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CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
From: EDWARD S. RAYA
Dept: HUMAN RESOURES
Date: AUGUST 28, 2000
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Subject: ESTABLISH POSITION OF
SR. SHELTER OFFICE
SPECIALIST IN THE DIVISON
ANIMAL CONTROL
Synopsis of Previous Council Action:
No Previous Council Action
~ecommended Motion:
1. Establish position of one (1) Senior Shelter Office Specialist, Range 2323, $2,223 - $2,7021month, in
the Animal Control Division.
2. Direct the Human Resources Department to update Resolution 6413, Section Eleven, to reflect this
particular action.
3. Authorize the Director of Finance to amend the FY 2000-01 Budget to 1) increase revenue Account
No. 124-OlJ04410 (General Fines) by $15,000, 2) amend the Animal Control budget to add $25,700
for a Senior Shelter Office Specialist position in Account No. 124-231-5011, and 3) increase the
budgeted transfer from the General Fund to the Animal Control Fund by $10,700.
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::ontacl Person:
Edward S.Rava
Phone: 5161
)upporting Data Attached:
'UNDING REQUIREMENTS:
YES
Amount:
Ward:
Net Cost $10.700
Source: (Acct No)
Transfer to Animal Control Fund from General Fund
(Acct Description)
Finance: ,/ldt; ~- W- A;1
::CUneil Noles:
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CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Staff Report
Subiect:
The addition of a Senior Shelter Office Specialist to the Animal Control Division.
Backaround:
The four Animal Shelter Office Specialists of the Animal Control Division routinely
handle 75,000 to 80,000 calls and 18,000 to 20,000 visitors each year. The customer
service duties of each Office Specialist include answering the phones, logging and
dispatching calls for officers, processing adoptions, returning dogs and cats to their
owners, tracking complaints received, filing reports, logging and making reports of all
animal bites, and mailing letters to dog owners concerning their barking dogs.
In addition to these regular customer service duties, the Animal Shelter Office
Specialists must also complete a number of other administrative tasks. These tasks
include data entry of all microchipped animals (1500 annually), organizing and
interviewing of shelter volunteers, calculating the complex monthly billings for the
contract cities of Colton and Loma Linda, compiling the monthly statistics for the
division, receipting cash and making deposits, processing requests for payments,
issuing spay/neuter and rabies deposit refunds, completing paperwork for retumed
adoptions and refunds, entering data on all citations issued, inputting payments
received for licenses and citations, and generating warning letters for all unpaid
citations issued.
The staff is required to provide coverage of these duties Monday to Saturday from 8: 15
am to 5:15 p.m. On Tuesdays, the shelter is open until 7:00 p,m. resulting in staggered
shifts for that day.
Key Issues:
The Division is recommending the addition of one (1) Senior Shelter Specialist to the
Animal Control Division. This change will result in the following:
. Increased fevenue collection
The current staffing level has caused significant delays in the division's efforts to collect
fines for citations issued, There are presently 1,750 outstanding citations that have been
issued by animal control officers from January 2000 to July 2000. Officers issue an
additional 250 citations each month. This number is expected to increase significantly
due to stronger enforcement and changes in internal policy. In addition, new
ordinances are being considered by Council which would enact higher penalties.
In the current office configuration, staff is more than seven months behind on collection
of fines and late fees directly related to unpaid fines. Follow up notifications and
Attorney's Office filings are not being completed, As a result, the Division collects
approximately 15% to 20% of fines due Animal Control. Increasing collections will be
the primary responsibility of the Senior Office Specialist.
In addition to improving the collection of fines, the Senior Office Specialist will ensure
prompt and accurate billing for the Division's contract services. The office is currently
five months behind on collection of shelter fees for the Cities of Colton and Loma Linda.
. Improved level of customer service
Due to weekend hours and extended evening hours on Tuesdays, staff shortages occur
on three of the five weekdays, During lunch breaks and scheduled days off, the office
staff can be reduce to two or even one. This causes difficulties in promptly handling
the volume of calls, which is frequently 250-300 calls per 9-hour day. Residents
frequently complain that they have been on hold too long, or have been unable to get
through on the phone lines. While phones are answered as quickly as possible, the
volume is sometimes too much for the staff to handle. Service to customers visiting the
shelter is also impacted.
With the addition of the Senior Office Specialist, the number of customer service
employees will be increased from four to five. It is anticipated that this will make a
significant improvement in the level of customer service the division provides.
. Expedited completion of administrative tasks
State Law requires that all animals be tracked from the moment they are in the
possession of Animal Control to the moment a final disposition is made. The four office
staff are unable to complete these tasks in a timely manner.
The Senior Animal Shelter Office Specialist will provide supervision and cross-training
for existing staff so that the administrative tasks are efficiently and promptly completed.
The person in this position will also file paperwork, conduct transactions, provide quality
customer service, track all paperwork, and compile statistics. The division is currently
two months behind on all shelter statistics.
Financial Impact:
The addition of a Senior Shelter Office Specialist will allow the City to collect a much
larger portion of unpaid fines, The additional expense of the position will be largely
offset by this revenue increase, which is estimated based on a percentage of what is
owed in fines from unpaid citations dating to January 2000.
For the remainder of FY 2000-01, the addition of this position will have a net cost of
$10,700. This will require an increase in the General Fund transfer to the Animal
Control Fund.
Senior Shelter Office Specialist
(Range 2323, $2,223-2,702lmo)
9 months salary:
Benefits:
Total cost:
$20,300
5.400
$25,700
$25,700
$15,000
$10,700
Total FY 00/01 cost:
Estimated increased revenue:
Net FY 00/01 budget increase:
Beginning in FY 2001-02, the position will have a net cost of $14,300:
Senior Shelter Office Specialist salary and benefits
Training
Total FY 01/02
Estimated annual Increased Revenue
$33,000
1.000
$34,300
$20,000
$14,300
Net FY 01/02 Budget Increase
Recommendations:
1, Establish position of one (1) Senior Shelter Office Specialist, Range 2323, $2,223 -
$2,702/month, in the Animal Control Division,
2. Direct the Human Resources Department to update Resolution 6413, Section
Eleven, to reflect this particular action,
3, Authorize the Director of Finance to amend the FY 2000-01 Budget to 1) increase
revenue Account No. 124-000-4410 (General Fines) by $15,000, 2) amend the
Animal Control budget to add $25,700 for a Senior Shelter Office Specialist position
in Account No. 124-231-5011, and 3) increase the budgeted transfer from the
General Fund to the Animal Control Fund by $10,700.