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CC 2016-01-12_09g Overfilling Position_PW Utilities DivisionMEMORANDUM TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: GEOFF ENGLISH, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF OVERFILLING ONE POSITION FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT UTILITIES DIVISION DATE: JANUARY 12, 2016 RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council approve overfilling one full-time Maintenance Worker position allocated to the Utilities Division to accommodate an employee on extended leave. IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES: There is no additional impact on the budget . The position is currently funded through the Sewer Fund and the employee on extended leave is not currently being paid, therefore staff recommends utilizing the savings generated to temporarily overfill the position. BACKGROUND; T he Public Works Department has a Maintenance Worker position paid through the Sewer Fund. The employee currently in this position has not worked since February of 2014 due to work related injuries. The Department has been operating with this vacancy since this time, which is unsustainable. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES: A Public Works Department employee sustained a work related injury and is currently off work. Staff analysis indicates that funding will be available within the current operating budget to provide for the overfill position until the leave situation is resolved. The City is not currently incurring any expenses for compensation to this employee The Public Works Department has experienced several maintenance incidents within the past few months that have highlighted the need to fill this position. Routine Utilities Division maintenance tasks such as valve turning, sewer line cleaning, water service replacements and other tasks are not being completed or a re being completed on a less than ideal frequency due to staffing limitations. Additionally, time demands on staff resulting from customer contacts due to mandatory water reduction requirements have been substantial. Customer water audits, baseline adjustment requests, Water School preparation and related customer contacts have stretched existing staff thin and taken away from routine maintenance activities. Item 9.g. - Page 1 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF OVERFILLING ONE POSITION FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT UTILITIES DIVISION JANUARY 12, 2016 PAGE 2 There are currently seven full-time employees funded in the Utilities Division that maintain the City’s water and sewer system:  Lead Worker, Utilities (1)  Water Service Worker (1)  Maintenance Workers (5) (including the position on unpaid leave) In order to provide staffing levels adequate for these essential Utilities Division maintenance functions, staff is requesting the ability to “over fill ” one Maintenance Worker position at this time. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the proposed overfill of one full-time Maintenance Worker position allocated to the Utilities Division; 2. Do not approve the proposed overfill and maintain the current staffing levels; or 3. Provide direction to staff ADVANTAGES: The proposed changes will allow the Utilities Division to better address maintenance tasks such as valve turning, sewer line cleaning, water service replacements and other tasks that are not being completed or a re being completed on a less than ideal frequency due to staffing limitations. DISADVANTAGES: No disadvantages are identified at this time. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: No environmental review is required for this item. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS: The Agenda was posted in front of City Hall on Thursday, January 7, 2016 and the agenda and staff report were posted to the City’s website on Friday, January 8, 2016. No public input has been received to date. Item 9.g. - Page 2