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Onboarding

New Employee Onboarding

  1. Human Resources
  2. New Employee Onboarding

For department hiring managers

For new employees

On this page

  • About San Rafael
  • Orient yourself with Local Government
  • City Departments
  • City Facilities
  • How to contact others
  • City Branding Guidelines
  • City Purchasing Guidelines
  • Useful links

About San Rafael

San Rafael is both Marin County's oldest and most populous City.

Orient yourself with Local Government

View the presentation linked below to familiarize yourself with City and County government in Marin. Optional: email Talia.Smith@cityofsanrafael.org to schedule a 45-min training on the basics of Local Government in Marin.

City Departments

The City has 16 departments. Visit their public webpages to learn about the services they provide.

City Facilities

List of City Facilities

San Rafael City Hall 1400 5th Avenue City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, Community Development, Digital Service & Open Government, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources, Homelessness, Parking Services
Public Safety Center 1375 5th Avenue Fire Department, Police Department
Public Works 111 Morphew Street Public Works, San Rafael Sanitation District
Fire Station 51 1375 5th Avenue
Fire Station 52 52 Union Street
Fire Station 53 30 Joseph Court
Fire Station 54 46 Castro Ave
Fire Station 55 955 Point San Pedro Peninsula
Fire Station 56 650 Del Ganado Road
Fire Station 57 3530 Civic Center Drive
Downtown Library 1100 E Street Library
Albert J. Boro Library 50 Canal Street
B Street Community Center 618 B Street Recreation
Terra Linda Community Center & Pool 670 Del Ganado Road
Albert J. Boro Community Center 50 Canal Street
Falkirk Cultural Center 1408 Mission Avenue
Coleman Childcare Center 140 Rafael Drive
Dixie Childcare Center 1175 Idyleberry Road
Glenwood Children Center 25 W. Castlewood Drive
Mary Silveira Childcare Center 375 Blackstone Drive
Parkside Childcare Center 51 Albert Park Lane
Sun Valley Childcare Center 75 Happy Lane
Venetia Valley Childcare Center 177 North San Pedro Road
Vallecito Children Center 50 Nova Albion Way
Pickleweed Children Center 40 Canal Street

 

How to contact others

All Non-Police Department City emails follow the naming convention First.Last@cityofsanrafael.org. All Police Department emails follow the naming convention BadgeNumber@srpd.org (e.g. 123@srpd.org).

The Citywide telephone directory is linked below. Please note that this directory only lists office phone numbers, City cell phone numbers are not included. All City office numbers begin with (415) 485-XXXX unless indicated otherwise in the directory.

City Branding Guidelines

The City's Logo Branding Guidelines document outlines the framework for logo standards, typography, and color, and provides examples of the system in use. These guidelines help you create materials that are distinct and recognizable, visually positioning the City of San Rafael as “The City with a Mission”.

City Font

Download BW Mitga

City Colors

City Colors

 

City Email Signature

First Last | City of San Rafael
Position Title
Department Name
Office 415.XXX.XXXX
email@cityofsanrafael.org

City Logo - on white background

City Letterhead Templates

T:\FORMS\Letterhead Templates

City Purchasing Guidelines

General

Accountability to the public

All City procurement documentation (receipts, invoices, credit card statements) is public record and subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act. With every purchase, consider:

  • Is there a good explanation as to why the expenditure is appropriate? Has it been documented?
  • Could the amount spent be comfortably defended under public scrutiny?
  • Would you be free from worry if the expense was selected for audit?
  • If the expense was on the front page of the newspaper, would you feel comfortable explaining it to a taxpayer?

Making our tax payer dollars go far

All goods and services, including construction contracts, should be competitively procured or bid. City municipal code requires staff to purchase good or services at the lowest cost. This is why City construction contracts are awarded to the lowest, responsive responsible bidder.

The responsibility to ensure you are procuring City goods and services at the lowest cost available is an ongoing one. Regularly purchased good and contracted services should be routinely re-evaluated and re-advertised.

Per the City’s municipal code Professional Services are not required to be competitively bid and may be instead awarded based on a consultant’s experience, familiarity with the work, personnel, and other criteria specified in the Request for Proposal (RFP). However, it is the City’s business practice to competitively bid professional services whenever possible.

Finally, City procurement policy calls for the periodic evaluation of our in-house services to ensure we are providing services in the most cost-efficient manner (e.g. versus contracting services out).

Know (your funding source) before you go (out to bid)

Prior to proceeding with a major purchase or contract; confirm that funding is available for the project.

If the purchase/contract will be paid out of a division’s annual operating budget, then check your department/division’s latest budget report as to whether sufficient budget is available for the remainder of the fiscal year.

If the purchase/contract will be for a capital project, check the budgeted amount and funding source(s) listed in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) document (www.cityofsanrafael.org/CIP).

If you are unsure what the funding source is, you should check with the Department’s financial manager for assistance in identifying the funding source(s) prior to going out to bid and/or executing the contract.

Types of purchases, per the San Rafael Municipal Code

The San Rafael Municipal Code (SRMC) specifically defines three types of purchases:

  1. Professional services
  2. Public works projects
  3. Services, supplies, materials and equipment

Review the Purchasing Overview webpage on the Finance Department website to familiarize yourself with these types of purchases and their respect award authorities (e.g. which $ thresholds require City Council approval).

Putting out RFP's and setting up contracts

Review the RFP and Contracting Process webpage on the Finance Department website for guidance on what an RFP (Request for Proposals) is and how to set up City contracts/agreements with consultants and contractors. The page also includes information on how to set up Requisitions and Purchase Orders (PO's) with the Finance Department.

Processing invoices for payment

Review the Everything Invoices webpage on the Finance Department website for instructions on how to prepare an invoice for processing by the Finance department including coding the invoice. The page also includes the current year AP Calendar and guidance for department invoice approvers.

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