To: Board of Supervisors
From: Monica Nino, County Administrator
Report Title: Adoption of the FY24-25 Recommended Budget
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting in its capacity as the governing board of the County of Contra Costa and the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District:
1. ACKNOWLEDGE that the Board of Supervisors held a Budget Hearing on April 22-23, 2024 during which public testimony was heard and considered;
2. ACKNOWLEDGE that significant economic issues could continue to challenge the Board of Supervisors in its effort to finance services and programs that County residents need or expect, potentially requiring future adjustments to General Purpose Revenue for the FY24-25 budget;
3. ACKNOWLEDGE that the County Administrator was directed to return to the Board of Supervisors with the FY24-25 County and Special Districts budget and staffing modifications necessary to carry out the Board of Supervisors’ actions on the Recommended Budget;
4. ADOPT a Resolution authorizing the modification, addition, and deletion of certain positions in affected departments (Attachment C) to effect the Recommended Budget;
5. ACKNOWLEDGE that the Board requested line-item changes and technical adjustments to the County Administrator's recommendations for the FY24-25 County and Special Districts Budgets as discussed during the Budget Hearing (Attachment D);
6. AUTHORIZE and REQUEST the Auditor-Controller to adjust FY23-24 appropriations and revenues by reallocating and balancing budgeted and actual expenditures and revenues as needed for various budget units and special districts, subject to Board approval in September 2024; and
7. AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller to make technical adjustments to the FY24-25 Recommended Budget when actual amounts are known and return to the Board in September 2024 for adoption of the Budget as Finally Determined.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The detailed fiscal impact is described in item D.1 on the Board of Supervisors April 22-23, 2024 agenda under Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Recommended County and Special District Budgets.
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BACKGROUND:
On April 22-23, 2024, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County's Fiscal Year 2024-2025 State Controller's Office Recommended Budget Schedules for Countywide Funds and Special Districts totaling $5.979B. These schedules satisfy State law requiring that local government adopt a FY24-25 Recommended Budget for Countywide funds and Special Districts prior to June 30, 2024 in order to spend monies for the coming fiscal year. State law also requires that the Recommended Budget Schedules be adopted prior to holding Budget Hearings. These schedules serve as a placeholder until the Board approves a Final Budget. The schedules are in a State-required "line item" format and incorporate the same total net County cost level as is presented in the County Administrator's Recommended Budget. Adoption of these schedules ensured that the Board met the requirements of State law and in no way constrained its discretion with respect to the FY24-25 budget.
The Board of Supervisors opened the public hearing and the County Administrator provided an overview of the FY24-25 Recommended Budget. The County Administrator advised the Board that the Recommended Budget and the Transmittal Letter contain details on individual department budgets, programs, goals, and recommendations. Twelve departments then presented their recommended budgets, including Animal Services, Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, District Attorney, Employment & Human Services, Health Services, Library, Probation, Public Defender, Public Works, and Sheriff-Coroner. At the conclusion of the department presentations for each of the days, the Board asked for and received public comment.
Conclusion
Taking into consideration the testimony it received from staff and the public, the Board of Supervisors provided the following direction related to American Rescue Plan Act:
1. DIRECTED the County Administrator to claim $37,544,395 in remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) to offset a portion of the General Fund subsidy to the Hospital Enterprise Fund in FY23-24;
2. DIRECTED the County Administrator to include a new General Fund reserve designation of “Assigned” fund balance in the amount of $37,544,395 at the conclusion of FY23-24 in recognition of FEMA claims that have not yet been obligated or received;
3. DIRECTED the County Administrator to return to the Board of Supervisors at least annually on the status of the County’s COVID-19 FEMA Public Assistance program claims and DETERMINE whether to reduce the $37,544,395 “Assigned” fund balance designation in amounts consistent with COVID-19 FEMA payments received by the County, and hold public processes such as workshops and town halls to seek community input on how to allocate available funds.
The Board of Supervisors also requested the following future reporting:
4. DIRECTED a report back from Employment and Human Services in July on a plan to potentially allocate $5M for a guaranteed income pilot project, including the intended populations to be served, expected outcomes, how much in stipends for how long, overhead, evaluation, and opportunities for matched funding;
5. DIRECTED a report back from the County Administrator and Human Resources Department on opportunities to streamline policies and procedures to improve County recruitment and retention of employees.
At the close of the April 22-23, 2024 hearing, the Board, by a unanimous vote, made the line-item changes listed below for the FY24-25 Recommended Budget and directed the County Administrator to prepare the budget for Board adoption on May 21, 2024, including the position modifications resolution leading to 11,396.6 total authorized FTE positions. The FY24-25 County and Special District Budgets incorporates the direction from the Board to rebalance the budget at $5,995,901,738 in total revenue and expenditures, and with the related attachments, is prepared for adoption.
Line-Item Changes Directed by the Board (Attachment D)
6. Revised the budget for Animal Services as proposed by the department, reducing total budgeted expenditures and revenues by $1,224,922, reducing Net County Cost by $203,596, and withholding 4 FTE positions;
7. For one-time allocations of Measure X sales tax revenues, increase budgeted revenues by $17,502,400 through use of general purpose revenue fund balance from anticipated Measure X revenue surplus, and appropriate related expenditure authority for the following allocations:
|
Department |
Allocation Description |
FY24-25 One-time Allocations |
|
Clerk-Recorder |
Mapping Prejudice Project |
$72,400 |
|
Library |
Facilities Deferred Maintenance |
$1,900,000 |
|
EHSD |
South County Family Justice Center |
$2,500,000 |
|
CCCFPD |
Evacuation software (3-year license) and vegetation management |
$1,500,000 |
|
ORESJ |
African American Holistic Wellness Center & related services |
$7,500,000 |
|
CAO |
Innovation Fund |
$2,000,000 |
|
EHSD |
Community-based services for seniors and disabled residents |
$1,000,000 |
|
EHSD |
Food security |
$1,000,000 |
|
CAO |
MXCAB retreat and needs assessments (10,000 per year) |
$30,000 |
|
|
|
$17,502,400 |
Position Modifications (Attachment C)
The attached Position Adjustment Resolution incorporates changes directed by the Board as part of the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Recommended Budget. The Resolution adds and eliminates positions and classifications in the following departments: Agriculture, Animal Services, Child Support Services, Conservation and Development, County Counsel, Department of Information Technology, District Attorney, Employment and Human Services, Health Services, Human Resources, Library, Public Defender, Public Works, Sheriff-Coroner, Treasurer-Tax Collector, and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
1. Agriculture
Adds one (1) Weights and Measures Inspector I to support State mandated inspection activities.
2. Animal Services
Adds six (6) FTE positions to expand shelter, and spay and neuter services. One (1) Animal Center Technician and one (1) Animal Center Operations Coordinator will be added to the Shelter Services unit for animal care and management of the K9 foster program. One (1) Registered Veterinary Technician and one (1) Veterinary Assistant will be added to the Medical Services Division to increase veterinary care and spay/neuter services. One (1) Animal Services Clerk and one (1) Animal Center Operations Coordinator will be added to the Administration unit to support call center, customer, and adoption services. One (1) Community and Media Relations Specialist position will be deleted.
3. Child Support Services
No net FTE change. Transfers one (1) Information Systems Programmer/Analyst II to Child Support Services-Electronic Data Processing and one (1) Information Systems Manager I to Child Support Services-Operations to align staffing costs for budgetary purposes.
4. Conservation and Development
Adds a net 8 FTE positions to establish a new organizational structure comprising four major operational areas, (1) Building Inspection/Economic Development & Sustainability and (2) Administration & Policy Planning, to be headed by 2 future Senior Deputy Directors (not included in the Recommended Budget pending a salary study); and (3) Current Planning and (4) Housing & Community Improvement, each to be headed by existing Deputy Directors. Adds 4 Assistant Deputy Director positions to manage increasingly complex program areas and to update the Department's structure to better manage work teams and plan for succession. Increases operational capacity in plan checking with the addition of 2 Sr. Building Plan Checkers and 2 Building Plan Checkers, and in department information technology with the addition of 1 Information Systems Manager II position to manage the Department’s Information Technology team and its complex array of IT systems and software. Adds 1 Inspection Services Supervisor and 3 Principal Building Inspector positions in recognition of the growing volume and complexity of the inspection program and to manage the team of inspectors assigned to the Code Enforcement Unit. Cancels 5 positions that remain vacant and are deemed no longer needed because of prior organizational changes: Manager, Application/Permit Center; Redevelopment Housing Specialist II; Chief, Annexation and Economic Stimulus Program; Sr. Transportation Planner, and Clerical Supervisor. The transition to the modified organizational structure will be achieved gradually through recruitment and attrition; consequently, not all the added positions will be filled immediately and some positions that are vacated through promotion may be considered for future cancelation, depending on operational need. Mid-year positions adjustments will be necessary pending further development of new job classes.
5. County Counsel
No net FTE change. Adds one (1) Information Systems Specialist I and deletes one (1) Account Clerk - Advanced position to provide support with systems, applications, training, and problem-solving with the various software applications used in the County Counsel’s Office.
6. Department of Information Technology
Adds a net of eight (8) positions. The Administrative division will add one (1) Departmental Human Resources Analyst II and one (1) Accounting Technician. The Telecommunications division will add one (1) Information Systems Manager II. The Information Security Administration division will add one (1) Business Systems Analyst. The Network Services division will add one (1) Network Administrator II and one (1) Network Technician II. The Wide Area Network Services division will add one (1) Information Systems Manager II. The Systems and Programming division will be adding one (1) Business Systems Analyst, and deleting one (1) Information Systems Programmer Analyst III. The Operations division will be adding three (3) Information Systems Specialist III, and deleting one (1) Computer Operator Supervisor and one (1) Computer Operator III. The net increase in positions will be funded by charges to customers based on direct charge for service or allocation. Additionally, five (5) FTE are anticipated to be vacated and deleted during the fiscal year.
7. District Attorney
Net decrease of three (3) FTE in the District Attorney’s Office. Adds one (1) Departmental Fiscal Officer to support the financial management and grants administration functions and one (1) DA Sr. Inspector for cases related to on-duty criminal conduct by public officials. The department will delete one (1) Administrative Services Assistant III and four (4) vacant unfunded Case Preparation Assistant positions due to the use of the newly established District Attorney Assistant Investigator classification and the mid-year addition of four (4) positions.
8. Employment and Human Services
Net zero FTE change in the Employment and Human Services Department. The department will add one (1) Administrative Services Assistant II, one (1) Administrative Services Assistant III, two (2) Planner and Evaluator - Level B, and one (1) Secretary - Journey Level positions to support Measure X programming and fiscal operations. The department will add (1) Administrative Services Assistant III position to support Policy and Planning functions. The department will add two (2) Program/Projects Coordinator positions to support mandates for Children and Family Services related to the Families First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). The department will add one (1) Secretary-Advanced Level, one (1) Program/Projects Coordinator, one (1) Social Service Employment Placement Counselor and one (1) Secretary-Journey Level to increase administrative support for various programs.
The department will delete nine vacant (9) Social Worker positions, one (1) vacant Neighborhood Services Coordinator position, one (1) vacant Clerk-Specialist position, and one (1) vacant Social Work Supervisor II position.
9. Health Services
Adds a net increase of 70.85 FTE as part of the Recommended Budget. Adds 66.9 FTE for additional staffing for the West County Reentry, Treatment and Housing (WRTH) facility, and two (2) Institutional Service Worker-Generalist positions to support ongoing services provided across Detention Health. Decreases Public Health staffing by 75.35 FTE to eliminate several unused positions established in a project capacity to support COVID-19 operations and is inclusive of a 12.7 FTE reassignment of positions that are better aligned under the Hospital Enterprise Fund I (0540) Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers Division. Adds 36.0 FTE across the Alcohol and Other Drugs Division (0466) and Mental Health Division (0467) to support CalAIM program expansion staffing requirements and opioid abuse reduction efforts. Increases Hospital Enterprise Fund I (0540) Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers Division staffing by 41.3 FTE, which is inclusive of incoming transfers from Public Health, a Utilization Review Reorganization, staffing to address CalAIM billing requirements, and new position classifications to support Emergency Medical Services.
10. Human Resources
Net zero FTE change. Adds one (1) Human Resources Analyst to support increased demand in the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) unit, and deletes one (1) Human Resources Systems Analyst in the Employee Benefits unit.
11. Library
Adds 22 FTE positions to increase operational capacity in personnel administration, information technology, and to increase outreach to underrepresented areas, service organizations, and schools with the addition of (1) Personnel Technician, (1) Network Administrator II, (1) Clerk-Senior Level, (1) Library Assistant-Journey Level, and (1) Library Literacy Assistant positions; and to establish the optimum staffing model for each library branch based on facility size and layout, patronage, and public service hours, some of which are funded by cities, with the addition of (3) Librarian II, (7) Librarian I, (2) Library Assistant-Journey Level, (2) Clerk-Specialist Level, and (3) Clerk-Senior Level positions. Transition to the new branch staffing model will be achieved gradually through attrition and subsequent recruitment; consequently, not all the added positions will be filled immediately, and most will be filled only upon the event that other positions are vacated.
12. Probation
Transfers seven (7) positions from Probation Facilities to Probation Programs; one (1) Clerk-Senior Level, three (3) Clerk-Specialist Level, two (2) Deputy Probation Officer I, and one (1) Deputy Probation Officer III. Due to legislative changes and the expansion of various programs and initiatives, these positions have been operating under Probation Programs and need to be transferred to this budgetary department so that the salaries and benefits costs align with corresponding revenue budget.
13. Public Defender
Decreases 1 FTE as part of the Recommended Budget. The department will delete one (1) vacant unfunded Intermediate Clerk-Project position that has never been filled due to the use of an Administrative Aide-Project position added in April 2023. This position elimination is necessary due to the recent grant funding reduction in the Governor’s Proposed Budget to the Public Defense Pilot Program, which does not support the future use of both positions.
14. Public Works
Adds a net of two (2) FTE positions. The Purchasing Division will add one (1) Administrative Services Assistant II position to administer the procurement card program and purchasing portal. The Facilities Maintenance Division will add two (2) Custodian II positions to support the new Administration Building at 1026 Escobar Street and delete one (1) Window Washer position and replace it with one (1) Custodian II position to reflect required duties more accurately. Facilities Maintenance will also add two (2) Senior Capital Facilities Project Managers, one (1) Associate Capital Facilities Project Manager, and one (1) Administrative Analyst to manage countywide capital projects more effectively. The Public Works division will add two (2) Information Systems Programmer Analyst III positions and one (1) Network Analyst I position to enhance information technology support in the Department. One (1) Engineering Technician Supervisor-Traffic will also be added to strengthen institutional traffic design and operations knowledge. These additional positions will be offset by deleting one (1) Engineering Technician Supervisor, one (1) Traffic Safety Investigator, one (1) Road Maintenance Carpenter, one (1) Engineering Records Technician, one (1) Senior Clerk, and four (4) Maintenance Worker I positions to reflect the needs of the Public Works Agency more accurately. Two (2) positions are also being transferred within various divisions to meet the anticipated workload requirements.
15. Sheriff-Coroner’s Office
Adds a net of twelve (12) FTE positions. The Sheriff’s Detention Division will have an increase of twelve (12) positions comprised of six (6) Sheriff’s Aide and six (6) Deputy Sheriff 40-hour positions staff the upcoming West County Reentry, Treatment and Housing (WRTH) facility in Richmond. The Sheriff’s Department will have a net zero FTE change in other divisions by adding one (1) Administrative Analyst, one (1) Accountant I, one (1) Clerical Supervisor, four (4) Sheriff’s Specialist, and one (1) Records Manager positions, and deleting two (2) Account Clerk-Advanced Level, one (1) Clerk-Senior Level, one (1) Sheriff’s Dispatcher II, two (2) Sheriff’s Aide, one (1) Clerk-Experienced Level, and one (1) Biometric Systems positions.
16. Treasurer-Tax Collector
Net increase of 2 FTE. Adds one (1) Clerk-Experienced, one (1) Account Clerk - Experienced, and one (1) Accounting Technician position to provide staffing support for the replacement of the legacy property tax system as well as additional office coverage. The Office will also work directly with the Department of Information Technology for support of the property tax system as well as other related business systems going forward and will eliminate the in-house technical support by deleting one (1) Property Information and Business Systems Manager position. The intent of this action is to rely on the expertise of the network, systems and programming, and security divisions of the Department of Information Technology.
17. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Adds a net increase of 3.4 FTE. The District’s Fire Division will add one (1) Account Clerk Advanced-Level, one (1) Secretary Advanced-Level, Supervisor, one (1) Clerk Senior-Level, and one (1) Fire District Fiscal Specialist positions to support the overall administrative services of the Fire Protection District. The District will delete one (1) part-time (24/40) Fire Prevention Specialist and one (1) Fire Prevention Technician to offset the costs of the requested position additions.
The EMS Transport Fund Division will add one (1) Information Systems Programmer/Analyst IV position for additional systems support.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Changes to any recommended programs will require an equivalent reduction in funds from other County priorities in order to adhere to the Budget Policy to adopt a balanced budget.
Attachment A - Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget
Attachment B - May 21, 2024 Budget Adoption Presentation
Attachment C - Position Modifications Resolution
Attachment D - Line-item appropriations changes
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
and for Special Districts, Agencies and Authorities Governed by the Board
IN THE MATTER OF authorizing the modification, addition, and deletion of certain positions in affected departments;
WHEREAS, the Board has considered the financial impact on departments of the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Recommended Budget, and has considered the position and staff reduction/retention/augmentation plans submitted by departments; and
WHEREAS, budget hearings were conducted by the Board of Supervisors April 22-23, 2024; and
WHEREAS, to the extent that the subjects of this Resolution are within the scope of representation pursuant to the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Government Code Section 3500 et seq.), this Board has offered to meet with recognized employee organizations upon request concerning this resolution.
THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, acting in its capacity as governing Board of the County of Contra Costa and the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
1. In order to keep expenditures within available funding, it is necessary to make position adjustments, including to modify, add or abolish the classifications and positions set forth in the lists attached hereto (Attachment C). Said lists are incorporated herein by reference, and said positions are hereby modified, added, or abolished as indicated and effective on the dates indicated.
2. Recognized employee organizations may submit to the Employee Relations Officer written requests to meet and confer on specific proposals with respect to this Resolution. This authorization and direction is given without prejudice to the Board’s right to reduce or terminate the operations and services of the County and of districts governed by this Board and to eliminate classes of employees or positions, as these decisions involve the merits, necessity, or organization of services or activities of the County and districts governed by the Board and are not subjects within the scope of representation.
3. This action is taken without prejudice to pending consulting, meeting, and meeting and conferring with recognized employee organizations.