DATE: September 25, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Salary Resolution Amendment - Senior Engineer
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve Amendment to the Salary Resolution adding one Senior Engineer position to the Department of Public Works and Planning Org 4360, effective October 8, 2018 as reflected in Appendix D.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will add one Senior Engineer position to the Department of Public Works and Planning - Water and Natural Resources Division to provide technical support. The position will be funded with various sources including the Department’s allocated Net County Cost (NCC) allocation. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended action, delays in water and natural resource implementation projects would continue.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The cost associated with the position is approximately $123,357. The position will be fully funded with various sources including the Department’s allocated NCC. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 4360 and 4510 FY2018-19 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), signed into law in September of 2014, established a new structure for managing California’s groundwater resources at the local level by local agencies. The SGMA requires the formation of locally controlled Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) in the State’s higher priority groundwater basins. Each GSA is required to develop and implement a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) to meet the sustainability goals of the basin to ensure that it is operated within its sustainable yield without causing undesirable results. Failure to timely implement a GSP in a groundwater basin could result in the State Water Resources Control Board asserting its power to manage local groundwater resources. The deadline to prepare the required GSPs is January 1, 2020.
On January 26, 2016, the Board of Supervisors directed Department staff to work to establish the County as party to all GSAs formed within the County. On June 20, 2017, the Board approved the allocation of a Water and Natural Resources Division Manager position to focus on implementation of the County’s SGMA program as well as oversee the County’s Williamson Act and Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMRA) programs. Since then, the Department has taken an active role in coordinating and facilitating the formation of GSAs in the groundwater subbasins which the County overlies. To date, the County is party to 15 GSAs formed within the County by either being part of the governing board, party to a GSA coordinating agreement, or serving as the exclusive GSA for portions of groundwater subbasins.
With your Board’s approval, the proposed Senior Engineer position will provide technical support and have primary responsibility for review of the various GSPs prepared by the GSAs within the County. In addition, the incumbent will work with the County’s consultant in the preparation of the County’s GSP for the Delta-Mendota Subbasin. The incumbent will assist in reviewing and developing the following: groundwater-monitoring protocols, groundwater data and reporting standards, data management systems, hydrogeologic conceptual model depicting groundwater conditions, water budgets, and sustainability management criteria.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #17, June 20, 2017
BAI #13, January 26, 2016
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Salary Resolution Amendment - Appendix D
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa