RESEARCH TOOLS › SAMPLE DOCS › GOV DOCS › Public Works Policy on Letters and Memos

Port Angeles, WA PW Dept - Letters and Memos

Sample Only

Port Angeles, WA Public Works Department
Policy and Procedures
Letters and Memos

1.0 PURPOSE:

1.1 To clearly define the steps involved in the development, review and filing of letters and memos.

1.2 To assure the quality of the letters and memos produced by the Public Works Staff.

1.3 To reduce as much as possible the accumulation of multiple copies of letters and memos, thereby reducing paper work.

1.4 To maintain a standard format for visual appearance and identification of location of document on personal computer or network files.

2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:

2.1 Public Works Department staff

3.0 POLICY:

3.1 It shall be the responsibility of the author of any letter or intradepartmental memo to route the document through their immediate supervisor and the Director of Public Works prior to distribution of the letter or intradepartmental memo.

3.2 Interdepartmental memos may be handwritten, typed or E-mailed and a copy shall be distributed to the Director of Public Works for information and filing by the Administrative Assistant.

3.3 The Administrative Assistant shall maintain the Department's central filing system. Original files shall be maintained in the office. Any files at other locations shall exist only for ease of use at that location and shall be duplicates of the central files.

4.0 DEFINITIONS:

4.1 INTRADEPARTMENT MEMO is a memo sent to other Departments, City Manager and City Council within the City.

4.2 INTERDEPARTMENT MEMO is a memo sent to someone within the Public Works Department of the City of Port Angeles.

4.3 LETTER is a formal document sent to someone, usually external to the City, using standard City letterhead.

5.0 PROCEDURES:

5.1 INTRADEPARTMENTAL MEMOS shall be accomplished using hard copy mail, unless the Director/Deputy Director authorizes otherwise. The suggested steps are:

(a) Author draft memo. [See Form PW101_01]

(b) Consult with Director or Deputy Director, as necessary.

(c) Author of the memo finalize and sign the memo and send to Admin. Assistant.[Author may make copies and send to Admin. Assistant]

(d) Author shall indicate the location and file name of document in accordance with Section 5.4 below.

(e) Admin. assistant make file copy [distribution stamp added] and author copy [COPY stamp added].

(f) Three copies (original + two file copies) to author for signature.

(g) Circulate to Deputy Director/Director for approval and signature prior to mailing and distribution.

(h) Distribute original and copies:

Original - mail

cc: copies - distribute

File copy - file by topic or project or building address file

Author copy - file by Division of author

5.2 INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEMOS should be accomplished using the Electronic - mail system in the computer network. If the memo requires or requests action to be taken where resources of the Department will be expended, then a copy of the communication should be sent to the Director or Deputy Director for their concurrence and/or approval. (There may be many cases where direction may be given without a memo. If a paper trail is necessary, use a memo, otherwise, do it verbally.) Unfortunately, if in doubt, write/or type it out.

(a) Original memo to intended party [Form PW101_02]

(b) Copy to Director of Public Works/Deputy Director

5.3 LETTERS shall be completed in accordance with the following:

(a) Author draft letter. [See Form PW101_03]

(b) Consult with Director or Deputy Director, as necessary.

(c) Author of the letter finalize and sign the letter and send to Admin. Assistant.[Author may make copies and send to Admin. Assistant]

(d) Author shall indicate the location and file name of document in accordance with Section 5.4 below.

(e) Admin. assistant make file copy [distribution stamp added] and author copy [COPY stamp added].

(f) Circulate to Deputy Director/Director prior to mailing and distribution.

(g) Distribute original and copies:

Original - mail

cc: copies - distribute

File copy - file by topic, project, or building address file

Author copy - file by Division of the author

NOTE: Letters and Memos should be produced in Arial/12 type style, if the font is available to you.

5.4 Computerized document conventions in Word Perfect that follows the signature block are as follows:

*************************************

JNP:jp

Attachment:

Copies:

LOC: C:\Jack\Forms\PWMEMO

File:

*************************************

JNP:jnp

JNP: Initials of the author of document;

jp: Initial of the operator and is the person that filed the electronic document.

Disk: C:\Jack\Forms\PWMEMO

LOC: Denotes the location of the electronic document, i.e., initials or name of work station.

c: Indicates that the document is in the C Drive of jp's computer. If the file was on floppy disk, then the disk shall be named, numbered, or titled so that the address looks similar to: Disk: Budget:\Street

I: This would indicate that the document is located in the I: drive which is the main server in the network.

Jack is the first directory address.

Forms is the sub-directory address.

PWMEMO is the actual file name. [8 spaces available plus 3 beyond period for extension.

FILE is the name of the file in Public Works central files.

5.5 The project and/or general files may use the letter log form to facilitate difficult document identification is some files, see PW101_04.

6.0 APPENDIX:

6.1 Intradepartmental memo format [Council memo shown here] PW101_01 [5/96]

6.2 Interdepartment memo format PW101_02 [5/96]

6.3 Letter format PW101_03 [5/96]

6.4 Letter Log PW101_04 [5/96]

Sample Only

Port Angeles, WA Public Works Department Policy and Procedures Letters and Memos

Port Angeles, WA Public Works Department
Policy and Procedures
Letters and Memos