July 25, 2012 - Toho Water Authority

CATEGORY:
Attachment(s):
Consent
Contract for Temporary Employment
TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR CONTRACT RENEWAL
Explanation: The Authority utilizes construction inspectors to observe construction
activity of contractors installing utilities on capital and private development projects. Inspectors
provide a critical service for the Authority; they ensure utilities are constructed in conformance
with the approved project design documents.
Projects not constructed properly will not meet the intended level of service and require
maintenance exceeding maintenance requirements of well-constructed infrastructure resulting
in higher utility operating costs and greater customer dissatisfaction.
Prior to 2007, the Authority employed eight inspectors and a managing senior inspector. In
2007, the private development workload began to decline as a result of the economy; the
inspector staff, through attrition, was reduced to six positions and the senior inspector. The
capital project inspector workload has remained consistent over the same period.
In the last year, an inspector and the managing senior inspector positions have been vacated
due to inspector retirements. An existing inspector is filling the role of senior inspector on an
interim basis. A temporary inspector, approved by the Board on August 11, 2011 for specific
projects, was added to staff based upon a projected shortfall of available inspection hours.
The inspector was assigned two specific projects, the South Bermuda Water Reclamation
Facility Standby Power Upgrade and the Laboratory Building inspection. These projects are
anticipated to be completed in August. Staff requests the execution of a new agreement for
temporary construction inspection services based on the initiation of projects associated with
the County’s and City’s planned road improvements.
The temporary employee’s proposed hourly rate is equal to the top out hourly rate of a
construction inspector, $26.87, plus the value of benefits (vacation, sick leave, holidays, health
insurance, etc.) the Authority provides its employees. The value of benefits is approximately
35% of the salary or $9.40. The total hourly rate is $36.27 ($26.87 + $9.40). The proposed
contract rate is the same as the present contract increased by the amount of the increase
provided to the employees of FY2012. The contract also provides for the hourly rate to
increase by an amount equal to any increase in employee compensation that may be
approved for FY2013.
Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the new contract for temporary
employment. The new contract has been reviewed by the Authority’s labor attorney.
Temp Inspector 07.25.12.rfp
7D