DATE: January 9, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Elizabeth Diaz, Public Defender
SUBJECT: Salary Resolution Amendment-Public Defender
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve Salary Resolution Amendment for the Public Defender deleting one vacant Paralegal I position and adding one Systems and Procedures Analyst I position as reflected in Appendix “D“, effective January 15, 2018.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will ensure the Public Defender has sufficient staffing levels to provide effective information technology services for the Department. The recommended Amendment to the Salary Resolution will delete one existing vacant Paralegal I position and add one Systems and Procedures Analyst I (SPA) position. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the Department will not have sufficient staffing or proper classifications to adequately manage the advancement of technology.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Deleting the existing vacant Paralegal position and replacing it with a SPA position will result in an increase of approximately $21,000 in salary and benefit costs per fiscal year. Sufficient appropriations for the remainder of the current year are included in the Adopted Budget for the FY 2017-18 Public Defender Department Org 2880 and will be included in the FY 2018-19 Recommended Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The Public Defender continues to evaluate their workflow processes, classifications and functions within the Department to increase operational effectiveness and better serve their clients. The Department proposes the addition of one SPA position to assist their currently allocated SPA position with the following tasks and responsibilities:
• Manage the transition to a paperless system including current and past case files;
• Manage implementation of interfaces between the Public Defender case management system with other criminal justice partners such as the Fresno County Superior Court, District Attorney, and Probation;
• Manage the process of digitally archiving over 10,000 boxes of records currently stored in the County warehouse;
• Provide ongoing software training for departmental staff on Microsoft Office, Adobe, case management system, and other programs as needed;
• Coordinate departmental communications and activities with Computer Services for installation, implementation, and maintenance of computer software/hardware;
• Periodically review the progress of the updated case management system to assure complete and proper implementation;
• Develop and maintain application user manuals; document work processes and develop operational standards and procedures; and provide end-user application support; and
• Review and analyze departmental work processes and procedures to assure the most effective, efficient and economical utilization of automated systems.
The deletion of one vacant Paralegal position and the addition of one SPA position is recommended as the SPA position will be used to address the increase in the complex and diverse workload associated with advancing technology within the Public Defender Department.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Salary Resolution Appendix “D“
CAO ANALYST:
Samantha Buck