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($110,000), four (4) new vehicles for staff ($272,000), and an upgraded training site at the EOC ($550,000)
<br />are included in the budget. Additionally, $267,564 is budgeted in Other Machinery & Equipment for items
<br />• such as chest compression devices, power stretchers, replacement generator, and a replacement Elgard
<br />System.
<br />Eight (8) new positions are budgeted, which are mandated based on the International Association of Fire
<br />Fighter's (IAFF) Local Union 2201 approved Collective Bargaining Agreement. These positions are projected
<br />to start May 1, 2024, and result in an additional 3.33 FTEs. In addition, three (3) Emergency Operations
<br />Battalion Chiefs to oversee operations, personnel, and stations, three (3) Fire -Medics, three (3) Rescue
<br />Sergeants, and one (1) Training Captain are included. The total cost of all 13.33 FTE positions is
<br />$1,440,655, including benefits. The County is currently engaged in negotiations with the IAFF for an
<br />acceptable general wage increase. Although an agreement has yet to be reached, staff has included
<br />additional funding to support an increase in wages. It is critically important for the County to stay
<br />competitive in the local job market for first responders.
<br />Seven (7) out of the fifteen (15) new full-time positions in the General & M.S.T.U. funds are related to the
<br />executive and senior management reorganization at a combined cost of $815,408 for salaries, benefits,
<br />and all required additional equipment and supplies. Various other positions such as a Fairgrounds/
<br />Campgrounds Facility Supervisor in Parks, Electrician in Facilities, Senior Environmental Specialist in
<br />Lagoon, Head Lifeguard at Gifford Aquatic Center, Staff Assistant III in Recreation, Senior Planner and
<br />Planning Tech II in Planning, and a Code Enforcement Officer have been added to increase our
<br />responsiveness and level of services. In the Transportation Fund, a Right -of -Way Engineering Inspector,
<br />Staff Assistant III, and Signal Cable Locator Foreman have been added, while a Road Projects Coordinator
<br />has been removed with a total net cost of $140,428. These positions will help with the influx of
<br />• transportation and fiber location projects. A Housing Specialist II has been added to SHIP to help address
<br />the backlog in housing assistance applications. A Coastal Resource Manager is being added to the Coastal
<br />Engineering Division to more effectively manage the workload and increased complexity of the division's
<br />projects and evolving regulatory environment. These two positions come at a cost of $151,894 combined.
<br />In the Enterprise Funds, Sandridge Golf Course requested a Staff Assistant III to assist with the increased
<br />workload related to record number of rounds being played and the impending new clubhouse. Utilities is
<br />adding a Community Affairs Manager and Safety & Training Coordinator, while eliminating the unfilled
<br />Assistant Utilities Director position. Critical to planning for the future needs of the community is a Utility
<br />Services Integrated Master Plan. The plan will aid the County in managing its current assets and guide
<br />planning for future infrastructural and service needs. Fleet requested a Foreman in lieu of the current
<br />Equipment Mechanic II position to establish more effective control and realign job duties. Based on the
<br />growing technological needs of the County, Information Systems & Technology needs a Senior Server
<br />Administrator to maintain existing systems and implement new capabilities. These positions total
<br />$182,656.
<br />The County continues its focus and commitment to addressing deferred maintenance and capital item
<br />replacement in the proposed budget. Funding for these items were drastically reduced due to the Great
<br />Recession to offset the impacts of reduction in revenues. The proposed budget includes the final year of
<br />the original five-year deferred maintenance and capital replacement plan, $6,706,000 is budgeted for
<br />these projects. $18,923,473 has been spent through September 30, 2022, on deferred maintenance and
<br />capital projects, and an additional $8,280,754 is projected to be spent through September 30, 2023.
<br />• Including the FY 2023/2024 budget, the total amount spent on these deferred projects will be $33,910,227
<br />over the five-year period.
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