March 2017
The Department of Administrative Services is pleased to share the following updates from a variety of program areas. Please feel free to share this newsletter with your organization and to send us ideas for future editions.
After a long hard winter, it feels great to say, "happy
spring!" Thanks for taking a few moments to read this newsletter and stay up to
date with some high-level announcements from the Department of Administrative Services.
Looking back over my first six months as DAS Director and
Chief Operating Officer, I am humbled by how helpful and supportive people have been. From all the
staff and managers at DAS, to my colleagues in other agencies, everyone has
stepped up to infuse the beginning of my new role with success.
Supporting one another is important. So is recognizing
the value that state employees bring to Oregon. Each individual has a part in
helping Oregonians achieve their dreams. It isn’t always easy, but it is
rewarding, especially when we can collaborate on solutions and see progress
toward those dreams. Thank you for the role YOU serve in achieving your
agency’s mission. I so appreciate the passion and excellence demonstrated by
employees serving all across Oregon.
I hope you’ll mark your calendar for the week of May 7 –
national Public Service Recognition Week – a great time to celebrate our
contributions as ambassadors of public service, and reignite our passion and commitment to serving
Oregonians.
-Katy Coba
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Lindsay Baker joined DAS in October 2016, as the agency’s Director
of Government Relations. In this new role, she serves as DAS’ primary point of
contact for members of the Legislature, their staff, agency legislative
coordinators, and local and tribal government partners.
Most recently, Lindsay served as policy advisor in the
Senate Majority Office, working with Sen. Ginny Burdick (D-Portland) and the
Senate Democratic Caucus during the 2016 session. Prior to that, she worked as
legislative director in the House Majority Offices, serving Rep. Val Hoyle
(D-West Eugene and Junction City) and the other House Democrats. She also
proudly worked for Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario) during the 2013 regular and
special sessions.
“I’ve spent several years working through both political and
policy-making challenges with members on both sides of the aisle and look
forward to bringing that experience to DAS,” said Lindsay. “My main priority is
understanding DAS’ role within state government so that we can best serve our
partner agencies, our Governor and Legislature, and ultimately all Oregonians.”
You can reach Lindsay
Baker at 503-877-7019.
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DAS in 2012 established
four Customer Utility Boards in an effort to give customers a greater
voice in the delivery of DAS services and development of rates.
The Human Resources Customer Utility Board (CUB) has been highly successful in
developing a service level agreement for DAS HR systems and the HR services purchased
by client agencies. The HR CUB members recognized that DAS is part of a
larger system of state government and evaluated the impact of decisions with a system
lens rather than an agency lens. Over the last year, the CUB evaluated the
proposed budget for the Chief Human Resources Office (CHRO), which includes a transition
to more assessment than fee for service.
With the decision to move HR systems back to assessment
and leave only client agency services as fee for service, the CUB was left to
examine its role going forward. After very thoughtful conversation about the
role of the CUB to recommend rates and provide feedback and advice to the CHRO –
the CUB made a bittersweet recommendation to COO Katy Coba to disband. The CUB
noted the many venues that they and other customers already have to give input
to the CHRO, including the Enterprise Leadership Team, Improving Government
Steering Team, The Oregon Management Project, the HRIS Project, HR advisors
group, HR directors group, Statewide Class and Comp, and Statewide Recruiters. The
CUB graciously agreed to serve on an ad hoc basis if needed. Katy in February
accepted the board's unanimous recommendation with a huge “thank you” to the CUB
members who served DAS so well that they worked themselves out of a job!
The CHRO looks forward remaining engaged with its customers
and will continue its work in the forums outlined above. One area identified as
needing more direct input is among the agencies that purchase HR services from
DAS. Beginning in April, the CHRO will host quarterly meetings to hear directly
from its client agencies about DAS’ HR services and shaping those services to
meet customer needs.
Contact for more
information: Jessica Knieling,
503-378-4006
Recently DAS checked off another deliverable under the
state’s Public
Records Request and Management Project, a statewide fee structure for
responding to requests for public records.
The fee structure
represents months of work by staff from many different agencies, and allows all
agencies to work within the same framework as they respond to requests for
public records. Thank you to those who provided input and insight.
A core deliverable identified in Governor Brown’s executive order
on public records, the structure sets a ceiling for fees agencies may charge
when responding to requests for public records, and gives agencies a clear set
of criteria to use when considering fee waivers or reductions.
The statewide structure will exist as a DAS statewide policy
through mid-May. After that, agency feedback on the fee structure will inform
the more formal rule making process.
Contact for more information: Matthew Shelby, 503-378-3118.
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