PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to request City Council adoption of the resolution establishing the specification for the classification of Water Service Planner (CTC No. 0993), as shown in the attachment.

BACKGROUND

The Engineering/Planning Section of Burbank Water and Power�s (BWP) Water Division currently has one Engineering Technician position budgeted.  The Engineering Technician specification, as established in 1987, emphasizes drafting and sub-professional engineering skills and duties.  In other sections of BWP and Public Works, Engineering Technicians utilize these skills and abilities.  However, the Engineering Technician position in BWP�s Water Division is primarily responsible for customer contacts, job estimates, cost analysis, coordination of water construction, and project accounting system interface.  At the current time, there are a large number of complex developments in the City.  It is crucial for BWP to work closely and proactively with these customers and developers to ensure the successful completion of these projects with minimal delays and/or costly field changes.  With the pending retirement of the current Engineering Technician, it is critical that BWP create an accurate job description in order to recruit for this highly specialized field

ANALYSIS & CONCLUSION

The proposed classification of Water Service Planner is similar in nature to the Electrical Service Planner which exists in the Electrical Division of BWP.  The principal focus of the Water Service Planner will be to provide outstanding service to BWP water customers and developers in the planning and engineering of their new water services.  This will include initial contacts, cost estimates, plan checks, setting up and issuing of job packages, construction of water services, and job close outs.

To successfully accomplish these duties, the proposed classification of Water Service Planner will require two additional qualifications that are not currently required in the classification of Engineering Technician.  These requirements are two years of experience in the operation of a water utility and possession of a Grade I Water Distribution Operator License from the State of California within six months of employment.  The essential functions of the proposed classification accurately reflect the job duties of this position.  This position will take the place of the current Engineering Technician position after the incumbent�s retirement later this year.  As such, the creation of this new classification will assist BWP in its recruitment efforts.

This classification will be subject to Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and will be included in the Civil Service system, as well as the City�s Conflict of Interest Code.  The Civil Service Board approved this establishment at their regular meeting on September 7, 2005.

FISCAL IMPACT

As this is a unique position in the water industry an externally surveyed was unable to establish sufficient comparable positions.  As such, the salary range for Water Service Planner was established by an internal comparison with its equivalent counterpart, BWP�s Electrical Services Planner.   The Water Service Planner classification will be benchmarked to the Electrical Services Planner and established at the same salary range ($4,592 - $5,735).  This salary range will result in a $4,908 annual increase over the existing, budgeted classification of Engineering Technician.  However, there is ample salary savings in this year�s budget to offset the salary increase.  The recurring cost for this increase will be budgeted next fiscal year. 

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed resolution establishing the specification for the classification of Water Service Planner (CTC No. 0993), as shown in the attachment.

Respectfully submitted,

Judie Sarquiz

Management Services Director