To: Board of Directors of Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Grant Davis 707-547-1900, Mike West 707-524-1178, Mollie Asay 707-547-1985
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Appointment of Retiree Extra-Help
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Pursuant to Government Code section 7522.56, approve the appointment of Christine Teaford as a Water Agency Senior Technical Writing Specialist Retiree Extra-Help, to fill a critically needed position within 180 days of their retirement, with an appointment date as early as April 28, 2026.
B) Adopt a Resolution authorizing adjustment to the Board-adopted budget for Fiscal Year 2025/2026 for the Sonoma Water General Fund in the amount of $32,885 for this appointment of Retiree Extra-Help. (4/5th Vote Required).
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Executive Summary:
Pursuant to the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA), Government Code §7522.56, an exception can be made to reappoint a retiree as extra-help provided the governing body certifies that the appointment is necessary to fill a critically needed position, in those circumstances where 180 days from the date of retirement has not yet passed. This approval must be in a noticed public meeting and not on a consent calendar. The Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) is requesting the appointment of Christine Teaford as a Water Agency Senior Technical Writing Specialist in a retiree extra-help capacity to provide assistance at a minimum through the end of fiscal year 2027/2028 to prepare critical agreements, process development and manuals, work intake processing, update templates, and perform related tasks for the Technical Writing Section in the Engineering and Resource Planning Division and the Grants and Funded Projects Section in the Business Services and External Affairs Division.
Discussion:
Pursuant to the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA), Government Code section 7522.56, an exception can be made to reappoint a retiree as extra-help provided the governing body certifies that the appointment is necessary to fill a critically needed position in those circumstances where 180 days from the date of retirement has not yet passed. This approval must be in a noticed public meeting and not on a consent calendar. PEPRA includes other requirements for a retiree to be eligible for an extra-help appointment, such as not having accepted a retirement incentive and not having accepted unemployment arising out of prior public appointment. The individual and delegated Sonoma Water staff have completed the Retiree Extra-Help Compliance Form certifying the appropriateness of the appointment.
Christine Teaford retired on March 3, 2026, from the position of Water Agency Technical Writing Manager. She entered Sonoma Water service on February 20, 1996, as Executive Secretary, followed by a promotion to Technical Writing Specialist on April 1, 1999, reclassification to Water Agency Senior Technical Writing Specialist on January 23, 2018, and a promotion to Water Agency Technical Writing Manager on May 30, 2023.
At the time of her retirement, Ms. Teaford led Sonoma Water’s Technical Writing Section. Ms. Teaford was instrumental in managing a very robust and successful technical writing program with more than 385 agreements and agreement-related assignments and 17 construction project manuals initiated during this time. Through her essential leadership, excellent management, and technical writing and editing skills, the number and complexity of assignments grew. She worked closely with Sonoma Water management and staff from all Sonoma Water divisions to ensure completion of high-priority projects and ensure that Sonoma Water remained compliant with Government Code and Public Project Code requirements, as well as Sonoma Water and Board procedures and policies. Ms. Teaford developed procedures, processes, and resources to assist the technical writing team in accomplishing its work.
Although Sonoma Water has filled the full-time position vacated by Ms. Teaford’s retirement, her replacement has not yet accumulated Ms. Teaford’s extensive experience and familiarity with the work performed by the Technical Writing Section and the critically needed technical support in the areas described above. In addition, the Grants and Funded Projects Section needs to develop procedures for competitive selection processes and a procurement manual for federally funded projects, both of which fall under Ms. Teaford’s area of expertise.
At a minimum, Sonoma Water needs Ms. Teaford’s skills and historical Sonoma Water knowledge through the end of fiscal year 2027/2028. Therefore, Sonoma Water respectfully requests that the Board consider the appointment of Christine Teaford as Retiree Extra-Help to assist with the above-described work.
Sonoma Water has consulted with the Sonoma County Human Resources Department, which is supportive of the recommended action.
In accordance with Government Code section 7522.56, Sonoma Water management is asking the Board to certify as follows:
• Christine Teaford’s appointment to Water Agency Senior Technical Writing Specialist, is necessary to fill a critically needed position within 180 days of retirement date.
• Christine Teaford did not accept retirement incentives upon their retirement; and
• Christine Teaford’s appointment shall not exceed 960 hours per year.
• Per Internal Revenue Code section 401(a)(36), Christine Teaford meets the requirement of being of normal retirement age.
If the Board of Directors makes the foregoing certifications, Christine Teaford will be hired as of April 28, 2026, as a Water Agency Senior Technical Writing Specialist.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment:
Goal: Organizational Excellence
Strategy: Implement organizational development practices to enhance internal communications, decision-making, resource alignment, and project management processes.
Action Item: Evaluate and refine organizational structure to ensure optimal alignment and allocation of resources.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$65,770 |
$65,770 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$32,885 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$32,885 |
$65,770 |
$65,770 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
$65,770 |
$65,770 |
|
State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
$32,885 |
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$32,885 |
$65,770 |
$65,770 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The cost of the extra-help retiree position is approximately $65,770, assuming a total usage of 960 extra help hours at $68.51. It is projected that 480 hours or $32,885 will be expended in Fiscal Year 2025/2026 and 960 hours will be expended in each of Fiscal Years 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. FY 2025/2026 additional appropriations in the amount of $32,885 from Sonoma Water’s General Fund are required. A budgetary resolution has been submitted with this item.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
This is a Retiree Extra-Help appointment; no permanent allocations are being added or changed.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.