REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Approve New and Modified Class Specifications and to Adopt a Resolution Approving and Adopting Updated Salary Plans for Various Unclassified and Classified Positions.
Report
BACKGROUND
Sections 4 and 6 of the Personnel and Salary Resolution require City Council approval of new job classifications and specifications. Section 9 of the Personnel and Salary Resolution requires City Council approval of compensation plans for both classified and unclassified positions. California Code Regulations Section 570.5 governs and requires the adoption of updated publicly available salary schedules by the governing body. The proposed Council action satisfies these applicable requirements.
New and Modified Specifications
The Assistant Planner and Associate Planner are modified classifications, and the Senior Planner is a new classification, in the City’s classified service. The Civil Service Commission approved the class specification for Assistant Planner, Associate Planner and Senior Planner at its regular meeting on May 13, 2019.
The Civil Service Commission approved modifications to the Pump Maintenance Technician class specification at its regular meeting on July 8, 2019.
The Assistant to the City Manager class specification was revised to reflect distinguishing characteristics from the lower level classification (Senior Management Analyst), and will continue to be in the City’s unclassified service, serving at the discretion of the City Manager on an “at will” basis.
The Principal Engineer/City Surveyor is a new classification in the City’s unclassified service and will serve at the discretion of the City Manager on an “at will” basis.
Approval and adoption of the salary schedules for various unclassified and classified positions
The City of Santa Clara contracts with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to provide retirement benefits for employees in both classified and unclassified positions. When the City makes modifications to the salary schedules for its classified or unclassified positions, the City Council must approve and adopt the publicly available salary schedules to comply with California Code of Regulations (CCR) section 570.5.
Various class specifications are being added and modified, as described in further detail below, and some of these specifications have corresponding salary range modifications, which require formal adoption by Council. Furthermore, on May 21, 2019, the City Council approved the successor Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Santa Clara and the Santa Clara Police Officers Association and adopted the Salary Schedule for the 2018-2019 period. The classification of Police Recruit was inadvertently excluded from the Salary Schedule adopted on that date.
On July 16, 2019, the Council approved the new class specifications and salary ranges for the positions of Assistant Fire Chief and Senior Management Analyst. This report includes formal approval of the corresponding updates to the unclassified salary schedule.
DISCUSSION
Modifications to the Planner Series of Classifications
The Human Resources Department worked with the Community Development Department to update the Planner series of specialized classifications to provide oversight and execution of land use planning. The revised Planner series in the Community Development Department consists of the Assistant Planner (formerly Assistant Planner I), Associate Planner and Senior Planner positions in the classified service. The Assistant Planner was modified to update the minimum qualifications, typical duties, and knowledge, skills, and abilities sections. The Assistant Planner II classification is obsolete and will be deleted from the salary plan. The Associate Planner was modified to allow this classification to be flexibly staffed with Assistant Planner, which will allow additional promotional opportunities for incumbents. Human Resources conducted a market salary study for the series. The recommended salaries for Assistant Planner and Senior Planner align with internal equity and external market comparator agencies. There is no recommended salary change to the Associate Planner classification.
Assistant Planner - with an annual salary range of $87,732 - $111,720 (including longevity); salary schedule A-29. This is the entry-level classification in the Planner series responsible for making decisions and acting within the general guidelines of the role of a project planner, as well as demonstrating good diplomatic skills in dealing with the general public and staff. This position will review and prepare environmental documents to meet California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as assist with researching, analyzing, and interpreting social, economic, population, and land use data and trends.
Associate Planner - with an annual salary range of $103,836 - $132,480 (including longevity); salary schedule A-36. This is the journey-level classification in the Planner series that will be flexibly staffed with the lower classification of Assistant Planner. The Associate Planner is responsible for performing routine to complex planning duties in the administration of land use regulations, the City’s General Plan, environmental review, and design review. There is no change to the current salary range.
Senior Planner - with an annual salary range of $117,360 - $149,880 (including longevity); salary schedule A-41. This is the advanced journey-level classification in the Planner series responsible for performing complex planning duties in the administration of land use regulations, the City’s General Plan, environmental review and design review. The Senior Planner will be performing lead or supervisory responsibilities, evaluating the design of large, complex projects, administering Requests for Proposals (RFPs) or Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), and assisting in the development and implementation of department and division goals, objectives, policies and priorities.
Modifications to the Pump Maintenance Technician Specifications
The Human Resources Department coordinated with the Water and Sewer Department to consolidate the Pump Maintenance Technician (Sewer), Pump Maintenance Technician (Solar), and Pump Maintenance (Water) into one single class specification of Pump Maintenance Technician. The class specification was modified to encompass all three divisions (Sewer, Solar and Water). Consolidating the classifications into one classification will allow cross training opportunities for incumbents.
Pump Maintenance Technician - with an annual salary range of $82,236 - $104,580 (including longevity); salary schedule G-27. This classification is responsible for the installation, operation and routine maintenance procedures required for swimming pools and domestic hot water solar heating systems, pumps and pump stations and their appurtenances as are used for the pumping of potable water, non-potable (recycled) water, sewer and storm water. There is no proposed change to the current salary range.
Modifications to the Assistant to City Manager Specification
The Human Resources Department revised the Assistant to the City Manager class specification to reflect distinguishing characteristics between the newly created class specification of Senior Management Analyst which was approved by Council on July 16, 2019.
Assistant to the City Manager - with an annual salary range of $175,752 - $227,436. This classification is responsible for managing interdepartmental teams, maintaining relations with committee and intergovernmental groups and providing staff support to Council members. There is no change to the current salary range.
New Principal Engineer/City Surveyor Specification
The Human Resources Department worked with the Public Works Department to create the class specification of Principal Engineer/City Surveyor. The City has previously contracted out land surveying services but by bringing these services in-house the City would improve cost and operational efficiencies.
Principal Engineer/City Surveyor - with an annual salary range of $181,037 - $234,288. The Principal Engineer/City Surveyor is responsible for managing a Division of the City’s Public Works Department. This position is also responsible for managing all aspects of office land surveying activities for the City and providing a wide range of expertise of land surveying work. The recommended salary range is 5% above the current Principal Engineer classification, to account for the additional City Land Surveyor license requirement.
Approval and adoption of the salary schedules for various unclassified and classified positions
The Classified Salary Plan is recommended to be modified as follows:
• Assistant Planner - with annual salary steps ranging from $87,732 - $111,720 (including longevity), as recommended in this Council Report.
• Senior Planner - with annual salary steps ranging from $117,360 - $149,880 (including longevity), as recommended in this Council Report.
• Pump Maintenance Technician - with annual salary steps ranging from $82,236 - $104,580 (including longevity), as recommended in this Council Report. (Note that the actual salary range is not changing, but is being associated with the new consolidated specification.)
• Recruit Police Officer - with annual salary steps ranging from $92,052 - $111,720 (including longevity).
• Firefighter I - There are currently three classifications for Firefighter I, which include Firefighter I for a 24 hour shift with annual salary steps ranging from $90,780 - $112,956; Firefighter I for a 24 hour shift - Training with an annual salary of $115,740; and Firefighter I - 80 hours with an annual salary of $89,220 - 111,012. These are existing classifications and are recommended to be adjusted to accurately reflect the salary between salary steps. This is an administrative correction to comply with the collective bargaining agreement with Fire (Unit 1) and eliminate the need for continual manual corrections in the Payroll system.
The Unclassified Salary Schedule is recommended to be modified as follows:
• Principal Engineer/City Surveyor - with an annual salary range of $181,037 - $234,288, as recommended in this Council Report.
• Assistant Fire Chief - with an annual salary range of $247,356 to $320,124 (as previously approved by Council on July 16, 2019).
• Senior Management Analyst - with an annual salary range of $$118,483 - $153,344 (as previously approved by Council on July 16, 2019).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact of retitling the Assistant Planner I to Assistant Planner is approximately $6,700 for fiscal year 2019/20 and $7,200 for fiscal year 2020/21.
There are currently no approved budgeted positions for the Senior Planner classification; therefore, the fiscal impact will be dependent upon the placement of a future incumbent. If an incumbent is hired or promoted, the cost will be included in the Community Development Department budget or absorbed within existing department appropriations, depending upon the timing of the hire.
The Public Works Department intends to reclassify one Principal Engineer position to the Principal Engineer/City Surveyor position. The fiscal impact of creating the new classification of Principal Engineer/City Surveyor is $14,870 for fiscal year 2019/20 and $18,360 for fiscal year 2020/21.
The Community Development Department and Public Works Department will absorb the additional costs through anticipated salary savings for the reclassifications of the Assistant Planner and Principal Engineer/City Surveyor positions. If any further budget adjustments are needed, a recommendation to adjust the Departments’ Salaries budget will be submitted to the City Council for consideration.
There are no recommendations to adjust the salary ranges for the Associate Planner, Pump Maintenance Technician and Assistant to the City Manager.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department and City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve amendments to the City of Santa Clara Salary Plan effective August 20, 2019 to:
1. Revise the class specifications for Associate Planner, Pump Maintenance Technician, and Assistant to the City Manager;
2. Revise, retitle, and adjust the salary range for Assistant Planner (formerly Assistant Planner I);
3. Delete Assistant Planner II;
4. Create Senior Planner and Principal Engineer/City Surveyor and set compensation for each; and
5. Adopt a Resolution to approve the revised salary plans for various unclassified and classified positions to satisfy the requirements of California Code of Regulations Section 570.5.
Staff
Reviewed by: Teresia Zadroga-Haase, Director, Human Resources
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Assistant to the City Manager Class Specification
2. Assistant Planner Class Specification
3. Associate Planner Class Specification
4. Principal Engineer/City Surveyor Class Specification
5. Pump Maintenance Technician Class Specification
6. Senior Planner Class Specification
7. Resolution approving and adopting updated classified and unclassified salary plans
8. 2019 Classified Classification Salary Plan (effective 2019-06-02)
9. 2019 Classified Classification Salary Plan (effective 2019-08-18)
10. 2019 Unclassified Salary Schedule (effective 2019-08-18)