The Way Things Should Look 2011

City of Lubbock Texas
The Way Things Should Look

2011
2/1/2011 Q:\PURCHASE\PROCEDURES\City Policies Signed\City Manager (Lee Ann Dumbauld)\The Way Things Should Look\The Way Things Should Look 2011.doc
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DATE January 15, 2011
TO Assistant City Managers, Chiefs, and Department Heads
FROM Lee Ann Dumbauld, City Manager
SUBJECT Document Format Consistency
To ensure that the City’s leadership is viewed as a highly professional team with great
communications skills, I propose that we present our written materials in a consistent manner.
The formatting standards presented here will apply to all documents including letters,
memorandums, executive reports and analyses, and financial reports and spreadsheets. Samples
of letters, memorandums and financial reports are included in this memo. Accurate and concise
communications make the difference in how the City Council views our “professionalism” and
our “expertise.”
Please distribute this memo to your staff.
I. General Correspondence
A. Memos and letters will be fully justified;
B. Columns and tables will be created in Excel and imported into Word;
C. Letters will be printed in portrait style;
D. Documents will be printed in Times New Roman (12-point);
E. Paragraphs will not be indented;
F. Formal letters must always be signed;
G. Memos must be initialed;
H. Footers must always indicate date and electronic file location in Times New Roman (6-
point);
I. Letters addressed to those outside of the City organization will be printed on official City
letterhead; and
J. Memos will be printed on plain paper with the City’s logo centered at the top.
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Sample Letter
December 19, 2010
Mr. Charles Doe

900 East Broad Street
Lubbock, Texas 79457
Subject: Format
Dear Mr. Doe:
When writing a business letter, place date 2.5” from top of page. Strike the enter key five times
before typing in the address. Double space before the subject line and double space again before
beginning the body of the letter. Double space before typing the salutation. Leave extra space
for the signature. Print on City of Lubbock letterhead stationery which can be purchased from
the Print Shop. Other formatting instructions can be found in Roman numeral I.
Best regards,
Lee Ann Dumbauld

City Manager
LAD/sls
Attachment
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Sample Memo
DATE December 19, 2010
TO Andy Burcham, Chief Financial Officer
FROM Lee Ann Dumbauld, City Manager
COPIES Quincy White, Assistant City Manager

Marta Alvarez, Purchasing Director
SUBJECT Memo Format
Begin the memo three lines after the Subject line. Include the name and title on the same
line, rather than on two lines. Always use the City logo at the top center of a memo. Other
formatting instructions can be found in Roman numeral I.
Attachments
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To: [Click here and type name]
Fax number: [Click here and type number]
Phone Number: [Click here and type number]
From: [Click here and type name]

Fax number: [Click here and type number]
Phone Number: [Click here and type number]
Department Name Date: "[Click here and type date]"
Address
City, ST ZIP Code # of Pages (including cover sheet): [Click here and type number]
FAX Subject: [Click here and type subject]
Comments: ____ Urgent ____ For your review ____ Reply ASAP ____ Please Comment
"[Click here and type comments]"
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II. Financial Reports and Spreadsheets
A. Report Document
1. Use Excel spreadsheets for all financial reports and documents;
2. Print on 8-1/2” x 11” paper size wherever feasible. Always use in a bound document;
3. Use portrait page orientation wherever feasible. Landscape page orientation is
appropriate whenever the information can be provided on a single page by changing
the orientation, for longer spreadsheets always use portrait orientation in a bound
document.
4. Use Times New Roman, 12-point font;
5. Maintain one (1) inch margins all around, if possible;
6. Ensure title headings are:
a. Centered;
b. Bolded;
c. Entered in title case, never putting title in all caps; and
d. Entered according to this example:
City of Lubbock, TX
City Manager’s Office
Document Format Consistency
December 19, 2010
7. Place headings on all subsequent pages;
8. Ensure dollar “$” signs are used in the following manner:
a. Place on the top figure and final totals only, never on each line.
b. Use “Accounting Number” format in each cell with a dollar figure to ensure
correct placement of dollar sign and numerical value; and
c. Round to the nearest dollar whenever appropriate.
9. Insert a footer which shows the date and electronic file location with file name in 6
point Times New Roman (i.e., 12/23/2010, Q:ldumbauld/Finance/Excel/Budget.xls);
10. Place page numbers at the bottom center of each page;
11. Cite source documents where appropriate;
12. Do not use gridlines or shading on excel spreadsheets that are included in formal
reports. Gridlines and shading can be used in working documents;
13. Ensure column headings are:
a. Centered;
b. Bolded;
c. Underlined appropriately: the entire cell block(s) will be underlined, not just the
characters; and
d. Entered in title case, never putting title in all caps.
14. E-mail spreadsheets that have been formatted according to these guidelines, ensuring
that the recipient can open the spreadsheet without having to re-format it. Pay
particular attention to ensuring the spreadsheet fits on one page or is formatted to be
easily followed on multiple pages.
B. Document Accuracy
1. Foot and cross-foot any numerical tables using a calculator;
2. Check spelling; and
3. Check grammar and punctuation.
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City of Lubbock, TX
Finance Department
Sample File
1/20/2011
Department Actual FY 2009
Revenues
Fees $ 3,158
Interest 157,041
Rentals 135,064
Permits 41,544
Fines and Forfeitures 1,961,245
Transfers from Other Funds 260,672
Total Funding Sources 2,558,724
Expenditures
Salaries 541,387
Benefits 231,087
Supplies 172,276
Maintenance 255,818
Other Charges 166,338
Capital Outlay 19,627
Transfers 853,832
Other Expenditures -
Total Expenditures 2,240,365
Total Expenditures (Over)/Under Revenues $ 318,359
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III. Executive Reports and Audits
A. Content
1. Background
a. Explain the current situation and its history to establish a point of departure for
the analysis; and
b. Identify and review applicable Texas statutes, City ordinances, Federal rules and
regulations, legal opinions, and grant requirements. Include these in the working
papers
2. Scope
Define the purpose and parameters of the project. Other areas that need review will
arise during the analysis process. These should be identified as collateral issues at
the end of the analysis.
3. Methodology
Define the materials, resources, contacts, documents, and applicable laws, ordinances,
rules, and regulations, to be reviewed for the project. Methods may include:
a. Work flow diagrams;
b. Performance measurement analysis;
c. Benchmarks;
d. Review of procedures/processes used by other cities;
e. Interviews;
f. Internationl City/County Management Association (ICMA) and Government
Finance Officers Association (GFOA) reports,
g. Revenue and expenditure analysis; and
h. Staffing/organization structure.
4. Results and Findings:

Explain the outcome of the analysis undertaken and establish the justification for any
conclusions.
5. Conclusions and Recommendations:

Define needed areas of improvement in work processes, procedures, or organizational
changes. Each conclusion or recommendation follows a specific finding.
6. Collateral issues:
Document other areas of concern or interest that were noted during the review but
which were outside the scope of the analysis conducted.
B. Document Format
1. Use 8-1/2” x 11” paper size;
2. Use portrait page orientation;
3. Use Times New Roman, 12-Point;
4. Maintain one (1) inch margins all around;
5. Ensure all paragraphs are justified in alignment;
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6. Ensure headings are:
a. Centered;
b. Bolded;
City of Lubbock, TX
December 19, 2010
7. Double space between paragraphs;

8. Do not indent for paragraphs;
9. Ensure dollar “$” signs are used in the following manner:
a. Place on the top figure and final totals only, never on each line.
b. Use “Accounting Number” format in Excel, or the equivalent format, with a
dollar figure to ensure correct placement of dollar sign and numerical value; and
c. Round to the nearest dollar whenever appropriate;
10. Place page numbers at bottom center of each page;
12. Cite source documents where appropriate and use quotation marks; and
13. Ensure column headings are:
a. Centered;
b. Bolded;
c. Underlined; and
d. Entered in title case, never putting title in all caps.
C. Document Accuracy
1. Verify numerical tables for accuracy;
2. Check spelling; and
3. Check grammar and punctuation.
D. Work papers
All of the research, cited documents, surveys, printouts, and other source material that
substantiate the analyses and reports will be retained in a labeled, tabbed, 2-hole-
punched folder or 3-ring binder, with a copy of the final report.
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IV. Policy and Procedures
A. Content Headings
1. Subject: The policy title;
2. Effective Date: The date the original policy went into effect;
3. Revision Date: The date/s of all revisions to the original policy;
4. Approved By: Signature lines for policy approvers; usually include the department
head, the Assistant City Manager or Chief, and the City Manager;
5. Applies To: The departments/employees that are affected by the policy;
6. Policy: One or two paragraphs stating the policy;
7. Roles and Responsibilities: A list of each position/role with the specific procedures
they are responsible for in order to uphold the policy. This list will be bulleted and
compiled in a logical order;
8. Checks and Balances: An answer to the question, “How do you know the policy is
being followed?”; and
9. Forms and Required Documents: A list of all documents cited in the policy.
B. Document Format
a. Centered;
b. Bolded;
City of Lubbock, TX
December 19, 2010

9. Place page numbers at bottom center of each page; and
1. Check spelling
2. Check grammar and punctuation
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Sample Policy
City of Lubbock, TX
City Department
Administrative Policies and Procedures
Subject: Policy Title Effective Date: 10/28/06

Revision Date: 05/21/10
Approved By: ______________________________

City Manager
_____________________________
Chief Financial Officer
_____________________________
Department Head
Applies To: Which Departments/Which Employees
Policy: Policy Statement. Answer to the question “What is the policy?”
Roles and
Responsibilities: Role/Staff Position:
List procedural steps that this position will take to uphold the policy.
1. Number or bullet each step - maintain consistency throughout the

document.
2. List the steps in a logical order, typically a chronological order.
3. Begin each step with a verb, indicating the action to be taken.
4. Justify all paragraphs.
5. Use consistent punctuation with each bullet.
6. Use Title Case. Never use all caps, unless it is an acronym. Spell out
the acronym the first time it is used and place the abbreviated version
in parenthesis following the complete name; i.e. Enterprise One (E1).
7. Use tabs and tab stop positions to align paragraphs.
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Role/Staff Position II:
List procedural steps for next position. Continue in like manner until all
steps for all positions have been outlined.
Checks and
Balances: Answer the question: How do you determine that this policy is being
followed? The answer will be a simple concept statement. It is not meant
to be a repeat of Roles and Responsibilities.
Forms and
Required
Documents: List any document cited in the policy
Attach a copy of the document or
Provide a link to the document
If there is a Code, Regulation, Law, etc. authorizing this policy; provide
the link here.
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V. Board and Commission Agenda Format
A. Content Headings
1. Call to Order: Welcome and introductions;
2. Approval of Minutes: Date of minutes to be approved;
3. Citizen’s Comments: Omit this item if the board/commission does not have a
citizen’s comment period;
4. Executive Session: If applicable and prior permission has been received from the
City Manager;
5. Action Items: Items requiring a board vote;
6. Worksession: items for discussion only, including staff reports and reports from the
board chair.;
7. Adjourn: Date of next meeting;
8. Posting notice: Do not put the internet in the posting notice. Do not put the posting
notice on the agenda posted on the web site; and
9. ADA notice:.
B. Document Format
a. Centered;
b. Bolded;
Board Name
Agenda
Type of Meeting
Date of Meeting
Time of Meeting
Location of Meeting

9. Place page numbers at bottom center of each page; and
1. Check spelling
2. Check grammar and punctuation
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Board Name
Agenda
Type of Meeting (Regular, Public Hearing, Special Called, etc.)
Date
Time
Location
1) Call to Order
Welcome and Introductions
2) Approval of Minutes
Date of minutes to be approved
3) Citizen’s Comments (omit this item if the board/commission does not have a citizen’s
comment period.)
Notice: Any citizen wishing to appear before any regular meeting of the Board shall advise
the Department of that fact no later than seven calendar days before the meeting at which the
citizen wishes to appear. Any citizen wishing to so appear shall inform the Department, in
writing, of the subject of the appearance. The subject matter shall be sufficiently detailed as
to inform the Board and the public of its nature. Such notice shall contain the name and
address of the requestor. The appearance of any citizen giving such notice to the Department
shall take precedence in addressing the Board during the Citizen Comments period. Any
citizen failing to advise the Department of his/her wish to appear before the Board as
hereinabove set forth shall, time permitting, be permitted to address the Board after those
having given notice. In accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Board may not
take action on public matters during Citizen Comments.
List name and address of anyone giving notice
4) Executive Session (if applicable and prior permission has been received from City Manager)
4.1) Topic
5) Action Items
5.1) Topic
Person presenting or other details, as needed. This may vary greatly depending upon
the function of the board.
5.2) Public Hearing – Time scheduled for hearing
Subject of hearing. Follow all notification and publication requirements.
6) Worksession
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6.1) Topic
Person presenting or other details, as needed. This may vary greatly depending upon
the function of the board. Staff reports and reports from the chair or other board
members are included here, if there is no corresponding action required.
7) Adjourn – Do not specify a time

Date of next scheduled meeting
The above referenced NOTICE OF MEETING was posted on the bulletin board
outside the east entrance of City Hall, 1625 13th Street, Lubbock, Texas, on the
___________ day of ____________, 2011 at _____________AM/PM.
By: __________________________________________
Name of Board meetings are available to all persons regardless of disability. If you require
special assistance, please contact the City of Lubbock at (your department’s phone number) or
write to P.O. Box 2000, Lubbock, Texas, 79457, at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
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City of Lubbock Style Guide Glossary
Introduction
This glossary is a resource for use by all City of Lubbock employees. Features contained within
this glossary include correct uses of titles, abbreviations, nomenclature, etc. for consistency in
City documents.
A. Abbreviations
After a name: Abbreviate junior or senior and separate with a comma. Example: Ed Harry,
Jr.
Association: May be abbreviated as “Assn.” on second reference in a title only. Otherwise
do not abbreviate. Example: We went to the Heart of Lubbock Neighborhood Association
meeting. Many citizens attended the Heart of Lubbock Neighborhood Assn.
Before a name: Abbreviate the following titles: Dr., Gov., Mr., Mrs., Ms., Rep., Rev., and
Sen. Spell out Doctor, Governor, Representative, Reverend, and Senator when the title stands
alone.
Company names: Unless a part of the official name, abbreviate company (Co.), corporation
(Corp.), incorporated (Inc.), and limited (Ltd.) when used after the name of a corporate
entity. Do not use a comma to separate, unless the official company name has a comma
before the “Inc.”. Example: Northern Cap, Inc.
Times: Use a.m., p.m. Example: 9:30 a.m.

Months: Spell out all months. Example: March, January deadline; February 23rd.
Dates: Always use Arabic figures. Use st, nd, rd, or th, if the date does not include the year.
Example: I want to meet March 3rd, but he wants to meet January 2nd.
Days of the week: Spell out the days of the week.

States: Spell out the entire name of the state, except in addresses or reference citations.
Example: Lubbock, Texas; We will explore Texas.
Versus: Abbreviate as “vs.” in all cases.
AL Alabama GA Georgia ME Maine

AK Alaska HI Hawaii MD Maryland
AZ Arizona ID Idaho MA Massachusetts
AR Arkansas IL Illinois MI Michigan
CA California IN Indiana MN Minnesota
CO Colorado IA Iowa MS Mississippi
CT Connecticut KS Kansas MO Missouri
DE Delaware KY Kentucky MT Montana
FL Florida LA Louisiana NE Nebraska
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NV Nevada OK Oklahoma UT Utah
NH New Hampshire OR Oregon VT Vermont
NJ New Jersey PA Pennsylvania VA Virginia
NM New Mexico RI Rhode Island WA Washington
NY New York SC South Carolina WV West Virginia
NC North Carolina SD South Dakota WI Wisconsin
ND North Dakota TN Tennessee WY Wyoming
OH Ohio TX Texas
B. Acronyms
Use acronyms only after you have spelled out the entire name. Example: The City
Council funds the Zoning Board of Adjustment (“ZBA”). The Planning Department
provides staffing for the ZBA.
Add lowercase “s” (no apostrophe) when using an acronym in a non-possessive form.
Example: The Housing and Redevelopment Authorities (HRAs) will meet in Texas.
Add an apostrophe in possessive forms (acronym remains singular). Example: The

Water Board of Appeals’ (WBA) agenda is published one weeks prior to its scheduled
meeting. On second reference in possessive form, you may use the acronym with an
apostrophe “s.” Example: The WBA’s meeting takes place every Tuesday at 9:00 am.
C. Addresses
Abbreviate Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, and Northwest when used with a

numbered address. Place SE, SW, NE, NW, with no periods after the abbreviation,
after the number. Example: 2401 SE Monterey Road.
D. Capitalization
Councilman/Councilwoman: Capitalize when part of a formal name.
City: Capitalize “City” when referring to the City of Lubbock. Example: The City
budget is available on their web site.
City Council: When referring to the City Council, capitalize “Council.” Spell out
City Council the first time and use “Council” throughout the rest of the document.
Example: The City Council (“Council”) meets the second and fourth Thursday
beginning at 7:30 a.m. The Council often meets until 5:00 p.m.
City Councilman and Councilwoman: When referring to an individual Councilman

or Councilwoman, capitalize “Councilman” or “Councilwoman.” Spell out the full
name of the Councilman or Councilwoman the first time and from then on use
“Councilman” or “Councilwoman” and the last name. Example: Councilwoman Jane
Smith represents District 3 of City of Lubbock. An award was presented to
Councilman Smith at last week’s meeting.
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Agency, Committee, Board, Council: Capitalize “agency, committee, board” when
referring to a specific group. Example: The Neighborhood Advisory Committee used
to be called the Community Redevelopment Agency. The Committee meets once each
month. There are several other committees that meet monthly.
City of Lubbock: Capitalize “City of Lubbock” when referring to a city government.

When “city” stands alone, do not capitalize. Example: He moved to the city from
Amarillo. He enjoys working for the City of Lubbock.
Divisions and Departments: Capitalize the names of divisions and departments.

Example: Human Resources Department.
City of Lubbock Municipal Building: The official name of the building located at
1625 13th Street in Lubbock, is the City of Lubbock Municipal Building (City Hall).
Proper names: Capitalize common nouns such as party, river, street, and west when
they are an integral part of the full name of a person, place or thing. Example: the
Brazos River; the Republican Party. Use lowercase for the common noun elements of
names in all plural uses. Example: the Brazos and White rivers; the Democratic and
Republican parties.
Titles: Capitalize formal titles when used immediately before or after a name.
Example: Executive Director Rebecca Yanisch; Rebecca Yanisch, Executive Director.
Capitalize formal titles of City positions. Example: Steve Smith is the Deputy City
Manager.
Use lowercase for terms that are job descriptions rather than formal titles. Example:
She is a planner.
Counties and states: Capitalize. Example: He moved to Lubbock County. She moved
from Missouri to Texas. The State provided funds for the program, but I’m still
moving to another state.
Government: Always use lowercase. Example: the federal government; the state
government; the U.S. government.
Legislature: Capitalize when preceded by the state’s name and retain capitalization
when the state name is dropped but the reference is specific. Example: The
Legislature adjourned today; the Texas Legislature. Lowercase when used
generically and in all plural references.
Neighborhoods: Capitalize formal neighborhood names, but use lower case when not
part of the formal name. Example: The Heart of Lubbock Neighborhood Association;
The City has acquired some properties in the Heart of Lubbock neighborhood.
Seasons: Lowercase the seasons of the year. Example: Next winter we’ll start
redeveloping that block.
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Senate: Capitalize all specific references to governmental legislative bodies, but
lowercase plural uses. Example: the U.S. Senate; the Senate; the Texas Senate; the
Texas and New Mexico senates.
E. Numbers
Spell out “one” through “nine”. Use numerals thereafter, except for very large, even
numbers such as three million. Example: one bottle; 10 bottles; 1,385,460 bottles.
Spell out adjectives “one” through “nine,” then use numerals, except dates. Example:
fifth year; 10th place.
Use commas when numbers have three or more digits. Example: 3,000; 300,000.
If the number is the first word in a sentence, spell it out, unless it is a calendar year.
Example: Nine hundred women. 1996 was a good year.
Special cases:
Ages: Use numerals. Do not mix numerals and words. Hyphenate as shown.
Example: 18 months; 14-year-old boy; 1½ years old; one-and-one-half years old.
Decades: Use Arabic figures and apostrophe at the beginning when numerals are left
out. Show plural by adding “s.” Example: 1980s; ’90s.
Dimensions: When space is not a concern spell out inches, feet, yards, etc.
Hyphenate adjectival forms before nouns. Example: They had a 2,000-square-foot
atrium in their house, but he had 3,000 square feet of space in his house.
Dollars: Lowercase figures and a dollar sign. Eliminate the “.00” unless the units are
germane to the explanation. Always round amounts to the nearest dollar; below $0.50
rounds down and $0.50 and above rounds up. Example: The project cost $3 million;
$158,125.
Fractions: If less than one, use decimals when possible, and place a zero before the
decimal. Example: 0.2, rather than two-tenths. When using a fraction, spell out
amounts of less than one, using hyphens between the words. Example: two-thirds.
Measurements: Use numerals. Example: 5 pounds, 2 ounces; 4 feet, 2 inches tall.
Percentages: Unless space is a consideration, spell out the word “percent” and use
numerals. Repeat with each occurrence. Example: He offered to pay either 10 percent
or 20 percent of the bill; 1 percent; 2.5 percent.
F. Punctuation
Ampersand (&): Use the ampersand when it is part of a company’s formal name. Do
not use in place of “and.”
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Colons (:): Capitalize the first word after the colon only if it is a proper noun or if
everything after the colon is a complete sentence. Put two spaces after all colons
within a sentence. When underlining a title or paragraph heading that has a colon at
the end, do not underline the colon. Examples: There was a special guest: Don
Fraser. Only one person was there: the project coordinator. He promised this: The
company would be solvent by spring. There were many considerations: expense,
time, and feasibility.
Commas (,): Minimize the use of commas.

When listing words or phrases in a series, place a comma before the conjunction
connecting the last two members of the series. Example: The flag is red, white, and
blue.
With a series of items of equal rank, use a comma if it could be replaced with “and.”
Example: She spoke in a thoughtful, precise manner.
Use between city and state, and after the state when it directly follows the name of the
city. Example: Councilwoman Jane Doe of Lubbock, Texas, was there.
Set the date and year off with a comma. Example: On April 2, 1996, they are going
home.
No comma between the month and year, unless there are two months. Example:
October 1996; February to January, 1996.
Exclamation point (!): Avoid overuse!

Place inside quotation marks when used as part of quoted material. Example:
“Never!” he shouted.
Hyphen (-): Hyphens are joiners. Use them to avoid ambiguity or to form a single
idea from two or more words. Example: He recovered his health. He re-covered the
leaky roof; multi-family home; single-family residence.
If a word is a compound modifier (two or more words that express a single concept),
hyphenate. If two adjectives cannot stand alone before a noun, hyphenate the
adjectives. If the first word ends in “ly,” do not hyphenate. Example: two-bedroom
house; externally renowned lawyer; low-cost financing; pay-as-you-go financing.
Use a hyphen to avoid duplicated vowels, triple consonants. Example: right-of-way;

pro-active; shell-like.
Do not capitalize the second word in a hyphenated adjective. Example: Single-family

homes will be built on the site.
Parentheses (): Use sparingly.

Do not capitalize the text and place a period after a closing parenthesis, if the text
inside the parentheses is not a sentence (such as this fragment). (An independent
parenthetical sentence like this has a period before the closing parenthesis.)
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When a phrase in parentheses (this is an example) is in a sentence but is dependent on
the surrounding material to make sense, do not capitalize the first word or end with a
period.
Periods (.): Put two spaces after all periods ending a sentence. Example: This is the
first sentence. This is the second.
Possessives: For plural nouns ending in “s”, add only an apostrophe. Example:
managers’ training.
For singular proper nouns that end in “s”: use only an apostrophe. Example: Achilles’
heel.
For compound nouns, add an apostrophe “s” to the word closest to the object
possessed. Example: right-of-way’s documentation.
Quotation marks (“”): Place punctuation inside closing quotation marks. Example:
He wrote an article entitled, “How to Finance Your Home.” He said, “I think it is a
good article.”
When a quotation is a paragraph or more, double indent the paragraph(s); placing a

quotation mark at the beginning of the first paragraph and at the end of the last
paragraph.
Semicolon (;): Use the semicolon to indicate a greater separation of thought and
information than a comma can convey, but less separation than a period implies. Put
one space after a semicolon.
Use a semicolon to separate elements of a series when individual segments contain

material that also must be set off by commas. Example: He leaves a son, John Smith
of Lubbock; a daughter, Jane Doe of Austin, TX; and a sister, Martha.
G. Word Use
Accept, except: “Accept” is a verb and means to receive something. “Except” is a

preposition and means “with the exclusion of.” Example: He will accept the award at
tonight’s banquet. All the roads have been paved except Main Street.
Affect, effect: “Affect,” as a verb, means to influence. Example: Passage of this bill
will affect the entire country. “Effect,” as a verb means to bring about change, to
cause to come into being. Example: Passage of this bill can be effected by
cooperation of all parties.
Among, between: “Between” introduces two items and “among” introduces more
than two. Example: The tasks were divided among all the advisory boards, but that
should be kept between you and me.
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Anxious, eager: Both mean “desirous,” but “anxious” also implies fear or concern.
Example: I am anxious to hear whether we won or not. I am eager to hear about your
new home.
Assure, ensure, insure: “Assure,” “ensure,” and “insure” all mean “to make secure
or certain.” Only “assure” is used with reference to a person in the sense of “to set the
mind at rest.” Although “ensure” and “insure” are generally interchangeable, only
“insure” is now widely used in American English in the commercial sense of “to
guarantee financially against risk.” Example: I can assure you that the project will be
completed as scheduled. The house was insured for $50,000, which will ensure there
is adequate coverage if there is another flood.
Awhile, a while: “Awhile” (no preposition); for “a while” (with preposition).

Example: He’s staying awhile. She’s going away for a while.
Anytime, any time: Example: Anytime you want to meet is fine with me. The Queen
could be here at any time.
Biannual, semiannual: Means twice a year.
Biennial: Means every two years.
Bimonthly: Means every other month.
Semimonthly: Means twice a month.
Biweekly: Means every other week.
Semiweekly: Means twice a week.
Capital: The city where a seat of government is located. Do not capitalize. Example:
Austin is the capital of Texas. When used in financial sense, capital describes money,
equipment or property.
Capitol: The Capitol is the building in which the U.S. Congress meets or a building
in which a state legislature meets. State capitols may be spelled with either uppercase
or lowercase c, but the U.S. Capitol is spelled with an uppercase C. Example: The
meeting was held on Capitol Hill in the west wing of the Capitol. The Texas
Legislature meets inside the capitol in Austin.
Cleanup: Cleanup (noun); clean up (verb); clean-up (adjective). Example: The

pollution cleanup will take two years. The EPA should clean up polluted land. The
clean-up process took longer than expected.
Cutback: Cutback (noun, adjective); cut back (verb). Example: The cutbacks were
spread Citywide. We need to cut back on our use of paper.
22
Cutoff: Cutoff (noun, adjective); cut off (verb). Example: The cutoff date for
submitting agenda items is two weeks prior to the meeting. He needs to cut off the
excess ribbon.
Day care: Day care (noun); day-care (adjective). Example: Day care will be an
important concern, since there are so few day-care centers.
e.g. (for example): Use a comma after “e.g.” Example: The organizations, e.g., Red
Cross, will be there.
Every day: Every day (adverb); everyday (adjective). Example: Staff attend meetings
every day. It is an everyday thing.
Farther, further: “Farther” refers to physical distance and “further” refers to an

extension of time or degree. Example: He walked farther into the woods. She will
look further into the mystery.
Fix up: Fix up (verb); fix-up (adjective). Example: They’re going to fix up their
house with a fix-up loan.
Fewer, less: Use “fewer” for individual items, “less” for bulk or quantity. Example:
Fewer than ten applicants applied. I had less than $50 in my pocket.
Followup: Followup (noun); follow up (verb); follow-up (adjective). Example:

Followup is very important. He’ll follow up the assignment with a follow-up call.
Full time: Full time (adverb); full-time (adjective). Example: He wants to work full
time, i.e., a full-time job.
Good, well: “Good” is an adjective. “Well” may be an adverb or an adjective.

Example: John received good grades in school. John does not feel well today. John
looks good.
i.e. (that is): Use a comma after “i.e.” Example: The team, i.e., the 14 original
members, will go to the event.
Low income: Low income (noun); low-income (adjective). Example: He has a low
income. We offer mortgage loans to low- and moderate-income families.
Mid: No hyphen unless word that follows is a proper noun. Example: midsemester;
mid-America.
More than: Use instead of over. Example: Rehab costs will be more than $20,000.
Principle, principal: “Principle” means a fundamental truth, law, doctrine or

motivating force. “Principal” means someone or something first in rank, authority,
importance or degree. Example: They fought for a principle. She is the principal of
the school. They are paying off the principal on their debt.
23
Setup: Setup (noun); set up (verb). Example: That’s a great setup. When did you set
up the display?
There, their, they’re: “There” is an adverb and means at or in that place. “Their” is
an adjective and is the possessive form of “they.” “They’re” is a contraction of two
words: they are. Example: They’re going to build their house over there.
To, too, two: “To” is a preposition and means in a direction toward. “Too” is an
adverb and means in addition to, or more than enough. “Two” is a noun and means
the number “2.” Example: He went to the store. The shirt costs too much money. She
is going to the meeting too. Going to dinner at two in the afternoon is too soon.
While, although: “While” means “during the time that” or “as long as.” “Although”
means “regardless” or “even though.” Example: He waited while she completed the
letter. Although some persons complained, the motion was passed easily.
Who, whom: “Who” is used in the subjective case and “whom” in the objective case.
Example: The woman who spoke at the meeting had just returned from Europe. The
woman whom we just met is in charge of research.
24
H. Commonly Misspelled and Misused Words
A definite
development L
Accidentally (not
accidently) landowner
E leasehold
accommodate
acknowledge earmark liable
acknowledgment eligible liaison
adjacent eliminate license
afterward (not environment like (use such as)
afterwards) even though (use livable, livability
all right (never although) long term (noun)
alright) long-term (adjective)
F
B Fannie Mae M
basically fund-raiser, fund-raising manageable
benefited, benefiting miscellaneous
G misperception (not
bi (in general, no
hyphen Example: ground breaking misconception)
biannual, movable
bimonthly) H multicultural
budgeted, budgeting hands-on multifamily (noun)
hardworking multi-family (adjective)
C high rise (noun)
high-rise (adjective) N
canceled
cannot homebuyer nearby
committee home improvement negotiate
commitment homeowner nonpayment
complement (add to) home ownership nonprofit
compliment (a non-regional
positive statement) I not-for-profit
concurrency in between noticeable
consensus in-service
in spite (not inspite) O
co-owner
cooperation incidentally (not occasionally
coordination incidently) one-on-one
copayment its (possessive) one-to-one
Citywide it’s (contraction for it is) ongoing
coworker on site
cross section J output (noun)
judgment (not owner-occupant
D judgement)
data (plural)
database
day-to-day
deficit
25
P T
perseverance teamwork
persistent theater (not theatre,
policymaker except for specific
premier (adjective: theaters which use that
first) spelling)
premiere (noun: time frame
grand opening) time line
pre-paid (use prepaid timetable
with mortgage totaled, totaling
terms) townhouse, townhome
prerogative (not
perogative) U
preventive under way
privilege up-front
priority (not upward (not upwards)
prioritize)
public housing W
(general) warehouse
Public Housing weekday
(specific) well-being
well-done
R wherever
real estate agent (not woodwork
Realtor unless work force
member of the work load
Board of Realtors) workplace
regardless (not workstation
irregardless)
relevant Y
renowned year-round
revenue-bond
financing Symbols
> greater than
S < less than
service worker | pipe
side yard ~ tilde
significance ^ caret
signs (not signage) {} braces
single-family home [] brackets
spinoff (noun) () parentheses
staff person
start-up
storefront
supersede
26
I. City Logo Use
The City Logo should be used on all external publications and internal reports. City of
Lubbock letterhead stationery can be purchased from the Print Shop and will be used for all
external publications and letters.
2/1/2011,Q:\PURCHASE\PROCEDURES\City Policies Signed\City Manager (Lee Ann Dumbauld)\The Way Things Should Look\The Way Things Should Look 2011.doc
27
J. Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Terminology
Write . . . Instead of . . .
person with a disability disabled person, handicapped person
has a physical or mental disability is physically disabled, or mentally disabled
person who has afflicted, suffers from, victim
without speech mute, or dumb
uses a wheelchair confined to a wheelchair
condition disease (unless it is an actual disease)
mobility impaired lame
medically involved, or has chronic illness sickly
paralyzed invalid or paralytic
has hemiplegia (paralysis of one side hemiplegic
of the body)
has paraplegia (loss of function in paraplegic
lower body only)
has quadriplegia
quadriplegic
2/1/2011,Q:\PURCHASE\PROCEDURES\City Policies Signed\City Manager (Lee Ann Dumbauld)\The Way Things Should Look\The Way Things Should Look 2011.doc
28

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The Way Things Should Look 2011

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City of Lubbock Texas

The Way Things Should Look

TO Assistant City Managers, Chiefs, and Department Heads

FROM Lee Ann Dumbauld, City Manager

SUBJECT Document Format Consistency

Please distribute this memo to your staff.

December 19, 2010

Mr. Charles Doe

Dear Mr. Doe:

Lee Ann Dumbauld

DATE December 19, 2010

TO Andy Burcham, Chief Financial Officer

FROM Lee Ann Dumbauld, City Manager

COPIES Quincy White, Assistant City Manager

SUBJECT Memo Format

From: [Click here and type name]

FAX Subject: [Click here and type subject]

"[Click here and type comments]"

Department Actual FY 2009

Total Expenditures (Over)/Under Revenues $ 318,359

4. Results and Findings:

5. Conclusions and Recommendations:

7. Double space between paragraphs;

7. Double space between paragraphs;

Administrative Policies and Procedures

Subject: Policy Title Effective Date: 10/28/06

Approved By: ______________________________

Applies To: Which Departments/Which Employees

Policy: Policy Statement. Answer to the question “What is the policy?”

1. Number or bullet each step - maintain consistency throughout the

2. List the steps in a logical order, typically a chronological order.

3. Begin each step with a verb, indicating the action to be taken.

4. Justify all paragraphs.

5. Use consistent punctuation with each bullet.

7. Use tabs and tab stop positions to align paragraphs.

7. Double space between paragraphs;

7) Adjourn – Do not specify a time

Times: Use a.m., p.m. Example: 9:30 a.m.

Days of the week: Spell out the days of the week.

Versus: Abbreviate as “vs.” in all cases.

AL Alabama GA Georgia ME Maine

Add an apostrophe in possessive forms (acronym remains singular). Example: The

Abbreviate Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, and Northwest when used with a

Councilman/Councilwoman: Capitalize when part of a formal name.

City Councilman and Councilwoman: When referring to an individual Councilman

City of Lubbock: Capitalize “City of Lubbock” when referring to a city government.

Divisions and Departments: Capitalize the names of divisions and departments.

Measurements: Use numerals. Example: 5 pounds, 2 ounces; 4 feet, 2 inches tall.

Commas (,): Minimize the use of commas.

Exclamation point (!): Avoid overuse!

Use a hyphen to avoid duplicated vowels, triple consonants. Example: right-of-way;

Do not capitalize the second word in a hyphenated adjective. Example: Single-family

Parentheses (): Use sparingly.

When a quotation is a paragraph or more, double indent the paragraph(s); placing a

Use a semicolon to separate elements of a series when individual segments contain

Accept, except: “Accept” is a verb and means to receive something. “Except” is a

Awhile, a while: “Awhile” (no preposition); for “a while” (with preposition).

Biannual, semiannual: Means twice a year.

Biennial: Means every two years.

Bimonthly: Means every other month.

Semimonthly: Means twice a month.

Biweekly: Means every other week.