Reduction in Force Reporting Requirements (language only)

Item 462.05 #1s

Language
Page 499, strike lines 41 through 48,
Page 500, strike lines 1 through 3, and insert:
"A. Appropriation reductions in this item and specified in Section 4-1.08 of this Act shall apply notwithstanding any language and amounts to the contrary within other items of this Act.
B. The Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner shall implement actions as necessary to carry out the appropriation reductions contained in this item.  Prior to implementing these reductions, the Commissioner shall present a Comprehensive Plan for reducing the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) workforce approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations, House Transportation, Senate Finance and Senate Transportation Committees.  
In taking all such actions, the Commissioner shall comply with the intent and provisions of item 436 of this Act, and:
1. Ensure that maintenance and operations of existing highway infrastructure is focused on emergency response, congestion mitigation, pavement rehabilitation based on the lowest pavement condition ratings, and bridge repair and replacement based on structurally deficient structures;
2. Set service and staffing  levels for VDOT programs that have clear and measurable performance requirements;
3. Ensure that outside contractual expenditures comprise no less than 70  percent of total VDOT expenditures each fiscal year;
4.a. Reconfigure, including the elimination and consolidation of organizational units and VDOT facilities, to achieve no less than a 30 percent reduction in the number of  (i) central office divisions, (ii) residency offices, and (iii) equipment and repair shops;
b. As part of the consolidation of organizational units, the supervisory layers between the lowest line staff and the leadership position reporting directly to the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner shall be no more than five;
5. Use an objective and transparent  methodology on which to base all actions and take no actions until public input has been considered;
6. Have no more than 7,500 full-time positions filled on June 30, 2010;
7. Ensure that appropriate accountability, compliance, and oversight by auditors is conducted on all programs and functions on a periodic basis;
8. Provide a quarterly progress report detailing each action and its impact on the VDOT budget to the Governor, the Chairmen of the House Appropriations, House Transportation, Senate Finance, and Senate Transportation Committees, and the Commonwealth Transportation Board.  Such reports shall include a detailed enumeration of progress that has been made to reduce the department's expenditure levels in order to meet the reduction levels required by this item, an update on the next phase of actions planned to address the reductions, any obstacles encountered in implementing these reductions, and any adjustments to the Plan as approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
C. The Director, Department of Planning and Budget, is authorized to transfer appropriations in this act as necessary to carry out the budget reductions contained in this item."

Explanation
(This amendment establishes goals, guidelines, and reporting requirements for the Virginia Department of Transportation in implementing reduction in force efforts pursuant to reduced appropriations in FY 2009 and FY 2010.)