To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, Inc.
Staff Name and Phone Number: Rebecca Bartling, 545-4218, Michael Margetts 545-4200
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Restoration of 4.0 full-time equivalent Senior Maintenance Worker allocations to Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, Inc. (hereinafter “Fairgrounds”)
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a resolution amending resolution #20-0187 to retain 4.0 full-time equivalent Senior Fairgrounds Maintenance Worker allocations on the 2020 Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, Inc. Position Allocation List effective June 23, 2020.
B) Approve use of FY 2020-21 General Fund Contingencies in the amount of $288,000 to cover position costs from July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 (4/5th Vote Required).
end
Executive Summary:
On June 2, 2020, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution amending the 2020 Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, Inc. Position Allocation List to delete 19.75 full-time equivalent position allocations, effective June 30, 2020. The elimination of these positions resulted from a projected $8.9 Million decrease in calendar year 2020 Fair revenues due to the impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency. At this same meeting, the Board of Supervisors expressed concern that, as a result of layoffs, the Fairgrounds might not be prepared to fulfill future County requests to act as an evacuation center in the event of a disaster emergency, such as the 2017 Sonoma Complex Fire and the 2019 Kincade Fire.
The Board requested that the Fairgrounds assess its readiness, and identify positions that would be required to maintain and respond to an emergency event. The Board took a straw vote to use FY 2020-21 General Fund Contingencies to provide funding through the end of calendar year 2020 for 4.0 full-time equivalent Maintenance Worker positions identified by the Fairgrounds as being critical to any effort to manage the Fairgrounds function as an emergency evacuation center.
Discussion:
During the 2017 Sonoma Complex Fire, the 2019 Kincade Fire, floods during 2019, and October 2020 PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs, the Fairgrounds has provided animal and human sheltering, and has acted as a command and/or communications center for CalFire and other fire agencies, Sonoma County Sheriff and other law enforcement agencies, the Red Cross, the National Guard, Pacific Gas & Electric Company and crews supporting each of these agencies and companies. Fairgrounds permanent, County employees, and seasonal workers played critical roles in evacuee and animal intake and sheltering, feeding and caring of evacuees, domestic pets, and livestock, as well as maintaining, cleaning repairing and otherwise managing the infrastructure utilized.
On March 17, 2020 the Sonoma County Public Health Officer issued Order No.C19-03, and subsequent amendments with no specific end date at this time, directing the County to Shelter-in-Place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including prohibition of private or public mass gatherings. To comply with the Order, the Fairgrounds cancelled the 2020 annual County Fair, and remaining major events during the 2020 calendar year, resulting in a projected $8.9 Million decrease in budgeted revenues.
To match available revenues to expenditures, the Fairgrounds took steps to eliminate positions to help close a projected $5 Million deficit. Of the 31.75 allocated permanent positions at the Fairgrounds (filled and unfilled), at the Fairgrounds Board of Director’s request, 19.75 were deleted at the Board of Supervisors June 02, 2020 meeting. At that meeting, the Board of Supervisors expressed interest to ensure that adequate Fairgrounds staffing be available in case of an evacuation or emergency center activation due to an emergency. The Board requested that the Fairgrounds assess its readiness, and return to the Board with a list of positions that would be required to maintain and respond to an emergency event. The restoration of 4.0 full-time equivalent allocations will allow Fairgrounds readiness to meet the County’s needs for an evacuation center for future emergencies.
During the Board of Supervisors June 10, 2020 meeting, the Board took a straw vote to authorize use of $288,000 in FY 2020-21 General Fund Contingencies to fund 4.0 full-time equivalent maintenance worker positions necessary to manage the Fairgrounds function as an emergency evacuation center, through the end of the 2020 calendar year.
As the funding for the restoration of 4.0 full-time equivalent Senior Maintenance Worker allocations terminates on December 31, 2020, the Fairgrounds is hopeful it can resume funding the positions in January 2021. However, at this time, it is still unknown as to when the Fairgrounds will be able to book mass gathering events and resume typical business operations. In the event the Fairgrounds is uncertain there will be sufficient revenue from operations to support these positons into 2021, it may be necessary to return to the Board in Fall 2020 and seek authority to implement layoff procedures and to delete the allocations effective December 31, 2020.
As part of its 2021 budget, the Fairgrounds will review its allocation list and determine whether there are adequate, allocated positions to ensure efficient operations at the Fairgrounds, to maximize available revenue generating opportunities.
Authorization to Restore Positions
If approved, the Board’s action today will amend resolution #20-0187 authorizing the Fairgrounds to retain 4.0 full-time equivalent Senior Fairgrounds Maintenance Worker allocations on the 2020 Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, Inc. Position Allocation List effective June 23, 2020. This will provide the Fairgrounds with the authority needed to rescind layoff notices to four impacted employees that were distributed after the Board’s prior action on June 2, 2020.
Prior Board Actions:
On June 2, 2020, the Board approved the deletion of 19.75 full-time equivalent allocations from the 2020 Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, Inc. Position Allocation List and the implementation of layoff procedures.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
288,000 |
|
|
Total Expenditures |
|
$288,000 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
288,000 |
|
|
Total Sources |
|
$288,000 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Salary and benefit costs of 4.0 Senior Maintenance Workers full-time equivalent allocations will be funded by FY 2020-21 General Fund Contingencies through December 31, 2020. Budget adjustments will be made as part of the second round of FY 2020-21 Supplemental Budget Adjustments.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Senior Fairgrounds Maintenance Worker |
$4,334.25 - $5,268.24 |
4.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Approval of this item will authorize the Fairgrounds to restore 4.0 full-time equivalent positions and rescind layoff notices to four impacted employees.
Attachments:
Resolution amending resolution #20-0187
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Resolution #20-0187