...Title
Adopt City Council Resolution Modifying Authorized Positions in FY 2016/17 Budget to Remove Water Projects Coordinator Position and Add Associate City Engineer Position
...Summary
The City's Water Projects Coordinator has submitted a notice of resignation effective at the end of October. The City Manager and Assistant Public Works Director met with the Council's Personnel Committee to discuss staff's recommendation that, rather than opening a recruitment for the Water Projects Coordinator position, the City should recruit an Associate City Engineer. The Personnel Committee concurred with staff's recommendation based on the following:
• With some juggling, most of the workload currently assigned to the Water Projects Coordinator can be reassigned to other existing positions in the Public Works Department and to the new Associate City Engineer.
• The Engineering Division has found it challenging to keep the City's many capital projects on track due, in part, to lack of engineering staff. The recent short-term fix of hiring a Temporary Associate City Engineer was short-lived when the new hire found a full-time, permanent, position elsewhere. Having an in-house Associate City Engineer will restore the staffing structure in the Engineering Division to that which was in place prior to elimination of the Associate City Engineer position in 2009-10 (in response to the Great Recession). It will also help reduce the amount that the City spends on outside engineering services which are more costly and oftentimes involve a substantial "learning curve" as the consultants gain familiarity with the City's facilities and procedures.
• While the salary range for the Associate City Engineer positions ($65,359 - $79,445) overlaps with that of the Water Projects Coordinator ($61,345-$74,564), the incumbent in the Water Projects Coordinator position only worked 80% time so the actual salary topped out at $59,652. It also should be noted that the fully-loaded cost of a non-sworn City position is typically about 30% greater than the salary. In the long run, the Associate City Engineer position will cost more than the Water Projects Coordinator. However, some of the staff costs for the Associate City Engineer will be offset by grants, by reduced costs for outside engineering services, and by special revenue funds.
• Replacing the Water Projects Manager position with an Associate City Engineer position is an efficient and effective change in the classification of positions in the Public Works Department and will help the Engineeering Division remain responsive to the public while keeping the City's ambitious Capital Improvement Program on track.
A resolution is brought forward for Council adoption. If approved, the Human Resources Office will initiate two parallel recruitments - one for an Associate City Engineer and one for an Engineering Technician - and then, one position will be filled. The goal is, first, to cast a broad net to attract a large pool of eligible applicants. Then, the City will seek to hire the most qualified applicant at whatever level is appropriate. This may involve “under-filling” the Associate City Engineer position with an Engineering Technician. Staff recommends that the Council adopt the resolution approving the change in authorized positions.