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): County Administrator, Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District and Human Resources Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: Caryl Hart 565-7360; Julie Mefferd 565-7368; Spencer Keywood 565-3568
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Addition of One Time-Limited APOSD Program Manager (Vegetation Management Coordinator) Allocation
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Concurrent Resolution amending the Salary Resolution 95-0926, Salary Tables, to re-establish the job classification and set the salary of APOSD Program Manager, effective June 8, 2021.
B) Adopt a Resolution amending the Department Allocation List adding 1.0 full-time equivalent, time-limited APOSD Program Manager (Vegetation Management Coordinator) position through June 8, 2024.
end
Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Ag + Open Space) is requesting to add one (1.0) full-time time-limited allocation to work as the District’s Vegetation Management Coordinator for three years. This position will be funded by the PG&E settlement as allocated by the Board of Supervisors at the March 23, 2021 Board meeting. The Vegetation Management Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating planning, development, implementation and on-going management of funding and incentive opportunities for wildfire mitigation, through vegetation management efforts, on public and private lands within Sonoma County. After reviewing the duties of the position with Human Resources, it was determined the most appropriate classification to serve in this capacity was the APOSD Program Manager class, which was abolished in 2018. Therefore, Human Resources is requesting approval to re-establish the job classification as part of this item.
Discussion:
Litigation by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors against Pacific Gas & Electric to recover damages related to the 2017 Sonoma Complex Fires (2017 Fires) resulted in an allocation of $149.3 million. On August 11, 2020, your Board received background information on the fiscal impact and damages that the Sonoma County entities incurred from the 2017 Fires. As part of this discussion, your Board directed staff to accept input from the community and to return to the Board with that feedback for consideration of the allocation of the settlement funds into general expenditure categories. On October 6, 2020, staff presented a summary of the community feedback for the Board’s consideration, and your Board allocated $25 million from the settlement for vegetation management efforts. On March 23, 2021 your Board allocated $660,000 for a three-year coordinator position to provide support related to vegetation management efforts.
The primary objectives of the new Vegetation Management Coordinator position will be to:
• Lead efforts to scope, plan, implement, and report on recommendations from Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) report presented to the Board in March 2021.
• Oversee the vegetation management community grant program funded with the County PG&E settlement, including monitoring implementation and tracking spending of awarded grants.
• Develop a long-term governance or advisory structure to be considered by the Board in January 2022
• Identify opportunities to replenish funding for vegetation management
• Collaborate with the recently approved Climate section in the County Administrator’s Office on Board priorities
• Manage projects across multiple County departments/agencies to achieve wildfire risk reduction and vegetation management goals
• Facilitate close coordination and collaboration with State, regional, local, and community partners, such as Sonoma and Gold Ridge Resource Conservation Districts, Fire Safe Sonoma, local fire districts, and CalFire, among others, to develop long-term planning and implementation processes.
After consulting with Human Resources to identify the best job classification for the functions of the position, it was determined that most appropriate course of action would be to use the abolished job classification of APOSD Program Manager. Therefore, as part of this item, Human Resources is requesting authority to re-establish the job classification and specification of APOSD Program Manager, in Bargaining Unit 0050-Adminsitrative Management. This classification is exempt, pursuant to the guidelines of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and based on an evaluation of internal equity factors, Human Resources recommends the salary be set at $10,914/I-step monthly. For ongoing salary administration purposes, a differential of 5% should be maintained with the APOSD Conservation Planning, Acquisitions, and Stewardship Manager classifications.
Based on this recommendation, the APOSD Program Manager annual salary and benefit costs for FY 21-22 are $231,069, which exceeds the current allocation on an annual basis.
With approval of re-establishing the job classification and approving the addition of a time-limited allocation through June 8, 2024, work to coordinate the efforts of all County departments/agencies working on wildfire risk reduction and vegetation management issues will be undertaken.The position will report to the Ag + Open Space Assistant General Manager and will have no initial supervisory responsibility.
Prior Board Actions:
10/6/20 Allocation of $25M from the PG&E settlement for vegetation management
12/15/20 Received County and community feedback on vegetation management priorities
3/23/20 Allocation of $660,000 to fund a three-year coordinator position
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
231,069 |
235,690 |
|
Total Expenditures |
|
231,069 |
235,690 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
231,069 |
235,690 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
|
231,069 |
235,690 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The position will be funded by PG&E Settlement. Appropriations were allocated by the Board on March 23, 2021, item #2021-0150. If this position is approved, staff will complete necessary financial adjustments for the FY21-22 salary and benefit costs during the FY21-22 consolidated budget adjustment process.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
APOSD Program Manager |
$8,978-$10,914 |
1.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
This position will allow vegetation management coordination. It will not have a material impact on existing staffing.
Attachments:
1. Resolution 1: Concurrent Resolution amending the Salary Resolution 95-0926, Salary Tables, to re-establish the classification and salary for APOSD Program Manager.
2. Resolution 1: Attachment A - Appendix A - Salary Tables
3. Resolution 2: Resolution amending the Department Allocation Lists of the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
4. APOSD Program Manager Classification Specification
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None