City Council Agenda
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Memo to: |
Manteca City Council |
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From: |
Stephanie Van Steyn, Director of Human Resources |
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Date: |
October 21, 2025 |
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Subject: |
New Job Classification of Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician Trainee; Updated Salary Matrix for Operating Engineers’ Local Union No. 3/General Services; and Updated Side Letter Agreement with OE3 regarding Flex Staffing |
Recommendation:
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Adopt a resolution approving: 1) Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician Trainee job classification; 2) Updated OE3 Salary Matrix; and 3) Updated Side Letter Agreement with OE3 regarding Flex Staffing.
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Background:
The Parks Maintenance Division has had difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified Urban Forestry Maintenance Technicians. In the current fiscal year budget, there are three (3) full-time Technician positions approved, which is the same as last fiscal year. For the past two fiscal years, there has been only one filled position, and Human Resources is continuously recruiting to fill 2 out of 3 positions. The pool of candidates has been limited presumably due to the working environment and license requirements. These positions play an important role in caring, maintaining and removing trees throughout the City.
On September 2, 2025, City Council approved a budget appropriation to purchase a new towable drum woodchipper for the Parks Maintenance Division in Public Works. The new chipper that will be purchased will only require a Class B driver’s license, versus a Class A driver’s license.
Human Resources staff worked with Parks Maintenance Division staff to lower the driver’s license requirement on the Urban Forestry Technician job description to a Class B, and met and conferred with the OE3 bargaining unit. The qualified pesticide applicator license (QAL) was also removed, to assist with recruitment efforts. The Supervisor and Manager classifications already require the QAL, and therefore the Division has enough staff with this required license.
Human Resources and Parks Maintenance Division staff also met and conferred with the OE3 bargaining unit on creating a new lower-level Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician Trainee job classification, which will allow someone to learn the Technician job, and provide time to obtain a Class B driver’s license, within 12 months of appointment. The proposed wage grade for the Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician Trainee classification is wage grade 26, which is similar to the Parks/Golf Maintenance Worker II. The Trainee and the Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician job classifications will also be added to the flex staffing arrangement for the OE3 unit. This will allow the Parks Maintenance Division flexibility to hire Trainees who may, in time, qualify for the regular Technician classification.
Fiscal Impact:
No budget appropriation is requested to implement these recommended changes. One Parks/Golf Maintenance Worker I will be reclassified to Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician Trainee, having worked alongside the incumbent Technician for over a year and now meeting the qualifications for the Trainee classification. Existing salary savings from two ongoing vacancies are sufficient to cover the reclassification costs. Human Resources will continue recruitment to fill the remaining two Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician vacancies. The Parks Maintenance Division may also consider underfilling future vacancies with the Trainee classification as appropriate.
Documents Attached:
1. Attachment 1 - Resolution
2. Attachment 2 - Urban Forestry Maintenance Technician Trainee Job Description
3. Attachment 3 - OE3/General Services Salary Matrix - Updated October 21, 2025
4. Attachment 4 - Updated Side Letter Agreement with OE3 Regarding Flex Staffing