HomeMy WebLinkAbout1K1Date: Subject: From: CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT April 22, 2021 CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 ALLOCATED POSITIONS AND COMPENSATION PLAN ADDING THREE INDUSTRIAL TECHNICIANS AND TRANSFERING THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER POSITION OUT OF THE MANAGEMENT UNIT Justin Clifton, City Manager Initiated by: Marcus Fuller, Assistant City Manager Ulises Aguirre, SUMMARY The City Council will consider an amendment to the current fiscal year Allocated Positions and Compensation Plan to add three Industrial Technicians for the Department of Aviation and to transfer the Human Resources Manager position from the Management Unit to the unrepresented Executive Unit. The fully burdened annual cost (salary and benefits) for the proposed Industrial Technician positions at the Airport is estimated at $430,000 based on a salary range of GU 45, subject to Staff's completion of the meet and confer process with the General U_nit on final range for the salary of the new position. RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution No. __ , "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE ALLOCATED POSITIONS AND COMPENSATION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION NO. 24434" BACKGROUND: Ticket Wing Renovation Project At its July 24, 2019 meeting, the City Council awarded a contract to Swinerton Builders for the Palm Springs International Airport Ticketing Hall Expansion Project (the "Project"). In addition to expanding and renovating the terminal's ticketing lobby, the $35,000,000 project included the installation of a complete new automated baggage handling system ("BHS") to accommodate the volume of luggage passing through the Airport. The new highly technical and complex automated BHS is scheduled to be partially operational by the end of May 2021. ~V ITEMNO ...... ::b;;.,b....,.. __
2City Council Staff Report April 22, 2021 -Page 2 Amendment No. 2 to FY 20-21 Allocated Positions & Compensation Plan New Baggage Handling System {BHS} The new BHS is an automated conveyor system that will transport checked baggage from all ticket counters and two sidewalk induction points to a single, consolidated baggage inspection room (BIR) behind the renovated ticketing wing. Following inspection by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), cleared bags will continue to be carried by the conveyor system to one of three bag 'make-up' carrousels outside the building. All bags placed in the BHS will be tracked through electronic sensors/readers that will read the bag tags while on the conveyor system and then deposit the bags at one of the three bag make-up carrousels as assigned by the airlines. The new BHS is a significant improvement over the old seven independent belt bags that are being replaced. Besides being more efficient, the new automated BHS is designed to handle the high volume of checked bags during peak periods for years to come. The new automated BHS is much more sophisticated than the previous bag belt system that was outdated and inefficient. The automated BHS consists of motors, motor starters, control devices, belts, rollers, gearboxes, drives, clutch brakes, brakes, sensors, and electronic readers being monitored, managed, and directed electronically by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) panel. Old {Replaced} Bag Belts The old bag belt system consisted of seven short motorized bag belt sections transporting checked bags from the ticket counters and sidewalk to three separate Bl Rs. None of the motorized bag belt sections were automated and they each terminated before the TSA's inspection equipment. Once bags were inspected by the TSA, they were manually placed on non-motorized (gravity) roller belts and manually pushed outside of the building and along the roller belts until they were retrieved by airline employees and placed in baggage carts. All old bag belt sections were able to be operated independently at any time of the day or night. Operation of the bag belt system consisted of an authorized airline employee swiping their identification badge at a reader, entering their personal identification number (PIN), and pressing a start button. The older bag belt system primarily only required an annual inspection and preventative maintenance performed by a service contractor through a service agreement. Human Resources Manager The Human Resources Manager position is currently represented by the Management Association of Palm Springs. This position's essential job duties require access to confidential information that is used to contribute significantly to the development of management positions which can cause a conflict of interest. The City Manager's office determined that this position should be transferred out of the Management Unit and into the unrepresented Executive Unit given the duties and responsibilities of the position.
3City Council Staff Report April 22, 2021 -Page 3 Amendment No. 2 to FY 20-21 Allocated Positions & Compensation Plan The Management Association of Palm Springs has agreed that this position is more appropriate in the unrepresented Executive Unit and may be transferred. STAFF ANALYSIS: New BHS Operations & Maintenance Overview The Department of Aviation staff requested, received, and reviewed information regarding the operation and maintenance of the new automated BHS. There are significant differences between the new automated BHS and the old bag belt system. These differences require the Department of Aviation to implement a daily, hands-on approach to ensure the reliability of the automated BHS. The following considerations are the most significant to ensure there is minimal impact to airline operations: • Although comprised of various segments, the BHS must be considered as a single, integrated highly complex and technical system which serves all of the airlines collectively; • Following the last departure of the day, the BHS must be shutdown following pre-determined procedures; • Prior to the first departure of the day, the BHS must be started following pre-determined procedures and a system inspection; • The BHS has several single-points of failure that will force the shutdown of the entire BHS and impact all airlines until the incident (i.e., jammed baggage, misaligned sensor, etc.) is resolved and the BHS is placed back into service; • There are numerous incidents that can cause a segment or the entire BHS to shut down (e.g., bag jam, oversize bag, system fault, and intentional or accidental emergency stop) which need to be resolved and the BHS restarted as soon as possible. This is especially true during peak periods; • The BHS is automated and controlled by a Programmable Logic Control (PLC) panel that continuously monitors, manages, and directs the operation of the BHS; and • The BHS requires monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual inspections and preventative maintenance. Because the BHS is critical to all airlines and is required to operate between 18 and 20 hours per day (non-peak season versus peak season, respectively) starting at approximately 4:00 a.m. and until the last departure, the Airport must have at least one trained employee in the terminal complex area to immediately respond and resolve any incident with the goal of returning the BHS back into service quickly. Resolving most incidents will require a trained employee to access the Maintenance Diagnostic and Information System to restart the BHS. The manufacturer will train the Department of Aviation Maintenance and Operations staff on how to resolve incidents and restart the system. However, there are some incidents which will require a technician with specific knowledge of and experience with PLCs to mitigate an incident and restart the BHS. According to the manufacturer, these more complicated type of incidents are uncommon, but they do
4City Council Staff Report April 22, 2021 -Page 4 Amendment No. 2 to FY 20-21 Allocated Positions & Compensation Plan occur. Based on further analysis, the Department of Aviation believes that a technician with a specific skill set that does not currently exist at the Airport (or City) should be hired and trained to perform the recurring inspections, preventative maintenance, and repairs. Finally, if a problem requires the (remote) support from the manufacturer or modifications to be made to the PLC, a technician with specific knowledge of and experience with PLCs would be extremely beneficial for quick resolution of an incident and restarting the system. Failing to have adequately trained and skilled staff available continuously to monitor, operate and repair the BHS may expose the Airport to incidents where the BHS shuts down and flights are significantly delayed as baggage is unable to be delivered to aircraft waiting to depart. BHS Operations & Maintenance Options Considered The Airport analyzed four different options to provide the appropriate personnel to support and maintain the BHS: • Service agreement with service contractor to provide trained technicians 20 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days per year (20/7/365); • Combination of Airport employees and a service agreement with a service contractor; • Reassigning existing City staff from other departments to the Airport to supplement Airport employees; • Hiring new employees with PLC and conveyor knowledge and experience to supplement Airport employees. Due to the number of service contractor employees required for 20 hours daily coverage every day of the year at California prevailing wage rates, the two options that required a service agreement with a service contractor were determined to be too costly. A full-service agreement was estimated to exceed $1,000,000 and a partial service agreement varied from $750,000 to $1,000,000. A request to provide two individuals to cover only eight hours per day every day of the year exceeded $250,000. Additionally, Staff's initial interactions with the BHS service contractor were not completely positive. Reassigning City staff to augment Airport employees would result in vacancies in another Department and would likely create a deficiency in the institutional knowledge of some City systems for the respective Department (although the experienced City employees would still be available as a resource if needed). Additionally, there were not enough existing City employees with knowledge and experience with PLCs and/or conveyor systems to be trained for the more complicated incidents, to perform the inspections, preventative maintenance, and repairs that are required with the new automated BHS. To the point -the new automated BHS is a unique system that no current City employees have the training or skill set to operate and maintain. Once it was determined that obtaining a service agreement was too costly, the remaining two options required hiring new employees. A review of the City's job classifications confirmed that no existing City job classification required the desired skills, knowledge,
5City Council Staff Report April 22, 2021 -Page 5 Amendment No. 2 to FY 20-21 Allocated Positions & Compensation Plan and abilities. The Airport Executive Director reviewed other airports to assess the type of positions employed for similar BHS operations, and identified an "Industrial Technician" as the common type of highly trained technical employee used for these systems. the City determined that a new job classification (Industrial Technician) would be required to recruit candidates. As a result of the proposed salary and the initial recommendation of three new positions, the expected annual cost (salary and benefits) is estimated to be $430,000 per year. Further analysis of the option of the Airport hiring new employees to supplement existing Airport employees revealed the following added benefits: • By modifying the work schedules of the existing Maintenance Technicians and adding three new Industrial Technicians, the Airport would have two employees on shift 20 hours every day of the year with the technical/mechanical experience with at least one employee, on most shifts, with the required PLC knowledge and experience to immediately respond to BHS incidents; • Having two technicians assigned on each shift provides the Airport with the likelihood that there will always be at least one technician at the Airport, when the BHS needs to be operational, if a technician cannot report to work unexpectedly (e.g., employee calls out sick); • The Airport is replacing all eight Passenger Boarding Bridges (PBBs) in the Bono Concourse this summer. The proposed Industrial Technicians will have the skill set to obtain the appropriate training to inspect, and to perform the preventative maintenance and repairs on these PBBs, saving the Airport $200,000 annually by eliminating the need for a service agreement for the new PBBs; • The proposed Industrial Technicians will also be able to inspect, maintain, and repair the three existing carousels in the baggage claim area, a task currently requiring another service contractor; • For the first time, the Airport will have technicians during evening hours (i.e., swing shifts) to respond to work orders and to perform preventative maintenance and repairs (when not working on the BHS or PBBs). The Airport has never had maintenance technicians assigned to work evenings or nights. Industrial Technician Based on a review of current salaries for an Industrial Technician position at other agencies, and in the context of other job classifications in the City of Palm Springs, it is recommended to establish the salary range for the new job classification of Industrial Technician at General Unit (GU) Range 45 (maximum salary of $82,836), subject to meet and confer with the General Unit. The fully burdened (salary and benefits) cost of this position is $143,455,
6City Council Staff Report April 22, 2021 -Page 6 Amendment No. 2 to FY 20-21 Allocated Positions & Compensation Plan Human Resources Manager The Human Resources Manager position is presently allocated at Management Unit (MX) Range 59 (maximum salary of $118,212), and is eligible for overtime/ compensatory time for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. As an unrepresented employee of the Executive Unit (EX), the incumbent will be exempt from overtime benefits, therefore it is recommended to place the incumbent on the Executive Unit (EX) salary schedule at Range EX2 63 (maximum salary of $125,436). The increased salary is in lieu of any additional compensation for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. The current fully burdened cost (salary and benefits) of the current position at MX 59 is $187,001; the proposed allocation of this position to EX2 63 will result in a fully burdened cost of $195,116. Additional Allocation of Positions Staff recommends City Council approve amending the FY2020-2021 Allocated Positions & Compensation Plan by adding three Industrial Technician positions within Terminal Operations for the Department of Aviation at range GU 45 (subject to the City's final meet and confer process with the General Unit) and to transfer the Human Resources Manager position to the unrepresented Executive Unit at range EX2 63. Total allocated positions will be increased from 507.0 to 510.0. FISCAL IMPACT: This action does not impact the General Fund. Funding for the three proposed Industrial Technician positions is a budgeted expense of the Airport Enterprise in Fund 415. Moreover, the airlines are responsible for paying the Airport's costs through airport fees levied on airlines, with cost recovery reconciled on an annual basis. The Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Airport budget will include the additional cost of these positions. City Manager Attachments: 1) Resolution Ulises Aguirre, C.M. Airport Executive Director
7RESOLUTION NO. __ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE ALLOCATED POSITIONS AND COMPENSATION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION NO. 24775. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. That the Allocated Positions and Compensation Plan for positions in the City Service is hereby amended as follows: ' Department .. -, Action Classification Unit/Range " " --'· ,I; -~ ·~ --·--Aviation Add 3.0 Industrial Technician GU 45* *The Unit/Range of GU 45 is subject to final negotiations with the affected employee bargaining unit. SECTION 2. The Director of Human Resources is authorized and directed to modify the Fiscal Year Allocated Positions Plan and fulfill any meet and confer process(es) in accordance with this change, including revising the Unit/Range as necessary. SECTION 3. That the Allocated Positions and Compensation Plan for positions in the City Service is hereby amended as follows: :Department . . •. -Action· ,: .• ••• •• , u Classification · Unit/Range .,. ,. Human Resources Transfer Human Resources Manager MX59 from Human Resources Transfer Human Resources Manager EX263 to SECTION 3. The position change approved by this resolution shall be effective on April 18, 2021. Total Authorized positions 2020-2021 (As Adopted) Total Authorized positions 2020-2021 (Amendment 1) Total Authorized positions 2020-2021 (Amendment 2) 506.00 507.00 510.00
8Resolution No. Page2 ADOPTED THIS 22nd DAY OF APRIL, 2021 ATTEST: Anthony Mejia, City Clerk Justin Clifton, City Manager CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss. CITY OF PALM SPRINGS) I, ANTHONY MEJIA, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that Resolution No. __ is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on this 22nd day of April 2021, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Anthony Mejia, City Clerk City of Palm Springs, California