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Home My WebLink About1977-11-01; City Council; 5236; Upgrade Permanent Planning Assistant to AssociateCITY OF - • RLSBAD /y t Initial. AGENDA BILL NO. S�25 _ Dept. Hd. DATE: November 1, 1977 City Atty _ DEPARTMENT: Planning City Mqr. - SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR UPGRADING ONE PERMANENT PLANNING ASSISTANT TO A PERMANENT PLANNING.ASSOCIATE PATEMENT OF THE MATTEK The Planning Department 1975-76 and 1976-77 budget contained two Associate Planners and two Assistant Planners. The associate level is a, supervisory level requiring a minimum of three years experience in Planning. Thd assistant is an intermediate level requiring a minimum of one year's experience (beginning salary is $536.37, and for associate $641.03). It was believed that the Planning Department needed this level experience to accomplish the heavy and complex work assignments, i.e., General Plan Amendments, Master Planning, Coastal Planning, etc. Early 1975 the department had vacancies for one associate and one assistant. We attempted to fill them as listed. However, we were not successful in recruiting a qualified"Associate Planner. Therefore an Assistant Planner was chosen to underfill the associate position. For the past two years Planning has had one Associate and three Assistant Planners. The 1977-78 budget reflects this actual filling of the positions. Now one of our assistants has left the City and another is leaving,we are asking that one assistant positit; be upgraded back to associate so we may seek personnel with experience. The nature of the demands on the work requirements of the department need the higher available -personnel to provide top level professional work product for the City. Present budget shows approval for two associate'plarinokst,and three assistant planners. If approval is granted budget will reflect three associate planners and two.assistant planners. The department currently has the additional funds necessary to upgrade the position as we are approximately four months into the budget and have several vacant positions that have not been filled. . EXHIBITS Memorandum dated OEtober 24, 1977 to City Manager. Resolution No.-99--" Recommendation If Council concurs, adopt Resolution NO.,$�-• Council action 11-1-77 Resolution #5246 was adopted, authorizing accition of one ,,Associate Planner vice One Assistant Planner in fiscal year 1977-78 in Planning Department Budget. FORM PLANNING 73 s: 10-24-77 MEMORANDUM October 24, 1977 TO: Paul Bussey, City Manager FROM: James Hagaman, Planning Director��_� SUBJECT: Upgrading One Permanent Planning Assistant To A Permanent Planning Associate BACKGROUND Historically in the Planning Department budget there were two Planning Associate positions and two Planning Assistant positions. The City advertised for a second Planning Associate and Assistant position. After reviewing the associate list, it was decided that the Planning Associate's eligibility list did not meet the City needs at that time. Therefore, the City hired two Planning Assistants instead. Subsequently this year's budget (1977-78) reflected the actual positions filled in the department in that one Planning Assistant position was actually the under - staffing of a previously held Planning Associate. The concern I have is not with the historical picture outlinedabove or how we arrived here, but where we should be going in the department. In the short time I have been in Carlsbad one of the concerns has been with the organizational structure of the department. Simply put) there are now four operating sections with the department; i.e., Zoning Administration, Advanced Planning, newly approved Local Coastal Program and the Redevelopment function as a special section within the department utilizing the talents and support provided by our other various sections. One special organizational problem which concerns me is that one section either the Advanced Planning or Zoning Administration has been functioning without an actual supervisor who is responsible for the day to day performance of that section to provide reports within deadlines, supervising the personnel within thesectio and providing training to those people. Those day to day psupervision, training, guidelines and scheduling have been transferred up to the Planning Assistant Director and Planning Director usurping their limited time which should be handled by a section leader. This means that the Director's time is spent more on some basic supervision and training than concentration on the actual work products being produced by these sections. This can normally be expected on a temporary basis as adjustments are necessary all of the time, but when it become: an on -going organization function it is a poor use of available staff resources. These remarks should not be construed to imply that the departments Assistant Planners are not good employees when in fact based on my experience we are fortunate in having assistants with capability in this department in the past. The problem rather lies in the organization structure and finished work products experienced for each section. The need is for a coordinated team effort to develop in each section and then between sections. ,*4% - 2 - I recommend that the former Planning Associate position be reinstated so that each section of the department will be headed by the highest level position that Carlsbad can attract. This action will allow more flexibility is allowing staff resources in special projects and on a planned basis I will be asking to move some personnel between sections to broaden their experience base within the department and also develop a�backup of experience and knowledge to minimize the effects of employees leaving the City. It is with these comments that I strongly suggest that one Planning Assistant position be upgraded to Planning Associate position. JCH:s i 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 `24� '25 26, 27' 281 RESOLUTION NO. 5246 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CUIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE ADDITION OF ONE ASSOCIATE PLANNER VICE ONE ASSISTANT PLANNER IN FISCAL YEAR 1977-78 PLANNING DEPARTMENT BUDGET. WHEREAS, the City Manager recommends and the City Council concurs that a change be authorized to add the position of Associat( Planner vice Assistant Planner in the budget of the Planning (Department. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, as follows: 1. That the above recitations are true and correct. 2. That the City Manager is authorized and directed to add the position of one Associate Planner vice one Assistant Planner in the Fiscal Year 1977-78 Planning Department Budget._ -PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, held on the ISt day of NovemhPr , 1977 by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Councilmen Frazee, Lewis, Packard, Skotnicki and Councilwoman Casler NOES: None , ABSENT: None ATTEST: ROBERT C. FRAZEE, May T;A T E -ADAMS City Clerk , (SEAL)