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ESTABLISH A NEW UNREPRESENTED/UNCLASSIFIED POSITION OF CHIEF WATER SYSTEMS OPERATOR FOR THE STOCKTON MUNICIPAL UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AND ASSIGN THE SALARY RANGE
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution establishing a new unrepresented/unclassified position of Chief Water Systems Operator for the Stockton Municipal Utilities Department and assign the salary range.
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Summary
City Council is being asked to establish the proposed new single-incumbent, managerial level classification titled Chief Water Systems Operator and the proposed salary range. Establishing a new Chief Water Systems Operator position will assist the Municipal Utilities Department (MUD) with hiring a well-qualified employee to perform the overall management of operations for the City’s water distribution and production (water wells) facilities section and provide the appropriate licensing and position title as required by the Title 22 CCR. This will provide uniformity with the Wastewater Division and Water Treatment group who both have Chief job classifications to operate and manage their facilities. The Municipal Utilities Department plans to fill and fund the proposed Chief Water Systems Operator position during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 budget by overfilling a vacant Water Systems Superintendent position.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Director of Municipal Utilities requested that Human Resources (HR) create a new Chief Water Systems Operator classification and recommend an appropriate pay structure. This request is intended to fill a long-term need for a Chief Operator to perform overall management operations of the City’s Water Field Office (Distribution).
Water Distribution in MUD currently consists of 29 allotted positions. The existing Water Systems Superintendent is required to maintain a D5 Distribution Operator Certification from the State Water Resources Control Board but the position is not titled as Chief and does not have a pay scale commensurate with the Chief in Water Treatment or Wastewater or duties associated with providing oversight as a Chief.
Based on operational needs, the department requested to create the Chief Water Systems Operator classification to manage the Water Field Office (Distribution) and provide the appropriate licensing and position title as required by the Title 22 CCR. This new classfication will be at-will, unrepresented, and exempt from FLSA.
Present Situation
It is proposed that the new Chief Water Systems Operator classification will be responsible for managing, planning, scheduling, directing, coordinating, and reviewing, through subordinate supervision, the operation and maintenance of the City’s water distribution system, customer service, construction, and maintenance, water production wells and reservoirs, as well as cross-connection inspection and control program. The Chief Water Systems Operator will work under the general direction of the Deputy Municipal Utilities Director of Water.
This classification requires a Grade V (D5) Water Distribution Operator Certificate and a Grade II (T2) Water Treatment Operator Certificate issued by the State of California. The classification also requires:
• Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in public health, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, environmental science with a substitution pattern of a closely related field; and
• Five (5) years of increasingly responsible water operations program administration experience including three (3) years of administrative and supervisory responsibility.
OR
• Possession of an Associate’s degree or equivalent units from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public health, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, environmental science or a closely related field; and
• Seven (7) years of increasingly responsible water operations program administration experience including three (3) years of administrative and supervisory responsibility.
OR
• Possession of high school diploma or GED; and
• Nine (9) years of increasingly responsible water operations program administration experience including three (3) years of administrative and supervisory responsibility.
Human Resources staff completed an external market survey as well as an internal equity evaluation. Based on analysis of the information collected, staff recommends the following salary range:
|
Chief Water Systems Operator |
|
Unclassified/Unrepresented |
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Monthly |
$8,413.23 |
$8,844.98 |
$9,298.77 |
$9,774.59 |
$10,275.06 |
$10,802.74 |
|
Annual |
$100,958.76 |
$106,139.76 |
$111,585.24 |
$117,295.08 |
$123,300.72 |
$129,632.88 |
Financial Summary
For FY 2021-22, the department intends to overfill the Water Systems Superintendent vacancy with the Chief Water Systems Operator. The Water Systems Superintendent position has been vacant since December 1, 2020 and the department does not intend to fill the vacancy at that level.
The Water Systems Superintendent’s maximum base annual salary without benefits is $118,345.26, and the annual maximum salary including benefits is $181,338.01. The proposed Chief Water Systems Operator’s maximum base annual salary without benefits is $129,632.88, and the maximum annual salary including benefits is $197,443.19. Therefore, the proposed classification results in an increase of $16,105 (8.9%) to the FY 2021-22 budget based on the annual salary with benefits. There will also be a 2 percent COLA increase effective FY 2022-23. Salary savings from the vacant Water Systems Superintendent position will be used to fund the Chief Water Systems Operator position and the department will budget accordingly moving forward.