To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: MJ Tueros, Acting Human Resources Director
Prepared By: Gabrielle Petersen, Management Analyst I
TITLE:
Title
Classification Plan and Salary for Legal Analyst in the City Attorney’s Office
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
1. Approve the first reading and introduction of an Ordinance amending Napa Municipal Code Section 2.24.070 regarding the Designation of Appointive Officers in the City Attorney's Office.
2. Adopt a resolution approving the Classification Specification and salary range for Legal Analyst; and amending the Budget Staffing Plan by deleting one Legal Secretary and adding one Legal Analyst to the City Attorney’s Office.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The three administrative departments in the south side of City Hall (City Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney) have been sharing administrative support staff for many years. This includes services provided by the Legal Secretary to departments other than the City Attorney’s Office, and equivalent coverage provided to the City Attorney’s Office from support staff in the other two departments. Over the past year, these administrative departments have increased the scope of shared administrative support services to also include the Finance Department (currently on the north side of City Hall) as well as the Human Resources Department (which is planned to move to the north side of City Hall in 2021). Concurrently with the planning for this increased sharing of administrative support services, a vacancy has arisen in the Legal Secretary position (as the incumbent was hired to fill a position in the Finance Department), which leads to this recommendation to approve a reallocation of those responsibilities in the City Attorney’s Office by deleting the Legal Secretary position and creating a new Legal Analyst position.
The City Attorney’s Office requested Human Resources conduct a study to review the needs of the Department regarding the Legal Secretary classification and necessary administrative support. Human Resources and the City Attorney’s Office worked together to determine the appropriate classification through an analysis of the external market and comparison of the existing classification plan.
The Human Resources Department interviewed staff in the City Attorney’s Office to determine a recommendation that would align with the administrative needs of the Office. The discussions indicated that they require a variety of professional, technical, and analytical work including: providing legal support to attorney’s in the Office by reviewing, researching, organizing, and analyzing legal documents such as contracts, real property transactions, ordinances, resolutions, administrative regulations, staff reports, and correspondence; providing professional assistance to lawyers representing the City in litigation, arbitration, and administrative hearings; preparing reports and other legal documents; organizing and managing the day-to-day administrative functions of the Office; maintaining the security of confidential and sensitive City information; and acting as a liaison between the City Attorney’s Office, city staff, outside counsel, and the public. Human Resources conducted a salary survey of survey cities which identified a range of class specifications for positions at varying levels for overseeing their city attorney’s administrative needs as well as providing legal support and collaboration alongside attorney’s in the office. Given the complexity and importance of this role to the City’s overall operation, as indicated in the discussions with the City Attorney’s Office and confirmed in reviewing external survey data, the Human Resources Department recommends that the Legal Secretary position be deleted and that the City adopt the new specification of Legal Analyst.
The recommended classification of Legal Analyst is a professional level class, providing expert support to the City Attorney’s Office as well as overall City staff. The Legal Analyst will deliver high quality, customer focused legal support services; and will play a vital role in the management of the Office’s budget and records.
In order to align the Legal Analyst with internal salary equity based on the scope of the role and duties, it is recommended to place the classification within Salary Range 5160, ($89,468-108,097). The selected range aligns with the range for Management Analyst II within the City’s salary structure. Human Resources selected this range due to the complexity of this position as it relates to the necessary legal expertise and type of work to be conducted. Additionally, the external comparison position of Management Analyst II - Confidential (Assigned to City Attorney’s Office) for the City of Livermore is most similar to the work anticipated in the City of Napa City Attorney’s Office.
As authorized by City Charter Section 75, Council is authorized to designate all department heads, and employees in the offices of the City Manager and the City Attorney as “appointive officers.” All appointive officers hold their position at-will, and they are not subject to the civil service protections of classified employees under City Charter Section 76.1. Staff recommends that Council approve the attached ordinance that will establish the Legal Analyst position as an “appointive officer.”
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
No additional funding is required beyond that already allocated and approved in the
City Attorney’s Office budget. The difference in annual top-step salary between the Legal Secretary position to be deleted ($84,760) and the Legal Analyst position to be created ($108,097) will be covered through salary savings for Fiscal Year 2020/2021.
CEQA:
The Human Resources Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1: Ordinance amending Napa Municipal Code Section 2.24.070 regarding the Designation of Appointive Officers in the City Attorney's Office
ATCH 2: Resolution Approving the Classification Specification and salary range for Legal Analyst; and Amending the Budget Staffing Plan by deleting one Legal Secretary and adding one Legal Analyst to the City Attorney’s Office.
EX A: Classification Specification - Legal Analyst
NOTIFICATION:
City Manager’s Office