REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 26, 2024
FROM
SHARON NEVINS, Director, Department of Aging and Adult Services
SUBJECT
Title
Employment Contract for the Senior Community Service Employment Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve employment contract with Patricia Valenzuela, as a Senior Community Service Employment Program Administrative Aide, for the estimated annual cost of $26,119 ($22,100 Salary, $4,019 Benefits), for the period of April 6, 2024, through April 2, 2027.
2. Authorize the Assistant Executive Officer to execute amendments to extend the term of the employment contract referenced in Recommendation No. 1 for a maximum of three successive one-year periods on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Assistant Executive Officer to transmit all amendments to the employment contract referenced in Recommendation No. 1 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Sharon Nevins, Director, 891-3917)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The estimated annual cost of $26,119 is funded by an annual allocation received from the California Department of Aging which consists of the federal grant funding for Title V of the Older Americans Act. The Title V funding requires a 10% local match, which is funded by existing Discretionary General Funding approved within the Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) 2023-24 budget. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the DAAS 2023-24 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Department of Labor (DOL) administers the Older Americans Act Title V Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). The purpose of the program is to provide income and gainful part-time training/work activities for low-income older persons, 55 years of age and older, in non-profit and government locations. The DOL contracts with a variety of organizations to manage the program at the state and local level. DAAS administers SCSEP through part-time contract positions due to the limited funding available for this program. Patricia Valenzuela has been selected to fill a currently vacant Administrative Aide position to support the SCSEP.
The Administrative Aide position develops relationships with non-profit and government entities; writes and maintains internal program policies and procedures; enters participant data into the DOL automated system; ensures all seniors placed in SCSEP are eligible for participation and appropriately placed in training sites; provides technical assistance to program participants; answers the phone; and assists the public in the SCSEP office.
The recommended contract shall be effective April 6, 2024, and shall remain in effect through April 2, 2027, subject to the termination provisions of the contract. Authorization is requested for the Assistant Executive Officer to execute amendments to extend the term of the contract for a maximum of three successive one-year periods. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may terminate the contract at any time without cause upon 14 days’ prior written notice to the other party. The County may terminate the contract immediately for just cause.
PROCUREMENT
In collaboration with the Human Resources Department, an open recruitment was posted from July 8, 2023, through July 21, 2023, during which DAAS received 32 applications. Of these applications, DAAS reached out to 10 candidates that best met the desired qualifications to schedule an interview. DAAS was able to reach six candidates to confirm an interview, and these were held on August 1, 2023. An initial candidate was originally offered and accepted the position on August 10, 2023. While in background, the initial candidate informed DAAS on November 30, 2023, that she took a different position and was now declining.
At that point, DAAS reached out to the remaining four candidates that were interested and did not have a chance to attend one of the initial interviews. DAAS scheduled three of these candidates for interviews on December 13, 2023. Patricia Valenzuela was selected for her four years of experience working with the older adult population, as well as her three months of experience working directly with SCSEP as a current participant of the program. She accepted the position on December 13, 2023. Based on her experience DAAS recommends an employment contract with Patricia Valenzuela as a SCSEP Administrative Aide at a starting salary of $17.00 per hour.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on February 27, 2024; County Counsel (Richard Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 4, 2024; Human Resources (Gina King, Assistant Director, 387-5570) on March 11, 2024; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on March 11, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on March 11, 2024.