SR - RES-10834 - APPOINTMENT MANAGER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER1. SUBJECT
Adoption of Resolution No. 10834 certifying the critical need for the immediate appointment of
Mohammad Jalali - Farahani (Amir Farahani) as Manager - Transportation Services /City Traffic
Engineer while a nationwide recruitment is completed.
2. SUMMARY
Per the recently adopted Public Employee Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) effective January 1,
2013, all Miscellaneous (non - safety) retirees that desire to return to work on a part-time (960
hour per fiscal year) basis must wait 180 days (6 months) unless the city council certifies that the
nature of the employment and the appointment is necessary to fill a critically needed position.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
Approve Resolution No. 10834 making the necessary certification to allow the immediate
appointment of the retiring Manager - Transportation Services /City Traffic Engineer.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The reinstatement of Mr. Farahani as a part-time Manager - Transportation Services /City Traffic
Engineer (retired) will save the City costs of all payroll benefits, as well as salary savings during
the recruitment and selection process. Mr. Farahani will be compensated within the requirements
of Government Code section 21221(h), which is no more than the position's published monthly
salary divided by 173.33 to determine an hourly wage.
ITEM 12/09/14
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GO
N/A
6. GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
N/A
7. DISCUSSION and BACKGROUND
Our current Manager- Transportation Services /City Traffic Engineer, Mr. Amir Farahani notified
the City on Nov. 24, 2014 of his decision to retire effective December 30, 2014. Mr. Farahani
has been our Manager - Transportation Services /City Traffic Engineer for the past six years. We
have begun recruitment for a Manager- Transportation Services /City Traffic Engineer but, due to
the holiday season, the recruitment will be open throughout the month of January 2015.
Based on the new PEPRA law, retirees that the City requests return to work on a part-time (960
hour per fiscal year) basis must wait 180 days (6 months) after their retirement date before they
can return to their previous position unless the City Council certifies that the nature of the
employment and the appointment is necessary to fill a critically needed position. The attached
resolution makes this certification based upon the following:
• there has not been adequate time to complete a recruitment;
• cut -backs over the past few years mean there are currently no "in- house" candidates that
are fully qualified to temporarily fill this key position;
• Mr. Farahani's knowledge and skill level in this position for the past six (6) years;
• leadership and oversight required of a division of nine (9) employees;
• oversight needed in the preparation of the annual Traffic division CIP Budget and
Operating Budgets, as well as City Council briefings and Study Sessions;
• completion of projects currently underway including traffic signal synchronization and
coordination projects, upgrade of the Traffic Management Center;
• oversight of the recently awarded construction contract for traffic signal installation at
Glassell and Palm;
• award traffic signal modification contract for 3 exiting intersection of Chapman/Hewes,
Chapman/Prospect and Tustin /Mayfair;
• finalizing new Transportation System Improvement Program (TSIP) fee rates for Areas
"B" and "C" based on revised project lists, priorities and funding levels which reflect new
growth projections in the City over the next 20 years; and,
• oversee the completion of the traffic and transportation report for the Project
Approval /Environmental Document (PA/ED) for the Meats interchange on State Route
(SR) 55.
Amir Farahani has over 28 years of municipal governmental engineering and traffic engineering
experience, with six (6) years as our Manager- Transportation Services /City Traffic Engineer. He
ITEM 2 12/09/14
holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering, is a register professional engineer and traffic engineer
in the state of California. Amir Farahani has been instrumental in the implementation of all
traffic related measures over the past ten (10) years as both the Manager- Transportation
Services /City Traffic Engineer and the Senior Civil Engineer in the traffic division. He has been
the City's project manager for successful projects such as SR -22 Widening, Santa Fe
Depot /Orange Transportation Center Pedestrian Undercrossing and Quiet Zone to name few. He
is also the key player in the oversight of Orange's traffic signal network both on the maintenance
and capital improvement side.
While Mr. Farahani's retirement date is December 30, 2014 it is my desire to bring him back as a
part-time employee effective January 5, 2015 for a period not to exceed 960 hours while a
thorough nationwide recruitment has been completed. I have asked Amir to assist in the
selection of his replacement.
For these reasons I strongly recommend that the Council adopt the attached Resolution to allow
this critical division to have continuity between the current Manager- Transportation
Services /City Traffic Engineer and the selection of the new Manager- Transportation
Services /City Traffic Engineer.
8. ATTACHMENTS
Resolution No. 10834
ITEM 3 12/09/14
RESOLUTION NO. 10834
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ORANGE CERTIFYING THE NEED FOR
THE IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT OF
MOHAMMAD JALALI - FARAHANI (AMIR
FARAHANI) AS MANAGER - TRANSPORTATION
SERVICES /TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND WAIVER OF
THE 180 DAY WAIT PERIOD.
WHEREAS, Amir Farahani, Manager- Transportation Services /Traffic Engineer, has
announced his retirement from the City of Orange effective December 30, 2014; and
WHEREAS, a recruitment has begun but there has not been adequate time to fill this
critical position; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 21221(h) allows a retired employee to continue
to work for a public employer for a term not to exceed 960 hours in a 12 month period under
certain conditions and also provides for the maximum levels of compensation; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 7522.56(f)(1) provides further that a retired
employee must wait 180 days before returning to work for a public employer, unless the City
Council certifies that due to the nature of the employment, the appointment of Amir Farahani is
necessary to fill a critically needed position before 180 days has passed since his retirement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Orange
does hereby certify that the position of Manager- Transportation Services /Traffic Engineer of the
City of Orange is a critical position within the City structure; and
FURTHER, the City Council of the City of Orange certifies that it is necessary to
immediately appoint Amir Farahani to this position on an interim basis, by virtue of his 6 years in
the position as the City's Manager- Transportation Services /Traffic Engineer and over 28 years of
municipal governmental engineering and traffic engineering experience to fill this critical need as
there is no other viable candidate who can immediately perform the requirements of the position.
This action meets the requirements of both Government Code sections 21221(h) and
7522.56(f)(1).
ADOPTED this day of , 2014
Teresa E. Smith, Mayor, City of Orange
ATTEST: