COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Employee and Public Services Department

DATE:

August 31, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

September 19, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Tim Sullivan, Acting Employee and Public Services Director

Neil Cullen, Public Works Director

SUBJECT:

Amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding with the San Mateo County Council of Engineers (SMCCE) and the Resolution Expressing the Salary and Benefits of Unrepresented Management Personnel of the County of San Mateo – Senior Engineer and Senior Civil Engineer Classifications

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution:

1)

authorizing the Employee and Public Services Director to execute an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the San Mateo County Council of Engineers (SMCCE); and

2)

amending the Resolution Expressing the Salary and Benefits of Unrepresented Management Personnel of the County of San Mateo.

Vision Alignment

Commitment:

Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goal 20:

Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

Moving the Senior Engineer and Senior Civil Engineer classifications from the Professional Engineer Representation Unit to the Unrepresented Management Unit will accurately reflect the duties and responsibilities of these positions, will comply with the definitions set forth in the County Employer-Employee Relations Policy and will execute the action taken by the Civil Service Commission.

Background

Each County job classification is assigned to a Representation Unit. The assignment of classifications to Representation Units is the responsibility of the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Commission Rules set forth procedures for modifying such Units and the Civil Service Commission considers requests to modify these Units because of changes in the operating needs of departments, duties and responsibilities of various classifications or other factors covered within the Civil Service Commission Rules.

The proposed action, if approved by your Board, will delete the classifications of Senior Engineer and Senior Civil Engineer from the Memorandum of Understanding with the San Mateo County Council of Engineers, and add the classifications to the Resolution Expressing the Salary and Benefits of Unrepresented Management Personnel of the County of San Mateo.

Discussion

The Public Works Director requested that a reclassification study of the Senior Engineer and Senior Civil Engineer classifications be conducted. The request for a study was approved by the County Manager's Office and the Employee and Public Services Department was directed to conduct the classification study. The study determined that the duties and responsibilities of the Senior Engineer and Senior Civil Engineer classifications had changed over the years and that the five incumbents were performing a number of duties that fall within the definition of a Management employee. The study recommended that these classifications be moved from the Professional Engineering Unit to the Unrepresented Management Unit. This recommendation was discussed with the Director of Public Works who concurred. The San Mateo County Council of Engineers (SMCCE) was notified of the proposed change and a meeting was held where the change was discussed. The SMCCE agreed to the proposed change and the item was placed on the agenda of the Civil Service Commission who adopted the change in Representation Unit.

Fiscal Impact

There is no change in salary or benefits as a result of this change. Management employees accrue five hours of management leave per pay period and can cash out 50% of such accruals to a maximum of 130 hours per year. The maximum accrual can be reached after two years. If all of the five incumbents were to accrue and cash out the maximum allowable leave, the annual cost would be $32,500 annually.