ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE

 

4.

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RECLASSIFICATION OF THE HYDROGRAPHY PROGRAMS COORDINATOR POSITION

 

Meeting Date:

October 10, 2016

Budgeted: 

No

 

 

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

Program:

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

N/A

 

Prepared By:

Cynthia Schmidlin

Cost Estimate: 

$1,477

 

General Counsel Approval:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on October 10, 2016, and recommended ________________________.

CEQA Compliance:  N/A

 

SUMMARY: On May 25, 2016, Greg James submitted, to the General Manager, a request that his position of Hydrography Programs Coordinator position to be reclassified due to a change in job demands and increase in responsibilities. The General Manager evaluated Mr. James’ request.  He determined that a reclassification job analysis was justified, and assigned the task to the Human Resources Analyst. The following is that analysis. 

 

Discussion.  The Hydrography Programs Coordinator’s responsibilities have changed over the past several years. These duties now include responsibility for the development of low flow release schedules to maintain reliable dry season Carmel River flows; maintenance of the spreadsheet calculating and tracking unimpaired flows at the San Clemente Dam site; streamflow recession forecasting at all locations along the Carmel River; and review of surface water information developed by District staff and external entities. 

 

The Hydrography Programs Coordinator (HPC) has automated the reporting system for surface water flows.  The position is responsible for the design, installation and maintenance of automated telecommunications systems capable of transmitting real-time hydrologic data from gaging stations to District computer servers.  The incumbent also develops and maintains automated processes that upload real-time hydrologic information to the District Website.

 

The Hydrography Programs Coordinator has project manager duties, involving training, motivating, and counseling assigned other staff members on aspects of hydrologic monitoring, as well as inspecting work done and developing work plans.  These responsibilities are not as extensive and demanding as those of a full supervisor. 

 

Determination:      External salary comparisons were used in the initial creation of the Hydrography Programs Coordinator position, as it was a new classification.  Reclassification determinations for an existing position are focused on internal relationships with other District classes.  

 

New responsibilities involved in the automated telecommunications system require different technical abilities that are detailed in nature, and time-consuming.  The difference in abilities required is analogous to transitioning from one word processing system to another upgraded and more complex system. However, the skills required for this new method of data gathering are not more complex than those already required for the surface flow measurement and analysis traditionally performed by the Hydrography Programs Coordinator. 

 

The HPC’s role in developing and maintaining automated processes that upload real-time hydrologic information to the District Website is done with the technical assistance of the software vendor and District IT staff.  The skills required are no more complicated than skills upon which his classification is currently based.

 

The job description for the Hydrography Programs Coordinator states that the position performs professional hydrologist functions at the advanced journey level and is distinguished from the, currently unused, Senior Hydrologist classification by the latter position’s performance of the most technically advanced professional-level research studies, as well as full supervisory responsibilities.  Changed responsibilities, described in the first paragraph of the previous “Discussion” section, have enhanced the level of the Hydrography Programs Coordinator to those described for the Senior Hydrologist.

 

The Senior Hydrologist classification may or may not supervise subordinate staff.  It is the technical expertise required by the Senior Hydrologist that has determined the level of the position. The same is true of the Hydrography Programs Coordinator.

 

RECOMMENDATION: Additional duties now performed should be added to the job description of the Hydrography Programs Coordinator.  Distinction from the Senior Hydrologist should be restated to describe the focus of the positions rather than the level of the work performed. The Hydrography Programs Coordinator position should be moved from Range 38 to Range 39 of the District’s salary chart.  This is the same range in which the Senior Hydrologist position has been placed.

 

IMPACTS TO STAFF RESOURCES:  Moving the Hydrography Programs Coordinator position to Range 39, effective November 1, 2016, would cost approximately $1,477.  That would be equal to $2, 216 over a 12 month period.

 

EXHIBITS

4-A      Current Hydrographer Programs Coordinator Job Description

4-B      Current Hydrographer Programs Coordinator Job Description

           

 

 

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