Title
Elimination of Vacant Staff Position 20001069 and Transfer of Staff Position 20004138.
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Eliminate vacant staff position 20001069 (Zoning Inspector) from cost center 42002-110, and transfer position 20004138 (Environmental Inspector) from cost center 42001-279 to cost centers 42002-110 (.71 FTE) and 43002-208 (.29 FTE).
BACKGROUND:
Sedgwick County assumed responsibility for the Local Environmental Protection Program (LEPP) grant from the City of WIchita in July 2005. In SFY 2012, the LEPP grant award for Sedgwick County was $62,617. The current grant period ends June 30, 2012, and the grant program has not been renewed by the state for the 2013 fiscal year.
For the 2012 SFY, LEPP grant funds were used to fund an Environmental Inspector position within Code Enforcement. With the end of the grant, the department proposes moving the Environmental Inspector position from grant funds to being funded by a combination of General Fund dollars and Solid Waste Fee dollars.
To ensure the transfer of the Environmental Inspector position does not produce any negative effect on the General Fund, the department would like to eliminate a vacant Zoning Inspector position (20001069) and use the funds budgeted for that position to fund the majority of the Environmental Inspector position (.71 FTE). The responsibilities of the Environmental Inspector qualify the remaining .29 FTE of the position to be funded with Solid Waste Fee funds.
Given the current fiscal constraints, Code Enforcement believes the Environmental Inspector position and its related expertise is a better fit for the current work load and anticipated work load for onsite wastewater systems and water well activities than the vacant Zoning Inspector position. In addition, the Environmental Inspector positon has a greater opportunity for flexibility to add additional duties should the need arise. In the event a City/County Code Enforcement merger is completed the number of requests for inspections will increase, and the Environmental Inspector position is better equipped to meet that demand than a Zoning Inspector position. The Zoning Inspector position is more limited with less opportunities for additional duties within its scope.
ALTERNATIVES: Allow the State funding to expire for position 20004138 and terminate the employment of the inspector who fills that position.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: If the proposal is approved, cost center 42002-110 will be assigned the expenses associated with .71 FTE of the Environmental Inspector position and cost center 43002-208 will be assigned the expenses associated with the remaining .29 FTE of the position. The budgeted expenses for the vacant Zoning Inspector position will be used to cover the cost of .79 FTE of the Environmental Inspector position. The net impact on the General Fund from these changes is a savings of $145.
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS: Submitted per BoCC and Financial Department policies.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: N/A