Title
Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board Approve Final Passage (Second Reading) of Ordinance 5065 amending El Dorado County Ordinance Chapter 2.14 - Appointed Officers and Department Heads, Section 2.14.010 - Designation of appointed department heads, to add the position of Registrar of Voters. (Cont. 9/26/17, Item 24)
FUNDING: General Fund.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
At their meeting of September 26, 2017 (Item 24) the Board approved Ordinance 5065 and set a public hearing for Final Passage (Second Reading) on October 10, 2017.
Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board:
1) Approve the Introduction (First Reading) of El Dorado County Ordinance Chapter 2.14 - Appointed Officers and Department Heads, Section 2.14.010 - Designation of appointed department heads, to add the position of Registrar of Voters; and
2) Waive full reading, read by title only and continue this matter to October 10, 2017 for Final Passage (Second Reading); and
3) Consider and approve the related staffing plan and fiscal analysis of adding a Registrar of Voters department head position; and
4) Approve the proposed job classification specifications and salary range for the Registrar of Voters position.
5) Approve the revised salary range for the elected Recorder-Clerk position, to become effective January 2019, after the retirement of the current Recorder-Clerk/Registrar of Voters. (Est. Time 15 Min.)
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On August 29, 2017, the Board provided conceptual approval to amend County Ordinance, Chapter 2.14 to add the position of Registrar of Voters as an appointed Department Head in order to set minimum qualifications for the position, including education and experience relative to Elections code, processes and systems. Implementation of pending changes from the Secretary of State will require in-depth knowledge of California elections laws, requirements and systems.
At the time of conceptual approval the Board directed staff to return to the at first reading of the amended ordinance with a staffing plan and further analysis of the fiscal impact of creating the Registrar of Voters Department Head position. The Board also gave direction to Human Resources to evaluate and recommend a salary range for the Registrar of Voters position based on job responsibilities, and to recommend a revised salary for the Recorder-Clerk as necessary.
Registrar of Voters Salary Range and Fiscal Impact:
The proposed job description and minimum qualifications for the Registrar of Voters position are attached to this Legistar item. Minimum qualifications include knowledge of California Elections Code and automated Elections systems as well as equivalent of a bachelor’s degree and two (2) years experience as an elections manager, assistant registrar of voters, or an equivalent position within an elections department in California. Additional relevant management work experience may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis.
The proposed salary range for the Registrar of Voters is based on a market research and internal comparison of the County’s Director level classifications. As such, Human Resources and the CAO are recommending that the Registrar of Voter’s salary be aligned with the Clerk of Board of Supervisors classification, given the similarities in size and scope of each department including duties and responsibilities. Therefore, the proposed maximum monthly salary of $9,471 and subsequent steps 1-5, is based on market median comparison data. Following is a list of recommended salary steps for the Registrar of Voters classification:
Step 1: $7,791 monthly or $44.96 per hour
Step 2: $8,181 monthly or $47.21 per hour
Step 3: $8,590 monthly or $49.57 per hour
Step 4: $9,020 monthly or $52.05 per hour
Step 5: $9,471 monthly or $54.65 per hour
The salary and benefit costs for the current Recorder-Clerk/Registrar of Voters are split evenly between the Elections Department and the Recorder-Clerk Department. Therefore, adding a Registrar of Voters position will result in a net increase of .5 FTEs to the Elections Department, increasing the total Department FTE count to 7.5. The fiscal impact is approximately an additional $52,800 at top of salary range to the Elections Department.
Following is the proposed Elections Department organization:
Current: .5 County Recorder-Clerk/Registrar of Voters (Elected)
1.0 Assistant Registrar of Voters
1.0 Administrative Technician
2.5 Election Technician I/II
1.0 IT Department Coordinator
1.0 Precinct Planning Specialist
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7.0
Revised: 1.0 Registrar of Voters (Appointed)
1.0 Assistant Registrar of Voters
1.0 Administrative Technician
2.5 Election Technician I/II
1.0 IT Department Coordinator
1.0 Precinct Planning Specialist
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7.5
Recorder-Clerk Salary Range and Fiscal Impact:
There is also fiscal impact to the Recorder-Clerk Department, since half of the current Recorder-Clerk/Registrar of Voter’s salary and benefits is charged to the Recorder-Clerk Department. Human Resources has researched the total compensation for the Recorder-Clerk classification to the market, including other counties, and is recommending that the salary for the Recorder-Clerk increase from $11,298 monthly ($65.18 hourly) to $11,551 monthly or $66.64 hourly. This increase of approximately 2.2% will be consistent with the market median for this classification. The fiscal impact of these changes to the Recorder-Clerk Department is an increase of .5 FTE or $80,000.
It should be noted that the proposed salary for the Recorder-Clerk represents a decrease in total base salary of 17.1% from the current Recorder-Clerk/Registrar of Voters, due primarily to the elimination of longevity and deferred compensation.
If approved, the new Recorder-Clerk salary will be posted publicly for the upcoming election, and changes to FTE count and budgeted dollars for both the Elections and the Recorder-Clerk Departments will be recommended during the FY 2018-19 budget process.
If this item is approved, staff will return to the Board with the Final Passage of the ordinance on October 10, 2017. The revised ordinance adding the Registrar of Voters as a Department Head will become effective 30 days following final passage.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve this recommendation, which would result in no change to the County ordinance, resulting in no change to the Recorder-Clerk/Registrar of Voters elected position.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel and Human Resources. It should also be noted that the current Recorder-Clerk/Registrar of Voters supports this recommendation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Staffing changes relative to the addition of this position will have a maximum net count cost of approximately $132,800 annually. The impact to the Elections Department would be approximately $52,800 if the Registrar of Voters is hired at top of salary range, and the impact to the Recorder-Clerk Department would be approximately $80,000. If this item is approved, these changes will be made as part of the FY 2018-19 budget process to become effective July 1, 2018.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance Objective 2.4-to develop service level standards for the purpose of continuous service improvement.
CONTACT
Don Ashton, Chief Administrative Officer