To: Board of Supervisors of the County of Sonoma, Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency, Board of Commissioners of the Community Development Commission, and Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Resources Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: Spencer Keywood, 707-565-3568
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Miscellaneous Classification, Compensation, and Allocation Changes
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Concurrent Resolution amending the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and Service Employees International Union, Local 1021, Salary Table Scales, to establish the new classification and salary for Engineering Technical Writer, effective March 7, 2023.
B) Approve the Concurrent Resolution amending the Department Allocation Lists of the Community Development Commission, Department of Health Services, and Transportation and Public Works (Sonoma Public Infrastructure), effective March 7, 2023.
end
Executive Summary:
The County’s Human Resources Department is responsible for managing the County-wide classification and compensation structure. Components of this responsibility include ensuring employees are appropriately classified, administering the County’s Compensation Plan, and assisting departments with organizational changes when they involve classification reviews. Regularly, the department conducts classification and compensation analyses, and develops reports and presents recommendations to incumbents, unions, departments, and in many situations the Civil Service Commission.
In resolutions before your Board today, Human Resources requests approval to implement the final recommendations resulting from reorganizations and classification and compensation studies for the Community Development Commission, Department of Health Services, and Sonoma Public Infrastructure.
Discussion:
Department of Health Services
In 2021, the Board received the Improving Integration & Outcomes to Benefit County Residents: Assessment of Housing and Homeless Services and Programs report prepared by KPMG, LLP. The report proposed recommendations to improve the overall operational efficiency, effectiveness, and delivery of housing and homeless services across the County. Included in the report was a recommendation related to the County’s homelessness services organizational structure, namely, to evaluate potential organizational models to facilitate best outcomes.
On May 24, 2022, the Board received a staff recommendation report to move the 11 staff in the Community Development Commission’s (CDC) Ending Homelessness team to the Department of Health Services (DHS) under a new Homelessness Services Division. Additionally, this new division would include reassigning existing homelessness programs within DHS to this new division. In June 2022, the Board approved staff recommendations and instructed staff to take the necessary administrative actions to create the new division.
As a result of that action, the Department of Health Services, Community Development Commission, and Human Resources engaged in a meet and confer process with SEIU to discuss the impacts of transferring represented staff from the Community Development Commission to the Department of Health Services. Those discussions have concluded and as a result, the Department of Health Services now seeks authority to transfer the 11 FTE and incumbent staff, listed in the table below, in the CDC’s Ending Homelessness team to the Department of Health Services’ Ending Homelessness Program effective March 7, 2022.
|
Job Class Number |
Job Class Title |
FTE |
|
0810 |
Administrative Aide |
1.0 |
|
0827 |
Administrative Services Officer I |
1.0 |
|
9135 |
Community Development Associate |
2.0 |
|
9102 |
Community Development Manager |
1.0 |
|
9138 |
Community Development Specialist II |
1.0 |
|
0826 |
Department Analyst |
1.0 |
|
0159 |
Department Information Systems Specialist II |
1.0 |
|
0157 |
Department Information Systems Technician II |
1.0 |
|
9137 |
Senior Community Development Specialist |
2.0 |
Human Resources
In compliance with Civil Service rule 2.3 (I), which states, “The Human Resource Director shall… Maintain an official record of all actions taken by the Commission and shall prepare an annual report which summarizes such actions. After Commission review, this report shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors.” Human Resources respectfully submits a copy of Human Resources’ Recruitment & Classification Unit & Civil Service Commission Workload Summary Update - Fiscal Year 2021/2022 for the Board’s review.
Sonoma Public Infrastructure
A classification study was conducted in the Engineering & Maintenance Division of the Sonoma County Department of Transportation and Public Works/General Services Department (TPW/GSD), which is now called Sonoma Public Infrastructure, resulting in the development of the classification of Engineering Technical Writer. This journey-level paraprofessional class prepares, reviews, and administers a variety of contracts and task orders pertaining to County civil engineering projects; composes, edits, and finalizes detailed construction project specifications and agreements; and assists in the administration of the public project bid process including the development of requests for proposals and bid reviews.
The vacant position within Sonoma Public Infrastructure reports to the Engineering & Maintenance Deputy Director, working with significant independence in execution of civil engineering contracts with outside contractors, vendors, and in coordination with engineering staff and outside public agencies. The incumbent will ensure compliance within established state and federal regulations, and County policy and review for contractual and technical documents.
The Civil Service Commission approved the adoption of the new classification at their November 3, 2022, meeting.
Bargaining Unit, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and Salary Determination:
Pursuant to the County’s Employee Relations Policy, Human Resources determined the appropriate bargaining unit for the new Engineering Writing Specialist classification is Bargaining Unit 05-SEIU. This classification is non-exempt, pursuant to the guidelines of the FLSA. Accordingly, Human Resources, Sonoma Public Infrastructure, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) participated in a meet and confer session regarding the new classification, resulting in the attached Letter of Agreement between the parties (Resolution 1; Attachment B). Human Resources seeks approval to amend the SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to establish the new classification and salary of Engineering Technical Writer.
Based on an evaluation of both market data and internal equity factors, Human Resources has determined that the salary for Engineering Technical Writer should be set at $8,258.04/I-step monthly. For ongoing salary administration purposes, the salary will be set at 29% above the benchmark of Engineering Technician II.
Human Resources seeks approval to establish the new classification and salary of Engineering Technical Writer and amend the Department of Transportation and Public Works’ (Sonoma Public Infrastructure) Department Allocation List to reflect the deletion of 1.0 FTE allocation of Water Agency Technical Writing Specialist and the addition of 1.0 FTE allocation of Engineering Technical Writer.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
Throughout the year, Human Resources submits several Miscellaneous Classification, Compensation, and Allocation Change Board Items that require Board approval in order to be fully adopted and implemented.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY 23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
DHS: $1,713,400 |
DHS: $1,764,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
DHS: $554,500 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$554,500 |
$1,713,400 |
$1,764,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
DHS: $554,500 |
DHS: $1,713,400 |
DHS: $1,764,000 |
|
Fees/Other: |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$554,500 |
$1,713,400 |
$1,764,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Department of Health Services
The cost of payroll for the aforesaid 11 FTE has already been included in the CDC’s FY 2022-2023 budget. By transferring these positions to DHS, however, budget appropriations will also need to be added to DHS. Since the transfer is being effectuated on 3/7/23, adding pro-rated appropriations of $554,500 to the DHS budget would be required for the remaining four months of the fiscal year. The subsequent fiscal years assume a 3% COLA at this time. DHS is including appropriations for these positions in its Q2 CBAs, which will go to the Board on March 14, 2023.
The complete transfer of grants and funds from one department to another will not occur until the start of FY 2023-24. For the remainder of Fiscal Year 2022-23, DHS will setup a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CDC that allows DHS to charge CDC for the cost of payroll in the current FY on a monthly basis until such time as all revenue sources required for payroll disbursement are transferred to DHS. CDC should not need additional appropriations, as costs were already budgeted for the full fiscal year. Should additional appropriations be necessary, CDC will look to return at Q3 CBAs in May.
Human Resources
There are no fiscal impacts.
Sonoma Public Infrastructure
There are no fiscal impacts, the new classification’s salary for the 1.0 FTE allocation to be added is the same as the 1.0 FTE allocation to be deleted.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Water Agency Technical Writing Specialist |
$6,795.31 - $8,258.04 |
|
(1.0) |
|
Engineering Technical Writer |
$6,795.31 - $8,258.04 |
1.0 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Department of Health Services
There is no net change to the number of existing allocations included in the transfer request from the CDC to DHS. The Homelessness Unit has a combination of filled and unfilled allocations, and, with Board approval, the unit’s allocation list outlined above and in the associated Concurrent Resolution will be transferred. This action will place the allocations and incumbent staff within the classified service, pursuant to the Civil Service Ordinance.
Sonoma Public Infrastructure
There is no net change to the number of FTEs. The department will work with Human Resources to begin the recruitment process to fill the position.
Attachments:
1. Resolution 1: Concurrent Resolution amending the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and Service Employees International Union, Local 1021, Salary Table Scales, to establish the new classification and salary for Engineering Technical Writer
2. Resolution 1: Attachment A ‐ Appendix A ‐ Salary Tables
3. Resolution 1: Attachment B ‐ Side Letter Agreement
4. Concurrent Resolution 2: Resolution amending the Department Allocation Lists for Community Development Commission, Department of Health Services, and Sonoma Public Infrastructure
5. Human Resources’ Recruitment & Classification Unit & Civil Service Commission Workload Summary Update - Fiscal Year 2021/2022
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Classification Study Report by Human Resources on Engineering Technical Writer