REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 22, 2021
FROM
ENSEN MASON, Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector
SUBJECT
Title
Employment Contract for Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector Administrative Assistant II
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve employment contract with Sabah Siddiqui to provide service and support to the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector’s Information Technology Division as an Administrative Assistant II for the period of July 3, 2021, through June 28, 2024, for the estimated annual cost of: $71,038 (Salary - $44,678, Benefits - $26,360), with the option to extend the term of the contract for a maximum of three successive one-year periods.
2. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to execute amendments to the contract to extend the contract term for a maximum of three successive one-year periods on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to transmit all amendments in relation to this contract to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Douglas R. Boyd, Assistant Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector, 382-7004)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended employment contract will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Sufficient appropriation and revenue have been included in the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector’s (ATC) 2021-22 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The existing Tax Collector (TROL) and Property Tax (PI) legacy systems were written in the 1980s and were declared obsolete in 2004. The County still relies on these systems to prepare and extend the annual tax charge; and collect, allocate, and distribute approximately $3.4 billion of tax revenue to the hundreds of taxing agency accounts in San Bernardino County. While we have been able to get additional years from the system by applying patches, it is becoming more difficult to address changing business requirements. In September 2019, ATC began documenting the system business requirements to develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) to replace TROL and PI with a new system. This is a very large and complex project that requires the appropriate resources and time to plan a successful robust system that will serve the County for the next 30 years.
Due to the leadership and management experience needed, project timeline, and funding limitations, ATC’s current Departmental IS Administrator is assigned to lead the Legacy Systems Replacement Project (Project) in addition to his existing duties of overseeing the Information Technology Division (ITD) and providing technical leadership and support for all divisions within ATC. ITD management’s workload and responsibilities have also increased substantially as business requirements for technology services and ATC mandated functions continue to grow. The contract Administrative Assistant II will provide administrative support to ITD management and the Project team, ensuring operations continue efficiently and uninterrupted.
Recommendation No. 1 will allow ATC to utilize the recommended employment contract to employ an Administrative Assistant II to support ITD management and the Project team with a variety of tasks related to organization and communication. The Administrative Assistant II will be responsible for scheduling meetings, managing calendars, organizing tasks and agendas, recording and publishing meeting minutes, composing correspondence, assisting in organizing documentation, preparing purchase requisitions and invoices, and providing other administrative support to ITD management and the Project team.
Recommendation No. 2 will allow ATC to execute a maximum of three successive one-year amendments to the employment contract with the selected candidate as provided for in the contract. The employment contract can be terminated by either party at any time without cause, with 14 days’ prior written notice. The contract may be terminated immediately by the County, for just cause.
PROCUREMENT
A formal recruitment was completed for the Administrative Assistant II contract position. Human Resources referred a total of 60 applications to ATC. Of the 15 candidates contacted, 6 accepted an interview. ATC recommends the appointment of Sabah Siddiqui for the employment contract due to her skills and experience, which exceed the minimum qualifications of the classification.
Ms. Siddiqui has over four years of professional level experience in government agencies performing secretarial and administrative duties in support of executives and managers, including calendaring, scheduling meetings, composing correspondence, maintaining files and records, preparing agendas, and taking and transcribing minutes. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Riverside, and a Master of Health Administration degree from the University of La Verne.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 4, 2021; Human Resources (Gina King, Deputy Director, 387-5565) on June 7, 2021; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on June 7, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on June 7, 2021.