BOARD MEETING DATE: September 10, 2010
AGENDA NO. 41
PROPOSAL:
Execute Contract for Expert Technical Consulting Services in Building Services, Add and Delete Positions, and Revise Salary Resolution
SYNOPSIS:
This action is to execute a contract with retired AQMD employee Gary Heiss, the former Building Maintenance Manager, to provide expert technical consulting services towards maintaining efficient functioning of the Diamond Bar facility and the array of air monitoring stations. This action also approves specific findings under Health and Safety Code Section 40426.7, which the Board is required to make before contracting with former AQMD employees within 12 months of their retirement. The total cost of the contract will not exceed $20,000. Additionally, to enhance efficiency and meet current program needs, this action is to add the position of Building Maintenance Manager and revise the Salary Resolution for the class of Building Supervisor, both in Administrative & Human Resources. In order to achieve further District-wide salary savings, this action is also to delete a Senior Office Assistant position in Information Management. The net annual top-step salary and benefits cost of these changes is approximately $63,654. Sufficient funds are available in the FY 2010-11 Budget to cover the cost of these actions.
COMMITTEE:
Not Applicable
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Adopt the classification recommendations reflected in Attachment 1, adding a Building Maintenance Manager position and deleting a Senior Office Assistant position.
Adopt the Resolution in Attachment 2, amending the Salary Resolution to revise the annual salary range for Building Supervisor, from $61,654.82 – $76,386.20 to $56,049.76 – $69,442.36.
Authorize the Executive Officer to enter into a contract with Gary Heiss, for a total amount not to exceed $20,000, to provide expert technical consulting services related to maintaining efficient operations and functioning of AQMD’s Diamond Bar facility and air monitoring stations.
Approve findings in Attachment 3, pertaining to the contract with Gary Heiss.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
On April 2, 2010, the Board approved staff’s recommendations to unfund the Building Maintenance Manager position, formerly held by Gary Heiss, who retired in March 2010. (The position was subsequently deleted in the FY 2010-11 Budget.) The Board also approved the consolidation of the Building Maintenance and Business Services units into a single unit under the Business Services Manager, and the reclassification of the existing Building Maintenance Supervisor to the new classification of Building Supervisor.
As a result of the recent resignation of the Building Supervisor, management has reevaluated the Building Services unit and determined that adding back the Building Maintenance Manager position is critical to maintaining efficient building and facility operations. Staff also recommends an amendment to the Salary Resolution, revising the salary range for the Building Supervisor classification, back to the level of the former Building Maintenance Supervisor class, to become effective at such time the Building Maintenance Manager position is filled.
Pending the recruitment for a new Building Maintenance Manager, staff recommends contracting for expert technical consulting services with the former Building Maintenance Manager Gary Heiss, to maintain efficient building and facility operations.
Prior to his retirement on March 27, 2010, Gary Heiss had been in public service, first with the U. S. Navy and then with Los Angeles County, since 1966. Mr. Heiss served with the Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control District beginning in 1973, and held progressively more responsible positions with AQMD since its inception in 1977. Mr. Heiss’ career in facility maintenance began in 1980 as a General Maintenance Worker, he was promoted to Building Maintenance Supervisor in 1994, and then promoted to Building Maintenance Manager (previously titled Plant Engineer) in 2005. Some of the most significant of Mr. Heiss’ professional achievements during his public service career involve the construction of the Diamond Bar facility and its transition to a more environmentally friendly, “green” building.
The expert technical consulting services envisioned under the proposed contract with Mr. Heiss include managing the preventative maintenance programs for our award-winning “green” headquarters, which consists of two multi-story buildings and over 370,000 square feet of space. The headquarters complex includes a large nationally recognized air quality laboratory, an industrial kitchen and cafeteria that seats 300, a fitness center, a child care center, and a technologically advanced conference center, heavily used by both our staff and the public, that includes a special Hearing Board room, a modern 300-seat auditorium with a state-of-the-art audiovisual system, various conference rooms, a lecture-style room with theater seating, and a video conference center. Working in this complex business environment are AQMD’s 800 employees and staff of tenants. Additional planning of repair and maintenance projects include over 50 outlying air monitoring sites.
Proposal
This proposal is to add the position of Building Maintenance Manager in Administrative & Human Resources, delete a Senior Office Assistant position in Information Management, and amend the Salary Resolution to revise the annual salary range for the classification of Building Supervisor, from $61,654.82–$76,386.20 to $56,049.76–$69,442.36.
Staff also recommends that the Board authorize the Executive Officer to enter into a contract with Gary Heiss, to provide expert technical consulting services to maintain efficient building and facility operations. The contract will be for the period of September 10, 2010 through June 30, 2011, at the rate of $75 per hour, not to exceed a total contract amount of $20,000.
Sole-Source Justification
Section V of AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole-source award may be justified. This request is made under provisions #4: other circumstances exist, which, in the determination of the Governing Board or Executive Officer, require such waiver in the best interest of AQMD. Mr. Heiss has many years effectively planning and implementing critical repair and maintenance programs at AQMD facilities and has unique expertise to provide needed expert technical consulting services to permit AQMD to effectively carry out mission-critical programs.
California Health and Safety Code Section 40426.7 Requirements
To award a contract to a retired employee, such as Mr. Heiss, the Board must make specific findings under California Health and Safety Code Section 40426.7. The Board must find that, at the time of their retirement, (1) employee was working on one or more programs that are of great importance to the South Coast District, (2) that services of the employee are necessary to assure the continued effectiveness of programs, (3) that the contract is only for that period of time necessary to complete the employee’s work on these programs, and (4) that the employee is the most qualified person to provide the needed services. These findings must be made by a two-thirds vote.
The Board can make these findings as to Mr. Heiss with regards to his proposed contract. The expert technical services included in this contract are vital to the efficient operation and functioning of AQMD’s Diamond Bar building and air monitoring stations. Mr. Heiss has unique knowledge and experience in his areas of expertise, and has formed working relationships with AQMD staff, that make him the most qualified person to provide assistance with these mission-critical functions.
Resource Impacts
The net annual top-step salary and benefits cost of these position changes is approximately $63,654. The total cost of the contract with Gary Heiss will not exceed $20,000. Sufficient funds are available in the FY 2010-11 Budget to cover the cost of these actions.
Attachments (EXE, 64k)
Recommendation to Add, Delete, and Revise Positions
Resolution
Findings