BOARD MEETING DATE: April 21, 2000 AGENDA NO. 10

The FY 1999-00 Budget includes funding to begin a systematic review of AQMD positions and classifications. The recommendations here continue the series of recommendations that are anticipated to result from that review.

Contract consultants from Comp Plus, a division of William Hamilton & Associates, conducted a review of positions in the Office Assistant series of classes. The study involved review of incumbent-written descriptions of duties and responsibilities, as well as personal interviews with representative incumbents, supervisors, and management staff.

The study report indicated job changes have occurred that have resulted in increases in duties and responsibilities for one Supervising Office Assistant and four Office Assistant positions. The report also indicates one Secretary position, assigned to Human Resources, meets the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act definition of a "Confidential" position and recommends a new classification of Secretary (Confidential) be established and the existing position be reclassified to the new classification.

With respect to the Supervising Office Assistant position, which is assigned to Information Management, the consultant report indicates duties include coordinating and implementing the installation, configuration, and maintenance of AQMD’s telecommunication systems. These duties, as indicated by the consultant, are consistent with AQMD’s Facilities Services Specialist classification and reclassification to that class is recommended.

The Office Assistant position in Science and Technology Advancement recommended for reclassification is responsible for monitoring and tracking MSRC contracts relating to AB2766 projects and for reconciling and processing contract-related invoices and resolving discrepancies. The consultant recommends the position be reclassified to Senior Office Assistant. The position is funded by MSRC, and the cost increase of that reclassification would be borne by the MSRC, which requested and supports this reclassification.

Two other Office Assistant positions, assigned to Public Affairs and Transportation Programs, work in the same unit and perform the same duties as five Radiotelephone Operators. The consultant recommends reclassifying these two positions to Radiotelephone Operator.

The last Office Assistant position recommended for reclassification is assigned to Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources. The position provides secretarial support for a Planning and Rules Manager and the consultant recommends it be reclassified to Secretary.

One Secretary position, allocated to Human Resources, meets the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act definition of a "Confidential" position, based on the job’s responsibility for tracking and processing grievances and employee performance appraisals and for secretarial involvement in other labor- and employee-relations-related matters. The consultant has recommended establishment of a new Confidential classification of Secretary (Confidential), at the same salary level as the Secretary classification, and reclassification of the Human Resources Secretary position to the new class. This change would not involve a change in salary, only an annual benefits cost increase, because of the Confidential designation, of approximately $2,688.

The five Administrative Secretary positions recommended for reclassification report to contract executive managers that, in the District’s classification plan, are allocated Senior Administrative Secretary positions. These reclassifications will address Confidential secretarial classification and pay inequities that developed when Designated Deputy positions were eliminated and job functions consolidated, resulting in reporting relationship changes, and when two new Assistant Deputy Executive Officer appointments were made in February.

Staff recommends the Board approve the actions listed under "Recommended Actions" at the beginning of this Board letter and described in greater detail in the background section immediately above and summarized in the attached Exhibit A. Since all the incumbents affected by these changes have been performing the duties on which recommendations are based for a significant period of time, it is recommended that they be reclassified with their positions. If approved, the actions recommended here would be effective at the beginning of the pay period following Board action.

Reclassification recommendations regarding AQMD Office Clerical and Maintenance Bargaining unit classifications have been discussed with their labor representatives, Teamsters Local 911, and they have agreed with these recommendations. The union has, however, requested further review of positions included in this study of clerical positions. If this review indicates additional reclassifications are warranted, a recommendation will be brought to the Board at a later date.

The annual fifth-step cost, at current salary levels, including for the position reclassification recommendations described in Exhibit A is $33,574. Since the MSRC would fund the $3,764 reclassification cost increase for the AB 2766 Office Assistant position, AQMD’s annual fifth-step cost would be approximately $29,810.

The AQMD FY 1999-00 cost of the Exhibit A recommendations is approximately $5,159. Because of salary savings from vacant budgeted positions, sufficient funds exist within the approved budget to cover this cost increase.

A Resolution of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board amending AQMD’s Salary Resolution to establish the new Confidential classification of Secretary (Confidential) at a salary range of 33G ($30,909 – 38,293).

WHEREAS, the Governing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District exercises its duty to review and determine appropriate wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment provided to employees.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, State of California, in regular session assembled on April 21, 2000, does hereby amend AQMD’s Salary Resolution to establish the new Confidential classification of Secretary (Confidential) at a salary range of 33G ($30,909 – 38,293).

Organizational Unit	Existing Class Title (Incumbent)	Current 5^th-Step Salary	No. Pos.	Recommended Class Title	Proposed 5^th-Step Salary	No. Pos.	Recommendations (See Notes Below)	Net Annual Cost / (Savings)
Public Affairs & Transportation Programs	Office Assistant (L. Kort & Vacant)	$33,114	2	Radiotelephone Operator	$33,405	2	4,5	$582
	Office Assistant (L. Miranda)	$33,114	1	Senior Office Assistant	$36,878	1	4,5	$3,764*
Planning, Rule Development, & Area Sources	Office Assistant (P. Shaw-Cedillo)	$33,114	1	Secretary	$38,293	1	4,5	$5,179
Information Management	Supervising Office Assistant (B. Irby)	$40,934	1	Facilities Services Specialist	$43,160	1	4,5	$2,226
Administrative & Human Resources	Secretary (D. Armstrong)	$38,293	1	Secretary (Confidential)	$38,293	1	1,2,4,5,6	$2,688**
Engineering & Compliance, Planning, Rules, & Area Sources, Science and Technology, Information Management, & Administrative & Human Resources	Administrative Secretary (A. Kypreos, F. Leung, A. Ponce, G. Corcoran, & Vacant)	$46,946	5	Senior Administrative Secretary	$50,773	5	4,5	$19,135

AQMD Annual Fifth-Step Salary Cost $29,810
Approximate AQMD FY 99-00 Impact $ 5,159

NOTES:
(1) Add the class to AQMD’s Classification Plan
(3) Delete the existing class and salary from AQMD’s Classification Plan
(4) Allocate position(s) to the recommended class
(5) Add position(s) of the recommended class to the designated organizational unit
(6) Adopt the class specification as part of AQMD’s Classification Plan

DEFINITION: Under direction, performs a variety of responsible secretarial and routine administrative services for Human Resources management staff; performs office management and coordination responsibilities; and does other work as required.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS: This classification is characterized by the responsibility for performing full secretarial and office support services for Human Resources management staff with administrative, professional or technical program responsibilities involving employee-relations-related matters. The class is further characterized by the degree of responsibility to independently perform office management and coordination responsibilities to relieve management staff of routine administrative details.

Performs a variety of secretarial and office support services responsibilities, including administrative assignments to relieve superiors of routine office management and coordination responsibilities.

Screens a variety of office and telephone calls referring inquiries to other staff members or personally responds to request for information, as appropriate; acts as liaison for the supervisor with subordinate staff and representatives of other divisions and agencies to obtain and transmit information, requests and instructions.

Reviews and arranges incoming correspondence in order of priority for the supervisor; refers other correspondence and materials to subordinate staff for reply, as appropriate, and follows up to ensure timely completion.

Operates standard or automated office equipment to type a variety of correspondence, memoranda, reports, forms and other finished copy from rough draft or handwritten materials; arranges materials in the proper format and proofreads finished copy for completeness and accuracy of spelling, punctuation and typing.

Schedules appointments and arranges conferences and meetings for the supervisor; prepares agendas, documents, overhead projector transparencies, etc., for various meetings and workshops; may attend meetings, take minutes and prepare summaries.

May take and transcribe dictation from shorthand notes or transcribes from recorded dictation; composes routine correspondence or memoranda which require extensive knowledge of the supervisor's duties, office procedures and policies.

Researches, compiles data from a variety of sources for general information purposes, special reports and projects; may prepare a variety of reports for supervisor's approval.

Performs routine personnel, budget, timekeeping and other office support services; establishes and maintains a variety of office files, records and log; develops and modifies office procedure and practices as necessary.

SUBSTITUTION: Education may substitute for up to one year of the experience required under Option II, with either 1) completion of 18 semester (27 quarter) units from an accredited college or university in secretarial sciences, office practices, business education or a closely related field or 2) completion of 360 hours of training from a recognized occupational training program in secretarial sciences, business education or a closely related field may substitute for one year of the experience required under Option II.

KNOWLEDGE OF: Modern office practices and procedures, including files and recordkeeping systems; standard and automated office equipment; correct English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.

ABILITY TO: Perform responsible, confidential secretarial work; understand, explain, and apply District rules, regulations, policies and procedures specific to the area of assignment; operate a variety of standard and automated office equipment; understand and follow oral and written instructions; maintain detailed and accurate records; compose correspondence and prepare reports; establish and maintain cooperative relations with District personnel and the public.

SKILLS: Sufficient skill to type 45 net words per minute; sufficient skill to take dictation at a rate of 80 words per minute may be required.