Title
Information Technologies Department recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 130-2023 amending the current Authorized Personnel Allocation Resolution 088-2023 to add 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) Information Technology Analyst I/II - Server Design and Administration in the Information Technologies Department.
FUNDING: General Fund, with partial cost recovery through the A-87 Cost Allocation Plan.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Information Technologies Department (IT) is requesting approval for the addition of 1.0 FTE Information Technology Analyst (ITA) I/II - Server Design and Administration position. The need for this position has arisen due to unforeseen challenges that have impacted the department's ability to effectively resource critical projects, security initiatives, and increasing workloads.
Vacancies and leaves within the Server Analyst team have strained the team's resources and impacted the ability to maintain essential operations. Additionally, the vacant ITA III position, which has been characterized as "hard-to-fill," has contributed to the backlog of projects and initiatives assigned to the team. As a result, the team is falling behind on the seven-year infrastructure refresh project and essential security enhancements.
Furthermore, the implementation of a range of policies and procedures has led to a substantial increase in workload across various areas of IT, including the Project Office, Security Program, and Infrastructure Support teams. This increased workload has created challenges in meeting our objectives and ensuring the secure and efficient functioning of our systems in support of our County departments. To address these pressing issues and prevent further setbacks, we propose the addition of an IT Analyst I/II role to the team. The primary responsibilities of this position will be to provide crucial support towards the significant migration efforts required to move 125-150 servers to the new environment, mitigating the need to fully extend ongoing support of aging technology.
The key duties of the proposed ITA position will encompass:
1. Project Participation and Leadership: Participating in projects related to the assigned specialty field, potentially leading small project teams and offering guidance to fellow IT staff members.
2. Security Monitoring and Enforcement: Monitoring and enforcing security policies and procedures, ensuring the continued integrity of our systems.
3. Infrastructure Development and Documentation: Contributing to the planning, development, and implementation of backup and recovery procedures, while documenting procedures for newly developed infrastructures.
4. Security Vulnerability Remediation: Reviewing security findings and devising plans to address and rectify vulnerabilities, enhancing the resilience of our IT environment.
5. Technical Research and Innovation: Conducting research to stay updated on emerging trends and innovative software solutions that can improve our business processes.
6. Infrastructure Maintenance: Assisting in maintaining the server environment and participating in the System Development Lifecycle to ensure infrastructure readiness.
7. Technical Documentation: Comprehensively documenting technical details and workflow diagrams for assigned projects, aiding in knowledge transfer and future reference.
By adding this position to our team, IT aims to alleviate the strain on our current workforce, enhance our ability to address critical projects, and ensure the timely completion of security initiatives. This step will enable us to not only maintain the integrity of our IT operations but also contribute positively to the overall efficiency and security of our department's functions. The Board's approval to add this ITA position will play a crucial role in helping IT address immediate challenges and achieve long-term goals. Making this strategic investment in the IT team will be better equip the department to meet the demands of an ever-evolving technological landscape while ensuring the continued success of the department and the services provided to the community.
In order to minimize the impact to the General Fund, savings from vacancies within the IT Department will be used to cover the first-year costs of the position. For future years, the cost of this position add would be offset by the deletion of an IT Customer Support Specialist I/II, when a vacancy becomes available. This "add now/delete later" approach will allow IT to right size the department's teams to fully support the County's technology needs.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to adopt and authorize the Chair to sign the attached Personnel Allocation Resolution; however, IT will not be able to effectively handle migration and security projects.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Human Resources, County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
For the current year, costs will be covered by anticipated savings from vacancies within IT's Fiscal Year 20230-24 Budget. It is anticipated an IT Customer Support Specialist I/II allocation will become vacant by the start of Fiscal Year 2024-25. The deletion of a vacant IT Customer Support Specialist I/II allocation and the add of the Information Technology Analyst (ITA) I/II - Server Design and Administration in Fiscal Year 2024-25 will result in $17,000 in additional General Fund costs.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Obtain signature of Chair on Resolution
2) Provide one certified copy to Human Resources, Attn: Michael Reddin
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Tonya Digiorno
Director of Information Technologies