HomeMy WebLinkAbout10. Replace a vacant EA I/II with a Lead Engineering Assistant position Page 1 of 3
Item 10.
CENTRAL SAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS
POSITION PAPER
MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2021
SUBJECT: REPLACE A VACANT ENGINEERING ASSISTANT 1/1I POSITION ( G-60 TO
G-65, $3,270 -4,462 BI-WEEKLY) WITH A LEAD ENGINEERING ASSISTANT
POSITION (G-72, $4,356 - 5,273 BI-WEEKLY)
SUBMITTED BY: INITIATING DEPARTMENT:
DANEA GEMMELL, PLANNING AND ENG-PDS-DIVISION MANAGER
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIVISION
MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: TEJI O'MALLEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
JEAN-MARC PETIT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERINGAND TECHNICAL
SERVICES
Roger S. Bailey
General Manager
ISSUE
Board of Directors (Board) approval is needed when the addition and deletion of vacant positions results in
an increase in Central San's budgeted labor costs. If calculated at the maximum step of the salary range
and including the full benefit cost, this action may result in an increase in the labor costs; thus, falling
outside the purview of the General Manager's delegated authority related to personnel actions.
BACKGROUND
Central San' s Planning and Development Services (PDS) Division continues to evaluate its staffing
needs and recommends replacing a vacant Engineering Assistant (EA) 1/11 position with a slightly higher
position that is capable of assisting the Permit Counter in a lead role to offload responsibilities from the
Development Services Supervisor (DSS)who will oversee the Sewer Service Charge (SSC) process.
The Permit Counter staffing currently consists of 5 positions including a Development Services
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Supervisor(DSS), 2 EA I I I's, and 2 EA 1/1 I's. The workgroup has been supplemented with up to 2
consultant permit counter technicians since Fiscal Year(FY) 2014-15 as development activity has steadily
increased year after year. Currently, the workgroup is supporting the implementation of the Oracle
Permitting software from existing SunGard HTE and an approximate 20% increase in customer activity
during the pandemic for Accessory Dwelling Unit permits.
I n February 2021, the EA I I I in the Financial Planning Section of the PDS Division, responsible for SSC
billing, retired from Central San. The EA I I I position was filled with an internal candidate who Iateralled
from another Division with minimal billing experience. From a succession planning standpoint, the Permit
Counter DSS was the backup for the billing EA I I I since she previously held the SSC billing position.
Therefore, the DSS was tasked with leading the tax roll process and training the EA I I I transfer. SSC
billing is a complex process which is only performed once per year between April and August.
Staff successfully placed over$108 million in SSC for FY 2021-22 on the tax roll, by the deadline.
Therefore, staff can now look back at the process and make recommendations to provide redundancy for
this critical position. In reviewing the PDS organizational structure, staff recommends moving SSC billing
(1 EA I I I position)from Financial Planning to the Permit Counter workgroup to add redundancy by cross
training with the 2 EA I I I positions. This also allows a reciprocal benefit to the Permit Counter for plan
review assistance during the non-billing months. Having 3 EA I I I positions trained in SSC billing, allows
Central San to ensure a quality assurance and quality control check for the billing duties to ensure
accuracy. The structural change to move the SSC duties to the Permit Counter workgroup is within staff
authority.
However, the increased volume of the higher-level responsibilities for the DSS justifies converting the
vacant EA 1/11 position to a Lead Engineering Assistant, which requires Board authorization. The position
requires a person with significant journey-level technical skills and related work-experience, good
communication, facilitation skills, and able to self-manage to require minimal oversight. The Lead
Engineering Assistant will provide day-to-day technical direction to the lower level staff.Additionally, the
Lead Engineering Assistant will be responsible for more complex tasks that were previously handled by
the DSS including technical assistance on plan review, escalation of customer complaints, regular
technical and maintenance support for Oracle Permitting and Bluebeam software systems. With the
additional burden for these software implementations and increased plan submittals, the DSS is over-
taxed and unable to fully support subordinate staff or additional assignments. This workload is expected to
span several years.
ALTERNATIVES/CONSIDERATIONS
Do not replace the position as proposed. This is not recommended because the SSC billing and Permit
Counter workgroup is in need of a lead position that can take on higher level tasks as previously stated.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
Approval of the Lead Engineering Assistant position may increase the PDS Operating Budget by$21,112
in future years at the maximum step of the salary range. Depending on the hire and potential reciprocity,
benefits and overall total compensation may be a decrease to the Operating budget compared to the
employee that vacated the EA I/I I position.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Administration Committee reviewed this matter at its November 2, 2021 meeting and recommended
approval.
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RECOMMENDED BOARD ACTION
Replace the vacant Engineering Assistant 1/11 position (G-60 to G-65, $3,270 -4,462 bi-weekly)with a
Lead Engineering Assistant position (G-72, $4,356 - 5,273 bi-weekly).
Strategic Plan Tie-In
GOAL FOUR: Workforce Development
Strategy 1—Proactively plan for future operational staffing needs
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