PREPARED BY: ALICIA PLATT DATE OF MEETING: 03/04/2024
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY’S CLASSIFICATION PLAN FOR FY 2023-24 BY (1) RECLASSIFYING ONE FULL-TIME BUILDING INSPECTOR CLASSIFICATION TO ONE FULL-TIME SENIOR BUILDING INSPECTOR CLASSIFICATION; (2) RECLASSIFYING ONE FULL-TIME FINANCE DIRECTOR CLASSIFICATION TO ONE FULL-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR CLASSIFICATION; AND (3) CREATING A NEW DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CLASSIFICATION OF DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS AND ADDING ONE FULL-TIME POSITION
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2023-25 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statement, effective May 1, 2023: “Continue to be an “Employer of Choice” to attract and retain talent and to continue to provide the community with exceptional service”
BACKGROUND
The City Manager serves as the administrative head of the City, with powers of appointment; authority to re-organize City positions to meet City operational requirements; with further authority to develop the City’s Salary and Compensation Plan enumerated under Chapter 2.04 of the San Pablo Municipal Code (2.04.140; 2.04.170; 2.04.180; 2.04.220).
Under the City of San Pablo’s Personnel Rules last adopted by Resolution 2014-031, Section 2.03 establishes the authority of the City Manager (as Personnel Officer) to prepare and make revisions to a Classification Plan for all Miscellaneous/Classified Service positions (hereafter referred to as “the Plan”). The Plan includes an Employee Allocation List, Salary Range Schedules and Class Specifications.
Proposed FY 2023-24 Plan Amendments
Due to complex inspection needs of San Pablo building; the retirement of the Finance Director; and the development of the Economic Development Strategy Plan, the following Plan amendments are being proposed by the City Manager for operational necessity in support of the City Manager’s Office, Community Development, and Finance Departmental Operations during the current FY 2023-24 period, as follows:
I. RECLASSSIFY ONE FULL-TIME BUILDING INSPECTOR CLASSIFICATION TO ONE FULL-TIME SENIOR BUILDING INSPECTOR CLASSIFICATION
Department: Community Development
Employee Group: Operating Engineers, Local 3
This proposed amendment is critical to meet the increased and complex building needs of the City of San Pablo. After two (2) unsuccessful HR recruitments for Building Inspector during FY 2022-23 and FY 2023-24 failed to yield a pool of qualified candidates, coupled with the increased critical operational need for both commercial and residential building inspections, the Community Development Department staff determined the need to reclassify their journey-level Building Inspector to an advanced journey-level Senior Building Inspector. This classification will be responsible for upholding public health and safety standards in performing the most complex building inspections work requiring the use of considerable independent judgment and initiative and expected to assume responsibility for inspections scheduling, coordinating inspections activities with other departments, and to provide training to lower level Building Inspectors.
The proposed salary range for the classification is $8,289 - $10,075 per month, which is consistent with the salary of similar classifications found within the East Bay/Contra Costa region, and is the same salary range benchmarked with the current Senior Public Works Inspector classification assigned in the Public Works Department to meet internal equity requirements. The Senior Building Inspector classification existed in the City’s Classification and Compensation Plan until it was deleted by Council Action in September 2016. The revised proposed Senior Building Inspector job description is attached as Exhibit B (See Attachment).
II. RECLASSIFYING ONE FULL-TIME FINANCE DIRECTOR CLASSIFICATION TO ONE FULL-TIME ADMINSITRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR CLASSIFICATION
Department: Finance Department
Employee Group: Executive Management (Non-represented)
Due to the recent retirement of Finance Director on February 29, 2024, the City proposes to reclassify the Finance Director classification to an Administrative Services Director classification. This classification will, under the direction of the City Manager, still oversee City-wide financial activities including forecasts and investments, policies and procedures, and financial operations; advises the City Council, the City Manager, and Department Directors on matters involving the City’s budget and fiscal affairs and practices. In addition, the classification will ensure that the City continues to implement and maintain high quality information systems and technology services; and provide management oversight to the information technology and the business units for the City. This proposed reorganization of the IT Division was previously addressed under the former Administrative Services Director classification which was established by the City in June 2012, and prior to the current Finance Director’s appointment during FY 2021-22.
The proposed salary range for the classification is $16,931 - $20,579 per month, which is the same as the Finance Director classification which is considered competitively-ranked with other comparable classifications with other local cities within the East Bay/Contra Costa region. This proposed amendment is critically necessary to effectuate the proposed reorganization and to proceed with an immediate Executive Recruitment search in March 2024. The revised proposed Administrative Services Director job description is attached as Exhibit C (See Attachment)
III. CREATING A NEW DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CLASSIFICATION OF dIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS and adding one fULL-TIME POSITION
Department: City Manager’s Office
Employee Group: Executive Management (Non-represented)
This proposed amendment is necessary to meet the operational needs of the City Manager’s Office to focus on the City’s critical need for economic diversification, new economic and housing investments, new revenue generation, and program implementation of the City’s new Economic Development Strategy Plan based on the City’s new Financial Condition as of December 13, 2023. Additionally, the proposed classification will administer the current responsibilities of the Local Successor Agency and Housing Successor Agency to meet State of California requirements regarding the dissolution of the City’s former redevelopment agency.
This classification, under broad policy direction of the City Manager, manages and supervises economic development activities, service and projects, affordable and market rate housing projects, and sustainability projects (e.g., renewable energy, electric vehicle infrastructure, green building infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and including wireless/broadband infrastructure technology, etc.) The proposed salary range for the classification is $18,691 - $22,719 per month, which is set at the same range as the Assistant City Manager given the extent and nature of senior executive-level duties and responsibilities in the City Manager’s Office, and its direct correlation to enhancing the economic development of the City. The revised proposed Director of Economic Development, Housing and Sustainability Projects job description is attached as Exhibit D (See Attachment)
Employee Labor Groups
The proposed FY 2024-25 Plan amendments regarding the creation and reclassification of Executive Management classifications, with exception to the Senior Building Inspector classification, falls within the non-represented Executive Management employee group. Therefore, no meet and confer obligations are triggered by the proposed amendments.
For the Senior Building Inspector classification, which is assigned to OE3 represented employee labor group, CMO/HR staff contacted the bargaining unit representative(s) of this new FTE opportunity. There are no objections noted at time of agenda preparation.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no FY 2023-24 fiscal impact at this time associated with the proposed FY 2023-024 Plan amendments. Also, current FTE vacancies exist in both the City Manager’s Office and Community Development Department due to recent retirements during FY 2023-24 which are generating current Departmental cost savings, as follows:
Department Cost Savings for FY 2023-24:
City Manager’s Office:
• 1.0 FTE Finance Director Classification (Vacant; Retirement effective 2/29/24)
Community Development Department:
• 1.0 FTE Building Inspector Classification (Vacant; Resignation in August 2023); and
Following City Council approval of the FY 2023-24 Plan amendments, formal HR recruitments for these classifications will commence immediately due to critical City operational needs, with appointment by the City Manager to occur on or after July 1, 2024 (FY 2024-25).
Due to the City’s financial condition, all proposed classifications contained in the FY 2023-24 Plan Amendment must be budget cost-neutral at time of official appointment by the City Manager, and all associated salary and benefit costs for said proposed classifications will be incorporated into the newly Proposed 3-year GF Budget adoption scheduled before June 30, 2024.
ATTACHMENTS
Att A - Resolution
Att B -- Senior Building Inspector Job Description
Att C - Administrative Services Director Job Description
Att D - Director of Economic Development, Housing, and Sustainable Projects