HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1981/01/20 Item 11a, 11b
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COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
Item lla, b
Meeting Date 1/20/81
ITEM TITLE: Resolution IO.3I'~- Amending the 1980-81 budget by adding a Data Entry
Operator II position in the Data Processing Division
Resolution /O.1d'~ Amending Resolution 10182 relating to the comoensation plan
for classifications repr~d by the Chula Vista Employees Association
SUBMITTED BY: Director of P.A.P.E. ~ J (4/5ths Vote: .Yes~ No___)
The Data Processing Division's FY 1980-81 budget includes 2.5 Data Ent~y Operator positions
which have been filled by two full-time, permanent emoloyees and various part-time,
temporary employees. A serious backlog of data entry work has been developing, primarily
because of two factors: (1) a larger than anticipated increase in data entry workload;
and (2) difficulty in hiring comnetent, dependable part-time Data Entry Operators who
stay on the job long enough to b~ fully productive. Since the data entry backlog is hinderin~
. the Data Processing Di vi sion' s operations and turnaround time and since suffi ci ent funds are
available in the Division's employee services budget to add a full-time "lead" operator posi-
tion (if further use of the half-time operator position is minimized), it is my
RECOMMENDATION: That Council:
1. Adopt the resolutions.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Not applicable
DISCUSSION:
The number of budgeted Data Entry Onerators in the Data Processing Division was increased
from 2 to ~.5 in FY 1978-79 because of the increasino workload and has remained at 2.5
positions since then. The 1980 data entry workload has increased another 28% from the
1978 workload, as shown below:
Year
Number of Records Punched and Verified
1978
1979
1980
374,855
399,201
479,869
A majority of this increase in the data entry workload has resulted from the increased
contractual data processing work performed for other agencies in order to more fully
utilize our computer operations equipment and staff. This workload increase is
reflected by the revenue from outside customers which has increased about 80% from
$43,900 in FY 1978-79 to an estimated $80,000 for FY 1980-81. Furthermore, new systems
for outside customers are currently being installed which will generate additional
data entry work.
The requested position thus should pay for itself in terms of increased revenue, to
say nothing of avoiding the possibility of losing revenue. I am very concerned that
without the requested position the service level provided by Data Processing will de-
crease to a level unacceptable to our users. Although the Division gives hi9.her priority
to City work than to the work performed for outside users, the City's own work is being
delayed by the data entry backlog. Furthermore, if the backlog were to continue over
time and possibly even get longer, some of our existing outside customers may become
dissatisfied enough to find another method of receiving their data orocessing service.
This situation would also severely limit the opportunities for increasing our contractual
. work to'perspectiye customers. continued
Form A-113 (Rev. 11/79)
t o~ '63
EXHIBITS
Agreemeot . .ResQlutio~cmL Ordinance. Plat Notification List
Cla"5"5if.lcatlon :ituuy "ecommendato:mr -
OtherXClass Spec$Stud~NVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT: Attached Submitted on
Page 2, Item
lla, b
Meeting Date 1-20-81
The previously mentioned difficulty in hiring competent, dependable part-time Data
Entry Operators has also contributed to the backlog. The division has hired a number
of part-time operators who have left for full-time jobs elsewhere before they were
adequately trained to be fully productive. This turnover has also reduced the
productivity of the existing full-time operators because they must train each new
part-time employee.
The requested position, a Data Entry Operator II, is a new classification that is
essentially a "lead" Data Entry Operator. With three operators, both the Personnel
Department and I consider it is appropriate to designate one operator as the lead in
order to reduce the amount of day-to-day supervision and coordination with users that
is required of the Data Processing Manager, thus freeing some of his time for higher
priority work. As discussed in the exhibit Classification Study Recommendation, the
Data Entry Operator II would be paid $941-1144 per month, 7.5% more than the two
Operator I's are paid.
The requested position should minimize, if not entirely eliminate, the current need for
part-time operators. In this sense, the position constitutes an increase of only one-
half a position. I anticipate, however, that the productivity of the recommended three
operators would be more than the simple mathematical 20% higher than the existing 2.5
positions because of the previously discussed problems with part-time operators. Therefore,
I plan to utilize an Operator I for some clerical functions on a limited, time-available
basis. Such clerical activities as phone answering and forms handling are currently
normally performed by higher level staff, who could otherwise be performing higher
pri ori ty work.
If the requested position is approved, one of the Data Entry Operator I's will probably
be put on an overlapping evening shift. Although this will require a shift differential
payment of $25 biweekly, it will prevent the need to purchase a data entry machine,
at least until there has been an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of using.an
overlaoping evening shift.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for hiring a Data Entry Operator II for the last five months of the fiscal
year is estimated at $6,860 and the cost of shift differential for an Operator I is
estimated at $275 for a total cost of $7,135. This cost is $4,475 more than the
$2,660 cost for a half-time Operator I position for five months. Sufficient funds
are available in the Data Processing Division's employee services budget to pay
for the requested position and the shift differential.
The cost of the j'equested position should be offset by revenue from outside users. With
this position, the Division will have the equivalent of one full-time operator performing
work for outside customers.
JT:lm
by the City Council of
Chula Vista, California
},D303
Dated
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