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In the Engineering Division, one Lead Public Works Inspector position <br />left vacant in April 2003 will be filled at the lower classification of Public <br />Works Inspector, effective July 1, 2003. <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Also in the Engineering Division, the Landscape Architect Division will <br />be transferred to the Department of Parks and Community Services. The <br />transfer will allow for improved communications and efficiencies between <br />the planning and maintenance functions of the City's parks system. <br /> <br />Department of Parks and Community Services <br /> <br />· A Parks Maintenance Coordinator position left vacant in April 2003 will <br /> be eliminated, effective July 1, 2003. <br /> <br />· An Office Assistant position that was temporarily added to the Parks <br /> Division will be eliminated effective January 1, 2004. <br /> <br />Department of Library Services <br /> <br />A vacant part-time Librarian position will be eliminated in 2003-2004. <br />This position has remained vacant, yet funded, since the City assumed <br />library operations from the County in calendar year 1999. <br /> <br />d. Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) <br /> <br />While we are now seeing the increased PERS rates that resulted from contract <br />changes (16% for Police, 16% for Fire, and 10% for Miscellaneous), PERS has <br />informed the City of additional rate increases due to their investments losses <br />beginning in fiscal year 2004-05 (see figure 1 below). With the fall of the stock <br />market in the last couple of years, these rate increases are not unexpected, but up <br />to this point have not been quantified, and certainly are more than PERS' original <br />estimates. <br /> <br />FIGURE 1 <br /> <br /> Pre-Amendment Post-Amendment Investment Contribution <br />Category Normal Cost Normal Cost Loss Rate 2004-05 <br />Police 12% 16% 6% 22% <br />Fire 11% 16% 6% 22% <br />Misc. 7% 10% 4% 14% <br /> <br />In good times, the City enjoyed very reduced (even 0%) rates for many years. We <br />continued to budget at the normal level and used the difference to fund the long- <br />term liability of other employee benefit costs, workers' comp, and retiree's <br />medical (as well as make additional one-time contributions to the CIP). Over the <br />period of several years we were able to fund most of our liabilities with the <br />savings. Now we are facing the inevitable upward swing of the actuarially <br /> <br />XV <br /> <br /> <br />