers under one roof and thank god that part had not happend yet (no where to put folks)

Enjoy your stay with us, we look forward to your input.

 

[SGB]

Welcome.

I've never been through such a large-scale re-org. Be sure to keep us informed as it progresses/regresses.

 

[Greenescapist]

Welcome. I love Minneapolis and will look forward to hear how your reorg goes. Maybe some good will come out of it?

 

[Tranplanner]

We're still re-orging here, almost six years after the seven municipalities that made up Toronto were amalgamated.

Good luck!

 

[Jeff]

I look forward to probably doing the Twin Cities Marathon next year, maybe we'll catch up.

 

[biscuit]

Welcome!

With 130 municipalities in one county, I wish we could get a re-org around here.