Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance establishes the authorized strength for several city divisions, reflecting certain organizational changes of those divisions. The changes will better align personnel with the agencies and funding sources as specified in the 2004 budget, as amended. In addition, the ordinance increases the authorized strength for certain city divisions as detailed below in connection with the 2004 budget.
The City Attorney requests the transfer of five full-time positions within the general fund sanctioned category from the special litigation section to the City Attorney's Office section. In addition, an increase of one part-time position within the Real Estate Division's land acquisition fund is requested.
The Municipal Court Judges request an increase of four part-time positions within the other city sanctioned funds category. The Judges transferred these part-time positions to the court computer fund from the general fund coincident with passage of the 2004 budget.
The Municipal Court Clerk requests an increase of one full-time position within the other city sanctioned category to reflect the transfer of a staff member from the general fund to the Clerk's collection costs fund.
The Department of Public Safety, Communications Division requests an increase in its authorized strength of 49 full-time and 7 part-time positions within the other city sanctioned category. Effective in 2004, in an effort to organize operations in a more efficient manner, the license section and the weights and measures section from the Public Safety Administration Division is consolidated with the Communication Division to form the new Public Safety Support Services Division. As a consequence of the changes, a reduction of 22 full-time and 7 part-time positions within the Department of Public Safety, Administration general fund sanctioned category is requested. In addition, a reduction of 27 full-time positions is requested within the Communications Division general fund sanctioned category.
The Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire requests an increase of seven full-time civilian, general fund sanctioned positions. While the net increase in authorized strength is seven positions, the 2004 budget provides funding for an increase of ten budgeted positions. The increase in civilian staffing will allow the division to hire more administrative support staff members so that firefighting personnel can be reassigned to direct safety duties. Similarly, the 2004 budget for the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police provides funding for 12 additional civilian positions over 2003 levels. The positions have been added to allow the division to hire more administrative support staff members to permit the reassignment of police officers to direct safety duties. Police division authorized strength is, however, sufficient to accommodate the increase in budgeted strength. Both Police and Fire will continue to identify additional positions that can be reassigned in this manner.
The Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire requests an increase of three positions in the division's complement of fire battalion chiefs. This increase in battalion chiefs will not require an overall increase in uniformed personnel. It is anticipated that these promotions will significantly reduce position for position overtime at the battalion chief level. One additional battalion chief will be added to each unit and fill vacancies that are currently being staffed with out of class captains and battalion chief overtime. The promotion of the three battalion chiefs is a budgeted expense in the 2004 budget.
The Department of Public Safety, Administration requests an increase of one full-time general fund sanctioned position that will coordinate the activities of the city's neighborhood safety working group and help identify grant opportunities.
Due to anticipated work-load increases related to the re-structuring of the local Workforce Investment Board, the Office of Education will need to hire one additional full-time staff person within the grant fund sanctioned category in 2004. Funding for this position will not involve general revenue funds, but will come from federal grant sources related to Workforce Investment Act funding.
The Department of Development, Administration requests an increase in its general fund sanctioned staffing of one part-time and five full-time positions. The part-time strength reflects the transfer of a position from the Department of Technology. The five full-time positions are the net of seven land management positions transferred from within the department to Development Administration in the 2004 budget (one of which was reallocated within Development Administration) and one position being transferred out of Administration to the Building Services Division. In addition, Development Administration requests an increase of two full-time positions within its other city sanctioned fund category. One of the positions is a transfer from the community development block grant to the development services fund; the other is for a regional growth coordinator position that will be focused on establishing a new growth policy and assuring a vibrant city. This position will be funded through self-sustaining, special revenue and enterprise funds in the Departments of Development, Utilities, and Public Service.
The Department of Development, Economic Development Division requests an increase of one full-time position within the other fund sanctioned category and a corresponding decrease of one full-time position to reflect the transfer of the position from the general fund to the housing/tax incentives fund.
The Department of Development, Building Services Division requests an increase of two full-time positions in the other city sanctioned fund category to support staff being transferred from Development Administration (referred to above) and Neighborhood Services, both of which were formerly general fund.
The Department of Development, Neighborhood Services Division, requests a decrease of seven full-time positions within the general fund sanctioned category. The reduction is the net of a reduction of four full-time positions that are transferred to the community development block grant within Neighborhood Services, four full-time vacancies transferred to Administration for land management, the shift of one full-time position to the Building Services Division (referred to above) and an increase of two full-time positions transferred from the Housing Division's community development block grant. In connection with the aforementioned transfers and to properly reflect the number of staff for grants currently administered, the Neighborhood Services Division requests an increase of three full-time positions within the grant sanctioned category.
The Department of Development, Planning Division requests an increase of one part-time position and a decrease of four full-time positions within the general fund sanctioned category. Effective with the 2004 budget, one full-time position was transferred to the development services fund within the Planning Division. As a result, the division requests an increase of one full-time position within the other city sanctioned fund category. Two of the full-time staff vacancies have been transferred to the Development Department Administration Division for land management and one full-time position has become part-time.
The Department of Development, Housing Division requests a decrease of two full-time positions within the grant sanctioned fund category to properly reflect the number of staff for grants currently administered.
The Department of Human Resources requests the shift of one full-time position from the general fund sanctioned category to the other city sanctioned funds category. The position relates to the city's drug-free workplace training and therefore is more appropriately located within the city's employee benefits fund administration.
The Department of Technology requests the following changes in its structure to better align the organization in concert with implementation of its new billing model for 2004. The Telecommunication Division requests a reduction of three full-time positions within the cable fund, other city sanctioned fund category to account for the transfer of staff to the Information Services Division, internal service fund. The Technology Director's Office requests the reduction of 27 full-time general fund sanctioned and 25 full-time other city fund sanctioned positions to reflect the transfer of staff to the Information Services Division, internal service fund. As a consequence of the transfers, the Department of Technology, Information Services Division requests an increase of 55 full-time positions within the other city sanctioned fund category.
The Health Department requests an increase of five full-time and five part-time positions within the grant sanctioned fund category and a corresponding decrease of five full-time and five part-time positions within the other city sanctioned fund category. The Health Department has transferred its tuberculosis clinic employees to grant funds from the health operating fund.
The Department of Recreation and Parks requests an increase of 10 full-time positions within the grant sanctioned funds category in connection with additional grant funding for case managers in the Passport program.
The Public Service Department, Transportation Division requests an increase of one part-time and five full-time positions within the other city sanctioned fund category and a decrease of five full-time positions within the Facilities Management general fund sanctioned category. The Transportation Division, as a part of the 2004 budget has transferred the five laborer positions from the general fund to the street construction maintenance and repair fund. The part-time position is for a student intern for the pedestrian safety program. In addition, the Public Service Department, Refuse Collection Division requests an increase of 12 full-time positions within the other city sanctioned fund category and a decrease of 12 full-time positions within the general fund sanctioned category. Five of the positions are dedicated to graffiti removal; dead animal collection and sidewalk litter collection are shifted from the general fund to the street construction maintenance and repair fund in the 2004 budget. The additional 7 full-time positions are the result of City Council budget amendments for bulk collection.
The Public Utilities Director's Office requests an increase of one full-time position within the other fund sanctioned category. The position, funded through the electricity, water and sewer operating funds, will be dedicated to environmental matters.
FISCAL IMPACT: The changes in strength for all agencies are consistent with the 2004 budget, as amended.
EMERGENCY: Emergency action is needed for this ordinance to properly align the authorized strength for departments and divisions with budget authority and to reflect various needs within the city.
Title
To establish a new authorized strength ordinance for various city divisions; to repeal ordinance 2337-2003, and to declare an emergency. (REPEALED BY ORD. 2242-2004 PASSED ON 02/07/2005)
Body
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to establish a new authorized strength ordinance, to properly align the authorized strength for departments and divisions with budget authority and to reflect various needs within the city, to provide for the efficient operation of the city, and for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; Now, Therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
SECTION 1. That pursuant to Section 14, of the City Charter, the maximum number of officers and employees authorized to be employed within the various Departments, Boards and Offices of the City and hereby fixed and established as follows:
Refer to attachment ORD0381-2004 strength.xls
The foregoing positions authorized include all positions within each department, division, board, office or commission, whether appointed or elected except the members of any board or commission authorized by charter or ordinance.
No Appointing Authority shall appoint full-time personnel in excess of the maximum permitted by this ordinance unless authorized by ordinance of City Council.
SECTION 2. Such of the positions within the Division of Fire as the Director of Public Safety and Fire Chief shall designate, shall be within the uniformed ranks and all other positions therein shall be deemed civilian positions, provided there shall not be in excess of five (5) Fire Assistant Chiefs and there shall not be in excess of four (4) Fire Deputy Chiefs; as a normal complement in excess of thirty-two (32)(25) Fire Battalion Chiefs nor as a temporary complement in excess of thirty-three (33)(25) Fire Battalion Chiefs at any one time; fifty-three (53) Fire Captains nor as a temporary complement in excess of fifty-six (56) Fire Captains at any one time; one (1) Fire Chief; and one-hundred ninety (190) Fire Lieutenants. The complements of fire captains and fire lieutenants are intended to be temporary, subject to review and change at any time.
Such of the positions within the Division of Police as the Director of Public Safety and the Police Chief shall designate, shall be within the uniformed ranks and all other positions therein shall be deemed civilian positions, provided there shall not be, as a normal complement, in excess of eighteen (18) Police Commanders nor as a temporary complement in excess of nineteen (19) Police Commanders at any one time; one (1) Police Chief; in excess of, as a normal complement five (5) Police Deputy Chiefs nor as a temporary complement in excess of six (6) Police Deputy Chiefs at any one time; in excess of, as a normal complement, fifty-three (53) Police Lieutenants nor as a temporary complement; in excess of fifty-five (55) Police Lieutenants at any one time; in excess of, as a normal complement; two hundred twenty-four (224) Police Sergeants nor as a temporary complement in excess of two hundred twenty-nine (229) Police Sergeants at any one time.
SECTION 3. Emergency and limited appointments that are made are not subject to the authorized strength ordinance where such appointments are made to cover full-time employees on authorized leave. Authorized leave for purposes of this ordinance includes only injury leave, disability leave and military leave.
SECTION 4. That Ordinance No. 2337-2003 and all other ordinances relative to the authorization of employees for any department, division, board or commission and all other ordinances in conflict herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.
FOOTNOTES:
Previous authorized strength levels. Refer to attachments ORD0381-2004strengthfootnote1.xls and ORD0381-2004strengthfootnote2.doc