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UNAPPROVED MINUTES

SHASTA COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AGENCY (MPO)
SPECIAL MEETING
Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:00 p.m.
Board of Supervisors' Chambers, Courthouse
1500 Court Street, Redding, California

(Note: These minutes are not intended to serve as a transcript or verbatim record of the proceedings of the Shasta County Regional Transportation Planning Agency, but rather as a record of meeting time, place and attendance; the order and general nature of discussion; Agency deliberations; and action taken, if any.)

Agency Members Clarke, Comnick, Hawes, McGeorge, and Reno, and Alternate Agency Members Fust and Stegall were present. Agency Member Kight and Wilson were absent. Representatives of the RTPA, Shasta County staff, and the City of Redding were present.

• Call to Order:

Chair Comnick called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.

• Public Comment Period:

There was no one who wished to speak during the Public Comment Period.

• Consider Authorizing Chair to Sign a Letter of Support to the Shasta County Board of Supervisors Supporting a Proposed County Reorganization - Consider Action:

Executive Officer Kovacich explained that the Shasta County Department of Public Works is proposing a reorganization of staff to meet its changing business needs. If the Board of Supervisors approves the reorganization, a Deputy Director position would be added and reclassifications of the Assistant Director to Deputy Director and a Supervising Transportation Planner to a Senior Planner would take place. The salary of the Supervising Transportation Planner would stay status quo. If this happens, Dan Kovacich's responsibilities would shift more heavily on RTPA matters and less on Public Works' matters. As this change would effect the staffing of the RTPA, the County is asking the RTPA Chair to sign a letter of support for the reorganization.

Executive Officer Kovacich stated the cost of the proposed reorganization would be approximately $5,000 per year to the RTPA. This increase takes into effect the additional hours he would charge to the RTPA, less the fewer hours that would be charged to the RTPA by the existing Supervising Transportation Planner. He felt that staff would be able to stay within the budgetary constraints of the Overall Work Program.

Bill Ramsdell, currently Supervising Transportation Planner for the RTPA, wished to speak concerning the item. He stated he was on his own time to come to the meeting and speak. He complimented both the Agency and its staff for their proactive style and accomplishments over the years. Since 1995 when he was promoted to Supervising Transportation Planner, he has performed all evaluations for his staff and is aware of their career goals. If the Supervising Transportation Planner position were to be eliminated, there would no advancement opportunities for staff when he retires in five years or so. He felt that members of his staff would be at a point in their careers that a mid-management advancement would be justified.

Mr. Ramsdell spoke of the Agency accomplishments concerning interchange and major investment studies that have taken place since he took the position of Supervising Transportation Planner. The existing Agency staff structure has performed well and met or exceeded all Agency goals. He also mentioned some of the projects that are in the construction phase since he became Supervising Planner. He stated there are no current or past problems that would generate a need to eliminate his position. Further, the RTPA in April adopted the 2001/02 Overall Work Program in which all staffing positions were approved. The only change that has occurred since then is the County Public Works Department has told him that he "is a victim of a numbers' game." The Director would like to take RTPA staffing resources and use them for public works purposes.

He stated that the current complexities of the RTPA workload support the need for the existing mid-management position. Also, the RTPA funds work performed by the member agencies requiring Agency staff to interact with management positions within their agencies. Mr. Ramsdell has been the manager to performing this task.

Mr. Ramsdell explained that there is currently a performance audit of the Agency being conducted by an independent auditor. This audit will look at the performance of the Agency over the past three years. He felt it appropriate that the Agency wait to see the findings of this audit before supporting a reorganization of its staff.

Mr. Ramsdell asked that the Agency Members focus on what is best for the Agency, and to consider the fact that there would be no advancement opportunities for its staff. He stated that if it wasn't broke, there is no need to fix it.

Alternate Agency Member Stegall announced she received a memo from Ray Duryee from the City of Redding stating the reorganization would cost the City of Redding approximately $27,000 during next year. Ray replied he came to that conclusion in the staff report to the Board of Supervisors where it stated it would cost approximately $93,000 to the County Road Fund to fund the reorganization. The report further mentioned that the Public Works Department would recover approximately ½ of those costs through additional services provided to the RTPA. Mr. Duryee took half of the $93,000 estimate and based on population, figured it would lower the allocation to the City of Redding by approximately $27,000 next year. He further stated that the City of Redding has not budgeted a decrease in allocations for next year.

Patrick Minturn, Director of the Shasta County Department of Public Works stated he has been Director for approximately three months, and served as Assistant Director prior to his promotion. He reported that the Executive Officer for the RTPA is currently also in charge of County Airports, County Service Areas, Facilities Management, Administration and the budgetary process. The reorganization as recommended would relieve the Executive Officer of all Public Works' duties except for the Administration duties.

Bill Ramsdell wished to add that his position has backfilled for the Executive Officer on numerous occasions when he has been at mandated meetings and on vacation. Mr. Ramsdell currently charges approximately 1,500 hours to the RTPA and 300 hours to the Department of Public Works on an annual basis.

Agency Member Reno stated that his Shasta Lake City Council Members would like to go on record stating that they would like to see the RTPA become an independent entity, thus freeing the Agency of reorganizational issues within the Department of Public Works.

Agency Member Clarke made a motion to approve the staff recommendation. Agency Member Hawes seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 4-3 with Agency Members Reno, Fust and Stegall opposing the motion.

• Adjourn:

There being no further business to discuss, Chair Comnick adjourned the meeting at 4:35 p.m.