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reconfiguration would cause. The original needs assessment did review future staff increases and the resultant need for additional space in City Hall to accommodate those increases. In reviewing the study, each department was looked at and staffing needs were projected out for five years. Since the 1999, study all departments with the exception of Administration have basically achieved the projected or exceeded the 2-year staffing projections. About a year ago, Administration reviewed its staffing needs and the department was reorganized to accommodate changing service demands and expectations. The Administrative Services Manager position was essentially divided into two positions, the Assistant City Administrator and the Human Resources Manager; the secretarial pool was dismantled and each department added their own department secretary; and a receptionist and a secretary left the City of Ramsey. Consequently, two half time positions were combined to create a full-time secretarial position and a receptionist was hired. Last summer, most departments at City Hall had their workspace reconfigured to allow for additional staff. In most cases, this resulted in smaller workspace areas. The Finance Department had to relocate several filing cabinets to the basement in order to accommodate an additional workspace for the TIF Specialist; Community Development reconfigured their workspace to accommodate the department secretary and an intern; and Engineering was temporarily moved to the basement to accommodate another engineering position and a department secretary. Accessibility issues and convenience for residents required that the Engineering Department be eventually returned upstairs to the main level. This move upstairs was implemented when the City Council chambers were temporarily relocated to the new fire station in April. The Engineering Department also required available meeting space, which they did not have in the basement level of City Hall and the second half of the old Council Chambers now provides. Essentially, the needs study in 1999 concluded that the City Hall is currently being utilized to its maximum and because of the lack of useable space and the inflexibility of the configuration of that space, no solutions are available that will fundamentally alleviate this situation except for facility expansion. Based on Council direction, staff recently met with Barry Badinger, E&V Consultants and Construction Managers. Mr. Badinger was hired through a formal selection process to assist staff in securing architectural services to review the needs assessment study and assist the City in planning, design and construction of the expansion and renovation of the existing City Hall. Mr. Badinger was directed by staff to identify several architectural firms that had experience in designing and renovating public sector buildings and send them a letter inviting them to submit proposals for this project. Four architectural firms submitted proposals for the project and three were interviewed by a panel consisting of Mr. Badinger, the Assistant City Administrator, and the Fire Chief. The three architectural firms that were interviewed included Wold Architects and Engineers; Buetow and Associates; and Boarman Kroos Vogel Group (BKV). Staff recommended that the Finance Committee recommend selection of BKV Group to the City Council to provide the architectural services for the proposed City Hall expansion project. While the proposal from the BKV Group is not the lowest submitted bid, it represents the most responsible proposal. The BKV Group's proposal discusses many items and issues that staff found to be in the best interest of the proposed City Hall project. They include having a multi-disciplinary firm that can provide mechanical and electrical engineering, architectural design, structural engineering, budget planning and cost control. BKV's experience with expansion and remodeling public sector facilities is extensive. They also have experience working with the City of Ramsey in developing the original needs assessment study. BKV has first-hand knowledge of what the City's needs are and would spend less time in the analytical phase of this proposed project. Finance Committee/May 22, 2001 Page 2 of 4