Cupertino Municipal Code Ch. 2.48 Departmental Organization

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for a more efficient organizational structure for the City, to designate its departments and divisions, and to describe their functions.

(Ord. 484, § 1, 1971)

The following departments are established:

A. Department of Finance.

1. This department shall consist of the following divisions:

a. Accounting Division. This division shall be responsible for the day-to-day processing of fiscal records, maintenance of the City’s general ledger, preparation of financial statements, coordination of the annual audit, and ensuring compliance with applicable accounting standards and reporting requirements.

b. Budget Division. This division shall be responsible for the preparation and administration of the annual operating and capital budgets, long-range financial planning, monitoring of revenues and expenditures, and the preparation of financial analyses and reports.

c. Purchasing Division. This division shall be responsible for the administration and oversight of the City’s procurement processes, including the development and implementation of purchasing policies and procedures, coordination of formal solicitations, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, while also supporting grant management. This hybrid approach requires purchasing activities to be carried out by departments, with the Purchasing Division providing guidance, review, and oversight to promote consistency, efficiency, and accountability.

2. The Director of Finance shall be head of this department, being responsible for all divisions within the Department.

3. The Director of Finance also shall be appointed Treasurer and also shall act as ex officio Assessor and shall assess and collect all City taxes save and except for those collected by State and County officers for the City.

B. Department of Public Works.

1. This department shall have the following divisions:

a. Administrative Division. This division shall be responsible for providing general administration for the Department of Public Works, including general oversight and management of the municipal water system lease.

b. Development Services Division. This division shall be responsible for all coordination of reviews for private development applications as well as permitting for encroachments into the public right of way.

c. Streets Division. This division shall be responsible for the maintenance of all streets, storm drains, street lights, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, easements and medians.

d. Facilities and Fleet Division. This division shall be responsible for all buildings, and the maintenance of the city’s vehicle and equipment fleet.

e. Grounds Division. This division shall be responsible for the maintenance of all park sites, leased school sites and grounds around other City owned properties.

f. Trees and Right of Way Division. This division shall be responsible for public trees, street medians, and other landscaped areas within the public right of way.

g. Transportation Division. This division shall be responsible for the planning and design of transportation facilities, oversight of the Safe Routes to Schools Program, and the operation and maintenance of the city’s traffic signals.

h. Environmental Programs Division. This division shall be responsible for the garbage and recycling franchised hauler contract and provides garbage and recycling customer service for residents and business owners, as well as overseeing compliance with the state stormwater permit.

i. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Division. This division shall be responsible for the design and construction administration for all capital improvement projects including streets, storm drainage, buildings, parks, and other public facilities.

2. The Director of Public Works shall be the head of this department.

C. Department of Parks and Recreation.

1. This department shall be responsible for:

a. All recreational programs and services sponsored by the City;

b. Management of all recreation facilities including Quinlan Community Center, Sports Center, Senior Center, and Monta Vista Recreation Center;

c. Operation and management of Blackberry Farm golf course and picnic grounds;

d. Planning and development of existing and future park sites.

2. The Director of Parks and Recreation shall be the head of this department.

D. Department of Public Safety.

1. This department shall be responsible for law enforcement and fire protection services. However, since these services are presently contracted for or provided by a special district, this department shall not be implemented, and the Director of Public Safety shall not be appointed, until the City Council, by appropriate ordinance, resolution, or other action, determines to administer its own law enforcement and/or fire protection services.

2. The Director of Public Safety shall be the head of this department. He shall also be appointed Chief of Police and Fire Chief.

E. Department of Innovation & Technology.

1. This department shall have the following divisions:

a. Applications Division. This division is responsible for development, procurement, project management, implementation and ongoing maintenance of all enterprise-level and online applications, and the maintenance of the City’s website.

b. Infrastructure Division. This division provides for all technology-related expenses for the citywide management of information technology services.

c. GIS Division. This division captures, manages, analyzes, and displays all forms of geographically referenced information for the City.

d. Innovation Technology Division. This division is responsible for strategic planning, governance, policy setting, and overall administration of the department.

2. The Chief Technology Officer shall be the head of this department.

(Ord. 21-2234, Att. A (§ 3), 2021; Ord. 18-2173, 2018; Ord. 2056, (part), 2010; Ord. 1697, (part), 1995; Ord. 1678, 1995; Ord. 1623, 1993; Ord. 1480, 1989: Ord. 1065, 1980; Ord. 484, § 2, 1971; Ord. 26-2283, Att. A § 4, 2026)

All department heads, without limitation, shall be appointed by, and responsible to, the City Manager. The City Manager shall have authority to eliminate any division, to add new divisions, to alter their functions, and to reassign personnel from one division or department to another division or department.

(Ord. 484, § 3, 1971)

A. The Director of Public Works if a licensed professional engineer designated by the State of California, and the City Engineer as a licensed professional engineer designated by the State of California, are delegated the authority to exercise discretionary approval (“Design Approval”) of plans, designs and any design amendments or addenda for any public improvement or subdivision improvement project of the City of Cupertino (“Public Improvements”). The Director of Public Works or the City Engineer shall sign the plans and designs to attest their approval.\

B. Design Approval of Public Improvements shall be exercised broadly, in accordance with state law, and shall include the authority to approve modifications to plans or designs previously accepted by the City; approval of City standard details and specifications for design and construction of Public Improvements; acceptance of Public Improvements on behalf of the City; and issuance of notices of completion, cessation notices, and any other instruments and documents related to the exercise of Design Approval of Public Improvements.

(Ord. 18-2173, 2018)