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Home My WebLink About09402 City Clerk’s Office Item # R-4 BACKGROUND PAPER FOR PROPOSED ORDINANCE COUNCIL MEETING DATE: January 14, 2019 TO: President Christopher A. Nicoll and Members of City Council CC: Sam Azad, City Manager VIA: Brenda Armijo, Acting City Clerk FROM: Marisa Pacheco – Human Resources Director Nancy Keller – Wastewater Director Shawn Shelton – Fire Chief SUBJECT: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 STAFFING ORDINANCE BY RECLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND BY A STAFFING ADJUSTMENT WITHIN THE WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT SUMMARY: The Fire Department requests to adjust its staffing by reclassifying the Office Assistant/Fire Support Technician to a Senior Office Assistant. The Human Resources Department requests to adjust its staffing by reclassifying the Office Assistant/HR Records Technician to a new classification of HR Compliance Specialist. The Wastewater Department requests to adjust its staffing by abolishing the Assistant WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant) Operator C classification (currently vacant) and replace that position with an entry level Water Reclamation Facility Worker classification. PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: On December 10, 2018, Ordinance No. 9387 was approved by City Council. This Ordinance provided authorized staffing for Fiscal Year 2019. BACKGROUND: The Fire Department requests to adjust its staffing by reclassifying the Office Assistant/Fire Support Technician to a Senior Office Assistant classification. The Human Resources Department recently completed a reclassification review of the Office Assistant/Fire Support Technician position. The reclassification review found that the Office Assistant/Fire Support Technician has consistently performed job duties that are a higher level than those represented in the current classification and has done so for well over one year. Such duties are substantially similar to those of the Senior Office Assistant classification. This position has changed substantially to the point that the incumbent now serves as an integral part of the financial and higher-level administrative support operations of the Fire Department. The result of this action will be no net increase in staffing. The Human Resources Department recently completed a reclassification review of the Office Assistant/HR Support Technician position. The Human Resources Department requests to adjust its staffing by reclassifying the Office Assistant/HR Records Technician to a new exempt classification of HR Compliance Specialist. The Human Resources Department was in the process of completing a reclassification review of this position during the 2019 budget process. Preliminary results of the review were shared with the City Manager during the budget process and it was clear that the reclassification was appropriate. The review found that the Office Assistant/HR Records Technician duties have changed radically over the last four years and are no longer represented by the current classification. Increased regulation has enhanced the compliance activities of the HR Department and the City. This position now serves as a high- level analyst doing research on not only changing legislation but makes policy and procedure recommendations for the City regarding compliance. The incumbent also is the key administrator of the City’s workers’ compensation program and serves as the point person with the third-party administrator, management personnel of the designated occupational health clinics and regularly interfaces on sensitive information with legal staff and management personnel of the City. All these duties require a tremendous amount of independent judgement and discretion. The result of this action will be no net increase in staffing. The Wastewater Department requests to adjust its staffing through the conversion of the Assistant WWTP Operator C position to an entry-level Water Reclamation Facility Worker. This change in classification is being requested as the position recently became vacant due to a retirement and a subsequent review of the department operational needs indicates that a lower level position would better support staff in accomplishing the important objectives of the department. The result of this action will be no net increase in staffing. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Funding for the reclassified position of Senior Office Assistant in the Fire Department will come from the General Fund. The difference in salary for the remainder of 2019 will be approximately $2,548. Funding for the reclassified position of HR Compliance Specialist will come from the General Fund and the difference was already accounted for in the 2019 budget as approved by council as the reclassification review was already underway during budget development. Therefore, no new funding is required in 2019. Funding for the converted position of Water Reclamation Facility Worker will come from the Sewer User Fund. The difference in salary for the remainder of 2019 will result in a salary savings of approximately $10,105. BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: None. STAKEHOLDER PROCESS: City Administration and members of the executive board of the Pueblo Association of Government Employees (PAGE) met on January 03, 2019 to discuss the proposal which was met with support from the union. ALTERNATIVES: The no action alternative would be to retain the current classification assignments, necessitating reassignment of higher-level duties to other staff members within the Fire and Human Resources Departments. Such an alternative which would be operationally difficult as the higher-level responsibilities of the positions are significant. The no action alternative would be to retain and seek to fill the vacancy within the Wastewater Department at the current level. This would not be operationally ideal. RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the Ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 9402 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 STAFFING ORDINANCE BY RECLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND BY A STAFFING ADJUSTMENT WITHIN THE WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT WHEREAS, it is necessary to revise the positions for the ultimate efficiency and functionality for the Fire, Human Resources and Wastewater Departments; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUEBLO, that: (brackets indicate matter being deleted, underscore indicates matter being added) SECTION 1. The following sections captioned “Fire,” “Human Resources” and “Wastewater- Treatment Plant” of Ordinance No. 9387, being the 2019 Staffing Ordinance, is amended as follows: Fire Fire Chief 1 Deputy Fire Chief 2 Assistant Fire Chief 3 Fire Captain 32 Emergency Medical Officer 30 Fire Engineer 39 Fire Inspector 2 Firefighter 34 Administrative Technician 1 \[\] Office Assistant / Fire Support Technician 1 Senior Office Assistant 1 Total 145 Human Resources Director of Human Resources 1 Employee Benefits & Loss Control Manager 1 HR Analyst 3 \[\] Office Assistant/ HR Records Technician 1 HR Compliance Specialist 1 Total 6 Wastewater-Treatment Plant \[\] Assistant WWTP Operator C 1 Assistant WWTP Superintendent 1 Lab Analyst II 2 Lab Analyst III 2 Laboratory Pretreatment Specialist 2 Pretreatment Manager 1 Pretreatment Specialist 1 Senior Office Assistant 1 Senior WWTP Maintenance Mechanic 2 WRF Worker/WRF Worker I/WRF Worker \[\] 7 6 II/WW Operator B Wastewater Operator A 5 WW Electrical Specialist 1 WW Instrument & Controls Specialist 1 WW SCADA Coordinator 1 WWTP Inventory Control Specialist 1 WWTP Lab Supervisor 1 WWTP Maintenance Mechanic 2 WWTP Superintendent 1 Total 32 SECTION 2. The officers and staff of the City are directed and authorized to perform any and all acts consistent with the intent of this Ordinance to effectuate the transactions described therein. SECTION 3. The foregoing reclassifications are contingent upon and subject to final approval by the Civil Service Commission if such reclassification is appealed and shall become effective upon the date that such reclassification becomes final pursuant to Section 6-4-5, P.M.C. INTRODUCED: January 14, 2019 BY: Ed Brown MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL APPROVED: PRESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL ATTESTED BY: ACTING CITY CLERK PASSED AND APPROVED: January 28, 2019