Consent Agenda Item 4k
STAFF REPORT
Consent Agenda Item
DATE: September 21, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Brendan Byrd, Community Development Director/City Engineer SUBJECT: Consider Revisions to the Organizational Chart and Full-Time Pay Rate Schedule for the Community Development/Public Works Department STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the proposed revisions to the City of Fortuna Fiscal Year 2026-27 Organizational Chart and Full Time Pay Rate Schedule.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Community Development Department is proposing several changes to the department’s organizational structure. Each proposed change is discussed in individual detail below, and the recommended draft revisions to the Organizational Chart and Full-Time Pay Rate Schedule are included as attachments.
1. Move Engineering Positions from Public Works to Community Development With the hiring of the Community Development Director position the City Engineer role has now moved into the Community Development Department, while the current organizational chart still shows the Deputy City Engineer and Engineering Technician position in the Public Works Department. Staff are proposing to move these two positions into the Community Development Department on the organizational chart, which reflects the current supervisory structure of the Engineering Division. Staff will note that this change does not modify the duties of those positions, how their pay is allocated, or the types of projects they’ll be engaged in. These positions will continue to work across several departments as part of their duties, and they will still be largely focused on engineering-related tasks in the Public Works Department.
2. Change the Engineering Technician II position to Assistant City Engineer Staff are proposing to modify the current Engineering Technician II position title to Assistant City Engineer. This title, and the associated job description, better reflects the current duties and expectations of the position. This change also provides a more formal opportunity for the employee to advance their skills and expectations within the organization. Staff will note the employee is supportive of this proposed change, and that there is not a recommendation to change the salary for the position, just the title.
3. Modify the Planning Division to make the Senior Planner position a supervisory role Currently the Community Development Director directly supervises the Department’s Senior Administrative Assistant, and the Senior Planning has no supervisory responsibilities. In practice the Senior Planner directs the workload of this position, and as a Division Head the Senior Planner classification is a level that traditionally has a supervisory role in their Department. Staff are proposing to modify the organization chart so that the Senior Planner Consent Agenda Item 4k
has direct supervisory responsibility for the Senior Administrative Assistant position. Staff will note that the current employee is supportive of this change.
4. Add a Senior Project Manager Position to the Engineering Division Over the past 8-10 years the Engineering Division has regularly needed to modify the division head-level position in order to recruit or retain qualified staff. This has included classifications that are both licensed engineering professionals and non-licensed professionals, with position titles including Deputy City Engineer, Deputy Public Works Director, Public Works Project Manager, and Engineering Technician III. During transitions in staff at this position vacancy periods are usually 6-12 months, and it is typical that during those vacancy periods staff have identified the need to modify position specifics in order to recruit a new qualified candidate.
As the Council is aware this position is currently vacant, and staff have brought to the Council a hiring freeze exemption in early June of this year. Staff have conducted a recruitment to backfill this position and have received no qualified applications to date. At the closure of the recruitment staff reviewed the pay scale for the position; the division needs and are proposing that the Council approve modifying the current Deputy City Engineer classification to be Deputy City Engineer OR Senior Project Manager. In the budget there would only be one (1) full-time equivalent position, therefore even though there would be two titles listed in the organizational chart it would only be staffed by a single employee that possesses the necessary qualifications for the position title they are assigned. The newly created position of Senior Project Manager would have the same general job duties as the Deputy City Engineer; however, the job description would be written to require more years of professional experience in lieu of an engineering license (or potential of an engineering license). Staff will note that engineering licensure is not a requirement to successfully perform the duties included in this position as long as the City employs or contracts for the services of a City Engineer.
To simplify budgeting, remain closer to the local market value of the position, and increase the likelihood of a successful requirement for a Senior Project Manager, staff are proposing to have both positions at the same pay scale as the existing Deputy City Engineer position (F60).
Staff will note that even with the Senior Project Manager position at this scale the proposed compensation falls short of equivalent salaries offered at other local jurisdictions.
STRATEGIC PLAN 2026-2036:
This action supports the following area(s) of your City Council’s Strategic Plan 2026-2036.
CORE VALUES:
Economic Resilience The status quo is not sustainable. Generating City revenue is essential to keeping City services and investing in what Fortuna residents want.
Committed Service Recognition that staff put care into their hard work to provide vital and efficient services, are appreciated by the community, and deserve support.
PRIORITIES:
Priority 1: Clarity, Culture & Capacity for Organizational Health Priority 2: Our People — Staff Retention, Pay & Succession Priority 5: A Development-Ready City — Permitting, Design & Standards Consent Agenda Item 4k
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed departmental changes have no fiscal impact to the budget. There are no proposed changes to salaries for the adjustments to the current Engineering Technician II or Senior Planner position, and the proposed addition/adjustment of the Senior Project Manager position would not exceed what is currently budgeted for the Deputy City Engineer position.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Council could choose not to approve the proposed revisions to the organizational chart and budget.
However, as noted in the proposed revisions for the Engineering Technician II position and Senior Planner position are intended to align current positions with their expected job duties, reconcile actual organizational structure, and provide further opportunities for employee growth through job requirements. Not approving these proposed changes would continue forward an Ad Hoc departmental operating structure.
For the proposed addition of the Senior Project Manger position, if the salary and job description is not approved as proposed it significantly increases the likelihood that this key position will remain vacant within the organization. Staff will note that the Engineering Division’s workload does not change or scale down based on the number of staff members at any given time, so while these positions remain vacant the work they are conventionally assigned are shifted to other existing positions.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
Motion to approve the proposed revisions to the City of Fortuna Fiscal Year 2026/27 Organizational Chart and Full-Time Pay Rate Schedule. Consent Agenda vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Draft City Organizational Chart
• Draft Full-Time FY26-27 Pay Rate Schedule