To: Board of Supervisors
From: Matt Slattengren, Ag Commissioner/Weights & Measures Director
Report Title: Add one Agricultural Biologist I; Appropriation and Revenue Adjustment in the Agriculture / Weights and Measure Department
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26195 to add one (1) full-time Agricultural Biologist I (BAWA) (represented) position at salary plan and grade QA5-1361 ($5,748 - $6,986) in the Agriculture / Weights and Measures Department.
Agriculture / Weights and Measures (0335): APPROVE Budget Adjustment No. BDA-23-00287 to increase FY 23-24 State Aid Revenue (9330) by $106,652 and increase Permanent Salaries (1011) by the same amount in the Agriculture / Weights and Measures Department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Position Adjustment action has an annual salary and benefit cost of approximately $120,000. There is no Net County Cost for FY 23-24 due to offset from a one-time $100,000 State contract. Ongoing costs will be offset by State Unrefunded Gas Tax revenue. (60% State, 40% GF ongoing)
The Appropriation Adjustment action will result in increasing the appropriations to State Aid Revenue (9330) and to Permanent Salaries (1011) by $106,652 in the Agriculture / Weights and Measures Department.
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Agriculture is experiencing continuous increases in workload and requests an additional Biologist I position with duties including agricultural inspections, pest detection and exclusion and eradication, and quarantine compliance.
The September 2023 quarantine in East Contra Costa County has exacerbated the gap in staffing levels versus service requirements that have steadily increased over 20 years. The 2023 quarantine alone has resulted in over 1,800 hours of additional billable work. The Department partners with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to mitigate such issues. While CFDA will provide approximately 900 hours of the necessary work, the County will contract with CFDA for the County to provide the remaining hours.
Detection and trapping for invasive flies have drastically increased in the last 20 years. From 1989 to 2013 (34 years), 7 invasive flies were detected in 5 incidents (3 in 1 location). From 2014 to September 2023 (9 years), approximately 30 invasive flies were detected, including 14 just this year; two years of that period had zero detections, likely due to COVID.
Increasing the Department’s workload so substantially and so quickly is challenging. Hiring for current vacancies is underway, and the additional Biologist I position will directly address the continually increasing service requirements that are currently not being met, including contracted and non-funded mandated work.
A one-time FY23/24 contract with CDFA will offset the cost of the Biologist I position with $100,000 in revenue. The State Unrefunded Gas Tax revenue will off-set the on-going cost by 60%.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, the Department of Agriculture will not be able to maintain the workload generated by the quarantine or keep up with remaining contracted and other mandated work.