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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2012-22 Restructure Visitor Information Center OperationsCITY OF PALM DES R a v STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Approve the restructure of the City's Visitor Information Center operations; amend Resolution No. 2011-61, the City's Allocated Classifications by creating the new classifications of Tourism and Marketing Manager, Visitor Center Coordinator and Customer Service Clerk; and Adopting Ordinance No. 1237 establishing a category and criteria for part time employees. SUBMITTED BY: DATE: CONTENTS: Recommendation: John Wohlmuth, City Manager March 22, 2012 Resolution No. 2012 - 22 Ordinance No. 1237 1) Waive further reading and adopt Resolution No. 2012- 22 amending Resolution 2011-61, the City's Allocated Classifications by reclassifying the position of "Visitor Information Center Manager" grade 131 to "Tourism and Marketing Manager" at salary grade 131, adding the position of Visitor Center Coordinator at Grade 107, and adding the position "Customer Service Clerk" at salary grade 87. Authorize the establishment of new categories within the City's Allocated Classifications; 2) Waive further reading and pass Ordinance No. 1237 deleting Municipal Code Sections 2.52.300 Types of Employment and 2.52.305 Definition of Employment Types in their entirety, and replacing them with Section 2.52.300 Types of Employment and Section 2.52.305 Definition of Employment Types, adding the category of "Part -Time Regular Employee" and making housekeeping changes. 3) Approve the lifting of the hiring freeze and authorize the hiring of one full-time and two part-time Customer Service Clerks through an abbreviated hiring process; 4) Authorize the reclassification of the Visitor Information Center Manager, Grade 131 to Marketing and Tourism Manager, Grade 131. Staff Report Visitor Center Restructuring March 22, 2012 Page 2 of 4 Background: The ongoing operation of the Palm Desert Visitor Center provides critical support to local business and the City's main industry, tourism. The Center successfully encourages travel to Palm Desert and then directs those tourists to area businesses, such as The Living Desert, El Paseo merchants and restaurants and others which rely on tourism for their livelihood. The many changes the City has experienced over the last three years have made it increasingly necessary to provide these services in the most cost effective manner possible while still providing a high level of service. These services will be focused on maintaining a high level of satisfaction with visitors encouraging repeat visits to our community and promoting local businesses. Over the last several months, staff completed a full analysis of operational options for the Palm Desert Visitor Center. At its Study Session of February 9, 2012, City Council considered those options and instructed staff to move forward with the internal restructuring of the Visitor Center. Discussion: This report identifies the steps required to implement a restructuring of the Visitor Center in order to experience a cost reduction while maintaining a full -service Center. Operational Changes The days and hours of operation of the Visitor Center will be changed as follows: Open Monday through Saturday year-round (closed Sundays) Public Hours: 10:00 am — 6:00 pm Staff Hours: 9:00 am — 6:00 pm Staff Report Visitor Center Restructuring March 22, 2012 Page 3 of 4 Staffing Changes A majority of the cost savings will be experienced through staffing adjustments. The following changes are proposed to the existing Visitor Center staffing: 1) Establishment of a Customer Service Clerk position which more accurately represents the duties and responsibilities seen within the hospitality industry. The salary of this position is being set substantially lower than the current employee's salaries to more closely reflect those seen in the industry for similar work. This also meets the City's overall goal of providing these services at a reduced cost. One (1) full time and two (2) part time Clerks (2.3 FTE's) will be hired to provide coverage for the reduced operational hours. a. In order to accomplish the City's goals of staffing the Visitor Center with newly created Customer Service Clerks and utilizing existing staff to fill vacated positions at City Hall, staff is requesting authorization to engage in an abbreviated hiring process. Under this proposal the newly created positions would be filled by a limited recruitment of employees previously separated in good standing and eligible for rehire, former temporary employees and the services of a staffing firm. This will allow the Visitor Center to be up and running under its new configuration as soon as possible and allow for the backfilling of vacated positions at City Hall. 2) Daily supervision of the Visitor Center will be accomplished with a Visitor Center Coordinator as opposed to the current Manager. This requires a title change for the Senior Office Assistant currently working at the Center, no pay change is recommended. 3) The existing Office Assistant II employees will be transferred to vacant positions within City Hall. 4) The current Visitor Center Manager position will be re -titled to Marketing and Tourism Manager to better reflect her current responsibilities. No salary Staff Report Visitor Center Restructuring March 22, 2012 Page 4 of 4 adjustments are required and the position will be charged to the Marketing budget. The Marketing and Tourism Manager will continue to maintain administrative oversight of the Visitor Center. Fiscal Analysis The proposed changes will provide for an ongoing Visitor Center operational savings of approximately $210,000 annually. Submitted By: JoVq M. Wohlmuth, City Manager CITY COUNCIL 1A'ION APPROVED DENWT) R CEIVED OTHER 4 MEETING DATE I. 2?D/12- AYES -du cdi iK r NOES: AlUke 7 SENT: _&JY ABSTAIN: _AL/L i VERIFIED BY: LJ2"-4/ Original on File with Ci Clerk's Office RESOLUTION NO. 2012- 22 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING PORTIONS OF RESOLUTION NO. 2011-61, "EXHIBIT A" SALARY SCHEDULE, SALARY RANGES, AND ALLOCATED CLASSIFICATIONS. WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert has hereto established salary schedules, ranges, and allocated classifications and desires to modify and amend that system as set forth below: WHEREAS, the recommended staffing changes were identified as necessary for the desired restructuring of Visitor Center Operations; WHEREAS, the classifications of Tourism and Marketing Manager, Visitor Center Coordinator, and Customer Service Clerk better serve the needs of the City, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, that Sections I & II of Resolution No. 2012-66 be amended as follows: SECTION I - SALARY SCHEDULE. RANGES & ALLOCATED CLASSIFICATIONS DELETE. - AUTHORIZED POSITION NO. CLASSIFICATION GRADE POSITIONS 20051 Visitor Information Center Manager 131 1 Resolution 2012- 22 - Salary Resolution Amendment ADD: r_111110.1:1rrU POSITION NO. CLASSIFICATION GRADE POSITIONS 200xx Tourism and Marketing Manager 131 1 200xx Visitor Center Coordinator 107 1 30xxx Customer Service Clerk 87 2.3 FTE PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Palm Desert City Council this 22"d day of March, 2012 by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ROBERT SPIEGEL, MAYOR ATTEST: RACHELLE KLASSEN, CITY CLERK CITY OF PALM DESERT ORDINANCE NO. 1237 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2.52 OF THE PALM DESERT MUNICIPAL CODE BY DELETING SECTION 2.52.300, TYPES OF APPOINTMENT, AND SECTION 2.52.305, DEFINITION OF EMPLOYMENT TYPES IN THEIR ENTIRETY, AND REPLACING THEM WITH SECTION 2.52.300 TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT AND SECTION 2.52.305 DEFINITION OF EMPLOYMENT TYPES. WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert has established a personnel system in section 2.52 of its municipal code; and WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert met and consulted in good faith with the Palm Desert Employees Organization (PDEO) in accordance with the Meyers-Milias- Brown Act and the City employer - employee relations Resolution No. 81-89; and WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert has reached agreement with the employees represented by the Palm Desert Employees Organization, for the period June 30, 2011, through June 30, 2014; and WHEREAS, the modification to Section 2.52.555 does not change the MOU/Agreement previously entered in between the Palm Desert Employees Organization and the City of Palm Desert and both parties have reached agreement on the modification; and NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. That Section 2.52.300, Types of Appointment and Section 2.52.305, Definition of Employment Types, of the Code of the City of Palm Desert, California, be deleted in their entirety; and Section 2. That Section 2.52.300, and Section 2.52.305 are hereby added to the Code of the City of Palm Desert, California, as follows: SECTION C: TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT 2.52.300 Types of Appointments The City has the following types of employment appointments, which may be full-time or part-time; temporary or seasonal. Revised March 22, 2012 Page 1 of 5 Ordinance No. 1237 2.52.305 Definition of Employment Types A. Regular Full -Time Employment: Employees are those who successfully complete the probationary period and who regularly works forty (40) hours per week, the maximum number of hours scheduled by a department or division. B. Regular Part -Time Employment: Employees who regularly works less than forty (40) hours per week and more than twenty (20) hours per week and who successfully completes the probationary period. Regular Part -Time employees, provided they are employed on a basis of twenty or more hours per week, are eligible for paid holidays, vacation, leaves of absence credits, proportional to their assigned work hours. For example, an employee scheduled to work six (6) hours per day is eligible for (6) hour of holiday credit. Employees who are regularly scheduled to work 30 hours per week would receive 75% accrual of vacation and sick leave. Regular Part -Time employees, (regularly scheduled for less than forty (40) hours per week) will receive health and life insurance, and other compensation benefits at fifty percent (50%). Employees working less than 20 hours per week do not acquire regular status and are not entitled to benefits. Such employees serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Exempt Status Exempt Personnel, Group A: Certain positions are designated as being exempt from overtime provisions. Such positions are typically those held by managers, directors, high-level administrators, or professionals, as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act. These positions shall be identified by resolution. Among other things, positions requiring attendance at numerous extra hour meetings and conferences are designated as Exempt Personnel, Group A. Exempt Personnel, Group B: Certain positions are designated as being exempt from overtime provisions. Such positions are typically those held by managers, directors, high-level administrators, or professionals, as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act. These positions shall be established by resolution. Among other things, positions requiring attendance at occasional extra hour meetings and conferences are designated as Exempt Personnel, Group B. Ordinance No. 1237 At -Will Employee: "At -will" refers to any city employee who: (1) does not hold regular status, (2) serves at the pleasure of the Council, City Manager or appointment authority, and (3) can be terminated an any time without cause and without the opportunity to appeal. Employees who move from "regular" employment status to an at -will position will be required to sign a notification and acknowledgment of at -will employment as a condition of employment. B. Acting Employees: Acting employees are regular employees temporarily assigned to a position and who perform all the duties of a position other than the position the employee normally occupies. An acting employee can be removed from his or her acting position, and returned to his or her regular position, at any time without cause and with no right of appeal or hearing. An employee appointed in an acting capacity shall receive the salary equivalent to Step A of the acting position, providing it is at least five percent higher and providing that the employee serves in the higher classification for at least thirty consecutive calendar days. Acting appointments shall be made on a temporary, at -will basis. When the employee is relieved of the acting appointment, the employee shall be reinstated, without right of appeal, to the former position and the salary adjusted to the salary range of the former position at the appropriate step as if the temporary appointment had not occurred. C. Temporary, Provisional or Seasonal Employees: An employee who is assigned to work on a particular project or on a job of limited or definite duration, less than 999 hours annually, is a temporary, provisional or seasonal employee. A temporary, provisional or seasonal employee: (1) does not hold regular status, (2) does not serve a probationary period, (3) can be dismissed from City employment at any time without cause, right to appeal, grievance or hearing, and (4) is not entitled to earn, accrue, or participate in any City employee benefit plans, or paid or unpaid leaves, except as required by law. D. Probationary Employees: Probationary employees are employees who are newly hired and subject to a period of six months (1040 hours) probation, which is also referred to as a probationary period. The work and conduct of probationary employees will be subject to close scrutiny and evaluation. The probationary period is part of the selection process, and shall be considered to be a working test period during which an employee is required to demonstrate fitness for the appointed position by actual performance of the duties of the position. At all times during the probationary period, employment with the City is considered to be at -will and the employment relationship may be terminated at any time for any reason by either party. As such, probationary employees serve at the will of the City and are Ordinance No. 1237 subject to termination without cause and without the right of appeal or hearing, prior to the expiration of this period. A probationary employee shall be evaluated by his or her supervisor at the end of the first three months of the probationary. The evaluation will include a recommendation as to whether or not the employee should continue with the remaining three months of the probationary period. Prior to the end of the six-month (1040 hours) probationary period, the employee's supervisor will evaluate the employee's performance. If the supervisor's evaluation indicates that the employee is performing satisfactorily after his or her six months' probationary period, or has remedied any noted performance issues, and is continuing to perform satisfactorily, the supervisor shall submit a recommendation to the Department of Human Resources that the employee has successfully completed his or her probationary period and should become a regular employee. Copies of all evaluations made at any point during and at the conclusion of the probationary period shall be forwarded to the department head and the Human Resources Department for inclusion in the employee's personnel file. Probationary employees are eligible to be paid for recognized holidays. They will also accrue sick, vacation and floating holiday benefits and six -months worth of accruals will vest and credit to them only after they have completed their probationary period and are appointed to regular employee status. Absences during the probationary period will be unpaid. The probationary period is not subject to extension except when the employee is on military leave, as described herein, or on another type of approved leave in which case the City Manager will approve whether or not the period may be extended for the period of such leave. F. Probation Period for Promoted Regular Employees: Regular employees appointed to a new position due to promotion will serve a three-month probationary period, with an interim review at 6-8 weeks, unless they served in the position in an acting capacity for at least three months prior to their promotion. During this probationary period, the City has the discretion to move the employee back to his/her prior position at will and without right of appeal if it determines that it is in the best interest of the City or if it determines that the employee is unable to satisfactorily perform the new position. Transferred or promoted employees, although evaluated according to this policy, remain eligible for all benefits while demonstrating their ability to perform their new jobs. Ordinance No. 1237 Section 3. That the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this ordinance and shall cause the same to be published once in The Desert Sun, a newspaper of general circulation, printed and published in the County of Riverside and circulated within the City of Palm Desert. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, at its regular meeting held this 22 day of March, 2012, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ROBERT SPIEGEL, MAYOR ATTEST: RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA