To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marc Shorr, Information Technology Director
Report Title: Approve Budget Amendment No. BDA 24-00247
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE Budget Amendment No. BDA 24-00247 authorizing the transfer of appropriations in the amount of $302,000 from the Department of Information Technology Telecommunications Division (0060) to Public Works - ISF Fleet Services (0064) for the purchase of four (4) vans and one (1) pickup truck.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This action increases appropriations in Public Works - ISF Fleet Services (0064) and reduces appropriations in Department of Information Technology Telecommunications Division (0060) by $302,000.
BACKGROUND:
Over the past several years, the Telecommunications Division has experienced several retirements and those positions have remained unfilled. Recently, the department has focused efforts on filling those positions. During this time, the department also restructured and by doing so was able to add an additional Telecommunications Specialist position. At the end of 2023, the department extended offers to four (4) Telecommunications Specialist I candidates and all four (4) candidates accepted the employment offer. Telecommunications Specialists perform the repair, installation, and maintenance of telephone and other electronic equipment focusing on safety and security systems for County facilities and work at all worksite locations performing these tasks. This entry level classification receives on-the-job training which consists of working side-by-side with a Telecommunications Specialist II. The newly hired technicians are now ready to perform their tasks solo, however, we do not have vans for them to utilize to perform their duties. They are still pairing up with another technician, which is not an effective use of staffing resources.
The department is also in need of a new heavy-duty 4x4 pickup truck which is able to pull equipment trailers and that can carry 100+ gallons of diesel to hilltop locations to refuel generators. The Contra Costa microwave ring path for public safety radio traffic and data communications systems resides on hilltop towers. The roads to get these sites, particularly in the winter months, can be treacherous and sometimes unstable. Having a heavy-duty truck which is made to perform in this type of terrain is necessary to ensure the protection of staff that must maintain these public safety communication towers.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the purchase of vehicles is not approved, the technicians will continue to have to share a van which is not an effective or efficient use of staffing resources and the safety of staff assigned to maintain public safety towers will be minimized.