CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 4 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-9811 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Human Resources Department
MEETING DATE: March 17, 2025
SUBJECT:
City Clerk’s Office — Assistant to the City Clerk Position Reallocation RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to approve the reallocation of the Assistant to the City Clerk position from per diem to part-time merit.
BACKGROUND:
Public access to government records is a cornerstone of transparency, accountability, and public trust. The City of San Mateo remains committed to ensuring timely and thorough responses to Public Records Act (PRA) requests, supporting the community’s right to access information about their government. Over the past several years, the City has experienced a steady increase in the volume and complexity of public records requests. In Fiscal Year 2023-24 alone, the City processed approximately 1,500 PRA requests, a significant number of which involved intricate communications-related records. This trend underscores the ongoing need for dedicated and knowledgeable staff to facilitate the review and production of responsive records efficiently and in compliance with legal requirements.
To meet this demand, the City has relied on a per diem Assistant to the City Clerk who has been trained extensively in the Public Records Act, as well as subject matter areas pertaining to the City Clerk’s Office, Community Development, Police, and Public Works departments. This expertise has been instrumental in ensuring accurate and timely responses to public records requests. However, the per diem position is set to expire this month, creating a potential gap in service that could impact the City’s ability to maintain its high standard of responsiveness.
To provide ongoing, reliable support for public records compliance, staff recommends converting the position from per diem to part-time merit. This will enable the City to continue to uphold its commitment to open government, ensuring that residents, businesses, and stakeholders have timely and meaningful access to public information. This transition will have no net increase for general fund.
BUDGET IMPACT:
The reallocation of the Assistant to the City Clerk position from per diem to part-time merit will have no immediate fiscal impact for the 2024–25 budget year. Starting in the following fiscal year, the part-time merit position is projected to cost $60,000, with $39,000 allocated to the General Fund, $15,000 to the Construction Services Fund, and $6,000 to the Sewer Fund. The reduction in per diem expenses will offset the new position's cost, resulting in no net impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This position reallocation is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is a government fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).)
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att – Proposed Resolution
STAFF CONTACT
Lourdes Coles, Senior Human Resources Analyst
[email protected]
(650) 522-7264