Title
Department of Transportation and Human Resources recommending the Board:
1) Approve the new department-specific class specifications of Senior Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician, and Office Engineer;
2) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign resolution 110-2022 to approve the following class specifications and allocation changes:
a) Job class number, bargaining unit, and salary range for the Senior Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician;
c b) Job class number, bargaining unit, and salary range for the Office Engineer;
e c) Delete 1.0 FTE vacant, Administrative Secretary in Tahoe Engineering;
f d) Delete 1.0 FTE vacant, Senior Civil Engineer;
g e) Delete 1.0 FTE vacant, Services Operations Coordinator;
h f) Delete 1.0 FTE vacant, Senior Engineering Technician;
i g) Add 1.0 FTE Sr. Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician;
j h) Add 1.0 FTE Office Engineer;
k i) Add 1.0 FTE Supervising Civil Engineer; and
l j) Add 1.0 FTE Assistant in Land Surveying; and
3) Approve the upward reclassification of the incumbent Traffic Operations Technician into the new Sr. Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician position and waive the competitive recruitment, selection process, and probationary period at the request of the appointing authority in accordance with Personnel Rule 507.1.
FUNDING: Road Fund and various funding sources associated with the Capital Improvement Program.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
As part of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget process, the Department of Transportation (Transportation) worked closely with Human Resources (HR), Fiscal, and the Chief Administrative Office to improve the organizational structure, find efficiencies and fill department needs.
Transportation faces increasing challenges in running day-to-day operations, with rising costs of materials and consultants, an ever-increasing volume of work, and difficulty finding willing and qualified candidates for open positions. The proposed changes will allow for more balanced managerial responsibilities, leave room for supervisors to mentor staff towards upward mobility and improve efficiencies. The design also provides Transportation the flexibility to perform additional duties, decrease the use of high-paid consultants and help ensure staff do not work out of class.
The plan includes:
1. Adding 1.0 Full-Time Employee (FTE) Supervising Civil Engineer over Traffic Operations;
2. Adding 1.0 FTE Assistant in Land Surveying in the Fairlane Engineering Division;
3. Adding 1.0 FTE Sr. Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician in Traffic Operations;
4. Adding 1.0 FTE Office Engineer in the Headington Engineering Division.
It also includes deleting the following vacant positions:
1. 1.0 FTE Administrative Secretary in Tahoe Engineering
2. 1.0 FTE Senior Civil Engineer in Maintenance;
3. 1.0 FTE Service Operations Coordinators in Maintenance;
4. 1.0 FTE Sr. Engineering Technician position in Headington Engineering.
Transportation worked closely with the Chief Administrative Office, Community Development Finance & Administration to find the most fiscally-responsible solution while creating a more efficient organizational structure. Implementing the proposed deletions, and taking into account the Sr. Planner position deleted at budget, this new structure will yield salary and benefits savings of approximately $652,000. Adding the four FTEs will cost approximately $686,000 in salaries and benefits, for a total additional cost of approximately $34,000 annually if no other changes are made. However, if the Program Civil Engineer position is filled by departmental promotion, Transportation intends to delete the vacated position, resulting in an overall annual salary savings of approximately $114,000.
The Supervising Civil Engineer in Traffic Operations will assume traffic-related responsibilities that currently reside with the Director's Office and the Long Range Transportation unit and take on the new duties of constructing and maintaining DOT's New "Intelligent Transportation Systems" program. This program consists of installing 8 miles of fiber optics, CCTV cameras and synchronization of signals in the El Dorado Hills area to improve traffic circulation and vehicular level of service.
The addition of the Assistant in Land Surveying (AILS) in Fairlane Engineering will provide much-needed support in our West Slope Survey Unit. In the past, our West Slope Survey Unit was operated with an Associate Land Surveyor, an Assistant in Land Surveying (AILS) and a Sr. Engineering Tech. Currently, we only operate with an Associate and a Tech and lack a much-needed AILS on that team, leading us to subcontract the work out to more expensive consultants. Transportation plans, designs and constructs Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects, including bridges, and oversees Land Development projects. The critically important activities these programs depend on are land surveying, mapping and legal research of land rights. The Survey Unit has historically performed at approximately 85% CIP billable, one of the highest billable percentages compared to all other Transportation staff. They become intimately familiar with all of the projects, completing survey duties throughout the phases of each project, allowing for continuity. The projected backlog of survey work will last us through 2026. Without proper surveying and mapping, there could be reduced production, costly redesigns or reconstruction, potential right-of-way and property disputes, and risks of liability. Transportation has invested in advanced technology survey field instruments to keep up with the large amounts of work, and this equipment and process require technically advanced staff. The addition of an AILS would allow flexibility and cross-training for the Sr. Engineering Tech to be utilized for other CIP duties lacking within the department, such as computer-aided drafting, inspections and utility permits.
Transportation submitted a request to Human Resources to develop a new classification to assist with response to emergency callouts and provide repairs and maintenance to County maintained lights and signals. Transportation describes the need for a position to provide complete cabinet replacements and repair aging equipment, and to take on the new duties of constructing and maintaining the Intelligent Transportation Systems program, which consists of installing 8 miles of fiber optics, CCTV cameras, and synchronization of signals in the El Dorado Hills area to improve traffic circulation and vehicular level of service. Human Resources developed the classification of Sr. Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician through research of market data and meetings with Transportation. The Senior Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician in Traffic Operations would allow Transportation to have two employees to respond to maintenance needs. Transportation currently maintains 57 signals in addition to light sources throughout El Dorado County with one full-time position. The National Cooperative Highway Research Program conducted a survey and concluded that one traffic signal technician could maintain between 38 and 43 signals. Transportation is anticipating four (4) new signals within a couple of years. For the safety of the public and employees, the addition of the position would allow for infrastructure maintenance, enhanced response times, aid in safer working conditions during repairs and maintenance that require bucket truck lift operations over traffic, allow for on-call time to be shared by two people instead of one all year long. Transportation is also requesting that the Board approve the upward reclassification of the incumbent Traffic Operations Technician into the new Sr. Traffic Signal and Lighting Technician position and waive the competitive recruitment, selection process, and probationary period at the request of the appointing authority in accordance with Personnel Rule 507.1. Pursuant to Personnel Rule 507.3(1), employees may be appointed to the newly allocated classification in accordance with the criteria and process indicated under Rule 507.1, Upward Reclassification. As such, the competitive recruitment and selection process will be waived, since the incumbent meets the conditions required under Section 507.1(1) of the Personnel Rules. The reclassification is the result of the class study affecting all employees in a department, and the incumbent meets the minimum qualifications of the new class. Additionally, the appointing authority (Transportation) has requested that the Human Resources Director waive the competitive recruitment and selection process for this position.
Transportation also submitted a request to Human Resources to develop a new classification to oversee the advertising, preparing and bidding of all CIP construction projects for El Dorado County and manage the contract DBE goal calculations, documentation, and coordination with Caltrans for federally-funded projects, without the requirement for a Civil Engineer license. The Office Engineer in Headington Engineering would have similar experience and qualifications as an Assistant in Civil Engineering in Transportation, and responsibilities would also include board items and resolutions to keep the DBE certification up to date every June and reviewing all contract DBE compliance at the time of bid/proposal and closeout. These duties were the responsibility of a Senior Engineer in the past, but Transportation has determined that while they are complex and need Engineering education, they do not require a licensed Civil Engineer. Human Resources developed the classification of Office Engineer through research of market data and meetings with Transportation. The position allows for more flexibility in hiring and anticipates cost savings because the responsibilities and billable rate for a Senior Civil Engineer are greater than that of the Office Engineer. Additionally, Transportation intends to fill this vacancy by departmental promotion, if successful, the vacated internal FTE position would ultimately be deleted.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Chief Administrative Office, Community Development Finance & Administration
Human Resources
El Dorado County’s Employees’ Association, Local 1, AFSCME Council 57
Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 Trades and Crafts Bargaining Unit
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The organizational changes would result in minimal impact to the General Fund. Transportation could potentially increase its salary costs by approximately $34k annually if the Office Engineer is not filled by departmental promotion. However, if Office Engineer is filled by departmental promotion, Transportation would yield an annual salary and benefits savings of approximately $114k.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk to obtain the Chair's signature on the Resolution and provide a copy to Transportation, Attn: Rafael Martinez, and to Human Resources, Attn: Mike Reddin.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Joseph Carruesco, Director
Department of Human Resources
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation