To: Board of Supervisors; Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Susanne Oliver 707-524-1155
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Sonoma Water Allocation Change Requests
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Resolution to add one (1) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Building Mechanic II and delete one (1) FTE Water Agency Maintenance Worker II and add one (1) FTE Right-of-Way Manager, effective November 12, 2024
B) Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Adjustment to the Board Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 for the Sonoma Water General fund in the amount of $167,295 for the Sonoma Water Allocation Change Requests.
(4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) staff recommend the addition of two key positions to effectively respond to Sonoma Water’s commitments to the community and achieve Sonoma Water’s strategic goals.
Building Mechanic II - The Facilities Services Section within the Sonoma Water Maintenance Division needs to expand internal resources to support existing and expanding facility and infrastructure physical security requirements, as outlined in the 2021 America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) Risk and Resilience Assessment.
Right-of-Way (ROW) Manager - The Engineering and Resource Planning Division needs to consolidate the right-of-way and real property programs under a dedicated manager to direct and coordinate activities related to the acquisition, management and disposition of property for capital projects rights-of-way and easements, and for non-capital real property projects and interests.
Discussion:
Addition of 1.0 FTE Building Mechanic II and deletion of 1.0 FTE Vacant Water Agency (WA) Maintenance Worker II
Due to the complexity of Sonoma Water’s physical security and access control systems, along with the increased volume of work, this requires a higher level of technical expertise for maintenance and troubleshooting which necessitates this request to delete a vacant 1.0 FTE WA Maintenance Worker II and add 1.0 FTE Building Mechanic II.
Upgrading the position is a strategic investment that will allow Sonoma Water to strengthen its security posture with a team both qualified and dedicated to maintaining and troubleshooting advanced security systems. This directly aligns with Sonoma Water’s strategic plan to enhance its security program in accordance with AWIA compliance requirements. The 2021 AWIA Risk and Resilience Assessment mandates that organizations responsible for water infrastructure maintain a robust security program. Upgrading this position ensures Sonoma Water has qualified personnel to perform the necessary preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and system upgrades to meet AWIA physical security system requirements. The position will also allow Sonoma Water to optimize its workforce, ensuring that experienced mechanics can focus on high-level tasks and AWIA compliance, potentially reducing long-term costs associated with external security system maintenance.
Sonoma Water considered other options including engaging consultants and utilizing private sector services. However, the costs associated with these options were significant and external parties lack intimate knowledge of Sonoma Water systems, leading to prolonged onboarding and familiarization periods.
The requested position will support traditional building mechanic responsibilities at Sonoma Water primary facilities, will also support physical security program maintenance needs, and will provide increased support for IT with structured cabling installation for all facilities, sites, and locations within Sonoma Water’s responsibility. The position will continue to report to the Facilities Services Section and will work in cooperation and coordination with the Internal Program Services, Security Section. This aligns directly with Sonoma Water’s strategic plan to "develop and implement a comprehensive security program".
Addition of 1.0 FTE Right-of-Way Manager
Sonoma Water requests to add 1.0 FTE Right Of Way (ROW) Manager to plan, direct, lead, and manage Sonoma Water’s ROW Section that will eventually be comprised of two teams, one that handles Right-of-Way in support of capital projects and one that handles all non-capital aspects of real property management. This will free the WALS to focus on ongoing survey needs supporting capital project designs, construction, and agency operations. The ROW Manager will manage the existing ROW team consisting of a ROW Supervisor, two ROW Agents, and one extra help Senior Technical Writing Specialist. The ROW Manager will also manage all of Sonoma Water’s real property assets, initially through existing Right-of-Way staff and extra help. The ROW Manager will continue to build out the section with a strong focus on the real property asset management, including assessing the workload to determine the appropriate number of subordinate staffing needed and applying to the Board to add positions if warranted.
This is a high priority for Sonoma Water. Staff experienced workload impacts during the necessary administrative analyses and processes Sonoma Water engaged in to determine a viable path forward to address this body of work. Although many alternatives were considered, including use of consultants, it has been determined that the property management needs of Sonoma Water are optimally handled internally, by dedicated and specialized staff. This can be best accomplished through the addition of a ROW Manager who can lead and direct a section that is responsible for these critical activities.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
Goal: 4. Emergency Preparedness - Build organizational resilience and ensure effective emergency response to extreme weather events, disasters, and security risks.
Strategy: 4.3 Develop and implement a comprehensive physical security program.
Action Item: 4.1.2 Establish operational emergency response functions, procedures, and systems.
Adding/changing the requested allocations will provide Sonoma Water with the appropriate staffing to continue efforts toward achieving these strategic goals.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
$347,971 |
$361,889 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$167,295 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$167,295 |
$347,971 |
$361,889 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$167,295 |
$347,971 |
$361,889 |
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$167,295 |
$347,971 |
$361,889 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Salary and benefits are budgeted in the General Fund which is funded through property tax revenue and grants. The General Fund is reimbursed by Sonoma Water’s enterprise funds through the overhead rate using project costing. Sonoma Water’s cost accounting system allocates labor costs to its projects and are specific to its enterprise funds.
Adding these allocations represents a total net increase in FY 2024/2025 labor costs of $167,295. For FY 2025/2026 the net increase for salary and benefits will be $347,971 and $361,889 for FY 2026/2027 assuming a 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each year. The budget adjustment for FY 2024/2025 cannot be absorbed with the existing budget so a budgetary resolution has been submitted with this item. FY 2025/2026 and FY 2026/2027 appropriations will be budgeted in those fiscal years.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Building Mechanic II (5335) |
$7,783 - $ 9,462 |
1 |
0 |
|
Water Agency Maintenance Worker II (5082) |
$5,752 - $6,990 |
0 |
(1) |
|
Right of Way Manager (1055) |
$11,585 - $14,083 |
1 |
0 |
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
If approved, this request will increase Sonoma Water’s allocation tables as follows:
Increase 1.0 FTE Building Mechanic II
Decrease 1.0 FTE Vacant Water Agency Maintenance Worker II
Increase 1.0 FTE Right-of-Way Manager
Attachments:
(1) Resolution Authorizing Position Allocation Changes
(2) Resolution Authorizing Budgetary Adjustment
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A