FY 2013-2014
DISTRICT OFFICES
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The six District Offices represent a public presence for the Department’s Regulatory Programs. In
addition to issuing various kinds of program-specific permits, these offices conduct the majority of the
day-to-day environmental inspections, including the performance of compliance assistance and
enforcement functions.
Within each District Office, a District Director provides guidance and oversight to the program areas,
while an Assistant Director coordinates the compliance functions. The Divisions do not supervise the
district program areas, but provide guidance for policy and consistency between the districts. Three of
the District Offices (Northwest District Office, Southeast District Office and South District Office) span
200 miles or more and include Branch Offices in Panama City, Ft. Pierce, and Marathon Key respectively.
The Legislature appropriates funding in a lump sum to the District Offices, which is then rationed
internally by the Department to each District Office. Approximately 21% of the funding appropriated to
the District Offices comes from General Revenue, while the remaining 79% is provided from an
aggregate of eleven different trust funds. As of January 1, 2013 the District Offices boundaries were
realigned with the goal of distributing work more evenly, further enabling consistency between the
districts and saving valuable travel time for both our employees and the Florida citizenry.
The Southwest District is home to Tampa Bay, Florida's largest open-water estuary which encompasses
nearly 400 square miles. It is also the crown jewel of the National Estuary Program. In addition, we
enjoy a variety of scenic waterways including the Myakka River, Homosassa Springs, Hillsborough River,
Manatee River, and portions of the Peace River. The best of our coastal landscapes have been set aside
for protection as aquatic preserves. Cockroach Bay, Terra Ceia, Boca Ciega Bay and Pinellas County
Aquatic Preserves are all situated
in the Southwest District.
The Southwest District is
committed to performing at our
highest level to meet the changing
needs of our communities and our
workforce. Building and
maintaining strong relationships
with our partners and stakeholders
is the cornerstone to providing
unprecedented customer service.
This business plan will help the
reader understand the key
performance metrics and goals we
are striving to accomplish this year.
It also highlights many of the
achievements and lessons-learned
that serve as a foundation to build
a more efficient, more cost
effective, and more customer
oriented district.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................................................... 3
MISSION, VISION & CORE VALUES ................................................................................................................ 4
Mission ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Vision......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Core Values ............................................................................................................................................... 4
CLIENT SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................... 5
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ..................................................................................................................... 6
PROGRAM/DISTRICT DESCRIPTIONS ............................................................................................................. 8
Compliance Assurance Program ............................................................................................................... 8
Permitting ................................................................................................................................................ 8
BUDGET OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................................... 9
KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES & INDICATORS ....................................................................................... 111
MID AND LONG-TERM GOALS .................................................................................................................. 233
ACHIEVEMENTS & LESSONS LEARNED ...................................................................................................... 244
APPENDIX A – REVISION HISTORY……………………….………………………………………………………………………………… 25
APPENDIX B – DEO FL 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT…………………………………. 26
APPENDIX C – BUDGET PROJECTION WORKSHEET………………………………………………………………………………… 27
APPENDIX D – SHARED SAVINGS INCENTIVE PLAN………………………………………………………………………………… 28
3
MISSION, VISION & CORE VALUES
Mission
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the State’s lead agency for environmental
management and stewardship, is a diverse agency, established to protect and manage our State’s
natural resources, including our air, water, and land.
It is the mission of the District Offices to ensure greater environmental protection, work proactively with
our stakeholders and strive for the highest compliance rates, enthusiastically pursue outreach
opportunities, consistently draft quality permits in the shortest amount of time possible, and continually
explore ways to build efficiencies and cost saving measures into our business.
Vision
Our vision is to be recognized as providing consistent and responsible oversight of the state’s natural
resources while encouraging economic growth.
Core Values

Attitude: We cultivate a positive attitude and understand that challenges are an opportunity to
excel.

Integrity: We hold ourselves to the highest degree of professionalism and ethical standards.

Collaboration/Teamwork: Each member of our team is supportive of the organization’s goals
and each other as we work through successes, failures and challenges. We partner with other
Districts and the Divisions to achieve common goals and consistency through shared information
and resources.


Efficiency: We provide an efficient and effective approach to give the best solution each time.
Service: We provide excellent service to our customers, through the issuance of clear and
understandable permits, fair environmental assessments and targeted outreach.

Stewardship: We responsibly oversee environmental protection while being frugal with every
state and federal dollar.
4
CLIENT SERVICES
The District Office has three main client segments which we must responsibly balance and ensure that
all decisions are consistent throughout the Department:
The Citizens and Visitors of Florida expect that the District Office will reasonably, respectfully, and
responsibly implement Florida’s laws and regulations. Services provided on behalf of these clients
include:

Issuing permits which meet state and federal requirements

Ensuring compliance of regulated facilities

Responding to public concerns related to regulated and non-regulated facilities

Providing opportunities for the public to share its thoughts and concerns, and in turn, ensuring
that the public has timely and efficient access to our public records

Training to understand the rules associated with the various programs

Technical assistance with permitting, compliance and enforcement cases
The Regulated Community expects that District Office will provide regulatory certainty and consistency
along with fair solutions. Services provided on behalf of these clients include:

Issuance of reasonable, law-based permits in a timely manner

Ensuring regulatory certainty and consistency

Providing professional and timely review of permit applications

Providing opportunities for the regulated community to share its thoughts and concerns, and in
turn, ensuring that the regulated community has timely and efficient access to our public
records

Training to understand the rules associated with the various programs

Technical assistance with permitting, compliance and enforcement cases
The Department’s Regulatory Divisions and Local Delegated Programs expect the District Office to
assist them in achieving goals as established by the Secretary’s Office. This assistance includes:



Feedback regarding consistent application of regulations and policies throughout District
programs
Producing work products as stipulated in Division goals
Sharing information and allowing input regarding projects that fall within their respective
boundaries and programs
5
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Florida Department of Environmental Protection – Southwest District
June 2013
Southwest District
Director
Mary Yeargan
Assistant Director
Brian Armstrong
External
Affairs
Ana Gibbs
Air /ERP
Permitting
Kelley
Boatwright
Water
Permitting
Mauryn
McDonald
Environmenta
l Services
Jeff Greenwell
Business
Administratio
n
Pamala
6
DISTRICT OFFICE STAFFING
Compliance
Assurance
49
4
District
Permitting
FTE
52
15
Business
Admin.
OPS
22
6
0
20
40
60
7
DISTRICT OFFICE DESCRIPTIONS
Compliance Assurance Program (CAP)
 Provide fair, consistent, and efficient service
 Provide timely and thorough inspections which meet state and federal requirements
 Provide the regulated community with compliance assistance to build a healthy economy and
environment
 Provide technical assistance
District Permitting







Provide certainty in permitting
Issue fair and timely permits and authorizations
Assist facilities with their permit requirements, ensuring a complete application
Provide technical assistance
Implement the Waste Cleanup and Brownfields Programs, providing timely reviews and
approvals to ensure cleanup of contaminated sites
Monitoring of regional watershed by sampling and analyses of surface water and groundwater
Conducts ambient air monitoring
Business Administration




Provide administrative support to program areas through customer service, document
management, and the purchasing/tracking of supplies
Balance district budget and provide budget analysis to ensure fiscal responsibility and support of
Department goals and initiatives
Provide ombudsman support and to foster productive relationships with internal and external
customers, including media outlets and legislative offices
Provide internal support through Human Resources, Safety, and IT services
Public Outreach





Individual consultations
Workshops
Facility recognition for consistent compliance
Participating in community events
Mentoring through State Parks and School programs
8
DISTRICT OFFICE BUDGET OVERVIEW
Figure 1. FY13-14 OPERATING BUDGET
FY 13-14 Operating Budget Allotments
$25,000.00
0.27%
$1,212,083.00,
13.10%
$217,616.00
2.35%
$33,549.00
0.36%
Expenses
OPS/Services
OCO/Spec Cat
Salaries
Contr Services
$7,893,335
83.92%
Figure 2. PROJECTED APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES
FY13-14
Allotted:
$9,381,583
Projected Exp: $8,390,069
FY14-15 Total
Projected Allotted: $9,381,583
Projected Exp:
$7,551,062
9
Budget Utilization
The Southwest District’s current annual allocation is $9,381,583. This fiscal year we will continue to
achieve savings through the following actions:

In August 2013 new facility lease was executed for a savings of $348,279 per year for the
remainder of the current lease which expires in 2015. In FY12-13, more than 72% of the district’s
expense monies were allotted for lease costs.

Vacancies are being evaluated to determine if those position responsibilities can be reassigned to
other FTEs without impacting core missions, identifying that vacancy for reduction or transfer
within the district. Rate and salary dollars generated by staff reductions will be evaluated for
merit increases.

Procurement of goods is being evaluated on a district level to avoid surplus purchasing, and to
ensure that each requested purchase supports core missions. This also allows for sharing
resources across program responsibilities. Example: In FY12-13, we reduced paper copiers from
seven down to five resulting in an $18,000 savings over the life of a three year lease.

Fleet resources will continue to be managed and maintained to a degree which reduces
operational and maintenance costs.
(FY12-13 surplused/transferred 8 vehicles, saving
approximately $1455 in recurring expense dollars per vehicle).

Continue to strategically deploy our computers/laptops, which resulted in a $20,000 savings from
what was recommended by OTIS, for FY12-13’s Spring PC Refresh.
10
KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES & INDICATORS
Southwest District – District Director
# 18, 19, 20, 251
Ensure Regulatory Certainty, Consistency and Protection across the state
2
KPM
Improve
Communication
With Your District
3
Action
Conduct quarterly
sessions for
supervisory
personnel
addressing
leadership issues;
conduct quarterly
one-on-one
meetings with
each direct
report. Quarterly
updates for all
items should be
submitted to the
Assistant Deputy
4
KPI
Responsibl
e Party
Baseline
5
Target /
Due Date
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
(04/30/14)
(07/31/14)
(Compl
Were the
quarterly updates
submitted to the
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s Office
within a week?
District
Director
Within 1week of the
end of each
quarter
Completed
and
summary
sent
10/7/13
eted
and
summa
ry sent
1/8/14
(10/31/13)
01/31/14)
NA
1
Area-Specific Strategies from the Dept. of Economic Opportunity’s 5-year Strategic Plan, please refer to Appendix B.
Key Performance Measure (KPM) - What is the objective?
3
Action - What has to be done to achieve the objective?
4
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) - What is the indicator that the objective is being achieved?
5
Baseline - Current status or initial measurement
2
11
Secretary’s Office
within 1-week of
the end of each
quarter,
beginning with
the end of the 3rd
quarter of 2013.
Issue quarterly
“Director’s
Messages” to
District staff.
Within a week of
the end of each
quarter, provide
a copy to the
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s Office
&
Communications
Office
Make Personnel
Safety a Priority
to ensure Zero
Lost Time Injuries
(LTI’s)
Was the 1-page
summary
submitted to the
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s Office
&
Communications
Office within a
week of the end
of each quarter?
Develop and
implement
efforts to
improve safety
Number of LTI’s
Interview injured
employee, make
Number of injury
recurrences
9/25/13
newsletter
12/10/
13
newsle
tter
District
Director
NA
Within 1week of the
end of each
quarter
District
Director
0
0
0
0
District
Director
0
100%
0
0
(10/31/13)
(01/31/14)
(04/30/14)
(07/31/14)
12
recommendation
to avoid
recurrence, and
share the injury
interview and
review report
with the other
District Directors,
and the Assistant
Deputy
Secretary’s Office
within 30 days of
the injury
related to a
previous LTI
Was the injury
interview and
review report
sent to the other
District Directors
and the Assistant
Deputy
Secretary’s Office
within 30 days of
the injury?
District
Director
NA
Within 30days of the
injury
occurring
yes
yes
7 events
Increase
Customer
Outreach
Coordinate and
attend at least
one informal
meeting with
facility owners/
managers within
your District
boundaries per
quarter. Within
1-week of the
end of each
quarter, provide
the Assistant
Deputy
Secretary’s Office
Number of
informal
meetings held
with facility
owners/
managers
Was the Assistant
Deputy
Secretary’s Office
informed of the
outreach meeting
within a week of
District
Director
District
Director
NA
4
NA
Within 1week from
the end of
each
quarter
7/15
7/16
7/18
7/26
8/26
9/12
9/17
3
events
10/15
11/18
12/5
(10/31/13)
Yes
Yes
10/7/13
1/8/14
(10/31/13)
(01/31/14)
(04/30/43)
(07/31/14)
13
District Outreach
Events
Reduce Time To
Process Permits6
with a summary
of the meeting.
the end of each
quarter?
Track the number
of outreach
events the
District
participates in
and the total
number of people
reached.
Number of
outreach events
participated in by
the District.
Reduce average
permit processing
time by 10%.
The total number
of participants
reached.
Provide quarterly
updates to the
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s Office
within 1-week of
the end of each
quarter.
Quarterly
updates should
include a revised
fiscal year-end
forecast
District
Director
District
Director
47
N/A
TBD
N/A
(01/31/14)
(04/30/14)
(07/31/14)
(01/31/14)
(04/30/14)
(07/31/14)
29.30
days
(04/30/14)
(07/31/14)
16,179
N/A
TBD
N/A
34.53
days (This
District
Director
value is
based on
dashboard)
31.08 days
32.45 days
6
The calculation method for the Time to Process Permits was changed during the second quarter to achieve consistency with business plans in other districts,
who use the time to process (TTP) metric generated by the DEP dashboard. Based on the TTP, the new baseline is 34.53 days and the new target is 31.08 days.
Quarterly data is cumulative and provided by the DEP Tallahassee office.
14
Increase
Compliance Rates
Reduce The Cost
of Doing Business
Reduce Backlog
of OGC Cases
Increase the
overall Districtwide compliance
rate by 2% when
compared to the
review period
ending June 30,
2013.
Provide quarterly
updates to the
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s Office
within 1 week of
the end of each
quarter
District
Director
Target a
minimum 10%
recurring
reduction within
FY2013/14
budget, and
provide quarterly
updates to the
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s Office
within 1 week of
receiving actual
expenditures
Projection of FYend recurring
reduction percent
District
Director
Was the quarterly
budget update
provided to the
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s
Office?
Reduce the
number of open
Provide quarterly
updates to the
94%7
96%
$9,627,4
94
$8,664,744/
June 30,
2014
District
Director
4
Once
quarterly
District
Director
470
235
96% (7/1/13 –
96%
9/30/13)
(7/1/13 –
12/31/13)
($8,494,891)
12%
(07/31/14)
(04/30/14)
(07/31/14)
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
($8,390,
069)
13%
Yes
Yes
10/31/13
1/31/14
Closed 56
cases—
(04/30/14)
Closed
67
7
The Compliance Rate was calculated using inspection numbers during the specified calendar year from the following program areas: PW, DW, SW, HW, IW,
UIC, ERP and Air. The percentage was calculated by dividing the amount of inspections conducted that were significantly out of compliance by the total of all
inspections conducted.
15
OGC cases by
50% compared to
June 30, 2013
Replicate
Successes
Assistant Deputy
Secretary’s Office
within 1 week of
the end of each
quarter,
beginning with
the 3rd quarter of
2013.
Provide a
summary of the
items you intend
to replicate back
Coordinate a two- in your District
week (minimum) Office to all
job rotation with Directors at the
a District Office
next quarterly
Director peer
Director’s
during FY13-14.
meeting
update
provided
10/7/13
(10/31/13)
cases—
update
provide
d
1/8/14
(01/31/14)
District
Director
0
Annually
TBD
Schedu
led for
March
3-14
Compliance Assurance Program
Ensure Regulatory Certainty, Consistency and Protection Across the State
Responsible
KPM
Action
KPI
Party
Baseline
Percent of Level
of Service
Conduct all
required Level of
Service
Calculate
percentage of
Level of Service
Assistant
Director
100%
# 16, 27, 28
Target /
Due Date
100% /
Consecutive
Quarterly
updates
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
77%
100%
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
16
inspections
required 8
inspections for
each compliance
assurance
program area.
Increase
percentage of
out of compliance
issues resolved by
compliance
assistance (CA) 9
Pursue resolution
of out of
compliance issues
through
Compliance
Assistance
Inspections
Manage
Compliance
Assistance Offers
(CAOs) to achieve
Provide
compliance
assistance and
manage cases to
resolve CAOs in
60 days or less.
Calendar
Year
1/1-12/31
100% /
Consecutive
Quarterly
updates
Fiscal Year
7/1 – 6/30
100% /
Consecutive
Quarterly
updates
Federal
Fiscal Year
10/1 –
9/30
inspections
conducted in
each compliance
assurance
program area on
a quarterly basis.
Determine the
number of CA
activities
conducted for
each compliance
assurance
program area on
a quarterly basis.
Track outgoing
CAO letters and
“In Compliance”
(IC) letters.
Quarterly,
calculate the
average time it
Assistant
Director
Establish
Baseline by
06/30/2014
90%
Assistant
Director
Establish
Baseline by
06/30/2014
Less than
60 days/
Quarterly
Updates
14.16%
35.46%
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
100%
20.03%
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
98%
96%
(7/1/13 –
9/30/13)
(10/1/13 –
12/31/13)
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
11
days
34
days
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
8
The Level of Service reported is for EPA required inspections or other contractual agreements/obligations. The data collected for Division recommended
Levels of Service are being tracked but not represented in this Business Plan.
9
Compliance assistance activities can include verbal and/or written correspondence.
17
resolution of
cases within 60
days on
average.10
Number of days
to resolve formal
enforcement
cases
takes from
issuance of CAO
to IC letter
Encourage open
communication
with facility to
resolve issues
timely and
efficiently to
achieve goal.
Run quarterly
report for CAP to
calculate
number of days
between the
warning letter
date and the
executed formal
enforcement
document date.
Date that formal
enforcement
begins is date of
warning letter.
Date to resolve
formal
enforcement is
execution date
of SFCO, CO,
issuance of NOV,
or case closure
Assistant
letter.
Director
Establish
Baseline by
6/30/201411
Less than
180
days/
Quarterly
Updates
N/A12
N/A13
10
Compliance assistance offers can include verbal and/or written correspondence.
The days to resolve a formal enforcement case is defined as the average time frame from the start date of issuance of Department’s initial notification of
non-compliance (issuance of Warning letter) to the end date of execution of Department’s documentation for resolution (IE: SFCO, CO, NOV, CWOE, etc.). The
baseline was calculated during the specified calendar year for data from the following program areas: PW, DW, SW, HW, IW, UIC, ERP and Air.
12 st
1 Quarter: Two WL issued, no resolution to date.
13 st
1 and 2nd Quarter: Three WL issued, no resolution to date.
11
18
District Permitting
Ensure Regulatory Certainty, Consistency and Protection Across the State
Responsible
KPM
Action
KPI
Party
Provide
permittees with
permit renewal
requirements and
offer preapplication
meetings to
Reduce the
encourage the
number of
submittal of
applications that complete
Run time in
are in house
applications.
house metric
greater than 180 Manage/prioritize report on
Program
days
work loads
quarterly basis
Administrators
# 16, 27, 28
Baseline
26
permits14
Target /
Due Date
13
permits
Q1
18
permits
(10/31/13)
Q2
Q3
Q4
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
9
permits
(01/31/14)
14
26 permits from the Air, ERP, Waste, and Water Facilities programs were in house greater than 180 days at the end of FY2012-2013. This number includes
denied permits that have been petitioned, as permitting activity is expected to resume during FY2013-2014.
19
Reduce Waste
Cleanup
Document
Review Time by
25%.
Manage submittal
reviews/approvals
and internal
processes to
achieve goal.
Provide RPs with
submittal
requirements and
offer compliance
assistance
meetings to
encourage the
submittal
assessments.
Run turnaround
time metric
reports monthly
Program
Administrator
110
days15
83 days/
Quarterly
Updates
Baseline
Target /
Due Date
30 days
32 days
(10/31/13)
(01/31/14)
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
Business Administration
Ensure Regulatory Certainty, Consistency and Protection Across the State
Responsible
KPM
Action
KPI
Party
Track quarterly
Incorporate the
LEAN/Value
Program
Continuous
Stream Mapping
Administrator/
Improvement
projects, and use Management
Organizational
Initiative to
regulatory
Review
Efficiency
identify key
program time
Specialist
# 16, 27, 28
1 event
4 events16
Q1
Q2
4
Events
017
100%
Q3
Q4
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
15
The 110-day average Waste Clean-up major documents that were reviewed during FY2012-2013.
This target changed from three (3) to four (4) to reflect only key District processes. (10/16/13)
17
This target was met in the first quarter FY2013-14. In the second quarter, two processes were revisited to determine progress made and five Standard
Operating Procedures were either developed or refined.
16
20
Paperless
Initiative
Increase the total
number of
outgoing Permit
Documents sent
electronically
rather than
hardcopy, by
Administrative
Team.
Increase the total
number of
outgoing CAP
District processes
for improvement
that result in
better customer
service while
running a leaner
organization
Reduce storage of
existing paper
documents
through
outsource
scanning
initiative/records
retention
evaluation
Identify obstacles
and develop
countermeasures
to enable
Administrative
Team to increase
the amount of
documents sent
electronically,
which will
provide quicker
responses,
resulting in
increased
customer service.
Identify obstacles
and develop
countermeasures
metrics
information to
identify
improvements in
time to process
Establish monthly
District Program
goals to preindex
boxes/records
retention
evaluation
Track quarterly
Track quarterly
All Program
Administrators
Management
Review
Specialist
Management
Review
Specialist
125
boxes/qu
arter
88% sent
electronically
Increase by
25% a
quarter
Increase by
10% /
Quarterly
updates
Increase by
20%/
400
boxes
220%
92%,
increa
se of
5%
57%
Decre
861
boxes
115%
(04/30/14
(07/31/14)
96%
increas
e of 8%
68%
Increas
e of 6%
21
documents sent
electronically
rather than
hardcopy, by
Administrative
Team.
18
to enable staff to
increase the
amount of
documents sent
electronically,
which will
provide quicker
responses,
resulting in
increased
customer service.
64% sent
electroni
cally
Quarterly
Updates18
ase of
11%
The first quarter has shown a decrease in number of documents sent electronically in CAP from FY 2012/13 baseline.
22
MID AND LONG-TERM GOALS
Mid-Term Goals 




Paperless Initiative - The district continues to act on its already robust paperless initiative, and is continuing to
evaluate paper-based office processes using process improvement tools such as Lean’s Value Stream Mapping.
In FY12-13, we earmarked approximately $65,000 to outsource document scanning, and we have made a
commitment to expend at least that much in FY 13-14.
Continuous Improvement Initiative - Key District processes have been identified by Senior Staff and consist of:
Permitting, Compliance Inspections, Complaint Investigations, Enforcement, Environmental Assessments &
Cleanup, and Administration. Each of these processes will be mapped to determine what improvements can be
made to ensure they are as efficient as possible. Other sub-processes will be identified and evaluated for
efficiency and improvements, as well. A staff person will be assigned to each process who will annually review it
to ensure any changes in rules, policies, technology, and etc. are implemented accordingly. This will be an
ongoing goal.
Professional Development – Senior Staff values its workforce and knows that investing in our staff members’
professional development will help achieve Department goals, as well as promote the individual growth of our
staff. To that end, this program will develop training courses, both required and optional, that focus on multiple
topics including, but not limited to, Customer Service, creating an Individual Development Plan, and public
speaking.
Training - The District has implemented a multimedia approach to conducting inspections. Training compliance
staff so they are proficient in the various inspection programs is paramount. The action plan will detail the steps
and timeframes to achieve this goal.
Outreach – Identify opportunities for district staff to participate in other organizations events and conferences.
Develop seminars and present materials to DEP’s clients. In addition, investigate opportunities to reduce
economic burden of compliance.
Long-Term Goals –
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
Cross Training - Like the multimedia approach being implemented in the compliance program, the District plans
to cross-train permit processors in other programs and to cross-train permitting and compliance staff. This will
allow the District the flexibility to shift resources based on work flow and demand.
Implement the Sterling Management Challenge-This is the next logical step in improving our District
Performance, once we have completed our Action Plans through LEAN initiatives.
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ACHIEVEMENTS & LESSONS LEARNED
Achievements 
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We embraced the Department’s vision to provide better customer service and have organized our District in a
fashion we believe will not only meet, but exceed management’s expectations:
 Reduced management layers in all areas and created a consistent number of direct reports
 Combined all compliance programs under one umbrella called Compliance Assurance Program and
implemented a multimedia concept for compliance inspections
 Provided upward movement possibilities for staff within and across areas
 Enhanced relationships with other districts by seizing opportunities to coordinate on assignments, rectifying
processes/practices that are inconsistent across district lines, sharing success stories and lessons learned,
and visiting other districts to witness first hand their approach to conducting regulatory business
 The Assistant Directors agreed to conduct regular meets to help promote consistency within the compliance
program
The creation of the Technical Services team allows for improved efficiency, heightened awareness, and
enhanced responsiveness when communicating critical scientific data relevant to the protection and restoration
of Florida’s natural resources to the public, stakeholders, and District.
Created a comprehensive Environmental Services permitting team which reviews all waste related permits
which increased the number of documents reviewed by 70%.
Developed a partnership with a local vocational school to significantly reduce costs of vessel maintenance and
enhance training opportunities for future marine industry employees.
Created a comprehensive Water Facilities permitting team which reviews all water related permits. This allows
work to be more evenly distributed amongst team members and to ensure continuity for all types of application
reviews when individual staff members are on leave or a position becomes vacant.
Implemented the FDEP’s first full functional Support Team Pool which has become the model for other districts
around the state. This allowed for even distribution of workload amongst staff and enabled us to better meet
the needs of our customers.
Identified 185 boxes of hard copy files that had already been scanned into OCULUS, but were still stored in
house. By disposing of the files, we freed up 43.16 sq. ft. of space which equates to $10, 600 in building lease
costs.
Utilizing Continuous Improvement strategies has resulted in immediate process improvements. The Continuous
Improvement philosophy has empowered our staff members to identify their customers’ needs, review
processes, and identify the unnecessary steps that cost us staff time, and resources.
Lessons Learned 
Communication and coordination within programs, between program areas and between District and Division
were inconsistent.

Proper and timely distribution of information to staff will help provide clear direction and guidance.

It will take longer to get people trained in multiple programs than we initially anticipated.

Database access was a bigger challenge than expected. Communication with Divisions was key to working
through these concerns.

It is important to manage expectations and continually adapt processes to each team member’s individual
strengths and weaknesses to help develop them professionally.

Training needs to continue to be a priority.
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Appendix A – Revision History
Version 14.0 – Initial Draft – 05/31/2013
Version 14.0.1 – Final – 07/09/2013
Version 14.0.2 – Added Appendix E – 07/19/2013
Version 14.0.3 – Quarter 1 Updates; Added Appendices A-C; Renamed Appendix E to Appendix D – 10/23/2013
Version 14.0.4 – Quarter 2 Updates; clarified footnotes re: TTP metric; added links to Appendix C; - 01/30/2014
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Appendix B – DEO FL 5-year Strategic Plan for
Economic Development
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Appendix C – Budget Projection Worksheet
Qtr1 SWD District
Business Plan 2014.xlsx
Qtr2 SWD District
Business Plan 2014.xlsx
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Appendix D
Shared Savings Incentive Plan
Background
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Organizations perform better, innovative solutions are more likely, and morale will be highest, when there is an
atmosphere of self-esteem, confidence and independence. This is only possible when there are expectations to
perform, and people are acknowledged and rewarded based on their accomplishments.
DEP’s regulatory programs have realized significant performance gains and budget savings by empowering
people, reducing layers of management, eliminating workflow silos, setting clear performance expectations and
holding regulatory staff accountable to those expectations.
Significant gains in efficiency have also resulted in major savings. Across DEP’s regulatory programs,
approximately $18.5 million in operating funding was reverted at the end of the 2011/2012 fiscal year. Over $23
million in operating funding was reverted at the end of the 2012/2013 fiscal year. The Shared Savings Incentive
Plan (SSIP) will continue to promote increased efficiencies, performance and savings.
Statutory authority is provided in Section 216.1815, Florida Statutes, for agencies to retain a portion of the
savings generated each year for employee bonuses. DEP's regulatory programs were able to receive approval
from the Legislative Budget Commission (LBC) in June 2013 to provide bonuses to our highest performing staff
based on the savings generated during the 2012/2013 fiscal year.
It is our desire to seek approval once again from the LBC at the end of this fiscal year for additional employee
bonuses based on savings generated by the Regulatory Programs during the 2013/2014 fiscal year. If approved,
the 2013/2014 proposed bonus pool will be distributed among the Regulatory Programs as follows:
Distribution Among Regulatory Programs
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Internal Benchmarks: How well did the Program meet or exceed their goals and expectations laid out within
their Business Plan? Meeting these goals and expectations is required to participate in the bonus plan.
Cost Reductions: Programs’ efforts to reduce costs without minimizing services or compromising environmental
protection. This is further assured because no program is eligible if they do not first meet performance criteria
laid out in their Business Plans.
Customer Service Feedback: Rankings based on feedback from internal and/or external reviews.
General Criteria for All SSIPs

Each Director is responsible for the specific design and implementation of their SSIP. However, at a minimum,
the following criteria shall be followed:
a. No bonus should exceed 20% of the target recipient’s annual salary;
b. No bonus should fall below $750;
c. Successful Business Plan metrics should be the standard for eligibility by the recipient’s program
area;
d. The highest performing program area should receive the largest portion of the total bonus amount;
e. The lowest performing program area should not be bonus eligible;
f. Individual achievement based on SMART goals should be the standard for employee eligibility;
g. The highest performing employee within an eligible program area should receive the highest
bonus;
h. The lowest performing employee within an eligible program area should not be bonus eligible.
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Program Specific SSIP

Staff may be eligible for bonuses based on the following criteria:
In the Southwest District, our experience shows that staff who exhibit initiative and a positive attitude
are more likely to embrace change and excel at new challenges. This in turn translates into better
customer service and an increase in customer satisfaction. Therefore, in addition to successfully
meeting the goals identified in the business plan, the Southwest District will use these two criteria to
identify our top performers and justify their bonuses.
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Dept. of Environmental Protection
Southwest District Office
Mary Yeargan
Southwest District Director
[email protected]
13051 N. Telecom Parkway, Temple Terrace, FL 32399-3000
www.dep.state.fl.us/southwest
P: 813-470-5700
F: 813-470-5995
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