1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: February 28, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Betsy McClinton, Management Services Director
BY: David Lasher, Administrative Analyst II
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Revision of the Title, Specification, and Salary for the Classification of Emergency Management Coordinator to Emergency Management Administrator , and Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Citywide Salary Schedule
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK
APPROVING THE REVISION OF THE TITLE, SPECIFICATION, AND SALARY FOR
THE CLASSIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATOR (Attachment 1).
2. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK APPROVING THE CITYWIDE SALARY SCHEDULE (Attachment 2).
BACKGROUND
Staff seeks to revise the title, specification, and salary for the classification of Emergency Management Coordinator. This classification is associated with the Burbank Fire Department (BFD). The proposed revision reflects the current qualifications, requirements, and functions of the classification and meets the needs of the BFD.
DISCUSSION
The City’s Emergency Management Coordinator is responsible for developing, coordinating, and managing the City's emergency preparedness programs and plans.
BFD is recommending that the current Coordinator specification be updated to reflect the current duties of the job, especially due to the unique circumstances affecting emergency preparedness in the City, as described below.
In association with the proposed revision, the Department is also recommending that the title of the classification of Emergency Management Coordinator be amended to Emergency Management Administrator. The change in the title is commensurate with the level of the role and responsibilities of this classification, especially in comparison to
2 similar emergency preparedness and management positions among our survey cities and the region to which this classification is compared.
The City of Burbank is designated as a Tier 1 region, which is the highest risk category defined by the federal Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program. The UASI program was developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following the 9/11 attacks. The program was based on target vulnerability, with a primary focus on vulnerabilities to terrorism. The progr am divided the country into regions based on their risk level. Nationally, the DHS designated 64 urban regions as having high risk factors.
These 64 regions were subsequently divided into ten areas known to have the highest risks. These are known as Tier 1 regions, while the remaining 54 zones are defined as Tier 2 regions.
There are unique hazards for why Burbank is in the highest risk category, but the most critical is the Hollywood Burbank Airport. Burbank’s runways would play an unparalleled role in r elief efforts following a major Southern California earthquake —more important than even Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), due to one critical feature. Hollywood Burbank Airport is built on bedrock, whereas the runways at LAX were constructed on compacted soil. As such, a major earthquake has the potential to render LAX’s runways unusable due to soil liquefaction. This would put the Hollywood Burbank Airport, and the City itself, at the forefront of the response to a substantial seismic event.
The pol icies impacting preparedness in our region were further refined through the subsequent DHS-affiliated Presidential Policy Directive 8 (PPD -8) which incorporated a broader “all-hazards” approach to mitigation and preparedness. Select additional hazards were incorporated into the matrix of potential impacts requiring a response from emergency managers in the identified UASI regions. These broader hazard assessments were then organized into sub -tiers that were addressed by specific “Situational Awareness Working Groups” within the greater UASI program.
The proposed revisions address these unique circumstances and include the Administrator possessing greater knowledge of related state and federal policies and regulations, and greater responsibility for managing the emergency preparedness training of all City employees and volunteers. This also includes oversight of emergency drills and exercises used to improve the City’s response to disasters and related emergencies, and the express designation of the Administrator as an on-call first responder, responding to emergencies in the field as a technical specialist.
In response to an emergency, the Administrator would also activate the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and assume command of the EOC and the su pervision of all assigned personnel . Additionally, as part of the certification requirements, the Administrator would be required to possess certification as an Emergency Management Specialist via the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) at time of appointment. It is important to note that the incumbent in this classification possesses this certificate. The proposed revision also includes updating the specification to reflect modern terminology and contemporary phrasing used in the City’s classifications.
3 Regarding the salary component of the proposed action, pursuant to the City’s financial policies in order to recruit and retain a well -qualified workforce to provide exceptional services, salaries will be commensurate with the average of the relevant market. As such, a salary survey was recently conducted utilizing the proposed revised specification , and based on the survey , the recommended revised monthly salary range for this classification would be $9,191.41-$12,086.70 ($4,242.19-$5,578.48 bi-weekly), which is an increase of 9.89%.
The retitled Administrator classification would continue to be an u nrepresented mid - management (“Z” Group) classification, exempt from Civil Service, and included in the City’s Conflict of Interest Code. The Fire Chief concurs with the recommendation.
Lastly, in accordance with Government Code Section 20636 and Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations Section 570.5, CalPERS requires public agencies to post a publicly available salary schedule that is approved by the City Council at a public meeting in order for CalPERS to determine earnable income. Therefore, staff is requesting the City Council adopt an updated salary schedule that includes the proposed salary for this classification.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This activity has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reason ably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
As mentioned, based on a recent salary su rvey, staff is proposing to increase the salary range of the Emergency Management Administrator by 9.89%. This is a total difference of $13,047.91 annually. For the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 -23, funding for the salary revision would result in a net-zero cost, as the difference would be fulfilled through salary savings. Funding for this budgeted position for subsequent fiscal years would be addressed through the annual budgetary process.
CONCLUSION
The revision of the title, specification, and salary of the classification of Emergency Management Coordinator to Emergency Management Administrator will simultaneously modernize the language of the specification and meet the current and ongoing needs of the Burbank Fire Department. This is especially critical given the unique and significant role the Administrator plays when it comes to the safety of the Burbank community, its citizens, businesses, and vital infrastructure. Therefore, staff recommends the City Council adopt the resolutions attached to this report.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution for the Classification of Emergency Management Administrator Attachment 2 – Resolution approving the Citywide Salary Schedule Attachment 3 – Proposed Emergency Management Administrator specification, redlined