CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
2/12/2024
1 SUBJECT:
Resolution to Approve an Additional Operator III – Plant Operation position for Public Works Department
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution approving to add a full time Permanent Operator III - Plant Operation position to the position control in Public Works Wastewater Division, at an estimated annual cost of approximately $192,000.
STAFF CONTACT:
Irene Camarena, HR Manager
650-738-7303
[email protected]
Lisa Petersen, P.E., Director of Public Works
(650) 738-3770
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
The City of Pacifica has continued to struggle with maintaining appropriate staff levels for the critical operators of the City’s Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant (Plant). To operate the Plant alone, the State of California requires a minimum of an Operator Grade II certification.
There are a limited number of qualified operators with this certification in the area.
Additionally, Pacifica has only two positions for Operator III, making any required after-hour work due to maintenance issues or large storm events difficult to schedule without overloading the existing staff. Recent unanticipated, yet necessary, operator staff leave has also left the Plant in a difficult position to stay functioning during these circumstances. With both an aging Plant that often requires oversight in operations after hours due to maintenance issues and continued significant storm events, it is critical that the Plant has adequate coverage, and an additional Operator III position is needed.
Additionally, the City experienced an unusually high number of resignations in the Plant operations section following the extraordinary storm season of 2022/23, and that experience also demonstrated the need to have adequate Plant operator coverage. Wastewater management has worked with Human Resources (HR) to fill these critical vacant spots, but filling these vacancies is often a slow and difficult process. Another complication to the operator staffing at the Plant is that the typical training period for an operator is longer because of the unique nature of the Plant.
Because of these challenges, staff explored and evaluated the possibility of adding an Operator III - Plant Operation position. Staff reached out to Bartle Wells Associate (BWA), the City’s financial consultant for sewer rate studies, and requested a review of current rates for supporting an added position . BWA concluded this review and confirmed the current Pacifica City Council 2
February 12, 2024
sewer rates can support the added position.
To assist Wastewater with the plant operator staffing challenges, on October 9, 2023, the City Council approved a contract for an Operator III Wastewater Plant position in the amount not to exceed $200,000 with Aqua Staffing. The contract operator's help started in November of 2023. During the following two months, staff spent time and resources training the consultant wastewater operator, but unfortunately, he decided to pursue other employment opportunities and quit unexpectedly at the end of December, and Aqua Staffing was unable to identify another contract worker to move into the position. Based on this and the other factors noted in this report, staff believes to provide effective and continuing Plant operational support, especially throughout storm season, an additional full-time permanent Operator III - Plant Operation position is necessary.
Article 4, Section 2-4.401 - Establishment of the Municipal Code establishes the procedures for the City Manager, as Personnel Officer, to create and revise a position classification plan.
Any new or revised classification is officially established upon adoption by the City Council. If the Council approves the addition of this Operator III position to the position control, the City will proceed with the recruitment. There is no change to the job description and compensation schedule.
Therefore, the City Manager is recommending the approval to hire a full-time permanent Operator III - Plant Operation classification position (See Attachment 1) for the Public Works Department Wastewater Division at an estimated annual cost of approximately $192,000 which includes the full spectrum of benefits, including Grade V certification pay, driver’s license pay, and with family level health coverage.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The actual fiscal impact will be dependent on the future employee’s placement salary step with the organization and benefits selection.
POSITION BARGAINING UNIT CURRENT SALARY SCALE
Operator III (Attachment 2
- Job Description)
Teamsters 856 - WW $7,334- $9,325
There is a sufficient budget approved by the City Council on October 9, 2023, for the contract wastewater. This budget will be sufficient to cover the cost of this additional Operator III - Plant Operations position this year, and BWA’s updated sewer rate review and report confirmed the current sewer rate can support adding a Wastewater Operator III. Upon the City Council’s approval, this additional position will be included in the position control, and staff will make necessary adjustments for the mid-year budget and the upcoming FY 2024-25 base Wastewater Fund budget.
ORIGINATED BY:
Human Resources
Public Works - Wastewater Division
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Operator III_FT_04.04.1999 (PDF)
Pacifica City Council 3
February 12, 2024
RESOLUTION NO. _____
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA APPROVING TO HIRE
AN ADDITIONAL OPERATOR III - PLANT OPERATIONS IN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
WASTEWATER DIVISION
WHEREAS, Article 4, Section 2-4.401 of the Pacifica Municipal Code establishes a civil service personnel system and procedures for the administration of personnel matters; and WHEREAS, said Chapter requires that the City Manager, as Personnel Officer, prepare and recommend to the City Council a position classification plan, class specifications, and revisions thereto; and
WHEREAS, an additional full-time Permanent Operator III-Plant Operation position is needed to provide sufficient operational support and improve the service level provided by the Public Works Department-Wastewater Division, and this classification already exists within the organizational structure of the Wastewater division.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, that the additional Full Time Permanent Operator III position is hereby approved in the Public Works Department and added to the Classification Plan with the existing job description and salary.
POSITION BARGAINING UNIT CURRENT SALARY SCALE
Operator III Teamsters 856 - WW $7,334- $9,325
• • • • •
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 12th day of February 2024, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
_________________________________
Sue Vaterlaus, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ _________________________________ Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney