Request Additional FTE for Field Engineering Technician I or II (Engineering Water Resources Team)City of Dubuque
City Council
ACTION ITEMS # 8.
Copyrighted
August 4, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Request Additional FTE for Field Engineering Technician I or
II (Engineering Water Resources Team)
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending the authorization of an
additional full time employee (FTE) for a Field Engineering
Technician I (NB10) or 11 (NB11) for the Engineering Water
Resource Team within the Engineering Department using
budgeted CIP funds from several significant, multi -year
projects: Old Mill Road Lift Station Projects: Phase I — Lift
Station Site; Phase 11 — Fore Main; and Catfish Creek
Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Projects: South Fork — Phase 4;
and Middle Fork — Phase 3.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo
2. 2025-07-30 StaffMemo-AddFTE-WtrRscFieldTech
Page 1238 of 1311
THE CITY OF
DUBE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Request Additional FTE for Field Engineering Technician I or II
(Engineering Water Resources Team)
DATE: July 31, 2025
Dubuque
AI WIN av
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is recommending the authorization of an additional full time
employee (FTE) for a Field Engineering Technician I (NB10) or II (NB11) for the
Engineering Water Resource Team within the Engineering Department using budgeted
CIP funds from several significant, multi -year projects: Old Mill Road Lift Station
Projects: Phase I — Lift Station Site; Phase II — Fore Main; and Catfish Creek Sanitary
Sewer Interceptor Projects: South Fork — Phase 4; and Middle Fork — Phase 3.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Max O'Brien, Civil Engineer
Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Laura Bendorf, Budget Manager
Kristen Dietz, Talent Acquisition Manager
Shelley Stickfort, Chief Human Resources Officer
Todd Irwin, Water Resources Project Supervisor
Page 1239 of 1311
Dubuque
THE CITY OF
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
DATE: July 30, 2025
RE: Request Additional FTE for Field Engineering Technician I or 11
(Engineering Water Resources Team)
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to seek authorization for an additional full time employee
(FTE) for a Field Engineering Technician I (NB10) or II (NB11) for the Engineering Water
Resource Team within the Engineering Department.
BACKGROUND
As part of the FY26 budget process, the City approved an improvement package
consolidating two part-time Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) inspectors into one full-time Field
Engineering Technician I or II position. This brings the Water Resources Team to a total
of six FTEs. As part of this restructuring, a part-time inspector, who primarily supports the
sidewalk program, was reassigned to the Engineering Streets Team, as he does not
perform I&I-related activities.
The newly created technician position was advertised on June 23, 2025, and the hiring
team is currently reviewing applications. This position is intended to support the
development and implementation of a systematic I&I program and provide operational
maintenance support for the City's MS4 system, including detention basin maintenance.
Currently, Field Engineering Technician III Luke Steger is the team's primary inspector
and is at capacity with scheduled inspections for the remainder of 2025 and much of 2026.
He also supports the sidewalk program and special projects, further reducing his
availability. Design Engineering Technician III Charlie Gau provides occasional inspection
support but is also heavily involved in design work and special assignments. The rest of
the team primarily handles design, analysis, and budgeting, with limited capacity for
additional fieldwork.
Due to the current and upcoming large-scale CIP projects, staff have identified the need
to expand internal inspection capacity to reduce reliance on external consultants and stay
within existing project budgets.
Page 1240 of 1311
DISCUSSION
The Water Resources Team is managing several significant, multi -year projects,
including:
• Old Mill Road Lift Station Projects:
o Phase I — Lift Station Site(CIP #5581500006)
o Phase II — Force Main (CIP #5581500054)
• Catfish Creek Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Projects:
o South Fork — Phase 4 (CIP #5581500052)
o Middle Fork— Phase 3 (CIP #5581500053)
These projects require dedicated daily construction inspection. Originally, Water
Resource Project Supervisor was slated to handle civil inspections for the Old Mill Road
Lift Station projects. However, due to his upcoming responsibilities with the Catfish Creek
projects, he is no longer available.
Consultant inspection fees (—$125/hour) are not sustainable under the current SRF loan -
supported budgets. City budgets for Phases 1 and 2 assumed internal inspection
resources, and this model must continue for Phases 3 and 4, scheduled for construction
from 2026 to 2028.
Staff propose hiring a second FTE Field Engineering Technician from the existing
applicant pool to meet these inspection needs. Preliminary review with Talent Acquisition
Manager indicates that two qualified candidates can likely be identified.
RECOMMENDATION
In order to fund the additional FTE, staff have identified the following budgetary needs-
- Salary & Benefits (assumed Engineering Field Technician II at NB11, step 2):
$87,386/year
o Staff recommend to fund from projects as identified in Budget Impact.
- Vehicle: No Additional Fleet Costs Needed
o Staff recommend use of the existing I&I F250 truck (ID #915) utilized by part
time Sidewalk Inspector.
o Staff recommend that part time Sidewalk Inspector utilize one of the fleet
vehicles (ID #903 or ID #914) for sidewalk inspections.
o Trucks #915 and #916 are funded through sanitary sewer and stormwater
enterprise funds respectively. Staff has confirmed there is adequate fueling
and maintenance budget for these vehicles within existing budget line items.
Computer and Desk Phone: No Additional Office Equipment Costs Needed
o Staff recommend use of existing I&I computer.
o Staff recommend that part time Sidewalk Inspector be moved from the I&I
desk/computer station over to the unassigned workstations.
2
Page 1241 of 1311
- Cell phone (AT&T First Net): $0.99 (smart phone) plus $540 annual fees
o The smart phone for Sidewalk Inspector and the vacant Field Engineering
Technician for Water Resource Team are both scheduled for replacement
in FY26 for a total of $910 under Sanitary Sewer Utility GL Code 610-55-
5510-80-815-5502-00-01-65045. This operating budget does not account
for phones purchased under the First Net discount.
■ Staff recommend utilizing the Sanitary Sewer Utility GL Code 610-
55-5510-80-815-5502-00-01-65045 to purchase new phone for the
requested FTE.
■ Staff recommend utilizing the Sanitary Sewer Utility GL Code 610-
55-5510-80-815-5502-00-01-63730 for the monthly charges for the
new phone for the requested FTE.
o Staff recommend that the Sidewalk Inspector is future phone replacement
and monthly usage fees be budgeted under roadway related operating fund.
■ Under the Engineering Streets Telecom GL Code -20-
210-5502-00-01-63730-), there is $11,400 budgeted for the monthly
charges for the smart phones data plans for the Engineering Streets
team. Based on actual costs, there is a savings that would
accommodate additional data charges of approximately $540
annually.
- Tablet (AT&T First Net): $840 (tablet) plus $495 annual fees
o The tablet for Sidewalk Inspector and the vacant Field Engineering
Technician for Water Resource Team are both scheduled for replacement
in FY26 for a total of $910 under Sanitary Sewer Utility GL Code 610-55-
5510-80-815-5502-00-01-65045. This operating budget does not account
for tablets purchased under the First Net discount.
■ Under the Sanitary Sewer Utility GL Code -80-815-
5502-00-01-64190, there is $38,224 budgeted for the monthly
charges for the tablet data plans and software needs for the
Engineering Water Resources team. Based on actual costs, there is
a savings that would accommodate the costs of both the additional
data charges (approximately $540 annually) and the initial purchase
of the tablet (approximately $840).
■ Future tablet replacements will be out of the computer replacements
CIP, to be budgeted as needed.
o Staff recommends that Sidewalk Inspector's future phone replacement and
monthly usage fees be budgeted under a sidewalk or roadway related
operating fund.
■ Under the Engineering Streets Telecom GL Code -20-
210-5502-00-01-63730-), there is $11,400 budgeted for the monthly
charges for the tablet data plans for the Engineering Streets team.
Based on actual costs, there is a savings that would accommodate
the additional data charges for a phone of approximately $495
annually.
3
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- Miscellaneous Software, Trainings and Manuals:
o The current budget for these items have sufficient funding to accommodate
the needs for the additional requested FTE with no additional funds
requested.
BUDGETIMPACT
Salary/Benefits-
- Need: $87,386/year
- Anticipated CIP projects to support staff costs for the next several years include
the following:
o *Note: Majority of staff time anticipated to be charged to these projects,
other projects listed cover other anticipated/ongoing CIP's this position will
assist with.
o Recommend position funded 70% ($61,170/year) from
-80-815-5570-00-02-60100- Engineering CIP Fulltime from
CIP maintenance projects and the high priority projects listed below.
■ *5581500006-611-FTPAY- Old Mill Road Lift Station Phase 1
■ *5581500052-611-FTPAY- Catfish Creek Watershed -South Fork
■ *5581500053-611-FTPAY- Catfish Creek Watershed -Middle Fork
■ *5581500054-611-FTPAY- Old Mill Road Lift Station Phase 2
o Recommend position funded 15% ($13,108/year) from
-82-865-5570-00-02-60100- Engineering CIP Fulltime from
CIP maintenance projects
- Anticipated Operating Budgets to support staff costs as follows:
o Recommend position funded 15% ($13,108/year) from
-82-865-5507-00-01-60100- Engineering Storm Fulltime
■—$75,000 budgeted in -82-865-5507-00-01-64900- for
external consultant assistance to review development submittals.
This fund is no longer needed as staff perform review internally.
Recommend reallocation of $6,554/year to operational staff time,
then drop the remainder.
Vehicle:
- No additional cost to FY26 budget; see discussion recommendations above.
Computer/Desk:
- No additional cost to FY26 budget; see discussion recommendations above.
Phone-
- No additional cost to FY26 budget; see discussion recommendations above.
Tablet:
- No additional cost to FY26 budget; see discussion recommendations above.
Misc Software/Training/Manuals-
0
Page 1243 of 1311
- No additional cost to FY26 budget; see discussion recommendations above.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request the authorization of an additional full time employee (FTE) for a Field
Engineering Technician I (NB10) or II (NB11) for the Engineering Water Resource Team
within the Engineering Department based on the above Budget Impact.
Prepared by Max O'Brien, Civil Engineer
cc: Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Laura Bendorf, Budget Manager
Kristen Dietz, Talent Acquisition Manager
Shelley Stickfort, Chief Human Resources Officer
Todd Irwin, Water Resources Project Supervisor
Page 1244 of 1311