Agenda Item Name:
Title
Request 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) for Senior Planner in Environmental Protection Department, Land Conservation to replace the Land Conservation and Management Director position, Mid-year FY22.
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Presenter:
Steve Hofstetter, 264-6811
Description:
Request the creation of a 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Senior Planner position in Land Conservation before April 1, 2022, to replace Land Conservation and Management Director position which will be transferred to Parks and Open Space.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Authorize and approve the creation of a 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Senior Planner position in Land Conservation before April 1, 2022, mid-year FY22 including a 2-month hiring overlap with the current Land Conservation and Management.
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Prior Board Motions:
N/A
Fiscal Consideration:
. Fiscal Consideration
The Director position is funded through September 30, 2022. The 2 months of overlap (May and June 2022) with the current Director will be funded through lapsed salaries which currently exist within Land Conservation and which will be augmented by the salary of the Senior Planner being lower than that of the Land Conservation and Management Director through the last quarter of FY22 (July, August, September).
The cost is $41,273 for 5 months of salary and benefits for FY22, and $99,053 for salary and benefits annually. There is sufficient budget in FY22 from lapsed salaries to cover this overlap in Conservation Lands’ budget. No additional budget is needed for FY22.
This action adds an FTE to the County roster which will need to be funded in the future. There is no budget in Parks & Open Space for the position being transferred in the middle of the year, thus it is not funded until FY23. This will require an increase in General Fund appropriations to fund this additional position transferred to Parks & Open Spaces.
Conservation Lands: General Fund: 001.41.4160.537.12.10
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Strategic Guide:
Environment
Background:
This request is for a 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Senior Planner position in the Alachua County Forever program (Office of Land Conservation and Management), to replace the Land Conservation and Management Director position which is slated to be transferred to Parks and Open Space when it becomes vacant (anticipated July 2022 due to retirement of current Land Conservation and Management Director). The position is requested to be filled mid-year FY22 to allow for critical onboarding training and overlap with the Land Conservation and Management Director. The Senior Planner will report to the Program Manager for Land Conservation and Management.
The Land Conservation and Management Director has provided essential expertise in the areas of land acquisition planning, real estate appraisal, real estate transactions (including negotiation, purchase agreements, and due diligence), land management planning, and overall project management. The Alachua County Forever program will lose critical capabilities in these areas with the elimination of the Director position, and will experience a net loss in staff which will impact the conservation land acquisition program immediately.
The 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Senior Planner will complement existing staff with needed real estate expertise, and will maintain current staffing levels. In addition, as the land base has grown to exceed 31,000 acres, with several thousand additional acres on the Active Acquisition List, land management staff needs additional support with the development of management plans, and the procurement and management of contract services. Preserves and conservation easements are located across all areas of the county and as new preserves are opened to public access, staffing deficits are becoming more pronounced, requiring additional contract management and planning support.
Resolution 18-101 confirms the mandate to acquire, improve and manage lands acquired under Alachua County Forever. Land Conservation and Management has the primary responsibility for implementing the stewardship of the lands acquired, as assigned by the BOCC.
A 3-year staffing plan for the Office of Land Conservation and Management was presented to the BOCC on August 12, 2021 at the Board's request, and received support for the replacement of the Director position with the Senior Planner as indicated herein.
Comprehensive Plan Reference:
Policy 6.0 Land Conservation Program within the Conservation and Open Space Element, states “Establish and maintain a land conservation program for the purchase, preservation, and management of natural areas and open space to complement the regulatory approaches identified in other section of this element