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Home My WebLink AboutCOW 2005-02-14 Item 4E - Budget - Fire Prevention Staffing COUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS !talk o TE21f N0. I i%1, 1 y 1 A•leair,R Dale 1 Prepared by 1 Ma,or''s review Council miew at 1 2/14/200 I N Olives 1 w T 1 1 1 I 1 raoa 1 1 A 1 ITEM INFORMATION I CAS NUMBER: 05-021 I ORIGLNAL AGENDA DATE: 2/14/05 AGENDA ITEM TITLE Fire Prevention Staffing CATEGORY Duet. -non Motion Rnokution Ordinance Bid Award Public Hearing Othrr Mfg Date Mfg Date Alta Date Mfg Date Mfg Date 3Ug Date ALB Darr SPONSOR Council Akor Adm Svcs DCD Finance Fire Legal Pent police Pip/ SPONSOR'S The workload for our fire prevention staff has been steadily increasing. Future projects SUATLARY including Sound Transit, Westfield Mall, 3C Penney property redevelopment and TVS will overwhelm existing staff capacity. To adequately deal with the pending projects we need to increase the fire prevention staff by one Lt. Inspector. REVIEWED BY COW Mtg. CA&P Cmte F&S Cmte Transportation Cmte Utilities Cmte Arts Comm. Parks Comm. Planning Comm. DATE: 2/7/2005 RECOMMENDATIONS: SPONSOR /ADMIN. Approve CO,MMITPEE Move to COW with additional information. COST IMPACT FUND SOU_ RCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AMOUNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED $72,187.00 $0 Fund Source: GENERAL FUND Comments: $65,867 for replacement FE (includes 15% benefits), $6320 additional for new lieutenant MTG. DATE I RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION 2/14/05 I 1 I 1 I I MTG.DATEI ATTACHMENTS 2/14/200 Discussion from fire chief on new position Memo from Chi Ol ivas dated 2/9/05 F&S Committee minutes from 2/7/05 mtg. I 1 1 I 1 I 1 City of Tukwila - Steven M. Mullet, Mayor Fire Depa.rtment Nicholas]. Olivas, Fire Chief To: From: Subject: Date: Tu1.'wila City Council Chief Olivas New Fire Prevention Position February 9, 2005 The Tukwila Fire Prevention Bur~au presently consists of 5 personnel; the fire marshal, two lieutenant inspectors, one civilian inspector and one secretary. The two lieutenant inspectors are responsible for the majority of new construction and tenant improvements; they review all associated plans and conduct the required inspections. Currently, the civilian inspector performs business inspections (each business is inspected once every 18 months) and does some new construction/tenant improvement work depending on his and the bureaus' workload. The workload for the staffhas been steadily increasing. Future projects including Sound Transit, Westfield Mall expansion, JC Penney property redevelopment, and TVS combined with the normal level of construction activity will overwhelm existing staff capacity. The mayor's office concurs with this assessment and is supportive of my recommendation to add one additionallieutenantJinspector to fire prevention pending council approval. Our senior fire prevention lieutenant will be retiring in 2007; prior to his retirement, we will evaluate the workload in fire prevention to determine whether or not the additional position is still required. If our analysis demonstrates that the workload is insufficient to justify the additional inspector, we will revert back to our current staffing level upon his retirement. Coinciding with this change, we are seeking reclassification of our civilian inspector to Senior Plans Examiner. Due to some of the unique features at the mall, we feel that it is essential that one person conduct all the plan review for the project. In addition, we have been advised by the city of San Jose that we need to keep a close eye on this project because the contractor will fast track it. Our intention is to assign the project to one inspector to maintain the continuity necessary to insure the things are done properly. We are also in the process of hiring lateral entry (experienced) firefighters. As of this date, offers have been made to two individuals. One will take the place of our firefighter on military leave (until this October); the other ,vill fill a position that will be vacated this summer as a result of a retirement. I anticipate that the start date for these two personnel will be March first. The addition of these two firefighters, combined with the return of a lieutenant on disability, will bring us to full staffing. Baring any additional disabilities, long- term illness or any other unforeseen event, we will see a reduction of our overtime Headquarters Station: 444 Andover Park East . Tukwila, Washington 98188 . Phone: 206.575.4404 . Fax: 206.575.4439 expenditure. To fill the shift position vacated by the promotion to fire prevention, we will hire a third lateral entry firefighter; this will allow us to remain at full staffing. I have identified the cost of my proposal to be $44,290.00. This includes the cost of adding the third lateral entry firefighter ($37,970.00) for 6 months and the difference between a:first class firefighter and a lieutenant for 6 months ($6,320.00). Discussions regarding adding an inspector position occurred at the beginning of the 2005 budget process. The reduction of overtime (as discussed above) should be more than sufficient to cover the expenses associated with my proposal. Filling the spot caused by military leave alone will reduce overtime on his shift and average of 9 shifts per month; this equates to an approximate overtime savings of$52,000. Additional overtime savings will be realized by the addition of the secDnd lateral entry firefighter. With our anticipated overtime savings, it is unlikely that a budget amendment is needed for the new position. I request that you approve one additional position in fire prevention. I will be at the council meeting to answer any questions you have regarding this issue. Finance and Safety February 7,2005 4. MJ Durkan Contract for Services The contract for Martin Durkan is the same as last year's contract, and the costs have remained constant at S4,000/month plus S500 expenses. The scope of services has changed, however. Last year Jamie was working on Sound Transit issues, and this year he will work on TVS, in addition to general items of interest and import to the City. Recommend contract to CO\V. 5. Contract with Ball Janik, LLP Ball Janik's contract is going up 4.1 %, from S8,500lmonth to S8,850/month. The scope of services is extensive, and it has been very beneficial for the City to have Ball Janik's services in Wasbington, D.C. Committee members expressed their ~appreCiation for the firm's work. Re~ommend contract to CO,\,. . 6. Additional Fire Prevention Staff Tukwila's Fire Prevention Bureau currently has a fire marshal, two lieutenant inspectors, a civilian inspector, and a secretary. Nick explained that with Sound Transit, Westfield Mall, TVS and the JC Penney redevelopment, the small department is being overwhelmed. Nick is requesting an additional fire inspector, who would be hired from current staff. The civilian inspector will also be reclassified to be able to do all the plan reviews. One of the inspectors is due to retire in two years, so it's possible the staff could return to its current size then if development slows. The Committee asked about the current department strength. Nick said he would hire two laterals immediately, and a third later to replace the individual moving into fire prevention. Of the two near-term hires, one fills the vacancy created by"an employee currently on military leave and the other will replace a firefighter who is retiring this summer. Pam asked what the civilian inspector does now, and Nick said he performs "company level inspections", some plan reviews, and some tenant improvement/new construction inspections. The Committee supported the lateral hires, but asked Nick to show the cost, where the money comes from, and where the new people would go in the organization. Recommend to CO\V adding positions to the Fire Department. 7. Above Ground Tank Variance Request Above ground tanks are allowed in the NIlC, Ll and CLl zones. Two requests for variances have been received: one from the King County Transfer Station in the TVS zone and one from Lewis and Clark Theaters in the RCC on Tukwila International Boulevard. Nick had visited both sites to evaluation both proposed locations. Neither location is visible to residential areas. Dennis thought it would be o.k. if there were enough screening. Committee members wanted more information, including a site map of each property, the proposed location of the tanks, TMC requirements such as screening, and an assessment of security risks. Reschedule. 8. Future Committee Issues Dennis asked staff what issues they anticipated tlus year. Pam suggested an information briefmg from the HaztvIat crew, and that there are probably programs in the Police Department about which the committee should learn. would be of interest to Council. Dennis said he had been talking with the City Attorney about the city's animal control ordinance, which he is interested in strengthening. That ordinance and the City's animal control contract with King County will be one issue. Finance policies are another issue. Kevin will build on Alan's start on the policies, and he can add to it throughout his first full year here. Dennis was