ADMINISTRATIVE_PROCEDURES.pdf

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

1. TELEPHONE/E-MAIL PROCEDURES

The Contractor’s personnel, when starting their shift, shall check all Voice Mail, Water Use Violation Hotline, Patroller Hotline, and E-mail.

2. VOICE MAIL

The Contractor’s personnel shall check voice mail first thing in the morning and throughout the day.

3. ANSWER ALL INCOMING CALLS

The City’s goal is to provide a prompt, friendly, consistent level of customer service to all callers. The Contractor’s personnel should be capable of advising all callers of the current restrictions and the options available to them with regards to any citation they might have received. Those options include paying the appropriate penalty or appearing in court before a judge to defend their position at the assigned court date listed on their citation.

4. WATER USE VIOLATION HOTLINE

The City has set up a Water Use Violation Hotline, (813) 274-8036 or (813) 274-8121, option #4, which is available 24-hours-a-day for residents to report violations of the water restrictions. This is different from the Water Conservation Hotline, (813) 274-8032 or (813) 274-8121, option #3, which is available for callers to hear a recorded summary detailing the City’s current water restrictions. The Contractor’s personnel shall check the Water Use Violation Hotline on a daily basis or more frequently as necessary.

The Contractor’s personnel shall log all Water Use Violation Hotline messages on the Water Use Violation Hotline Log.

Quite often the information from the hotline only includes an address. If this is the case, the Contractor’s personnel shall look up the name of the utility account holder from the most current list of utility accounts, which shall be provided by the City on a bi-weekly basis. If a resident chooses to leave their name and number on the hotline, the Contractor’s personnel shall return the call letting the resident know what action shall be taken to resolve this matter. The Contractor’s personnel shall then mail a letter to the address to notify the account holder of the possible violation. The letter shall also include information about the current water use restrictions. These letters are sent as regular mail.

5. SHIFT CALL-IN LINE

Patrollers are required to call in at the beginning of each shift to record their arrival and departure and to listen to any pre-recorded messages that were left for them.

6. EMAIL

Much of the day-to-day interaction between the Contractor and the City is accomplished via e-mail. The Contractor shall check their email multiple times throughout the day and responded to emails, as necessary.

7. CITATION PROCESSING

Citation processing includes many stages and should be prioritized daily. Stages include address verification, violation verification, citation completion, data entry, reports, copy distribution, certified mail preparation, and citation delivery.

8. ADDRESS LOOK-UP

Citations received from the patrollers are only partially completed with a street address where the violation occurred. The City shall provide an updated Utility Account Database to the Contractor biweekly which shall be used to locate and verify the service address and the corresponding account holder’s full name and mailing address (sometimes different than the service address where the violation occurred).

Occasionally, the service address contradicts the mailing address in use by the account holder. If the information cannot be located in the Utility Account Database, the Contractor’s personnel shall use the Hillsborough County

Property Appraiser’s Web site at www.hcpafl.org to locate the necessary information. If neither of these resources prove successful, the Contractor’s personnel shall request the City’s assistance in locating missing addresses/information via sewer account or other information.

9. COMPLETING THE NAME AND ADDRESS

After verifying the violation address, the Contractor’s personnel shall complete the name and address on the citation. To do so, the Contractor’s personnel shall enter account holder’s name. Next, the Contractor’s personnel shall complete the address and take special care to verify whether there is a different mailing address from the cited address listed. If so, use an * and fill in mailing address in description area.

10. COMPLETING THE INFRACTION

The Contractor’s personnel shall complete the infraction section with the appropriate code/ordinance that has been violated. If the Water Use Restrictions change, the Ordinance number may be affected. Inquire with appropriate Water Conservation Manager if not advised otherwise.

The Contractor’s personnel shall mark the appropriate option B and enter additional defining information in the space that follows:

Example: (b)Section 26-97 c(3) Irrigation on a non-irrigation day. Irrigation for addresses ending in 6 is permitted on Tuesdays and Fridays only.

11. WARNINGS, ASSIGNING A CITATION NUMBER AND PENALTIES

To complete the remainder (bottom portion) of the citation, the Contractor’s personnel shall use the water citation database to determine if any citations have been issued for the cited address within the past three (3) years, and, if so, how many. During periods when the City is issuing Official Warnings on a first offense prior to the issuance of a citation, if no prior citations are recorded within past 36-month period, an Official Warning shall be issued.

During periods when the City is issuing citations on first observance of a violation, no Official Warnings will be in use. Following a determination regarding 1st, 2nd, or 3rd or subsequent citation (or Official Warning, if in use), the database shall be updated to record that determination.

*Note: This is currently the proper procedure, but these requirements are subject to change at any time during the term of this contract. If the procedures do change, the City will work directly with the Contractor to advise on the changes.

The Contractor’s personnel shall assign the appropriate citation number for the cited address on the citation by placing a check (√), in the corresponding space on the citation. If the citation is a 4th or more, annotate the number above the “3rd or Subsequent Citation” column on the citation.

Example: ( ) 1st Citation ( ) 2nd Citation ( ) 3rd or Subsequent Citation

12. FIRST AND SECOND CITATION FINE AND FEE ASSESSMENT

After the citation number has been determined, the Contractor’s personnel shall assign the corresponding penalty, and fees, according to the following schedule.

Fine Schedule Fee Schedule 1st Citation - $100 fine 2nd Citation - $200 fine $15 Clerk's Fee 3rd & Subsequent Citation – up to $500 fine

Example:

$ 100 + $ _ + $ 15 = $ 115.00 Penalties Administrative Fee Clerks Fee Total Penalties

( ) You must pay the TOTAL PENALTIES within 45 consecutive days from the citation date….

OR elect to appear in court to contest…(See court date and time below.)

13. THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT CITATIONS

If the citation is a third or subsequent citation, check (√) the 3rd or Subsequent Citation column and write the appropriate citation number (3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.) directly above. Check Mandatory Court Appearance. DO NOT

ASSIGN FINE/FEES FOR ANY 3RD AND SUBSEQUENT CITATIONS.

Example:

(4th citation) ( ) 1st Citation ( ) 2nd Citation ( ) 3rd or Subsequent Citation ( ) A mandatory court Appearance is required.

14. HEARING DATES

Court dates are assigned by the court and may be held either virtually or in person in the Edgecomb Courthouse located at 800 East Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602. Complete the month, day, year, and time of the assigned hearing date on all citations.

It is the responsibility of the administrative staff to track the number of citations scheduled for each assigned hearing date. Once the Clerk has scheduled the maximum number of cases allowed on the docket, or 45 days prior to the court date, whichever occurs first, administrative staff shall contact the Clerk’s office to request that a new docket be opened.

15. DATA ENTRY

Citation information is retained in an online database. Following initial entry in fields at the Violation Info and Infraction Info tabs, notes and attachments to document interaction with the citation recipient shall be added and kept current to provide access to all database users.

16. REPORTS

E-mail the reports as required. Other miscellaneous reports may be requested throughout the contract period to meet internal requests, public request or media requests for information about water restriction enforcement activities.

17. SEPARATING THE CITATIONS. There are four carbon copies to the citation:

• White Copy- Once a week are delivered to the Clerk of Court's office located on the 2nd floor of 401 North Jefferson Street.

• Yellow Copy- Enforcement Office copy, which is used for reference and at monthly court appearance.

• Pink Copy- Defendant copy, which is sent via certified mail.

• Goldenrod Copy- City of Tampa Water Department Copy located at 711 East Henderson Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33602.

*Note: This is currently the proper procedure, but these requirements are subject to change at any time during the term of this contract. If the procedures do change, the City shall work directly with the Contractor to advise on the changes.

18. MAILING CITATIONS

Once the citations have been separated, the Defendant’s copy of the citation is mailed via Certified Mail. Prior to mailing, affix pre-printed “Early Pay” self-adhesive note to citation. Prior to mailing print the following mailing labels:

Label Set One- to address envelopes.

Label Set Two- for the return receipt on the certified mail card. Label Set Three- for the certified mail book.

19. CERTIFIED MAIL PREPARATION

a. Place address label on front of envelope.

b. Insert pink citation copy and instruction letter (provided by the City) and seal envelope.

c. Attach address label on the outside and return address stamp on the other side of green certified mail card.

d. Attach a green certified mail card to the back of the envelope.

e. Place a bar-coded certified mail receipt on the front of the envelope and detach at perforation.

f. Staple the perforated portion to the yellow office copy of the citation.

g. Write the tracking number on the green certified mail card in the location labeled 4a. Article Number.

h. Log the tracking numbers on the mailing labels that have been affixed to the Certified Mail Book provided by the City.

i. Deliver to the City’s central mailroom accompanied by a mail authorization slip to be provided.

20. TRACKING CERTIFIED MAIL

Alphabetize the yellow copies of the citations. When the Post Office returns the certified mail card, staple it to the yellow copy of the citation. This is considered proof that the defendant has been served and the citation may be used in court. The citations are then filed by Court Date.

21. CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

Certified mail returned to the City when it is unclaimed or otherwise not delivered as addressed is returned directly to the City Water Department. The City shall verify that the mailing address of all returned mail containing citations matches the utility’s account holder using the City’s billing system. The Contractor or an authorized representative shall prepare a U.S. Postal Service Certificate of Mailing, then deliver it to the City’s central mailroom to re-mail. All Certificates of Mailing shall be retained for reference, as necessary.

22. DISMISSALS

If a Citation is being dismissed, that information must be added to the master citation database. Required information includes date of dismissal and comment/reason for dismissal.

Next, generate a Notice of Dismissal Letter (template to be provided) for the City Attorney to sign. Prepare two copies, one copy to be attached to our copy of the citation and one copy and a set of labels to be supplied to the City Attorney’s office.

23. COURT PROCEDURES

Defendants who have not chosen to pay their fines and fees have the option to present their defense in court.

Court may be held either virtually or in person in the Edgecomb Courthouse located at 800 East Twiggs Street, Tampa, FL 33602. On occasion, a defendant may appeal the court’s decision and request an additional hearing.

Should this occur, the date, time, and location will be selected by the court.

24. PREPARATION FOR COURT

One (1) week before the scheduled court date, administrative staff shall request a pull list from the Clerk’s office.

On the Wednesday prior to a scheduled court date, administrative staff shall acquire a copy of the docket from the Court. In addition to the docket list, an individual page should be provided for each defendant on the docket.

Administrative staff shall staple the yellow citation copy with attached certified mail return receipt to the back of each individual Docket page; keep in alphabetical order.

If service failed and there is no return receipt, then administrative staff must attach the yellow copy only and request a continuance to the next scheduled court date at the hearing; keep in alphabetical order.

Now that citations are matched to the docket and separated for prosecution and dismissal, check the dismissal list and pull additional cases that have been selected for dismissal.

On the morning of court, administrative staff shall separate the files into the predetermined prosecute or dismiss stacks. They are kept in alphabetical order with the dismissals rubber banded.

25. NOTIFYING PATROLLERS

One week prior to court a reminder should be provided to the patrol staff. Patrollers whose cases are on the docket should be personally reminded at least 48 hours in advance that they are required to appear at the hearings.

26. THE HEARING

Upon completion of court, all citations should be filed for future reference. Even if the hearing officer dismisses a case, the citation should be logged and filed appropriately.

27. SET ASIDES

Any cases that are set aside are to be processed and sent to the City Attorney for signature and then forwarded to the appropriate judge.

28.PROPER PROCEDURES

The procedures included in this Exhibit 3 Administrative Procedures are subject to change at any time during the term of the contract. If the procedures do change, the City shall directly advise the Contractor of such changes.

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