Lede: Consultants from KPMG presented an organizational assessment Wednesday recommending the Marin County Community Development Agency adopt regular client-satisfaction surveys, produce a division-level technology modernization plan, strengthen project- and process-management tools and coordinate policy reviews with the county executive's office.

Nut graf: The KPMG review, based on more than three dozen interviews, benchmarking and analysis, identified 13 recommendations and a 24-month suggested implementation timeline focused on customer service, modernized permitting systems and clearer interagency coordination. CDA Director Sarah Jones told the board the agency supports the recommendations but said staff will need project-management and implementation help while continuing day-to-day permitting, inspections and enforcement work.

Body: KPMGs presentation highlighted four priorities: implement customer feedback mechanisms such as surveys and a customer-relationship management (CRM) system; perform a division-level technology modernization analysis to reduce duplicated, manual data entry; implement centralized project-management tools and clearer public project dashboards; and coordinate interagency policy review with the Office of the County Executive (OCE) to align on housing-element and permitting policy questions.

KPMG noted CDA's strengths: updated building-permit review timelines, a staff committed to mission, above-average colleague rapport in the county employee survey and ongoing customer-service efforts. The consultants said CDA uses multiple, non-integrated systems that require manual reentry and urged a roadmap for integration and automation.

Director Sarah Jones said CDA staff are subject-matter experts (planning, building, environmental health) but not specialized systems implementers. She said CDA already is pursuing process mapping, time studies and specific permitting improvements (including a planned environmental health permitting system) but needs sustained implementation support and clarity on how to allocate staff time between daily operations and long-term systems improvements.

County Executive Derek Johnson said the assessment is part of a broader County organizational-excellence initiative and that OCE will work with CDA and other departments to stand up project-management support; he also said KPMGs implementation road map will inform the next budget cycle.

Ending: KPMG recommended a phased implementation beginning in the county's current fiscal year and running about 24 months. The board accepted the presentation, invited further guidance on priorities, and staff said they will return with specific implementation plans as part of the budget process.