South Coast Air Quality Management District

Add and Delete Positions and Establish Classification

SYNOPSIS:

To meet program priorities relating to recent organizational changes in AQMD’s public affairs operation and revised staffing needs in other units, staff recommends 1) deleting a Designated Deputy and two Transportation Specialist positions and adding a Senior Staff Specialist, a Senior Public Information Specialist, and two Public Information Specialists in Public Affairs; 2) adding a Print Shop Duplicator in Administrative & Human Resources; 3) establishing a new classification of Contracts Assistant and deleting a Secretary in Science & Technology Advancement and a Contracts Technician in Finance and adding a Contracts Assistant to each of those two offices; 4) deleting an Engineering Technician and adding an Air Quality Analysis & Compliance Supervisor in Engineering & Compliance; 5) deleting an Administrative Secretary and a Fiscal Assistant and adding a Secretary and an Accountant in Finance; and 6) adding a Staff Specialist in Science & Technology. These changes would result in a net annual salary cost of approximately $137,036.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative Committee, July 19, 2002, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Adopt the recommendations reflected in Exhibit A.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Recent restructuring of AQMD’s public affairs operation and shifts in program focus and priorities in other units have resulted in several position allocation needs that cannot be met within current budget allocations. As a consequence, staff recommends establishing a new clerical classification of Contracts Assistant and deleting existing positions from the FY 2002-03 Budget in order to add positions that better fit current program staffing needs.

Proposal

To enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the recently reorganized Public Affairs unit, staff recommends deleting the Deputy Executive Officer / Public Affairs position and two vacant Transportation Specialist positions and adding four new positions. The added positions include 1) a Senior Staff Specialist to head a new administrative unit with responsibility for overseeing the office’s budget and contracting functions and for project management and various other administrative support functions; 2) a Senior Public Information Specialist position and a Public Information Specialist to meet expanded outreach efforts to local governments in the four-county area; and 3) a Public Information Specialist to provide the appropriate staffing for community outreach programs.

To meet the high-volume output and production deadline demands in AQMD’s print shop, staff recommends adding a Print Shop Duplicator position in Administrative and Human Resources.

With respect to the high-priority, high-volume contracts work handled in Science & Technology Advancement and in Finance, staff recommends establishing a new clerical classification of Contracts Assistant, as shown in the attached classification specification. Positions at the Contracts Assistant level would be responsible for data entry, tracking and coordination, and other responsible clerical duties relating to contracts processing and administration. Based on internal salary comparisons, staff recommends establishing a pay range of $33,122 – 41,035 for the classification and, based on similarity of duties, responsibilities, and job requirements, allocating the new classification to the Office Clerical & Maintenance Bargaining Unit. The FY 2002-03 Budget includes a vacant Contracts Technician position in Finance and a vacant Secretary position in Science and Technology Advancement. Staff recommends replacing these two positions with Contracts Assistant positions.

To provide improved supervisory control over Engineering & Compliance’s RECLAIM administration unit, which handles the agency’s most technically complex rule implementation challenges, staff recommends exchanging a vacant Engineering Technician position for an Air Quality Analysis & Compliance Supervisor position. This second-level supervisory position would be responsible for coordinating and providing guidance to all permitting engineers and inspectors on all aspects of RECLAIM rule implementation, including field audit procedures and engineering oversight of emissions calculations; developing and conducting public outreach programs for RECLAIM facilities; administering the RECLAIM trading program; overseeing the mitigation fees program for power-producing facilities; supervising work involving RECLAIM rule amendments and annual program evaluations submitted to the Governing Board, CARB, EPA, and the State Legislature; and coordinating the development of program automation to improve RECLAIM program enforceability.

Further, to match existing staffing in Finance, staff recommends deleting an Administrative Secretary position that is currently filled by a Secretary and adding the appropriate level, a Secretary position. Staff also recommends deleting a Fiscal Assistant position in Finance and adding an Accountant position. The Accountant position would handle the increased work resulting from implementation of new reporting requirements from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB 34) and new requirements on governmental agencies relating to the depreciation and reporting of assets, and would track and maintain several new special revenue funds related to emission reduction projects, assist with internal audits and research on tax-related matters, and be responsible for the preparation of cash flow projections.

Finally, staff recommends adding a Staff Specialist position in Science & Technology Advancement to replace an employee who has just recently been returned to active military duty and who has the right to return to his AQMD position. Without the added position, the uncertainty of the employee’s return and the agency’s inability to guarantee continuing employment, would make it very difficult to recruit a qualified replacement.

Resource Impacts

At current Board-approved salary levels, the annual cost of these recommended actions is approximately $137,036. No additional appropriation is requested, as sufficient funds are available in the Board-approved FY 02-03 Budget.

Attachments

Exhibit A – Establish Classification of Contracts Assistant and Add and Delete Positions
Resolution
Contracts Assistant Class Specification

RESOLUTION NO. 02-

                    A Resolution of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board amending AQMD’s Salary Resolution to establish a salary range of $33,122 – 41,035 for the Contracts Assistant classification and to allocate the classification to the Office Clerical & Maintenance Bargaining Unit.

                    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 August 2, 2002, does hereby amend AQMD’s Salary Resolution to establish a salary range of $33,122 – 41,035 for the Contracts Assistant classification and to allocate the classification to the Office Clerical & Maintenance Bargaining Unit.

EXHIBIT A

ESTABLISH CLASSIFICATION OF CONTRACTS ASSISTANT
AND ADD AND DELETE POSITIONS
 

Organizational Unit	Existing Class Title	Current 5th-Step Salary	# Pos. Deleted	Recommended Class Title	Proposed 5th-Step Salary	# Pos. Added	Recommendations	Net Annual Cost / (Savings)
Public Affairs	DEO/Public Affairs	$118,439	1	-----	-----	-----	Delete Position	($118,439)
	Transportation Specialist	$75,426	2	-----	-----	-----	Delete Positions	($150,852)
				Senior Staff Specialist	$80,376	1	Add Position	$80,376
				Senior Public Information Specialist	$67,638	1	Add Position	$67,638
				Public Information Specialist	$56,204	2	Add Positions	$112,408
Administrative & Human Resources				Print Shop Duplicator	$36,911	1	Add Position	$36,911
Science & Technology Adv. and Finance				Contracts Assistant	$41,035	2 (1 each)	Establish Class & Add Positions (1,2,4,5,6)*	$82,070
Science & Technology Advancement	Secretary	$41,035	1				Delete Position	($41,035)
				Staff Specialist	$74,692	1	Add Position	$74,692
Finance	Contracts Technician	$54,943	1				Delete Position	($54,943)
	Administrative Secretary	$50,802	1				Delete Position	($50,802)
	Fiscal Assistant	$36,911	1				Delete Position	($36,911)
				Secretary	$41,035	1	Add Position	$41,035
				Accountant	$59,941	1	Add Position	$59,941
Engineering & Compliance	Engineering Technician	$56,303	1				Delete Position	($56,303)
				Air Quality Analysis & Compliance Supervisor	$91,250	1	Add Position	$91,250
TOTAL DELETED 8                        TOTAL ADDED 11
AQMD Annual Fifth-Step Salary Cost $137,036
NOTES: (1) Add the class to AQMD�s Classification Plan (2) Amend AQMD�s Salary Resolution to establish the salary of the class (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

TITLE:                                   CONTRACTS ASSISTANT                                       Approved:

DEFINITION:
Under general supervision, performs various responsible clerical and administrative support activities related to the preparation, processing and monitoring of District contracts; and does other work as required.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:
This class reports to a supervisor/manager and is characterized by responsibility for providing responsible clerical and administrative support for various aspects of the contracts program, to ensure that contracts and other related documents comply with District guidelines, practices, policies and procedures, and are efficiently routed, monitored and tracked throughout the contract approval/contract administration process. The class is further characterized by the responsibility to perform the more basic contract processing and monitoring activities, within prescribed guidelines, to assist higher-level staff in handling administrative details and tracking requirements.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
Performs initial review of contracts and related documents for compliance with District policies and procedures, advises supervisor of problems perceived, and follows up, as directed.

Enters data and information into and maintains the contracts database to ensure that information on the contract approval process, or the status of existing contract activities, is properly tracked, accurate and up-to-date, and generates related reports.

Logs, routes and tracks contracts and related documents through the approval process; coordinates with staff in various units to ensure timely processing; monitors the status of payments, checks invoices submitted and calculates contract balances; tracks contract status/compliance deadlines and advises key staff regarding due dates, expiration dates and any problems that arise during the processing/monitoring of contracts and contract requirements.

Provides information to staff regarding the kinds of contracts used by the District; the forms, notices and submittals required; current travel and per diem rates to use for contractors; and about competitive and sole source contract requirements; and provides samples of approved boilerplate language for use in various types of agreements.

Prepares statistical and various other reports related to the status of contracts using contract-tracking software developed for this purpose.

May assist in the preparation of draft budgets or special reports and perform other duties, as needed.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

EXPERIENCE: One year performing clerical and administrative contracts processing support, involving review of contracts and related documents for compliance with policies and procedures and/or tracking of documents through the contract approval/contract administration process.

OR

Two years performing responsible clerical and/or administrative support duties that required knowledge and interpretation of complex policies and programs, carrying out prescribed duties independently, with minimal supervision, organizing office operations, and processing or handling of sensitive and confidential documents and information.

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: Completion of 18 semester (27 quarter) units from an accredited college in business or a related field, OR completion of 360 hours of training from a recognized occupational training program in secretarial sciences, business, or a closely related field, may be substituted for up to one year of experience under the second option listed above.

KNOWLEDGE OF: The process of checks and balances involved in getting approval for highly detailed and technical documents, such as contracts, in public agencies; modern office practices and procedures, including filing and record-keeping systems; PC software, including MS Word, Excel, and Access, and related report generation capabilities; and proper English usage, grammar, spelling, syntax, vocabulary, and punctuation.

SKILL OR ABILITY TO: Learn, apply, and explain District policies and procedures relating to the contract approval/administration process; apply accuracy and attention to detail to the review of complex documents and forms; proficiently use PC software, including MS Word, Excel, and Access, and related report generation capabilities; accurately and efficiently track a high volume of documents through a complex approval/administration process; work under the pressure of competing deadlines and follow through on multiple projects simultaneously; make accurate basic arithmetic computations; maintain detailed and accurate records and prepare statistical and other reports; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective relationships with all those encountered in the course of work.

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