SR - RES-10982 - PLAN EXAMINER POSITIONReclassify a Fire Safety Specialist position in the Fire Department to a Plan Examiner position.
2. SUMMARY
To provide better internal and external customer service while simultaneously decreasing costs,
the Fire Department requests City Council approval to reclassify a Fire Safety Specialist position
to a Plan Examiner position in the Orange City Firefighter's memorandum of understanding (both
positions are classified as Miscellaneous). The new position will be tasked with checking the
majority of plans in- house, with a proposed start date of January 2017, which aligns with an
upcoming retirement.
13. RECOMMENDED ACTION
1) Approve the reclassification of a Fire Safety Specialist position to a Plan Examiner position
in the Fire Department.
2) Adopt Resolution No. 10982, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Orange
Amending Resolution No. 10909 between the City of Orange and the Orange City
Firefighters, Inc. Local 2384 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL -CIO,
to include the new salary range for the Plan Examiner position effective January 1, 2017
as follows:
3)
Class Title Range Step A Step B Step Step Step E
C D
Plan Examiner 591 6657 6990 7339 7706 8091
ITEM 3 . 3 �)- 1 11/09/16
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The City would realize an annual savings due to the reduction in the use of outside vendors for
plan check services. The proposed Plan Examiner position salary is equal to the existing Fire
Safety Specialist salary plus 10 percent bonus.
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL(S)
2. Be a fiscally healthy community.
[e]. Create an environment to attract, retain, and expand economic opportunities.
4. Provide outstanding public service.
[b]. Provide facilities and services to meet customer expectations.
16. GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Public Safety Goal 3.0: Protect lives and property of Orange residents and businesses from urban
and wildland fire hazards.
Policy 3.8 Ensure that the Fire Department has sufficient capacity, stations, personnel, and
equipment to meet growth needs in the City for fire protection and related emergency services.
17. DISCUSSION and BACKGROUND
The Orange City Fire Department is responsible for the review and approval of customer submitted
plans and permits pertaining to adopted fire codes and standards. Currently, a Fire Safety Specialist
coordinates the contracting out of 90 percent of the review process, which amount to City costs of
more than $90,000 per year (FY 2015 -2016 actual). This process causes delays to project approvals
and can be frustrating to our clients when deadlines are tight. Therefore, with a pending vacancy
in an existing Fire Safety Specialist position, it is proposed to reclassify the Fire Safety Specialist
position to a Plan Examiner position. Once filled, the reclassified position will have the skills and
abilities to review submitted plans "in- house ".
The first area of improvement will be in customer service. The Plan Examiner position will provide
for better collaboration opportunities and improved workflow between the Planning, Building, and
Fire Departments. This will result in better turnaround times for our external customers, especially
in the areas of resubmittals and revisions, when most projects are under their greatest time
constraints. The added ability to review and sign the plans "in- house" will make the process even
more efficient, allowing the flexibility to prioritize and expedite plans based on the needs of the
customers and the City.
ITEM 2 11/09/16
The new Plan Examiner will review and approve an estimated 75 percent of submitted plans in-
house. In house plan review can be divided into two categories, Over - the - Counter and Standard
Review. Currently the Fire Department approves less than 5 percent of submitted plans over -the-
counter. By establishing the Plan Examiner position within the Fire Department, over - the - counter
reviews will increase to approximately 25 -30 percent. This will significantly reduce turnaround
times for basic plan review, improving external customer service. While the standard review times
will remain 10 business days (industry standard), it is anticipated that many of the submitted plans
will be reviewed sooner than the 10 business days. Further, the City will realize an immediate cost
savings by not using contractual services. Additionally, the Plan Examiner will provide enhanced
technical advice and expertise to both the SMART committee and Design Review Committee,
further increasing our internal and external customer service.
Within the Fire Department, the Plan Examiner will allow for better consistency throughout the
lifespan of larger projects. They will be an excellent technical resource to the Fire Marshal when
evaluating more complex plan submittals and large developments. Additionally, there will be
improved communication between the Plan Examiner approving the plans and the Fire Safety
Specialists performing the onsite inspections.
By reclassifying an existing Fire Safety Specialist position to a Plan Examiner position, it is
estimated that the City will experience a net savings of approximately $45,000 annually, while
improving customer service.
8. ATTACHMENTS
Resolution 10982
Appendix `B"
ITEM 3 11/09/16
RESOLUTION NO. 10982
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ORANGE AMENDING RESOLUTION NO.
10909 BETWEEN THE CITY OF ORANGE AND THE
ORANGE CITY FIREFIGHTERS, INC. LOCAL 2384
OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE
FIGHTERS, AFL -CIO EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1,
2017.
WHEREAS, the City of Orange, hereinafter referred to as "City," and the Orange City
Firefighters, Inc. Local 2384 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL -CIO have an
existing labor contract (i.e., "Letter of Understanding" or "LOU ") in effect through June 30, 2017;
and
WHEREAS, the Fire Safety Specialist position #296 -001 is being proposed by City staff
for a reclassification to Plan Examiner effective January 1, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the classification of Plan Examiner needs to be established with a
commensurate salary range within the Orange City Firefighters, Inc. Local 2384 of the
International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL -CIO LOU; and
WHEREAS, the new salary range for this classification must be authorized by the City
Council and published by the City in order for the salary range to be considered pension - reportable,
pursuant to Ca1PERS law;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Orange
that the attached updated Orange City Firefighters, Inc. Local 2384 of the International Association
of Fire Fighters, AFL -CIO salary table effective January 1, 2017 is amended, effective January 1,
2017, with the new classification of Plan Examiner incorporated by reference as Appendix "B."
ADOPTED this 9th day of November, 2016.
Teresa E. Smith, Mayor, City of Orange
ATTEST:
Mary E. Murphy, City Clerk, City of Orange
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES NOVEMBER 9, 2016
3. CONSENT CALENDAR (Continued)
PURCHASES
3.30 Purchase of fifteen Public Safety vehicles from Ford of Orange, Orange, CA, for the
Orange Police Department (OPD) and the Orange City Fire Department (OFD); and
one Public Safety vehicle from National Auto Fleet Group, Watsonville, CA, for the
Orange City Fire Department. (C2500.M.7)
NOTE: Mayor pro tem Murphy recorded an abstention due to a potential conflict with
employment.
ACTION: 1) Authorized the purchase of a total of 15 vehicles from Ford of Orange,
Orange, CA, for the OPD and the OFD in the amount of $479,149 as follows: 5 Ford Black
& White Police Patrol Utility Vehicles; 4 Ford Taurus (3) and Police Detective Utility
Vehicles (1); 1 Ford Gang Utility Unit Vehicle; 4 Ford Explorer (1) and Ford Escape (3)
Compact Utility Vehicles; and 1 F -150 '/2 Ton V8 Crew Cab Pickup Truck; and
2) Authorized the purchase of one Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Four Wheel Drive Crew
Cab for the OFD from National Auto Fleet Group, Watsonville, CA, in the amount of
$55,864.
3.31 Purchase of two firewalls for Civic Center and Police Department, through a
Cooperative Agreement from Audio Visual Innovations, Inc. of Tampa, Florida.
(C2500.J)
NOTE: Mayor pro tem Murphy recorded an abstention due to a potential conflict with
employment.
ACTION: 1) Re- appropriated $118,000 from account number 790.1601.56033.19640 to
account number 790.1601.56033.20280; and 2) Authorized the purchase of two Palo Alto
Networks PA -3050 firewalls, three -year threat prevention subscription, three -year filtering
subscription and three -year premium support through a cooperative agreement from Audio
Visual Innovations, Inc. of Tampa, Florida in the amount of $89,098.73.
RESOLUTIONS
3.32 Reclassify a Fire Safety Specialist position in the Fire Department to a Plan Examiner
position, Resolution No. 10982. (C2500.J.4.3)
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Orange Amending Resolution No. 10909
between the City of Orange and the Orange City Firefighters, Inc. Local 2384 of the
International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL -CIO, to include the new salary range for
the Plan Examiner position effective January 1, 2017, as follows:
Class Title Range Step A Step B Step C Step D Step E
Plan Examiner 591 6657 6990 7339 7706 8091
ACTION: 1) Approved the reclassification of a Fire Safety Specialist position to a Plan
Examiner position in the Fire Department; and 2) Adopted Resolution No. 10982.
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