Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, May 07, 2019
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 19-092 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, REPEALING IN ITS ENTIRETY RESOLUTION NO. 09-018 ESTABLISHING THE CERTIFIED SUPER USER STATUS AND SYSTEMS SUPER USER SPECIAL PAY (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
In January 2009, after discussions between the Personnel Subcommittee (Councilmember Santarina and Councilmember Williams), City Staff, and the bargaining unit representatives, the Personnel Subcommittee approved Staff’s request to establish and adopt the Certified Super User Status and Systems Super User special pay. The Certified Super User Status authorized Systems Super User special pay for employees who are responsible for supporting the Information Technology Division by maintaining and troubleshooting an application and/or providing technical support within their own division and other work groups designated by the Information Technology Manager. On June 4, 2009, the City Council approved Resolution No. 09-18 (Exhibit No. 1) Establishing the Certified Super User Status and Adoption of Systems Super User Special Pay.
The City no longer needs Certified Super User Status and the related Systems Super User Special pay because the City’s IT needs are met by the IT Department. Therefore, Staff now recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 19-092, which will repeal Resolution No. 09-18 described above, and therefore eliminate Super User status and special pay. Staff has met and conferred with Carson Professionals and Supervisors Association (“CPSA”). As requested by the CPSA representative, Staff has conducted meetings with the affected employee to finalize a transition plan prior to ending Super User status and special pay.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 19-092, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, REPEALING IN ITS ENTIRETY RESOLUTION NO. 09-018 ESTABLISHING THE CERTIFIED SUPER USER STATUS AND SYSTEMS SUPER USER SPECIAL PAY."
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE any other action the Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
The impetus for the creation of the Certified Super User Status was the request from then Senior Administrative Specialist employee for additional or special compensation for the computer systems related assistance he was providing to other work group/divisions located at the City Corporate Yard. The employee performed computer system repair, troubleshooting and software reconfiguration to fit specific divisional user needs. Human Resources studied the request and discussed it with former Parks and Recreation Management as well as the former Information Technology Manager. The former Information Technology Manager confirmed that the services the employee had been providing fell outside the scope of his regular duties and that an additional special pay was warranted and appropriate.
By receiving this special pay, the employee served as the on-site extension of the IT Division. The Systems Super User special pay was equivalent to an extra 5% of regular pay. To be eligible for this special compensation, an employee must have met the eligibility requirements and possessed the knowledge, skills and abilities as follows:
Eligibility Requirements: (ALL requirements as stated below must have been met)
• Completion of an Associate's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, computer programming and/or related field.
• Possession of certificates in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access; must also possess the required licenses to create applications within proprietary software programs and/or packages.
• Four years of experience in the administration and troubleshooting of City software such as, but not limited to, IFAS, Scheduler Plus, Optimum Settings, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, CARES, Minstar and Safari Software. The level of experience must be at the certified super user level with supervision or oversight by the Information Technology Manager.
Screening/Testing Process: Passing score on the written exam and performance test administered by Human Resources.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Demonstrate knowledge and skills in system troubleshooting procedures and advanced skills in computer software and hardware used throughout the City.
• Familiarity with Information Technology operating policies and procedures.
• Advance proficiency in reading and interpreting complex administrative schematic diagrams and instructions relating to software ad-hoc programming.
• Advance knowledge in all areas of public administration including budgeting, basic accounting principles, research and report preparation, City workgroup’s operations, policies and procedures, problem solving and analytical skills, computer systems administration of applications, software and office utilities with the knowledge, skills and ability to perform ad-hoc programming within the application, designing system flow and establishing variables of the charge matrixes, testing and troubleshooting.
• Expertise in performing desktop installation of software, assist Information Technology personnel in designing, testing, troubleshooting, data entry, training of staff within and outside the work group/division regarding system usage, and operational flow. Certified Super Users will assist in establishing system security levels for appropriate use within the application for their workgroup/division and will be responsible for identifying the needs of the system user.
• Expertise in writing training manuals and procedures, documenting test data, implementing new modules to applications, automating day- to-day processes such as, but not limited to, activity registration, facility reservation, point of sales, membership and pass management, marketing reports and financial management.
Only one employee has received Super User Pay, effective as of 07/01/08; the cumulative year to date Super User Pay is $43,017. The employee transferred from Parks and Recreation to Public Works on 10/06/14 as an Administrative Analyst and continued to receive Super User Pay. At this time, a transition plan has been discussed and agreed upon by the City, the impacted Department, and impacted Employee, to transfer the IT Super User needs for the Public Works Department to the IT Department.
This special compensation pay was not designed to be ongoing and indefinite but rather was initiated to address the IT support needs that existed in the Parks and Recreation Department at that time. Therefore, with the City’s IT needs being met by the current IT Department, Staff recommends the City Council adopt Resolution No. 19-092 which will repeal Resolution 09-018 and, in effect, eliminate the Certified Super User Status and Systems Super User Special Pay.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
A saving of $4,512 annually.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Super User Status Staff Report and Resolution No. 09-018 (pgs. 5-12)
2. Resolution No. 19-092 (pgs. 13-15)
Prepared by: Faye Moseley, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management