ITEM:		CONSENT CALENDAR
4.	CONSIDER EXPENDITURE OF BUDGETED FUNDS TO CONTRACT FOR TEMPORARY SCANNING PROJECT HELP IN THE WATER DEMAND DIVISION
Meeting Date:			November 15, 2010	Budgeted: Yes
From:			Darby Fuerst, General Manager	Program/Line Item No: Temporary Personnel
Prepared By:			Cynthia Schmidlin	Cost Estimate: $20,514
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on November 9, 2010 and recommended approval.
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: A temporary employee from Universal Staffing Incorporated has been working on the process of digitizing all records in the Water Demand Division, making them readily available for access and use. He has been scanning the hard-copy property files in 22 file cabinets, converting them to digital images, saving them, and linking them to the new data base. The documents being scanned include all inspections, correspondence, water conservation certifications, documented water credits, water permit applications and approved permits, deed restrictions, related staff reports, posting notices, and photos. Water Demand Division staff would have been severely impacted in their ability to serve the needs of District customers if they had attempted to incorporate this task into their regular duties.

This labor-intensive activity was originally estimated at 2,288 hours of work, based upon preliminary scanning of files. 1,360 hours were performed in FY 2009-2010. In June 2010, the Board authorized the remaining 928 hours for this fiscal year. However, the original estimate was made based upon the scanning of files related to unincorporated areas of Monterey County. These files contain a relatively small amount of transactions, due to the lack of properties in the geographical area. Now, the project has reached those file cabinets containing records for the Peninsula’s incorporated areas. The cities have a much larger transaction volume and have required significantly more scanning time. Therefore, a revised FY 2010-2011 estimate on time required to complete the project was necessary. It has been determined that the temporary employee will need an additional 1,396 hours beyond that previously estimated, to finish the project. 1,052 hours would be performed during this fiscal year. Approximately 344 hours would then remain, to be completed in FY 2011-2012.

RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the expenditure of $20,514 to continue contracting with Universal Staffing, Inc. to provide an individual, or successive individuals if necessary, to work an additional 1,052 hours during FY 2010-2011 on completion of the Water Demand scanning project.

IMPACTS TO STAFF/RESOURCES: The proposed budget for FY 2010-2011 includes $75,000 for temporary help in the Water Demand Division. $37,856 has already been authorized. A temporary worker from Universal Staff, employed for the 1,052 hours required for additional scanning work in FY 2010-2011, would cost $20,514. This would still leave $16,630 of the amount budgeted.

BACKGROUND: The District has been working on upgrading the extensive data base system in the Water Demand Division since 2004. Programming has been completed and Division staff members have almost completed implementing the new system, which incorporates information previously stored in five separate older generation databases. One of the final phases of the upgrading process is scanning the District’s property files, saving the resulting digital documents and linking them to the new data base system.

EXHIBITS

None

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