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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-07-053 - Citizen Service GuideILREPORT Report To: Chair Vrbanovic and Members of Finance and Corporate Services Committee Date of Meeting: Monday, November 19, 2007 Submitted By: Jeannie Murphy, Customer Service Project Manager Prepared By: Jeannie Murphy, Customer Service Project Manager Ward(s) Involved: ALL Date of Report: November 5, 2007 Report No.: CAO-07-053 Subject: Citizen Service Guide That Council endorse the standards for customer service as outlined in the attached Citizen Service Guide and staff report CAO-07-053, dated November 5, 2007. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Results from the 2003 Contact Centre Feasibility Study, the 2004 Citizen Survey, the 2006 Environics Survey, and interviews with front line staff in 2006, all indicated that customer service approaches across the City of Kitchener with respect to response times for telephone, in-person, e- mail and correspondence are not consistent. In fact, there are currently no official standards in place for the City with respect to response times. The Citizen Service Guide is a tool that staff will use to help them improve the level of service to our citizens and at the same time provide some consistency with the way that service is delivered. It also provides information and advice on how to improve service levels, information about Council, contact numbers for services throughout the city, and what services we provide as a city compared to our regional level of government. The Customer Service Program report under CAO-05-019 presented to Council in June 2005 identified a "Foundation" piece which was essential to improving customer service levels. One component of that Foundation was a need to establish Customer Service Standards. As we know, public confidence in government has a direct link to the level of customer satisfaction based on the service we provide to our citizens. While generally satisfied, citizens told us there was no consistency with respect to the service they received across the corporation. Front line staff across the organization also expressed concerns about this inconsistency. The attached Citizen Service Guide is intended to provide a framework for service delivery by staff in order to achieve more consistency across this organization. Before establishing the guidelines for these standards, information was gathered through various means: surveys of our citizens and staff, interviews with our front line staff, and research into the standards currently in place in other municipalities. The standards were then developed to respond to the gaps and suggestions by our citizens and our front line staff. The standards were reviewed and supported by CIVIT and SLT. The following are a highlight of the basic service standards: Method of Respond within... If you need more time to find the Contact answer... Telephone one business day Acknowledge within one business day Provide final response within five business days E-mail (including one business day Acknowledge within one business day BlackBerry) Provide final response within five business days In person reet within five seconds Mail or fax five business days Acknowledge within five business correspondence days, indicating when you will be able to provide a response. It is intended that these standards, together with the contact centre when implemented, will significantly improve customer service in the City. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Upon approval of the standards, meetings will be held with each department to review the guide and discuss implementation. This Guide will be updated regularly and will be available in hard copy as well as on our Intranet. The intent of the Guide is to help staff provide timely, consistent service to our Citizens. Jeannie Murphy Customer Service Project Manager Office of the Chief Administrator I M 1111111111 ill ;qrsiIIIII I q 11 11 iiii���ll I allifelo! ; • I I • III I ■ Service First ■ Citizen Service Values 9mr.-WO =.# ■ Telephone ■ In Person ■ E-mail ■ Correspondence ■ City of Kitchener Dress Code ■ Use your EAR ■ Non-verbal cues ■ Taking action and following up ■ The art of saying "no" ■ Tips for challenging situations ■ Serving our diverse community Helpful information about Kitchener City Council City Services and Contacts Who Does What (City of Kitchener vs. Regional Municipality of Waterlo Citizen Service First — Quick Reference Guide I Citizens rely on City services every day. As municipal employees, it is our job to provide those services effectively and courteously. It takes enthusiasm and attention from every one of us, whether you work in a front-line service role or not. All of us interact with others — members of the public, stakeholders, consultants, vendors, fellow staff and more — every day. Those interactions could involve anything from serving a citizen at a counter, to simply providing directions. Every interaction makes an impression that reflects on the City. This guide aims to help all staff provide the best service possible. You will find information about the City's response time and service standards, tips to improve your service, and helpful facts about the City of Kitchener. Each counter, function, and division has its own service challenges and situations. All employees are expected to work with their supervisors and use their best judgement in providing good service. Note: Throughout the Guide, the word "citizen" is used to refer to the customers we serve. However, it is important to remember that we have external customers (the residents of Kitchener) and internal customers (members of Council and fellow staff) and it is vital to provide good service to both. Service First The corporate plan identifies "Service First" as one of our five strategic areas of focus and explains what it means: ■ We anticipate the needs of internal and external customers. ■ Two way communication between managers and staff and information flows consistently. ■ All staff take responsibility for service issues. ■ We use knowledge of the corporation to maximize service opportunities. ■ We take appropriate action and follow-up to ensure satisfaction. Citizen Service Values Courtesy: We will serve our citizens with a smile on our face and in our voice, and we will do so in a respectful manner. We will listen to their concern or inquiry with empathy and understanding, and we will show a willingness to solve the problem or help out in some way. We want our citizens to feel as though they have been heard. Timeliness: We are committed to providing service in a timely manner. Our commitment to timeliness will be reflected in a corporate commitment to timeliness standards. Competence: We are committed to continuously developing the necessary knowledge and skills to support effective and professional service to our citizens. Competency in "Citizen focus" will be a core skill of all of our employees. Fairness: We will treat our citizens in a fair and equitable manner so that every citizen feels they have been treated the same as others. Outcome: We are committed to continuously communicating with and listening to our citizens, and to delivering services in the most cost-effective manner. We always aim to meet or exceed Below is a quick reference chart outlining response time standards that all City staff must meet or exceed. If you cannot answer the citizen's question within the standard time, acknowledge the inquiry and let the citizen know when he or she can expect the information. Telephone The telephone is the most commonly used method for citizens to contact the City. ■ From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., staff must make every effort to ensure that callers have the option of reaching a live voice by dialling zero. ■ At all times, callers should have the option of leaving a voice mail message that will be returned the next business day. ■ The City has a TTY number (519-741-2385) that is used by deaf or deafened citizens. Staff in the Office of the City Clerk relay all messages left on the TTY to the appropriate staff person. TTY calls must be responded to in one business day. Know Your Telephone The City of Kitchener has three types of telephone systems: Rolm, Redwood, and Analog. It is important to know the functions on your telephone. There are several options available to assist you to familiarize yourself with your telephone features. They are: ■ Consult the User Guides located on the Intranet ■ Call the Help Desk x2241 ■ Register for training which is available through IT ■ Go online to www.9751.com - the ROLM assistance website Answering and Greeting ■ Answer the telephone promptly, within the first three rings. Do not use Call Forward if you are in your office. ■ When answering the phone, identify your division/ department and yourself. ■ Smile — it will come through in your voice. Transferring a Call ■ Learn how to transfer a call before attempting to do so. Here are the steps: 1. Press the TRANSFER button. (The caller should not be on Hold when you do this.) 2. Dial extension number. 3. Announce the caller when the person answers. 4. Hang up. The transfer is complete when you hang up. Note: If the call goes to voicemail, you can press the * key until you are out of voice mail. (You will hear "Thank you for calling".) Then press the CONNECT button to get back to the caller. ■ When transferring a call or putting a citizen on hold, explain what you are doing (e.g. "I'm connecting you with ........ ). Also provide the caller with the phone number of the person you are transferring them to in case you lose the caller. ■ Transfer only once and to the right person. If you are in doubt about who should handle the caller's request, ask for the caller's name and number and call them back when you have the right information. ■ Never execute a "cold" transfer. When transferring a call to the next staff member give as much detail as you can so that the caller does not have to repeat the reason for calling, and the staff person answering the call can start with, "Mrs. Smith you've been transferred to the City of Kitchener, By-law division. My name is Karen. I understand you are having problems with your neighbour parking their car on their front lawn..." ■ What happens if, when transferring, you receive voicemail or the line is busy? Inform the caller that the person they are trying to reach is not available at the moment and ask them if they would like to leave a voice mail, take the person's direct number to try later, or leave their name and number with you. Kitchener Utilities Elmsdale Dispatch/Contact Centre: ■ 519-741-2529 is our general Citizen Contact line for all incoming calls from our citizens and for internal calls and transfers. ■ 519-741-2820 goes into our "queue" and will be answered in sequence; callers will be asked to wait until a customer service representative is available. ■ 519-741-2615 is the number for all manual pages for both outgoing and incoming pager response. All responses must be called back into this number and we ask that you keep your response to 30 seconds or less. This number must be kept confidential as it is for internal use only. ■ 519-741-2541 is our Gas Emergency number for gas emergencies only. If your call is determined to be a non-emergency situation you will be asked to call back on .1 1 ... . . 1. MOT rfty T, 71, V Frustration with voicemail is a common service concern. Here is what is expected of all staff: ■ Check for messages regularly throughout the day. ■ Always return messages within 24 hours; if you don't have the answer, call to acknowledge the message. There may be rare exceptions to this (for example, solicitation or sales calls) at the discretion of your manager. ■ Call Forward your telephone to your voicemail if you are leaving your office for half a day or more. ■ If your voicemail advises citizens to "press zero to reach a staff member immediately," please make every effort to ensure that this is the case. M 10 1 M M 0 You can change your outgoing voicemail message and retrieve messages from any phone (including from a remote location). For example, if you are ill and cannot come to work, you must change your outgoing voicemail from home to indicate this. Here are the steps: ■ Call 519-741-2801. ■ Enter # and your extension ■ Enter your security code ■ To record a new outgoing voicemail message, follow the prompts for "phone IF 44 --r- 1 1 .1 IF 11 . 1 ■ Cell phones (whether City-issued or personal) and other wireless communications devices must not be used while driving a City vehicle or a personal vehicle on City business. This provision is not applicable to emergency response vehicles. ■ "Camera" cell phones are prohibited from City of Kitchener facility change-rooms and washrooms, other than for emergency purposes. T172T-0071 All employees who work at City Hall must wear their photo identification badges at all times. This provides the public with a visible means of identifying City Hall staff, and helps security personnel and other City employees to identify their fellow staff. Citizens who have taken the time to come to a City facility are a high priority. Citizens must be greeted at the counter within 5 seconds. Serve citizens in the order that they arrive, and indicate the expected time of wait to those citizens in line. Before redirecting a citizen to another floor or city facility, call the area you are redirecting them to and confirm that it is the correct area. Council Policy Resolution 11 -110 applies to all employee classifications using electronic mail. It states that: "The electronic mail system is a City owned system, which is intended to facilitate internal, business communications; therefore messages within the system are the property of the City of Kitchener. The City of Kitchener will make reasonable efforts to maintain the integrity and effective operation of its electronic mail systems, but users are advised that those systems should in no way be regarded as a secure medium for the communication of sensitive or confidential information. The City of Kitchener can assure neither the privacy of an individual user's use of the City's electronic mail resources nor the confidentiality of particular messages that may be created, transmitted, received, or stored thereby." Using E-mail Effectively ■ Consider whether e-mail is the best way to communicate the issue you have at hand. When communicating through e-mail, you do not have tone of voice or body language to help get your message across, and that can lead to confusion or misinterpretation. ■ Like voicemail, check for new e-mails regularly throughout the day. ■ Write, edit and proofread e-mail as you would any other business communication or correspondence. ■ Do not use any "chat line" lingo. ■ Use proper upper and lower case letters in e-mail correspondence. Avoid writing in all capital letters, as this is the equivalent to shouting. ■ E-mails should be generally no more than 25 lines. If you need to include attachments, ensure that they are not too large, as you may experience problems transmitting the file. The Information Technology (IT) division may be able to provide alternative suggestions for transmitting large attachments. ■ Immediately forward messages received in error to the intended recipient or notify the sender of the error. ■ Do not put anything in an email that you would not be prepared to put in a memo or a letter. CC Function: If you use the "cc" function or are the recipient of an e-mail that you have been cc'd on, the intent is that the information you have either sent or received is just for your information. A general rule of thumb is that if you do use the cc field, the person receiving your e-mail should know why they are receiving a copy. Reply to All Function: Only use Reply to All if you really need your message to be seen by each person who received the original message. All Depts E-mails: Staff must receive approval from their General Manager prior to sending an All Departments e-mail. Read Receipts: Employees are not to use "read receipts" except under specific circumstances. They may not be attached to every email you send. Examples of some exceptions would be: ■ if your email is urgent and you need to know when it was opened ■ if you are sending official documentation that you need to track receipt of .,r I IF 1. . 1. 1 IF Urgent: E-mails are only to be marked "urgent" or "high importance" when a response is required within two hours. Out of Office Assistant: Use the Out of Office Assistant when gone from the office for one day or more. Your message should contain the following information: 0 1 - • ■ It is important to keep your Outlook Scheduler up to date, if you use Outlook, particularly for those trying to schedule a meeting. If your schedule appears clear, the assumption is that you are available to attend. Please be courteous to others and keep your schedule current. BlackBerry Guidelines To help balance the need for some staff to be available by email throughout the day with the desire to limit Blackberry interruptions during meetings, the City of Kitchener Senior Leadership Team has approved the following Blackberry policy: 1. City of Kitchener staff members are encouraged not to monitor their Blackberries during meetings. 2. If a staff member absolutely needs to monitor their Blackberry, they should let others know at the beginning of the meeting that they are awaiting an urgent email. 3. All City of Kitchener staff are to set their Blackberries to 'silent' so that they will not ring or vibrate, with two exceptions: ■ The incoming email contains the word 'urgent' in the subject line. Other City staff is encouraged to use this function only when it is truly urgent and a response is required before the receiver of the email gets out of his / her meeting. ■ The email comes from a specific individual identified by the user as frequently requiring priority response such as a member of their staff, their General Manager, or a member of City Council. 4. At no time should a member of staff take their Blackberry with them into an interview or performance management meeting. Correspondence Since all City-related correspondence is considered a record of the City, it can potentially be disclosed through Freedom of Information requests, litigation or audit proceedings, or other types of investigatory processes. Correspondence records also need to be retained in accordance with the City's Records Retention By-law and Schedule. Please contact Corporate Records Management and Archives Services, 741-2769, for further clarification on what constitutes a record. ■ All correspondence must be professional, courteous and appropriately worded. Do not use short forms. ■ All correspondence must be free of spelling and grammatical errors. ■ Frame your statements in positive terms. Instead of writing "Your request is denied," write "We have reviewed your application and have determined that you are not eligible because [list the reasons]. If you would like to discuss this, please contact the [name of division] Division at 519-741-2275.55 City of Kitchener Dress Code An important part of providing good service is presenting a proper and professional image to citizens and fellow employees. The City of Kitchener is committed to maintaining a professional corporate image, while being sensitive to the needs of customers and employees. The dress code at the City of Kitchener for those who do not wear uniforms is business casual. Formal business attire (e.g. suits and ties) is not required to be worn on a day to day basis, except when attending non-summer meetings of Council and Standing Committees, Public Meetings, or at times when formal attire may be deemed to be appropriate. Casual Fridays Employees can donate funds to a charity of their choice for the privilege of dressing casually on Fridays. Donations are collected and distributed through Payroll. Business casual attire is still in effect, with one exception — denim jeans are acceptable. Any revealing clothing is not appropriate in the work environment. This includes muscle shirts, spaghetti strap or halter tops, strapless tops or dresses, midriff-baring tops, short shorts, or mini skirts. Sweatpants, spandex clothing, baseball caps, flip-flops and sports sandals are I 11F - I I . I I I I I I 1 Use Your EAR. The EAR formula sums up some of the listening skills that will help you provide good service. E — Empathize. Put yourself in your citizen's shoes. Show them you care. A — Acknowledge the importance of what the citizen is saying. R — Rephrase. Put your citizen's needs in your own words. This shows that you've listened and understood their needs, and can clarify the situation. Non-verbal Cues (Body Lanquag : It's important to realize the impact of non-verbal cues. Studies have shown that 55 per cent of a message is communicated through body language, 38 per cent is communicated through tone of voice, and just 7 per cent is communicated through words. Take ownership. Try to solve the problem on your own unless it is in the citizen's best interest for you to forward it to someone else. If you need to involve someone else, work together as a team, don't just hand off the problem. Do what you say you are going to do. When you commit to a course of action, your integrity and that of the City is on the line. Set specific dates for follow-up. If possible, let the person know how things are progressing prior to the date committed, especially if it is more than two business days. The Art of Saying No: In the public sector, we sometimes are in a position of having to say "no" to enforce public policy or legislation. Here are some tips to handle the situation: ■ Don't take it personally. Remember that citizens are often already frustrated by the time they get to us. ■ Be informed. You need to know the policies, practices and procedures of your department so you can speak with confidence. ■ Know your limits. You need to know where you have flexibility and when you need to consult your supervisor. ■ Be fair and consistent. You can't create new rules to make one individual happy. When you change the rules for one person, you will have others asking for exceptions. ■ Be proactive. If policies and procedures are getting in the way of serving citizens, talk to your supervisor about the possibility of change. ■ Say what you can do, rather than focusing on what you can't do. ■ Acknowledge that you have considered the citizen's request, and explain the reason behind your response. • Offer a helpful alternative. If one is not readily available, tell the citizen that you will get back to them. Challenging Situations: The following is a list of "do's" and "don'ts" that may help you in challenging situations: Do's Don'ts DO prepare yourself by gathering all of the DON'T minimize the citizen's complaint or relevant information that is needed. concern. DO assume that the citizen's needs are DON'T put the citizen down by responding legitimate and value what the citizen is in a condescending manner. telling you. DO get at the root of the citizen's request, DON'T make assumptions that are not ensuring that you understand what they based on fact. are asking for. DO listen without interrupting when dealing DON'T argue. with complaining or angry citizens. DO maintain an active listening approach DON'T assume the citizen is wrong. that shows concern and understanding. DO monitor your attitude and remain DON'T lose your positive attitude. courteous and helpful. DO pause briefly before you respond, gathering your thoughts and keeping your DON'T make promises you can't keep. attitude in check. DO make an empathy statement to show DON'T take a citizen's complaints or an you really understand and care about the personally. issue or concern at hand. DO allow the citizen time to vent. DON'T bring personal biases into play. Sometimes this is all that is required. They come through loud and clear. DO take ownership and follow up later to ensure it has been resolved. Continuous Improvement One of the best ways to keep getting better is to stay on top of citizen needs and wants. ■ Ask for citizen feedback on service. Ask "what are we doing right" or "what could we do to improve our service to you ?" ■ Listen to front-line employees. They have a unique perspective on citizens' needs, and their perspective is valuable for supervisors and managers. ■ Continually train staff and provide tips and strategies to improve service. ■ Empower staff by giving them the authority to resolve service issues. ■ Look for ways to streamline processes and update policies to make them more efficient. ■ Inform citizens about what steps they can take to ensure a smooth service interaction (e.g. "bring photo identification with you.") You may be called upon to serve a citizen whose first language is not English, or a citizen with a visual, hearing, or mobility impairment. The following are some tips to provide good service. In all situations, it is important to monitor your voice level. You may be tempted to speak in a louder tone or with exaggeration, but in most cases this is not helpful. Providing Service to our Multicultural Community If there is a language barrier when serving citizens, please consult the "Volunteer Translators" page in our Internal Telephone Directory. There, you will find a list of staff who speak different languages and may be available to translate. You may also access the "Volunteer Translators" page on the Intranet under the "People" tab. The Multicultural Centre also provides a translator service. They are located at 102 King Street West, 519-745-2531. =`Iq Service to Citizens with Disabilities ■ Ask citizens with disabilities if they would like your assistance rather than assuming that they need it. If a citizen would like your help, inquire as to how you can best assist him or her. ■ If a citizen refuses your assistance, don't insist on helping him or her. ■ Address the citizen directly, not the interpreter, attendant, or companion. Make eye contact with the citizen who has the disability. ■ If you don't know what to do in any situation, just ask! The citizen who lives with the disability is the best resource for information on whether or how to help. ■ Put yourself in the citizen's shoes. Think of how you would wish to be treated and 1 .1 . . . I I 1 1. .. I I 1 1. 1 . I.. 1 llq� U� ■ Never touch a visually impaired citizen without warning, unless it is an emergency. ■ If help is wanted, offer your arm (the elbow) to guide the citizen. ■ Look at the citizen while speaking to him or her and do not assume that the individual cannot see you. ■ Ask the citizen if he or she would like the surroundings described. This may help the citizen feel more at ease. ■ If you must leave the citizen alone, make sure to guide him or her to a door, wall, or piece of furniture to stand next to. This will help the citizen stay spatially oriented. Providing Service to a Citizen with a Hearing Impairment: TTY Phone Number: The City has a TTY phone number (519-741-2385) located in the Office of the City Clerk, which is used by deaf or deafened citizens. Citizens are able to leave messages, and are advised that a staff member will respond to their call in one business day. Staff in the Office of the City Clerk will relay messages left on the TTY to the appropriate staff person. When a staff member is ready to respond to the TTY message, they come to Clerk's and a staff member assists them to return the call. Here are some other tips for service a citizen with a hearing impairment: Ask the citizen how you can best facilitate communication. Each individual knows of his or her own needs best. If a citizen requests a sign language interpreter, you have several options to reach someone who can assist. 1 Volunteer Translators that we have on staff are listed in our Internal Phone Directory under "Volunteer Translators" 2. You may also find this information on the Intranet, People tab, under Volunteer Translators I You many contact Ontario Interpreter Service - 519-744-6811, Office hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ■ Face a person with a hearing impairment when you are speaking to allow a clear view of your mouth, as lip-reading is a primary method of communication for some people with hearing impairments. ■ Always get the citizen's attention before speaking. ■ Eliminate any background distraction such as conversation, radio, etc., as best you can. ■ Speak clearly, normally, and not too quickly and avoid exaggerated lip movements or raising your voice. ■ Always ask before helping: sometimes assistance is not necessary or desired. ■ Always inform a citizen before you begin a step in the process of helping (e.g., I am now going to tip your wheelchair back."). Providing Service to a Citizen with a Mental Health Disability: ■ Speak with them as you would speak with any other citizen. ■ Don't pass judgement; avoid pre-conceived notions of what a person with a mental health issue is like. ■ Create a climate of confidence. Remain calm, relaxed and keep an open mind. ■ Ensure that the citizen understands you when you speak to him or her. ■ Consider the feelings of the citizen and behave accordingly. , I : : � I 1� Ilireliit; 11 111 i II ■ Mobile Health Unit: 519-744-7645 ■ Crisis Unit: 519-744-1813 ■ Community Outreach: 519-591-4921 Municipal elections in the Province of Ontario are legislated to occur every four years. Council is a political body, elected by the citizens to represent the wants and needs of the citizens. There are six wards in Kitchener, represented by one councillor per ward. Councillors are not "employees" of the City of Kitchener. They are elected officials. City Council is responsible for such activities as policy and decision making, including how Kitchener tax money is spent to pay for public services (capital) and administration I . % I - . A 11 J'01 . rr 1 .1 J.. . . I i qli The members of City Council are essentially the democratic link between the citizens of Kitchener and their local municipal government. Councillors are responsible as voting members of Council to represent and balance the interests of their ward areas with the immediate and long term needs of the city. It is every citizen's right to speak to their represented official regarding any City matter. However, it is the role of City staff to assist in resolving and addressing unique or particular issues or concerns raised by ward residents to the best of their ability. When to transfer to the Office of the Mayor & Council: When a citizen has specifically requested it, after you have already offered to assist. When you are unable to assist and meet citizen's expectations; immediate supervisor or manager is aware of the situation and has had the chance to satisfy the caller. 11111 , 11111111 q 11i illpq I liririr J!Vipp;;��111 Direct all calls through the 2300 main line. This will ensure the call is answered by front line staff — and not directed to a member of council's voicemail box. ■ Inform staff of the concern of the citizen including all details and actions taken before putting the citizen through to ensure the Mayor/Council staff person is fully informed. ■ Once the call has been put through, please forward all correspondence and details to the Office of the Mayor and Council staff member who has taken the call. This background information will assist staff in more thoroughly informing the member of council on the details and actions regarding the situation. Council encourages citizens to share their information and thoughts on municipal affairs and local concerns. of Service Responsible for... Contact —Name Accounting Payroll, accounts payable, general ledger, 519-741-2340 sales tax, contracts, banking Aquatics Pools and wading pool; lessons, water 519-741-2502 sports, fitness Arts & Culture Rotunda Gallery, Artist -in- Residence, 519-741-3400 ext public art, industrial artifacts 3381 Athletics Liaison with adult and minor sports groups, Liaison sports programs, Athletic Awards, minor 519-741-2688 or sports grants and sportsfields bookings. 519-741-2689 Sportsfield Booking 519-741-2398 Aud. and Arenas Operation of The Aud (KMAC), Civic 519-741-2699 Square rink, and arenas (Don McLaren, Grand River, Lions, Patrick J. Doherty, Queensmount) Building Issuing building permits for construction or 519-741-2433 renovation, inspecting projects to enforce Ontario Building Code, reviewing plans to ensure compliance. Cemeteries Operation of six cemetery properties 519-741-2880 (Williamsburg, Woodland, Kitchener Mount Hope, St. Peter's Lutheran, Bridgeport and Free Church, Strasburg Historical) Community Community and senior centres, inclusion 519-741-2224 Programs & services, Adults 50+ services, youth Services services, volunteer resources, summer playgrounds, winter outdoor rinks, safe and healthy communities Corporate Communications and marketing planning, 519-741-2785 Communications media relations, writing, graphic design Marketing _& Economic Business attraction and retention, 519-741-2292 Development Waterloo Region Small Business Centre Emergency Preparation and maintenance of the City's 519-741-2499 Planning Emergency Plan which would be used in the event of a large-scale emergency Enforcement Investigate/ enforce municipal by-laws; 519-741-2330 parking, property standards, noise, fences, zoning and lot maintenance Name of Service Responsible for... Contact Engineering Design and construction, reconstruction 519-741-2406 Services and rehabilitation of roads, sidewalks, sewers, and storm drainage. Construct surface parking lots and garages and coordinate street lighting. Facilities Facility planning, construction, relocation 519-741-2680 Management services, maintenance, custodial services, security, land management and tenant management Financial Annual budget and financial statements, 519-741-2332 Planning & internal audit reviews, provincial grant submissions, investments -Reporting Fire Prevention Inspections, permits, and public education. 519-741-2495 Golf Courses Operation of Rockway and Doon Valley Doon 519-741 - golf courses 2710 Rockway 519 -741- 2583 Grants/ Hot Air Processing general provision and annual 519-741-2395 Balloon Approvals operating grants; approvals to launch hot air balloons from City lands. Human Recruitment and retention of employees; 519-741-2260 training and benefits -Resources Information Install, maintain and provide support for 519-741-2211 Technology the City's computer network; training; electronic information systems and automated business processes Kitchener Utilities Natural gas and water service; rental water 519-741-2626 heaters, appliance financing, billing inquiries; emergency (fire, explosions, gas odour) calls Legal Services Legal advice to Council and corporate 519-741-2268 department; contracts, agreements and by-laws; real estate transactions; prosecutes by-law and other legislative offences Legislative Council/committee secretariat services, 519-741-2286 Services marriage licenses, vital statistics, business and lottery licensing, corporate records management, Freedom of Information requests Market (Your Operation of Your Kitchener Market 519-741-3400 ext -Kitchener Market) , 1 3346 Name of Service Responsible for... Contact Operations Maintenance/repairs to sewers, roads and 519-741-2514 sidewalks; snow removal; leaf collection; maintenance of parks, sportsfields, p la rounds, public trees and parkland Parking Operation of Duke/Ontario, Market and 519-741-2378 City Hall parking garages and 24 downtown surface lots Planning Land use policy, regulation of new 519-741-2426 development; site plan approvals, recommendations on zone changes, subdivision plans, official plan amendments, and demolition control app ications. Printing Services Printing, duplication and bindery services 519-741-2282 (Print Shop) Project Capital investment strategies and project 519-741-2416 Administration & administration Economic I nvestment Revenue Billing and collection of property tax, utility 519-741-2450 bills, rental water heaters, appliance financing, meter reading, bill and parking ticket payments Special Events/ Events at City Hall and Victoria Park (e.g. 519-741-2558 Banner Approvals KidSpark, Tooney Tuesdays, Word on the Street) Tourism Operation of KW Tourism/ Your Kitchener 519-745-3536 Store; visitor information and licensed merchandise Transportation On-street traffic and parking regulations, 519-741-2379 Planning traffic calming, school safety; construction ands ecial event permits/signing City of Kitchener Region of Waterloo By -law Enforcement — parking, noise, By -law Enforcement — lawn watering, property standards, land use issues tree cutting, roadside dumping, weed Enforcement Department inspections 519- 741 -2330 Lawn Watering 519- 575 -4495 Fire Prevention & Education Waterloo Regional Police — Community Fire Department Resources (Mobilization) Officer 519- 741 -2496 519 -653 -7700 ext: 4409 Licensing — Business & Lottery Licensing —Taxis, Limousines, Salvage 519- 741 -2275 Yards 519 -575 -4400 Library System — Urban Library System — Rural Main Branch 519- 743 -0271 519- 575 -4450 Mayor Carl Zehr & Six Ward Councillors Regional Chair Ken Seiling & Fifteen 519- 741 -2300 Councillors 519- 575 -4585 Plans — Local Zoning, Neighbourhood Plans - Official Policies — Development Zoning Charge By -laws & Environmental 519- 741 -2317 Stewardship 519- 575 -4533 Roads, Municipal— Blue Signs Roads, Regional — Green Signs Design, Construction, Rehabilitation Traffic Signals & Signs, Roundabouts 519- 741 -2514 519- 575 -4536 Social Housing Regional Housing — Tenant Placement Kitchener Housing 519- 744 -6655 & Services 519 -575 -4800 Tax Collection - Rate Collection, Water, Tax Development - Setting Ratios & Sewer Property Tax Rates Revenue Department 519- 741 -2450 Finance Department 519- 575 -4548 Vital Statistics — New Birth, Death Vital Statistics — Immunization, Registrations, Marriage Licences Communicable Disease, Dental, Clerks Department 519- 741 -2274 Sexuality Resources 519- 883 -2006 Waste Management- Sewage Collection Waste Mgmt — Landfill & Transfer 519- 741 -2515 Station Sites, Recycling & Garbage Collection 519- 883 -5100 Water Distribution, Sanitary & Water Water Supply and Wastewater Connections & Locates Operations, Set Rates Utility Dept 519- 741 -2529 Water Services 519 -575 -4400 Method of Respond within... If you need more time to find the Contact answer... Telephone one business day Acknowledge within one business day Provide final response within five business days E-mail (including one business day Acknowledge within one business day BlackBerry) Provide final response within five business days In person greet within five seconds Mail or fax five business days Acknowledge within five business correspondence days, indicating when you will be able to provide a response. Exceptions to the standards can be made (for example, for sales calls or correspondence) at the discretion of your manager.