DATE: December 17, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Salary Resolution Amendment
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve Amendment to the Salary Resolution deleting fifteen vacant positions and adding two positions to Public Health Org 5620, effective December 23, 2024, as reflected in Appendix E.
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will delete 15 vacant positions and add two positions to Public Health Org 5620. The Department reviewed staffing levels, program needs, and changes to funding and determined that an adjustment is necessary and warranted post-COVID response. Services to the public will not be negatively impacted. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the Department’s position count will remain the same, and the Department will carry 15 vacant positions without the intent to fill those positions.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The annual cost of adding two positions is $172,333, fully offset by the deletion of vacant positions, resulting in a net reduction in total appropriations of $1,746,457. Funding for the added positions will be drawn from existing grants and fines/fees funds. The Department recognizes the potential for further fiscal adjustments given the current uncertainties in State funding. This proposal strategically aligns staffing with operational needs while maintaining flexibility to adapt to future funding shifts.
DISCUSSION:
The Department is implementing essential staffing adjustments as part of a five-year financial sustainability plan to address rising operational costs and anticipated funding reductions post-COVID. To support this strategy, the proposed deletion of fifteen vacant positions will allow the Department to align resources with projected revenues. The Department had a total of 403 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions in FY 2019-20, reflecting pre-COVID pandemic staffing levels. Currently, the Department stands at 449 FTE positions. Approval of the recommended action will bring staffing levels closer to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, the Department recommends deleting two positions and adding two new roles specifically for conversion purposes, enhancing operational flexibility and aligning staffing with service delivery needs. These conversions address evolving priorities.
Approval of the recommended action will add the following positions:
1) Medical Assistant (1)
2) Staff Analyst (1)
Approval of the recommended action will delete the following positions:
1) Account Clerk (1)
2) Communicable Disease Specialist (3)
3) Health Education Specialist (1)
4) Licensed Vocational Nurse (3)
5) Office Assistant (1)
6) Program Technician (1)
7) Public Health Nurse (1)
8) Public Health Physician (2)
9) Supervising Communicable Disease Specialist (1)
10) Supervising Public Health Nurse (1)
Ten (10) of the positions, including three (3) Communicable Disease Specialists, one (1) Health Education Specialist, three (3) Licensed Vocational Nurses, one (1) Public Health Nurse, one (1) Supervising Public health Nurse and one (1) Supervising Communicable Disease Specialist, are no longer needed to meet current operational needs. The two (2) Public Health Physician positions have been vacant since November 2013 and September 2017, respectively. Subsequent hires have been extra-help, as these positions only require 10-15 hours per week. The Program Technician position was added with Future of Public Health Funds which have been reduced. The Office Assistant position would be deleted to facilitate the addition of a Medical Assistant position, which is better suited to provide direct patient care and improve service delivery to County residents. The Account Clerk position would be deleted to facilitate the addition of a Staff Analyst position to address more complex assignments, analysis and research projects.
Approval of the recommended action will approve staffing changes that are necessary to better support the goals and objectives of the Department, with no additional Net County Cost and no net increase in the FTE count.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Salary Resolution Amendment - Appendix E
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander