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Management Services

The Department of Management Services provides executive assistance to the City Council and the City Manager, serves as liaison to several commissions and committees, and coordinates special projects that span several City departments or involve other agencies or organizations. The Management Services Department provides oversight, coordination and project management for several divisions including general government services, community information and public relations, mandated programs, regional planning and implementation activities, and intergovernmental programs and projects.

69-825 Highway 111
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
Phone: (760) 324-4511
Fax: (760) 324-8830
Catherine Mitton, Director of Management Services

General Government

General Government services administered by the Management Services Department include: evaluating and completing grant applications; assisting in contract administration and performance reporting; providing support to the City Manager and Department Directors on projects spanning departments; legislative analysis and monitoring; animal control and shelter services; and risk management and insurance benefits coordination.

Special Programs

The Management Services Department oversees a number of special activities and programs for the City that include: 1) Special Assistance Funds (SAF) which provide a wide variety of contracted services of interest to the community's residents; 2) the City's participation in the Joslyn Cove Senior Center, a joint effort with the Cities of Indian Wells and Palm Desert; 3) the Community Parks and Recreation Commission which plans, organizes and hosts special events such as fine art exhibits and festivals or family events throughout the year; 3) the Health & Medical Welfare Commission which advises the City Council on ways the City might improve the quality of life for residents; 4) the Resident Golf Program offering residents play at The Westin Mission Hills' Pete Dye and Gary Player courses at reduced rates during the season; 5) the Child Enrichment Center, an after-school and all day-in the summer licensed day care program sponsored in partnership with the Palm Springs Unified School District and the Family YMCA of the Desert.

Public Information & Community Relations

Public Information and Community Relations (formerly called Information and Marketing) is coordinated under the Management Services Department and includes a wide variety of services to inform, engage, involve and respond to the residents and businesses of Rancho Mirage and to ensure consistent and accurate information is available to assist in delivering quality customer services. Community information includes the City’s website and preparing publications such as the MirageScape newsletter, news releases, and other special notices and publications. The majority of marketing activities to attract visitors to the resorts and hotels of Rancho Mirage have been shifted the City’s Tourism and Marketing program.

Mandated Programs

Management Services directs the Mandated Programs that are legislatively required by Federal or State government or other agencies having jurisdiction over the City. Such programs are related to the Americans with Disability Act (Federal), air quality (Federal and State), integrated solid waste management (State), water conservation (State), wetlands (Federal), and the Local Agency Formation Commission (State).

Regional Planning & Implementation Programs

Management Services monitors the Regional Planning and Implementation Programs related to regional activities in which some or all Coachella Valley cities and the County participate or which relate to the Southern California Association of Governments. As local jurisdictions struggle to implement various programs, the "joint effort" approach has become important as a way of achieving cost savings and increasing productivity. Examples include the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, Retired Senior Volunteer Program and the Coachella Valley Animal Campus.

Air Pollution Reduction

Management Services is charged with regulating this program for the City and supporting all regional efforts. AB 2766, dealing with Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction (MSAPR), became effective in 1990. This legislation authorized the imposition of an additional motor vehicle registration fee to fund provisions of the Clean Air Act and other air quality management plans. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) imposed the fee in 1991; this fee is collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles, and then allocated to the SCAQMD. Of this total SCAQMD must distribute 40% to cities and counties that have enacted ordinances requiring these funds to be expended on Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction. Because the Coachella Valley does not meet Federal standards for PM10, including PM10 which is emitted by mobile sources (motor vehicles driving over sand particles on paved streets and grinding these particles into PM10), 45% of the City's AB 2766 revenues are utilized to support the regional clean streets sweeping program.

Storm Water Quality

The Management Services Department monitors this program. The Clean Water Act of 1972 was enacted by Congress to control and reduce sources of water pollution. At that time the focus centered on point sources or specific geographic locations. In 1987, revisions to the Clean Water Act required that storm water runoff be cleaned up as well. The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB) are responsible for the implementation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) required by the Clean Water Act revisions. Under guidelines promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Whitewater River Region of Riverside County is required to be covered by an area-wide storm water discharge permit. Rancho Mirage is a part of this region. The permit requires certain activities and programs to be in place in order to ensure compliance with Clean Water Act regulations. Requirements include retrofitting of retention basins with filters and traps, cleanup of hazardous water spills, enforcement of ordinances that prohibit illegal discharge of pollutants, and a higher level of street sweeping. Public education and technical training are also required, as well as preparation of a Drainage Area Master Plan. In December 1993, the City annexed to County Service Area 152, which was established as a mechanism to fund NPDES Programs and more cost-efficiently coordinate certain tasks such as public education. A charge is assigned to a parcel based on the amount of runoff generated by that parcel.

AB 939 Recycling Program

The Department of Management Services is responsible for services funded in this special account that include: supporting construction and demolition debris recycling; providing convenient collection of household hazardous waste and sharps from residents; continuing to expand the Restaurant Food Waste Recycling program; and participating in regional recycling efforts, such as those for used oil and telephone book recycling.