2003 AGN APR 15 I22 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF COLTON Item #22 AGENDA REPORT FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF APRIL 15, 2003 TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members FROM: Al Holliman, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: Proposed Administrative Support Position Changes DATE: April 8, 2003 In discussions with the Financial Management Committee there has been consensus regarding changes to the way the City does business in order to save money. While many of the committee's recommendations will be forthcoming in the proposed 2003/04 budget, some changes can be implemented now. Because of the impending retirement of the Purchasing Manager combined with new more efficient purchasing software, an opportunity is present to decentralize purchasing functions. Furthermore, other staff retirements and planned downsizing create the need for more positions that are "multi -tasked" in nature. In other words the City needs staff that are capable of performing a variety of functions. The City's administrative support positions, Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Executive Secretary, and Office Specialist Series do not contain sufficient differing job description and qualification characteristics to adequately distinguish higher-level duties. As a result, it has been relatively easy for applicable employees to request and be granted a reclassification to a higher-level position. In particular, there is now no distinction between an administrative assistant in a large department (such as Parks, Recreation, and Family Services) and a smaller department or division such as the Redevelopment Agency. DISCUSSION/ ANALYSIS While more analysis needs to be performed before considering a sweeping overhaul of the administrative support positions, at this time it is being recommended that the Executive Assistant position be broadened to include the City's larger departments. Presently, the Executive Assistant designation has been restricted to higher-level "confidential" positions in the City Manager and City Council departments only. The "larger" departments are distinguished based on consideration of budget size and staff size. It is recommended that three departments; Police, Electric Utility, and Parks, Recreation, and Family Services now have an Executive Assistant position. The job description will be revised to include purchasing duties and other distinguishing characteristics. There will be no recruitment for these positions as existing employees will either be transferred or reclassified as follows A. Electric Utility —The Executive Assistant position now combines duties formerly associated with the Administrative Assistant (eliminated by way of Golden Handshake) and the Buyer assigned to the Electric Utility. Two positions have been combined into one, and the Electric Utility Buyer will become the Executive Assistant. As a result, one overall position is eliminated. B. Police — The Executive Secretary to the Police Chief will be reclassified to Executive Assistant. No net position is eliminated. C. Parks, Recreation, and Family Services —One Executive Assistant position in the City Manager's office has been eliminated and the employee/position has been transferred to Parks, Recreation, and Family Services. In that department, one Administrative Assistant position is being eliminated and replaced with the Executive Assistant so transferred. One net position is eliminated. The Executive Assistant to the City Council will still be the highest paid related position with a 5% differential (justified by the recent salary study.) The proposed salary range for the other Executive Assistant positions is $3,117 to $3,790 per