BOARD MEETING DATE: October 6, 2006
AGENDA NO. 10

Establish Class and Add and Delete Positions in FY 2006-07 Budget

SYNOPSIS:

This action is to establish the new class of Assistant Database Administrator and to delete four vacant positions and add six positions to address changing work needs and to reduce the need for temporary employees where work is ongoing.  The FY 2006-07 budgetary impact of these changes, when offset by the transfer of temporary services funds to salary and benefits, is approximately $12,882.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, September 15, 2006, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Add the Confidential classification of Assistant Database Administrator
2. Adopt the attached class specification
3. Adopt the attached Resolution amending the Salary Resolution to establish a salary range of $66,808 – $82,774 for the new class
4. Adopt the recommendations shown in Exhibit A to add and delete positions
5. Appropriate $88,984 from the General Fund, Undesignated Fund Balance, to Science and Technology Advancement Salary and Employee Benefits Major Object (to be reimbursed by Moyer Program funding)
6. Transfer $77,168 from the temporary services account to the relevant unit’s Salary and Benefits Major Object

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

In the FY 2006-07 Budget, two engineer positions were added in Engineering and Compliance to address a commitment to enhance permit processing efficiency.  Further analysis indicates that making one of the two added positions a senior engineer would provide greater benefit, with the first-line supervisor performing critical review of professional engineer work relating to refinery and energy facilities and handling the more complex and difficult permit evaluations.

The District is required to post on its web site, within a specified time period each quarter, emission reports, RTC holdings and deductions, and compliance status data.  Temporary clerical help has been used to meet this mandated court order and for other clerical work.  However, since this is an ongoing need, staff recommends adding a Senior Office Assistant position in Engineering and Compliance.

In response to financial audit report recommendations in both 2004 and 2005, a temporary accountant was brought in to provide more timely account reconciliations.  Since this is an ongoing need, staff recommends adding a Senior Accountant position to implement audit recommendations and assist with the increased workload associated with new special revenue programs, e.g., Moyer and BP/ARCO settlement-funded community projects, eliminating the need for a temporary employee.

In Information Management, support is needed to maintain the integrity and efficient operation of AQMD’s numerous complex databases to allow the Database Administrator to focus on the more complex analytical and design work needed to ensure operational efficiency and security of critical information.  This work is currently performed by a temporary employee.  Since this is an on-going need, staff recommends establishing a new class of Assistant Database Administrator, eliminating the need for a temporary employee.

To provide appropriate secretarial support to the media manager in handling the high volume of media contacts and other work of the media office, staff recommends adding a Secretary position and deleting a vacant Senior Office Assistant position in the Executive Office’s media unit.

Technology Advancement administers AQMD’s Carl Moyer Program, under SB 1107 and AB 923, which involves management of a large volume of projects and contracts and annual reports to the State to demonstrate timely implementation of the program.  To meet the need for significant in-house expertise for program administration and technical evaluation, staff recommends adding an Air Quality Specialist position.

Proposal

The attached Exhibit A identifies positions proposed to be added and deleted.  Specifically, staff recommends adding a Senior Air Quality Engineer position and a Senior Office Assistant position and deleting a vacant Air Quality Engineer position in Engineering & Compliance; adding a Senior Accountant position and deleting a Senior Office Assistant position in Finance; creating the new Confidential class of Assistant Database Administrator (at a salary range of $66,808  –  $82,774, or 23% below Database Administrator, which is consistent with comparable positions in AQMD’s four counties and with internal salary comparisons) and adding a position at this level and deleting a vacant Senior Office Assistant position in Information Management; adding a Secretary position and deleting a vacant Senior Office Assistant position in the Media Office; and, finally, adding an Air Quality Specialist position in Science and Technology Advancement to provide needed assistance with Carl Moyer projects.

 Resource Impacts

Because of the decreased use of temporary services and the transfer of money from that account to salaries and benefits, the net annual budgetary impact of these actions is approximately $49,318 and the net FY 2006-07 impact approximately $12,882.  An appropriation of $88,984 from the General Fund, Undesignated Fund Balance, to Science and Technology Advancement Salary and Employee Benefits Major Object for the fully burdened cost of the added Air Quality Specialist will be reimbursed from Carl Moyer Program funds.

Attachments

Attachment A)     Resolution
Attachment B)     New Class Specification (Assistant Database Administrator)
Exhibit A)             Recommendation to Add & Delete Positions
 

ATTACHMENT A

RESOLUTION NO. 06-

A Resolution of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board amending AQMD’s Salary Resolution to establish the new Confidential classification of Assistant Database Administrator at a salary range of $66,808 – $82,774.

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 October 6, 2006, does hereby amend AQMD’s Salary Resolution to establish the new Confidential classification of Assistant Database Administrator at a salary range of $66,808 –$82,774.

________________________________     _________________________________

Date                                                                            Clerk of the Board

ATTACHMENT B

New Class Specification

TITLE:  ASSISTANT DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR                                      Approved: 

DEFINITION:  Under direction of a Database Administrator, assists in the administration, maintenance and support of the District’s computerized databases; assists in the analysis of information requirements for the database and monitors the District’s databases to ensure economy, efficiency, safety and security of information, and utilization of new technological developments; and does other work as required.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:  This single-position Confidential class is characterized by the responsibility to assist in administering the technical activities relating to maintaining the integrity and efficient operation of District’s databases by performing a variety of maintenance and support functions.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

Assists in performing database administration functions and management of activities related to the design, control, and maintenance and support of the District’s databases.

Assists in analyzing information requirements for database construction and maintenance; performs data reporting activities; and develops and writes database rules, codes, procedures and protocols.

Troubleshoots and diagnoses database problems, recommends solutions, performs backup and recovery functions, and monitors databases to ensure proper function and database security.

Meets with District staff regarding development of new or revised applications; and assists in the analysis of proposed data models to determine best design approach to meet user needs, maintain validity of data and ensure optimal systems performance.

Performs other duties as required.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 

Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in computer science, information technology, information management, or a closely related field AND one yearof recent, full-time database administration experience that would demonstrate possession of the required knowledge, skill, and ability.

  OR

Possession of a Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) credential AND two yearsof recent, full-time database administration experience that would demonstrate possession of the required knowledge, skill, and ability.

KNOWLEDGE OF:  Current database administration technologies; relational database management systems and performance tuning techniques; Unix and Windows NT operating systems; WEB development and WEB-based applications; normalization techniques; data integrity rules; imaging technology; data quality assurance and quality control techniques and procedures; technical principles and applications relating to automated data management, including knowledge of computer hardware and software; report preparation; database rule-writing; current computer programming languages; and TCP/IP network protocols.

SKILL OR ABILITY TO:  Develop effective procedures for implementing and enforcing District rules, utilizing the latest computer technologies and WEB systems; review and analyze database designs and models; maintain efficient and effective operation of District databases; modify databases to enhance performance; write database rules; interact effectively with users to obtain optimum use of databases; troubleshoot  and diagnose database performance problems; install new versions of the operating system; assist in administering the security of District’s databases; recommend enhancements and changes to the management information system; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with District staff and all others contacted in the course of work.

  EXHIBIT A

  RECOMMENDATION TO ADD & DELETE POSITIONS

Annual budgetary impact: $203,654

Approximate FY 2006-07 Impact: $90,050

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