Eastvale City Manager Michele Nissen

By Michele Nissen, City Manager

If you have ever been to City Hall, you will see that it is bustling with activity. It is my goal to provide everyone who comes in contact with City Hall the best possible customer service.   One of the many reasons Eastvale became a city was to provide better, more efficient services to the community and to have input on land use decisions.

Over the next several months, I would like to introduce you to each department in the City and describe their key roles and responsibilities.  The City’s organizational structure includes:

• City Council: elected by the residents to set policy for the City;
• City Attorney: appointed by the City Council to provide legal counsel to City Hall operations;
• City Manager: appointed by the City Council and responsible for implementing the policy of the City Council and running the day to day operations of the City;
• Office of the City Manager: responsible for communications, public relations, education/outreach, management analyst functions, economic development, personnel/staffing, human resources, and emergency management;
• Office of the City Clerk: provides support to City Council, responsible for agendas, minutes, public records requests and records management;
• Code Enforcement: enforces all private property maintenance issues relative to the Municipal Code to ensure that the City is well-maintained and in compliance with the City’s Municipal Code;
• Planning/Community Development: responsible for implementation of the General Plan, processing of land use applications and ensuring development is compatible and consistent with the City’s General Plan and Zoning Code;
• Finance Department: responsible for managing and reporting all financial transactions of the City;
• Public Works: responsible for maintenance of all infrastructure in the public right of way, City’s capital improvement program, and building permitting/safety;
• Eastvale Police Department (contract with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department): responsible for public safety;
• Fire Department (contract with CALFIRE): responsible for fire suppression, emergency medical response and fire protection.

The City has a current population of 60,633 (source: CA Department of Finance).  As you can see from the list above, it is City staff who provide these services and they are critical to the success of the organization.  The City has been extremely prudent and conservative in how it provides the services listed above.  The City currently has eight (8) full-time employees and three (3) part-time employees.  The rest of the staffing needs at City Hall are fulfilled by contract employees through private consulting firms.  Hiring these consulting firms during this time in the City’s history allows us the flexibility to staff the peaks and the valleys according to the workload at City Hall.

There is no staff member within the City organization who does not wear many hats.  When the staff is small, each employee must perform multiple duties in order to get the job done.  I am extremely proud of the staff that we have assembled at City Hall to serve this community.  I am confident that they will continue to provide outstanding service in 2016.

Should you have any questions or comments, City Hall can be reached at (951) 361-0900. City Hall office hours are Monday-Thursday from 7:30 am – 5:30 pm; and we are closed every Friday.  City Hall encourages all residents and visitors to register for e-notification on the City’s website: www.EastvaleCA.gov.   This is a free email notification service that allows subscribers to receive emails from City Hall regarding the latest news, announcements, events, meeting agendas, job posting, RFPs and more.  Subscribers simply register their email address and choose which type of updates they would like to receive from City Hall.  Get connected in 2016 with the City of Eastvale on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.