|
TO: |
Board of Trustees |
|
THROUGH: |
Jay Fox, Executive Director |
|
FROM: |
Mary DeLoretto, Chief Service Development Officer |
|
PRESENTER(S): |
William Greene, Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
Paul Drake, Director Real Estate and TOD |
TITLE:
title
TBA2023-01-01 - Technical Budget Adjustment - FTE Request for Facilities Development Team
end
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:
Other Approval
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve staffing request to add two Full Time Employees (FTEs) to the Real Estate Department to more adequately address the planning and administration of agency facilities.
BACKGROUND:
As UTA’s service expands to meet the growing needs of the region, so do its requirements for additional and upgraded facilities. Existing facilities need to be analyzed and managed appropriately to optimize their effectiveness. Many of the agency’s needs are not currently being fully addressed, and ownership of critical decisions regarding the use, expansion, construction, and management of agency facilities is fragmented.
To consolidate these decisions with other Real Estate functions, and ensure the timely update, upgrade, or scheduled renovation of these assets and their components, it has been determined that a group should be formed and dedicated to the planning and administration of agency facilities.
DISCUSSION:
Last spring, under guidance of UTA’s Executive Director, the Organization undertook a review of current practices looking for cross functional near-term improvements consistent with the Budget Framework.
This resulted in the identification of seven major Strategic Initiatives that were identified for inclusion in the2023 Budget or would be more fully developed for implementation in the future. One of the seven initiatives was the development and implementation of a Real Estate Strategy.
The initial effort required of this team will include establishing a refined, comprehensive Facilities Master Plan, describing the state of the agency’s existing facilities, and identifying current and future needs. This plan is intended to guide immediate space allocation as well as the agency’s short- and long-term investment decisions.
The team will establish and enforce workspace standards and policies and regularly coordinate with UTA leadership and business units throughout the system to identify and meet facility needs. They will oversee the implementation of projects identified in the Facilities Master Plan and evaluate internal requests for appropriate use of agency buildings and real property.
To meet the immediate need, two FTEs will be required, including a Facilities Development Manager and a Facilities Development Strategist.
ALTERNATIVES:
Continue with the current state and seek funding in 2024. Delaying the hiring of these employees would delay the initiation of planning and ultimate implementation of critical actions affecting UTA’s ability to provide high quality service.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This request will be covered by existing budget authority due to projected underruns in the department budget and direct charges to capital projects. There is no impact to the existing budget or adopted fund balances. Ongoing costs for personnel would be added to the department base operating budget in years 2024 and beyond.
ATTACHMENTS:
Technical Budget Adjustment Exhibit A