LTC 231-2003
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 23/'" 2003
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To: Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
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From: Jorge M. Gonzalez . J../ "-.,
City Manager / ) .~
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Subject: MARTHA DEMPSEY
Date: September 29, 2003
This Letter to the Commission is to inform you of a recent appointment I have made in the
Administration. Effective Monday, September 22, 2003, Martha Dempsey joined the City of Miami
Beach as the Special Assistant to the City Manager. As you may know, this position has been
vacant since late 2001 when Tim Hemstreet was promoted to the Director of the Capital
Improvement Projects Office.
Martha comes to us with extensive experience in public administration, including a strong
background in audit, budget, financial management, strategic management improvement processes,
and performance measurement. A detailed resume and professional summary of Martha's
employment history is attached for your review.
Most recently, Martha was the Assistant City Administrator in Yuma, Arizona, a position she held
since 1995. Among other things, her portfolio included oversight of the public safety departments
and Business Support Services, a department that focused on providing the city with analyses and
organizational assessments and implementing strategic management improvement processes.
Prior to her position with the City of Yuma, Martha worked for the Georgia Department of Community
Affairs in Atlanta as a Performance Audit Supervisor and a Local Government and Financial
Management Specialist. In these positions, Martha provided on-site problem solving and technical
assistance to cities and counties throughout Georgia in areas such as financial management,
budgeting, cost accounting, revenue enhancement, debt structure, intemal controls, and capital
improvement plans. Her responsibilities also included supervising the review and testing of the
performance of all developmental centers in the state.
Martha also has an extensive background in education and consulting and has held various
positions within these areas that are highlighted in the attached resume.
I intend to make certain organizational changes which will directly involve Martha's duties. I will
share more specifics with you directly in the coming weeks.
Please join me in welcoming Martha to our team. I am sure that you will find her to be highly
qualified and professional. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
JMG\ri
Copy: Management Team
F:/cmgr/alllL TC03IDempsey
MARTHA M. DEMPSEY
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Responsible experience working with elected officials and volunteer boards in public
and nonprofit work environments; managing budgets and personnel; analyzing and
defining problems and implementing solutions; working with competing priorities and
multiple lines of authority; developing policies; writing and researching reports, grants,
planning documents and instructional guides; working with professionals from different
disciplines.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Assistant City Administrator. City of Yuma, Arizona (July 1, 1998 to present)
Manage all affairs of the city in the absence of the city administrator; have authority to
commit and bind city resources. The city has a combined operating and capital
improvement budget in excess of$100 million and a workforce in excess of750 full
and part-time employees. Work directly with the council on matters of citywide concern
and with all city department directors and staff. Portfolio includes the three public
safety departments. Member of the budget review committee; chair the agenda review
committee. Special projects have included: management reviews of a regional council
of governments, city housing authority, and municipal court; development and oversight
of government channel and website; settlement agreement with a telecommunications
provider; itinerant business licensing.
***
Assistant City Administrator and Director of Business Support Services. City of Yuma,
Arizona (September 1, 1995 to July I, 1998)
Conduct all city business during the absence of the city administrator including working
with the mayor and council and eleven city departments. Authority to commit and bind
city resources.
As Director of Business Support Services, managed a department with three divisions
providing services to other city departments: computer programming, troubleshooting,
and installations; risk management; safety and environmental training and regulation;
property management; marketing; radio and telecommunications; analyses and
organizational assessments; strategic management improvement processes; and cable
franchise agreement. Departmental budget of$2.4 million with an additional $1.8
million bond funded 800 MHz project and a $.5 million PEG facility project.
***
MARTHA M. DEMPSEY
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (CONT')
Performance Audit Supervisor. Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Atlanta,
Georgia. (January 1992 to August 1995)
Supervised the review and testing of the performance of Georgia's 18 regional
development centers as mandated by state legislation. Reviews were performed
according to GAS (1988 revisions) and focused on the economy and efficiency with
which resources are used; compliance with state laws and regulations; the relevance and
execution of program objectives; and financial practices and administration.
***
Local Government and Financial Management Specialist. Georgia Department of
Community Affairs, Atlanta, Georgia. (April 1989 to December 1991)
Provided on-site problem solving and technical assistance to cities and counties
throughout Georgia in the following areas: computerization, financial management,
budgeting, debt structure, records management, utility rates, internal controls,
emergency services, budget preparation for constitutional officers (sheriffs,
magistrates), capital improvement plans, fixed asset programs, revenue enhancement,
annexation, budget and other ordinances, organizing city police departments, cost
accounting for solid waste services. Managed staff of professionals, assigned projects
and reported directly to the Assistant Commissioner during the absence of the Assistant
Director.
***
Assistant to the Vice President for Development. Georgia College, Milledgeville,
Georgia. (July 1986 to March 1989)
Raised funds from corporate, private and foundation sources for a senior college in the
university system of Georgia. Organized community-based fund-raising campaigns
using more than 200 volunteers; wrote grant proposals for corporate and foundation
sponsorship; made presentations to donors; worked with a 50-member board of trustees;
prepared briefings for the college president; developed gift and pledge acknowledgment
systems; developed strategies for a $10 million capital campaign; liaison with the Vice
President of Finance, the Alumni Association, the Office of Public Relations, and the
Office of Institutional Relations (data processing). From December 1987 through June
1988, while the vice president's position was vacant, managed all staff, programs and
budgets. Reported directly to the college president and Board of Trustees.
***
.'
MARTHA M. DEMPSEY
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (cont')
Consultant (July 1980 to March 1985)
Contract consulting work with small businesses, local governments, nonprofit
corporations, private individuals, and community organizations in Colorado, Louisiana,
Arizona and Georgia.
***
Field Representative and Area Supervisor. Colorado Department of Local Affairs,
Grand Junction, Colorado. (January 1979 to July 1980)
Managed $2 million in state grant funds in 21 counties in western Colorado; made on-
site compliance and performance reviews; wrote budget standards and reviewed local
government budgets, ordinances, codes and comprehensive plans; mediated
comprehensive planning issues such as water quality, impact on infrastructure, building
and zoning, need for specialized medical capabilities, transport regulations, public
education revenues, housing development, location of power facilities, reclamation of
land, wildfire control. From December 1979 through July 1980, managed staff and six
state programs and initiatives.
***
Field Representative and Region Manager. Colorado Department of Public Health,
Montrose, Colorado. (June 1973 to July 1977)
Planned and implemented 21-county delivery system for emergency medical and
alcohol and drug abuse treatment services. Developed service agreements among
providers; negotiated funding from local, state and federal sources; set up records and
protocols; mediated disputes between law enforcement and service providers;
developed statistical evaluation model for program effectiveness; helped write
legislation to raise revenues from beverage tax; perfonned A-95 clearinghouse reviews
of federal and state grant applications; staffed a regional comprehensive health planning
council; wrote a comprehensive plan for services that was adopted and funded by
region-wide board of elected officials from six counties and twelve cities. Managed
professional staff of four.
***
MARTHA M. DEMPSEY
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (cont')
Consultant with Whatcom County (Washington) and Whatcom County Council of
Governments. Bellingham, Washington. (1978)
Manager of Substance Abuse Planning and Coordination Program for Northern Virginia
Planning District Commission. Falls Church, Virginia. (1971 to 1973)
Public Infonnation Officer/Research Assistant and Law Enforcement Planner for
Atlanta Metropolitan Planning Commission and Metropolitan Atlanta Council of Local
Governments. Atlanta, Georgia. (1969 and 1970)
Intern with Office of Congressman Robert G. Stephens (GA). Washington, D.C.
(1967)
EDUCA nON
The American University, Washington, D.C. BA 1968. International Relations
(Specialty: Middle East affairs)
Lamar School of Law, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. 1968 and 1969.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School. Over 200 hours of audit and
management courses. 1992-1995.
Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ. 1996. Institute for Public Executives.
Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, GA. 1995. Alternative Dispute Resolution.
INTERESTS
Horses, photography, travel, writing
ADDRESS
Martha M. Dempsey
P.O. Box 104
Yuma, Arizona 85364
Phone: (928) 783-8542 (Horne)