BOARD MEETING DATE: March 2, 2007
AGENDA NO. 31

Approve Workplan to Create New Mobile Source Division as Proposed by Chairman William A. Burke

SYNOPSIS:

At the January 2007 Board meeting, Chairman Burke announced a Mobile Source Fair Share Initiative. One element of that initiative was establishment of a new Mobile Source Division to allow AQMD to participate more actively in State and federal mobile source rulemaking and to oversee development of new AQMD mobile source rules.  This action is to approve establishment of a new Mobile Source Division in the Fiscal Year 2007-08 Budget through reallocation of existing positions and addition of seven new positions at an annual employee salary and benefit cost of approximately $996,103.  These positions will be funded through AB2766 and Clean Fuels Funds restricted to mobile source related purposes only, and from other unrestricted funds.

COMMITTEE:

Personnel, February 20, 2007, Approved

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Establish a new Mobile Source Division, effective FY 2007-08, and adopt the recommendations reflected in Exhibit A.
2. Appropriate $170,640 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the FY 2006-07 Budget, Salary and Employee Benefits Major Object, which represents two months of employee salary and benefits funding to begin recruitments to fill new positions.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At the January 5, 2007, Board meeting, Chairman Burke outlined four elements of a Mobile Source Fair Share Initiative.  One of the elements was the creation of a new Mobile Source Division to allow AQMD to participate more actively in State and federal mobile source rulemaking and to oversee development of new AQMD mobile source rules.  Chairman Burke directed staff to present a detailed proposal for this new division.

Proposal

Primary functions of the new Mobile Source Division would be to:

• Prepare comments on CARB’s mobile source control strategy for the State Implementation Plan
• Track and comment on CARB and U.S. EPA mobile source rulemakings
• Track and comment on California Energy Commission and U.S. Department of Energy mobile source fuel policies
• Prepare AQMD mobile source rulemaking proposals
• Provide technical review of CARB and U.S. EPA mobile source emissions inventory methodologies
• Provide comments on the mobile source portion of AB32 implementation (Green House Gas Reduction Measures)

The division would be headed either by a Deputy Executive Officer reporting directly to the Executive Officer or an Assistant Deputy Executive Officer who would report to the DEO/Science and Technology Advancement.  The decision would be made at the time the strengths of internal and external candidates are evaluated and a selection is made.  While the new unit will, obviously, interact closely with staff in both Planning and Rule Development and Technology Advancement, reporting through Technology Advancement would allow a particularly beneficial synergistic relationship between mobile sources and technology advancement staff.

In addition to either a DEO or ADEO, the division would consist of twelve positions.  Seven would be reallocated from Technology Advancement (one of these, the Environmental Technology Assessment Manager position, would also be upgraded to the appropriate level) and five would be new positions.  Additionally, to maintain sufficient staffing in Technology Advancement, three positions would be deleted and four positions at a more appropriate level would be added.

2007-08 Requested Staffing

* Seven existing positions transfer from other Divisions to Mobile Source Division.

The attached Exhibit A outlines all proposed staffing changes.

Resource Impacts

Since it is unlikely that a Deputy Executive Officer/Assistant Deputy Executive Officer can be selected and in place before the beginning of Fiscal Year 2007-08, staff recommends the new Mobile Source Division be established as a separate budget at the beginning of FY 2007-08, but that the new positions shown in Exhibit A be added effective with Board action to permit recruitment efforts to get underway.  The annual employee salary and benefit cost for the staffing changes recommended here (and shown in more detail in Exhibit A) is approximately $996,103, which represents the top step of salary ranges and includes employee benefits and anticipated salary increases scheduled for July 2007.  Funding for the Mobile Source Division and new TAO staffing adjustments will come from AB2766 and Clean Fuels accounts, which are restricted to mobile source related purposes only, and from other unrestricted funds.  In addition, a limited restructuring of AQMD’s budget in other program areas will be needed.  Such restructuring will be presented as part of the overall FY 2007-2008 Draft Budget.  An appropriation of $170,640, representing two months of employee salary and benefits, is requested for FY 2006-07 to allow undertaking recruitments to fill added positions.

Attachment
Exhibit A – Add, Delete, Reclassify, and Reallocate Positions

EXHIBIT A

ADD,  DELETE , RECLASSIFY, AND REASSIGN POSITIONS

NOTES:
(1)  Allocate position(s) to the recommended class
(2)  Allocate position(s) of the recommended class to the designated organizational unit