ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: June 18, 1999
Author/Local: Peter Judd/7361
RTS No. 00823

CC File No. 1375

Council: July 6, 1999

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Reorganization of Traffic and Electrical Operations Branches

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT the Traffic Operations and Electrical Operations branches in Engineering Services be merged, as described in this report, with the following staff positions to be created, subject to classification review:

- Manger of Administration
- a CEI position in the Street Lighting & Utilities Management branch.
- a Superintendent II position
- 2 Working Foremen positions, or equivalent.

And the following positions to be eliminated:

- a Superintendent III
- 2 Foremen positions
- an Engineering Operations Clerk (or Clerk V)
- 1/2 FTE Clerical support

at no net cost to the budget.

B. THAT the conversion of the following staff positions from temporary to regular full time be approved, at no additional cost, to continue meeting the needs and increased volume of the Film and Special Events program, parking meters, bus shelters and benches, wheelchair ramps, etc:

Traffic Operations - 6 Traffic Painters
Parking Meter Maintenance - 2 Parking Meter Technicians
Traffic Management - 1 Engineering Assistant

POLICY

Establishment of new positions requires Council approval.

On February 4, 1994, subject to Council discretion any recommendations for increased staff or enhanced programs are to be accompanied by recommendations for matching cost savings or related revenue increases.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council's approval to reorganize a number of positions in Engineering to facilitate the merger of two operating branches into one. New positions would be funded by eliminating existing positions so that there would be no net cost. The amalgamation will also provide the potential for future savings and increased revenues, and more efficient operation. In addition, the report seeks to change the status of a number of positions from temporary to regular full time at no additional cost due to ongoing workload.

DISCUSSION

The Electrical Operations branch is responsible for construction and maintenance of street lights, underground cable systems for communications and traffic signals, as well as installation of overhead street signs . The branch has about 70 staff members.

The Traffic Operations branch is responsible for production and installation of street signs as well as the painting of street markings. The branch has about 30 staff members.

A number of recent events and future opportunities make it timely to reorganize these branches and merge them into one:

· The recent downsizing of Traffic Operations by splitting off their previous parking meter maintenance function.
· The retirement of one branch head.
· The implementation of the SAP computer system which can help standardize clerical functions.
· The potential efficiencies of merging the two stores functions in Electrical and Traffic.
· The potential efficiencies of designing replacement yard facilities for one branch office instead of two.

The proposed merger would result in duties of a number of positions changing which would require some positions to be deleted and others created. This can be done at no net cost.

The changes required are:

· Downgrading a Superintendent III branch head position to a Superintendent II.
· Downgrading two Foremen positions to the equivalent of Working Foremen.
· Elimination of 1/2 FTE of clerical support.
· Elimination of an Engineering Operations Clerk.
· Creation of an excluded Manager of Administration.

This position would direct the combined office functions of the two branches and would be in charge of the combined stores function with annual usage of two to three million dollars. The position would advise the branch head on union issues involving the four different unions and associations represented in the merged branch.

· Creation of a Civil Engineer I position

This position would report to the Street Lighting and Utilities Management Branch. It would take on some of the design work formerly done by the street lighting Superintendent and would allow more work to be done managing the increasing number of telecommunication companies wishing access to City streets. Increased revenue will likely be realized by establishing this position.

The costs and savings associated with the above changes are shown in Appendix 1.

Due to a number of existing vacancies, likely only one position will need to be eliminated through attrition. No layoffs or demotions will result from the proposed changes.

The ultimate net savings from the changes will be about $43,000/yr. This does not include potential future savings discussed and potential increases in revenue.

Staff in Traffic Operations and Traffic Management are funded on a performance or project basis, and are hired to meet the changing needs of the City. All of the positions involved are funded from existing revenues that equal or exceed their costs.

The workload volume in Traffic Management and Operations has been increasing over the last five years, sometimes at up to 20% per year, due to the increasing demands of various programs such as:

- special events and filming;
- retrofitting of bus shelters and accessible routes;
- expansion of parking meters;
- new bike routes, Greenways, and similar programs.

When such new work begins, temporary staff are hired to meet the increased workload, and their costs are covered by the specific projects. Temporary staff have now been retained in this manner for five years or more, and there is no indication of any reduction in their workload. To retain staff in temporary employment on a long-term basis creates uncertainty and affects workplace morale. As there is no indication of a reduction in activity in these areas, these positions should be made regular.

There will be no need to increase the operating budget for these positions, as they are already funded through the present budget and billed amounts. Currently, the positions are 50% funded by outside agencies such as filming companies, and 50% by established City programs such as parking meters. Should there be a decline in those activities in the future, the employees would be relocated to other positions, or laid off in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Agreement.

It is therefore recommended that the temporary full-time positions in Traffic Operations be made regular full time.

PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS

A copy of this report has been sent to CUPE Locals 15 and 1004, the Foremen's Association, and IBEW.

CONCLUSION

There are operational efficiencies to be gained by merging the Electrical Operations and Traffic Operations branches in Engineering Services. A merger requires that a number of positions be eliminated and that two positions be added. In the long term, there is no additional cost to making these changes and there are potential savings. We recommend that the necessary positions be approved to be funded by offsetting positions to be eliminated.

In addition, we recommend that a number of temporary positions be made regular full time positions at no additional cost in order to deal with ongoing workloads.

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Merger of the Traffic Operations and Electrical Operations branches
of Engineering Services
Appendix I

Positions to be added	Net Annual Cost/(Saving)
Manager of Administration - pg 427	$65,000
Civil Engineer I - pg 428	$63,000
Sub-total	$128,000
Positions to be deleted or altered	Net Annual Cost/(Saving)
Downgrade Supt III to Supt II	($6,000)
Eliminate Electrical Operations Clerk - pg 22	($53,000)
Downgrade 2 Foremen to equivalent of Working Trades Foremen	($94,000)
Eliminate ½ FTE Clerical Support - pg 13	($18,000)
Sub-total	($171,000)
TOTAL	$ 43,000

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver