To: Board of Supervisors
From: Sheriff
Agenda Section: Consent - Received Too Late For Review (TLFR)
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Approval of an Exception to the Hiring Freeze to Hire 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Forensic Specialist
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve an exception to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 hiring freeze to hire 1.0 FTE Forensic Specialist I/II (Class 407A/B) for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO); and
2. Approve an exception to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 hiring freeze for the 1.0 FTE Forensic Specialist I/II (Class 407A/B), 1.0 FTE Program Coordinator (Class 1425), and 1.0 Public Information Specialist (Class 0295) funded by the Northern California Coalition to Safeguard Communities budget 1100-221955 for the remainder of the fiscal year should any of the positions become vacant in the future.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Workforce & Operational Excellence
Strategic Plan Category: 3001 - Support a well-trained workforce
DISCUSSION:
On March 8, 2022, your Board approved the partnership of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) with the Center to Combat Human Trafficking (Center) and the Sheriff’s Offices in Butte, Lake, Mendocino, and Trinity counties to establish the Northern California Coalition to Safeguard Communities (Coalition). The Center recognizes that law enforcement agencies in Northern California do not have adequate financial resources to independently address the breadth and depth of criminal activity by Drug Trafficking Organizations. The Center has provided support for a 1.0 FTE Forensic Specialist for the last 2 years and for FY2024-25.
On August 27, 2024, your Board approved the allocation of 2 additional FTE’s funded by the Coalition to further support the program and mission to combat drug and human trafficking. It is anticipated that the Coalition will provide the financial support for all 3 FTE’s for the next three years.
On June 4, 2024, your Board approved a hiring freeze for FY2024-25 for any budget unit that was granted an Additional Request for General Fund Allocation (ARGFA). HCSO’s budget 1100-221 Sheriff Operations received an ARGFA and therefore is subject to the hiring freeze. The Coalition sub-budget 1100-221955 is within the 1100-221 budget and therefore is under the hiring freeze even though it is a grant funded program.
The Forensic Specialist position funded by the Coalition is recently vacated. In order to meet the objectives of the program and grant funding, an exception to the hiring freeze is requested. Furthermore, HCSO is requesting an exception for the remainder of the fiscal year for the 3 FTE positions that are funded by the Coalition budget 1100-221955 should any of the positions become vacant in the future. This request is to avoid delays in recruitment for the grant funded positions.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Northern California Coalition to Safeguard Communities 1100-221955
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (1100,221955) |
FY24-25 Proposed |
FY25-26 Projected* |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$296,682 |
$345,698 |
$362,983 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$296,682 |
$345,698 |
$362,983 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
|
Funding Sources (1100,221955) |
FY24-25 Proposed |
FY25-26 Projected* |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
NorCal Coalition Grant Funding |
$296,682 |
$345,698 |
$362,983 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$296,682 |
$345,698 |
$362,983 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
There is no additional funding being requested. The FY2024-25 budget includes salary and benefits for the 3.0 FTE’s that are funded by the Coalition. The salary and benefits budgeted in FY2024-25 for twelve months of the Forensic Specialist is $86,652, Public Information Specialist is $112,368, and nine months of the Program Coordinator is $97,662.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
HCSO is not requesting any additional FTE’s. These positions are already allocated in the FY2024-25 budget.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board could deny this request to hire this position. This is not recommended as these positions are critical to help HCSO combat drug and human trafficking.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: 06/04/2024, 6/11/2024, 8/27/2024
File No.: 24-902, 24-975, 24-1243