HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 14 - Authorization to reclassify six supplimental Youth Services Site Specialists to Full Time Department Name: Parks and Recreation
Cost Center: 7003
For Agenda of: May 4, 2021
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Greg Avakian, Parks and Recreation Director
Prepared By: Aleah Bergam, Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO RECLASSIFY SIX SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH
SERVICES SITE SPECIALISTS TO SIX FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a Resolution (Attachment A) to create six full-time equivalent (FTE) positions due to a
reclassification of the Youth Services Site Specialist position.
DISCUSSION
Background – Youth Services a Community & Council Priority
The City of San Luis Obispo provides a wide array of programmatic services for youth including
facilities (from parks to Damon Garcia to the SLO Swim Center), contract classes, special
events, and before and after school and school break programs. Childcare, via the City’s Youth
Services Program, has been a vital component of the City's Meta Goal of Economic Recovery
and Resiliency. The Community and Council highly value prioritizing and sustaining Youth
Services programming. This can be seen in the Measure G-20 priorities which include
maintaining youth services and in the 2021-23 Economic Recovery Major City Goal work plan
under 1.2 Business Support, whereby the City will provide childcare programming to the
community to enable residents to work and fuel the local economy. Youth services programming
also supports the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Major City Goal through workforce recruitment
and retention by serving as a community partner involved in the SLO County Child Care Study.
The division will review, evaluate and implement findings from the study as resources permit.
The request that is before Council with this Agenda Report is to approve a reclassification of six
youth services program employees from limited benefit to full time equivalent immediately to
allow for necessary time and recruitment to facilitate summer 2021 programming.
Hiring Challenges of the Past for Key Youth Services Positions
The recruitment and retention of qualified Youth Services Site Specialists has been a challenge
for at least the past five years. Youth Services Site Specialists are responsible for overseeing
daily operations for the school age before- and after- school childcare programs (Sun 'N Fun and
Club STAR during the school year and school break camps) at an assigned location. They are
responsible for the day-to-day management of a childcare site, including staff supervision,
engagement with children and families, curriculum planning and implementation, planning
enrichment opportunities (guests, trips, events), collaboration with school and community
partners, ensuring an equitable and inclusive environment and upholding division standards.
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One of the Site Specialists serves in an administrative role and assists the Youth Services
Division Supervisor and Coordinator to plan, organize, produce, and coordinate childcare and
youth programming. This position works closely with subsidy partners, focuses on staff
onboarding, development, and retention, as well as works in the field at childcare sites year-
round. Each Site Specialist position is budgeted at 2080 hours per year and receives limited
benefits as these staff run a childcare site ensuring licensing standards are met. These staff
interact with and build relationships with school staff, families, and community partners.
Approximately twenty years ago, the City authorized particular supplemental or temporary
positions in Parks and Recreation to receive limited benefits (e.g. contribution s to health
coverage and pension, and time off) in an attempt to address then recruitment and retention
issues. These positions are referred to as Limited Benefit Temporary (LBT). The current Youth
Services Site Specialist positions are LBT positions. LBT positions are eligible for time off and
sick leave benefits in addition to what supplemental staff are typically eligible for. These
employees are pre-approved positions to be enrolled in CalPERS upon hire and are eligible for
personal time off (PTO) benefits. These employees receive paid time off in the amount of 3% of
hours worked, up to a maximum accrual of 40 hours, and accrue sick leave with pay at the rate of
twelve days per year of continuous service. Limited benefit temporary staff are not eligible for
paid holidays as full-time staff are. Also, these employees are Affordable Care Act (ACA)
eligible as they are expected to work shifts greater than 30 hours per week or 130 hours per
month continuously for at least four months. They are eligible for health insurance, and the
contribution is adjusted annually as required by the ACA.
Historically, the limited benefit temporary positions were effective in solving the recruitment and
retention challenges of the early 2000s and staff were in those positions for more than one year at
a time. For the past five years, retaining and recruiting for the six Youth Services Site Specialist
positions has been a challenge with multiple vacancies per year and continuous recruitments
resulting in limited candidate pools. In analyzing recruitment data for the Site Specialist position
in 2019, 719 people viewed the job posting (over a six-month window for two vacancies), and
only nine applicants applied (1.3% of individuals who view the position apply). Out of the nine
applicants only five were qualified and invited to an interview. Out of the five who were invited
to an interview, only three attended an interview. Staff offered the position to two of the
applicants and they both accepted, however, one of the new employees quit within weeks due to
the demands of the position.
Compensation Analysis of Youth Services Supplemental Staff
The Human Resources Department conducted a compensation study in January 2020 that
illustrated the City’s Youth Services staff salaries were behind the market by approximately
twenty-nine percent (29%) and four out of the six benchmark agencies utilized in the
compensation study provide full benefits to the Site Specialist position equivalent. Staff made
adjustments in the supplemental employee pay schedule in an attempt to address the
compensation issue but increased pay has not retained staff at the levels required to effectively
run childcare programming.
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Over the past five years the division has lost qualified Site Specialists to full -time positions
within the City and externally. Currently, the division has only three of the six Site Specialist
positions filled with one leaving in June 2021. One of the current Site Specialists has been with
the division for almost seven years but the other two have only been in the Site Specialist
position for under one year. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the recruitment and
retention issue due to safety concerns and exposure risks while working with children. As
childcare is in high demand within the City and throughout San Luis Obispo County, providing
competitive wages and benefits for these key positions is critical for the overall program's quality
and consistency. The City’s childcare programs are a critical component in the City’s partn ership
with the San Luis Coastal Unified School District (SLCUSD) in support of learning and
development.
Based on the compensation study results and five-year-long recruitment and retention challenges,
cost of turnover, and risk of not being able to provide needed youth services programs due to
staffing shortages, staff is recommending reclassifying the Limited Benefit Temporary (LBT)
positions into six full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, Five Youth Services Site Director
positions and One Youth Services Program Assistant position, with benefits and wages
comparable to other regular positions requiring similar skills, abilities, and certifications, as part
of the 2021-23 Financial Plan. This recommendation was included in the Significant Operating
Budget Changes (SOCBs) that were presented to Council at the April 20, 2021 meeting where
Strategic Budget Direction was given by Council.
Need to Hire Youth Services Site Director and Program Assistant Positions Early to
Operate Summer Programming
To appropriately coordinate and operate summer youth programming, which begins June 14,
2021, Parks and Recreation Department staff is requesting “early” approval of the
reclassification of six LBT Youth Services Employees to six FTEs, five Youth Services Site
Director positions and one Youth Services Program Assistant position, and to begin job posting
and recruitment immediately following Council approval on May 5, 2021. Due to an estimated
four-to-six-week recruitment window, staff anticipates at the earliest, a start date of June 10,
2021 for new hires.
If not approved by this separate action, the request will continue to be part of the budget approval
on the June 1 and/or June 15, 2021, Council Meeting(s), with an effective budget appropriation
on July 1, 2021 and recruitment and hiring to begin after that date. Staff is presenting this special
request now because they are concerned that with a later approval date, and hiring sometime in
August at the earliest, that staff would not be able to operate summer programming nor prepare
for the 2021-22 school year. For context, in non-pandemic times, the Youth Services Program
traditionally begins coordinating summer programming as early as January. However, due to the
ongoing changes related to COVID-19 regarding childcare requirements, limited staff
availability, and the unknown public health guidance yet to be provided for summer, the team
has only been able to keep up with the present childcare needs. It is anticipated that summer
programming will continue to be expanded at multiple school sites to accommodate more
children in partnership with the District's extended learning programming and comply with
County and State health guidelines during the pandemic.
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Given the need, early approval from Council allows staff to meet and confer with SLOCEA and
advertise and market the positions for a desired June 10, 2021 start date. Staff wants to provide
continuity and quality care to the community and families, especially amidst these unprecedented
times.
Previous Council or Advisory Body Action
On April 20, 2021, Council reviewed and preliminarily approved the proposed recommended
budget amendments for the 21-23 Financial Plan, which included a list of SOBC’s, one of which
was reclassifying the Youth Services Site Specialists into six full-time equivalent positions,
eligible for pay and benefits of comparable regular positions and the associated ongoing costs
(see Strategic Budget Direction Council Reading File, Section E: Significant Operating Budget
Changes, page 71).
Policy Context
The City's Charter under Section 804 allows City Council to amend or supplement the budget by
motion adopted by a majority vote of the council. This request fulfills a Local Revenue Measure
G-20 priority which includes maintaining youth services. This request is part of the 2021-23
Economic Recovery Major City Goal work plan under 1.2 Business Support, whereby the City
will provide childcare programming to the community to enable residents to work and fuel the
local economy.
Public Engagement
Public comment on the item can be provided to the City Council through written correspondence
prior to the meeting and through public testimony at the meeting. The Youth Services program
has consistently maintained lengthy waitlists of children and families due to capacity
requirements and staffing ratio guidelines. Families have expressed challenges with the
relationships between children and teaching staff when there are staff turnover at the school sites.
In addition, Staff have routinely distributed online newsletters and surveys to the community and
families have expressed to the Department a need and desire for expanded childcare
programming and capacity.
CONCURRENCE
The City's internal Financial Plan Steering Committee concurs with the recommendation s
included in this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in this
report, because the action does not constitute a "Project" under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: No Budget Year: 2020-2021
Funding Identified: Yes
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Fiscal Analysis:
Funding Sources Current FY Cost
Annualized
On-going Cost
Total Project
Cost
General Fund $7,000 $93,227 $100,227
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $7,000 $93,227 $100,227
On April 20, 2021, Council reviewed and preliminarily approved the proposed recommended
budget amendments for the 21-23 Financial Plan, including reclassifying the Youth Services Site
Specialists into full-time equivalent positions and the associated ongoing costs. There will be an
approximate fiscal impact of $7,000 from the reclassification and FTE approval for the
remaining 20 days of the current fiscal year, which can be accommodated within the Parks and
Recreation Department budget. Staff has included the annualized ongoing cost in the preliminary
financial plan that will be presented to Council on June 1, 2021.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council could direct staff to wait to approve the request at the June 15, 2021 budget
adoption meeting. This alternative is not recommended due to the impacts to program start times
and current staffing vacancies.
Attachments:
a - Draft Resolution
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R ______
RESOLUTION NO. _____ (2021 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE RECLASSIFICATION OF 6
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES SITE SPECIALISTS TO 6 FULL-
TIME EQUIVALENTS
WHEREAS, in accordance with the San Luis Obispo City Charter Section 802, the City
Manager submitted the 2020-21 Supplemental Budget to Council for its review and consideration
on June 2, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Council approved and appropriated the 2020-21 budget allocation
including operating, debt service, and capital improvement plan budget; and
WHEREAS, the Youth Services Division has had recruitment challenges regarding
recruiting qualified Youth Services Site Specialist positions for at least the past five years; and
WHEREAS, a January 2020 compensation study illustrated the City’s Youth Services
staff salaries were behind the market by approximately 29%, with many benchmark agencies
providing full benefits to the Site Specialist position equivalent; and
WHEREAS, adjustments in the supplemental employee schedule has not retained staff at
the levels required to effectively run childcare programming; and
WHEREAS, the Youth Services division has lost qualified Site Specialists to full-time
positions within the City and externally; and
WHEREAS, childcare is in high demand within the City and throughout San Luis Obispo
County, providing competitive wages and benefits for these key positions are critical for the quality
and consistency of the overall program; and
WHEREAS, on April 20, 2021 Council reviewed and preliminarily the proposed
recommended budget amendments for the 21-23 Financial Plan, which included reclassifying the
Youth Services Site Specialists into 6 full-time equivalent positions, eligible for pay and benefits
of comparable regular positions and the associated ongoing costs; and
WHEREAS, in order to appropriately coordinate and operate summer programming,
which begins June 14, 2021, Parks and Recreation Department staff is requesting “early” approval
of the reclassification of six LBT Youth Services Employees to six FTEs to begin job posting and
recruitment immediately following Council approval.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo
as follows:
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Resolution No. _____ (2021 Series) Page 2
R ______
SECTION 1. The 2020-21 budget is hereby amended to adopt six full-time equivalent
(FTE) positions as a result of a reclassification of six Limited Benefit Temporary staff to provide
quality childcare programming to the community.
Upon motion of _______________________, seconded by _______________________,
and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was adopted this _____ day of _____________________ 2021.
____________________________________
Mayor Heidi Harmon
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City
of San Luis Obispo, California, on ____________________________.
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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