ITEM:		CONSENT CALENDAR
4.	CONSIDER NEW ASSISTANT FISHERIES BIOLOGIST POSITION FOR OPERATION OF THE CARMEL RIVER RESISTANCE BOARD WEIR AND OTHER FISHERIES RELATED WORK
Meeting Date:			September 21, 2020	Budgeted:	Yes
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	Salary & Benefits
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Suresh Prasad	Cost Estimate:	$95,300 (full year salary + benefits)
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on September 15, 2020 and recommended approval.
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378.

SUMMARY: The District will be installing and operating a resistance board weir in the Carmel River to count federally threatened steelhead. Part of the work related to this weir requires checking the box trap at least once a day seven days a week. Steelhead that are counted at the weir are measured with a subset being tagged with passive integrated transponders (PIT tags), which allows the District to monitor the movement of steelhead along the Carmel River. The weir also requires regular maintenance to keep it free of debris.

Since the departure of the Senior Fisheries Biologist, Associate Fisheries Biologists have had to help with more senior level duties such as permit acquisition, low flow guidance with regards to releases from Los Padres Reservoir, and permit condition tracking and reporting. Therefore, the District needs an assistant to help operate the weir as well as patriciate in some of the fish rescue operations and other fisheries related duties. A job description for the Assistant Fisheries Biologist position is attached as Exhibit 4-A.

The position would be placed at Range 26 on the District’s salary chart. This placement would be consistent in maintaining internal relationships with other MPWMD job classifications, their requirements, and level of responsibility. The salary range would be consistent in comparison with other agencies for comparable positions in the area. This position was budgeted in the FY 2020-2021 budget. Current fiscal year cost will be dependent on when the position gets filled.

RECOMMENDATION: The Administrative Committee recommends that the Board authorize the new Assistant Fisheries Biologist position and associated salary range.

IMPACTS TO STAFF/RESOURCES: The operation of the Carmel River Resistance Board Weir will take close coordination among multiple staff members at the District. The weir will need to be monitored, maintained, and partially removed during high flow events. Steelhead counts will require reporting to regulatory agencies. This new position placed at Range 26 will help the District operate the weir in a successful manor. At this time, District staff believe that it is unnecessary to fill the Senior Fisheries Biologist position, because the new Assistant Fisheries Biologist will allow Associate Fisheries Biologists to help with more senior level tasks.

EXHIBIT

4-A Assistant Fisheries Biologist job description

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