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Home My WebLink About1996-08-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - PASSPORT AGENCY (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager 5pp;Wal Item to be presented by: Ken Striplin NEW BUSINESS DATE: August 27, 1996 SUBJECT: PASSPORT AGENCY DEPARTMENT: City Manager BACKGROUND Per the Mayor's request, staff has investigated the possibility of establishing a Passport Agency in the Santa Clarita Valley. Traditionally, these agencies have been run out of local Post Offices. However, local management of Post Offices have made it clear they have no intentions of establishing a Passport Agency within any of their offices. Certain officials outside of the passport agency are authorized to accept passport applications as passport acceptance agents. The authorized acceptance agents accept and execute passport applications at their usual place of business which is considered a passport facility. The authority to act as a passport acceptance agent is provided under Title 22 of the Code of Federal regulations. • Section 51.61(b) authorizes county and city clerks, as state officials, to collect and retain a $10.00 fee for the execution under oath or affirmation of each passport application. In addition, the passport fee of $55.00 for adults and $30.00 for children is collected and sent to the passport agency along with the passport application. Staff contacted five cities who participate in passport application acceptance Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Chandler, Arizona and Scottsdale, Arizona. As of June 20, 1996, Thousand Oaks no longer accepts passport applications. Due to budget constraints the City Council decided to eliminate the service.,. These cities provided details on the day-to-day operations of a passport facility (see attachment). In identifying problems associated with the facilities, many of the cities described insufficient staff support, overcrowded waiting area or counter, ever changing laws pertaining to the issuance of passports, irate people, and the amount of revenue generated did not cover the cost of performing the function. It is estimated that the City of Santa Clarita will attract approximately 3000-4000 passport applications per year. In order to adequately service individuals, the City would need to hire at least two new full-time employees and provide two additional phone lines and a recorder/voice mail for information. Currently, the City Clerk's office would not be able to handle the anticipated 30-40 people waiting in line, due to current space limitations as well Ad z Agenda Itenn: as limited staff. January through September are considered the busiest months and would create the biggest impact. Additionally, bringing new people to do business in City Hall would create increased parking problems and may negatively impact fellow tenants businesses. In looking at all factors involved,the staff commitment, customer service issue, and parking problem staff recommends not doing it at this time. ALTERNATIVES 1. Do not proceed at this time. 2. Proceed with the program as outlined in other cities. This would include charging a $10.00 fee, which would bring in an additional $30,000 a year to cover the cost of an additional employee. However, it is clear that one additional staff member can not handle the job. 3. Proceed with the program charging the $10.00 fee as well as, a $20.00 handling fee. This would enable the City to generate approximately $90,000 a year. The money would cover the costs of two.additional staff and all necessary equipment to perform the job. RECOMMENDATION Considering all factors of this program, at this time it is our recommendation not to proceed. However, if the City Council would like to proceed; staff recommends alternative number 3. I'AI "`E9i(I)TIVA THOUSAND OAKS CAMARILLO PORT HUENEME CHANDLER, ARIZ. SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. 110,000 population 60,000 population 20,500 population 130,000 population 150,000 population 2500 passports per year 1,000 per year 100 per year 100/month; 1200/year 3100 per year 30-45 min. processing time 30-45 min. processing time 15 min processing time --if 15 min processing time if 15 min processing time if per passport per passport (2-5 hrs. per paperwork correct paperwork correct --50% paperwork correct day) business passports due to large businesses in Chandler limited to residents 5 yrs. limited to residents limited to residents— not limited to residents not limited to residents ago 9am to Spm, Mon -Fri two special phone lines & a no special phone lines or no special phone lines or no special phone lines or no special phone lines -have recorder recorder recorder recorder a "hot"line which gives information only need one staff person to had one person to handle City Clerk oversees but 4 staff in Clerk's Office 2 staff at counter most of handle counter & one to passports customer service area handle counter (incl. Clerk time --share time at counter answer phones handle issuing passports, on occasion) by switching days -- utility payments, business sometime all at the counter licenses (5 staff) sometimes 30-40 people in sometimes 40 people in not issued in Clerk's Office sometimes 30 people in sometimes 40-50 people in line with 4 Clerk's staff at line with 3 Clerk's staff at line --rarely have a waiting line—they wait sometimes counter (incl. Clerk) counter (incl. Clerk) line because all staff issue-- an hour to be helped --public lunch hours busiest time area in Clerk's Office cannot accommodate this many people --have a sign - in sheet and people "hang all over counter" and get noisy largest number issued largest number issued largest number issued largest number issued largest number issued Jan. January through June March through June March through Sept. January through April through September $10 fee does not pay salary charge additional handling $10 fee per passport $10 fee per passport --does $10 fee does not pay salary of one person charge of $20 per passport: not pay for staff to handle of one person and are handled separately from the passport fee of $10 Ventura County Clerk Ventura County Clerk issues marriage licenses, as issues marriage licenses, as brought in 20 yrs. ago brought in with marriage well well licenses all cities in Ventura County all cities in Ventura no has been issuing passports has been issuing passports no longer issue passports longer issue passport for 2 years for 3 years–'Hies-Thurs only fro 9am-4pm City Clerk work delayed on too much staff time–Clerk burdensome --Clerk's office can be burdensome-- a nightmare -burdensome - those days 4 at the counter work delayed receives hundreds of recommends we limit days recommends we limit days information calls on and hours, designate one and hours passports person, and a phone line Chamber of Commerce volunteer answer phones 4 tried to help --but can only lira per day issue applications and not process lots of paperwork complicated paperwork and too much paperwork lots of paperwork too much paperwork–Feds lots of it train on occasion dealing with irate people Dealing with irrational deal with irate people even deal with irrational people deal with irate people--Feds many times—they don't people–waiting until last though LA. Feds say to at times --have notified the do not deal with irate have proper birth minute; takes 6-8 wks. to just accept and return it to press, the travel agencies people as all their dealings certificates, photos, etc. process passport LA. and they will deny and others by an are through the mail information sheet responsible for all responsible for all responsible for paperwork paperwork paperwork policies differ for new, different regulations for different passport types; different regulations for regulations differ with renewals, children, families passport types different regulations new, renewals, children passport type laws change frequently Laws change frequently laws change all the time no longer issue passports as no longer issue passports as will be going to library have citizen service centers of 6/19/96 of 1992 once/month with passports in the mall Thurs 4-7pm; at on Saturday loam to 2 pm a school Wed. in a.m.- .m:staffed staffedby trained employees -also give sell bus tickets, personnel applications, etc. reports prepared for Feds reports prepared weekly reports prepared weekly reports prepared weekly reports prepared weekly weekly Westlake Village --Invited Barbara Brophy to Westlake to look at set-up. Ms. Brophy recommended Westlake limit issuance of passports to residents only, since they are very limited on space. Apparently, the Feds cannot open a satellite office because they are using their funding for technology and do not have funds for a satellite. Notes: • Need more staff May process 3000-4000 per year in Santa Clarita • $10 fee may cover one. extra staff person • Need 2 phone lines and a recorder/voice mail Cost of postage and phones from City budget • Processing time -15-30 minutes • Dealing with irrational people–Feds stated send in paperwork and don't argue, however, if they do not have proper paperwork, we deal with them • January through September busiest time of year • Reports prepared daily and sent to Feds weekly Cannot use volunteer for processing --only information distribution • Local Post Office refused–should be at Post Office • According to other cities, forgeries do occur • May have all 4 at counter at times Extra handling fee possibilities Need lots of publicity • Limit times and days --9/80 schedule; meeting other deadlines • Limit to residents only • Elections ---too busy hApassport.dmg