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Page 2 of 4 City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org ANALYSIS Interim Fire Chief Fire Chief Ramoth Iverson retired from the City of Redwood City’s Fire Department effective December 20, 2024. The City initiated a comprehensive recruitment process in August 2024 to select a Fire Chief, and the selection process is in the final stages. Given the critical nature of the Fire Chief role in maintaining public safety and emergency response capabilities, the City seeks to appoint Chief Iverson as Interim Fire Chief beginning January 20, 2024, or upon CalPERS approval to hire, whichever is later. This appointment is anticipated to last no more than two months. California Government Code §21221(h) of the Public Employees’ Retirement Law permits the governing body of a public agency to appoint a CalPERS retiree to a vacant position requiring specialized skills during recruitment for a permanent appointment, in order to prevent the stoppage of public safety. Chief Iverson, a recent retiree from the City of Redwood City's Fire Department, is eligible to be appointed as an interim employee under this provision. However, the appointment requires formal approval by the City Council, as stipulated by state law. The City Council is required to pass a resolution to formalize this appointment and document the necessity of the interim appointment. The position of Fire Chief is critical to the operational capacity of the Fire Department and the City's emergency response system. The absence of an experienced and qualified individual in this role during the recruitment process would disrupt essential functions and potentially jeopardize public safety. Chief Iverson, with his extensive experience, including his recent tenure as the Fire Chief in Redwood City, is uniquely qualified to step into this interim role. His leadership and familiarity with fire service operations ensure the continuity of critical functions while the City completes its recruitment process. Extra Help Public Safety Communications Dispatcher Jacqueline Barberini retired from her position as Communications Supervisor for the Police Department Dispatch Division on December 13, 2024. The recruitment for this position is underway and the City anticipates hiring a Communications Supervisor in March. Currently, there is a staffing shortage in the Police Department’s Dispatch Division. There are 8.0 full time equivalent (FTE) Communications Dispatcher positions budgeted for FY 2024-25 and two of the eight were recently hired and are in the training program. They will not be able to work as stand-alone dispatchers until October 2025. We currently have 3.0 FTE Communications Dispatcher vacancies and recruiting to fill those vacancies. One candidate has completed the background process and will start in January 2025 and two candidates are in the background process. The City has used both extra help retired annuitants and per-diem dispatcher positions to supplement staffing levels to be able to fill in on an as-needed basis. The City has maintained an active hiring Public Safety Communications Dispatcher eligible list as well as a continuous recruitment for Per Diem Communications Dispatcher to be able to hire additional temporary positions to be available when needed to supplement current staffing levels. The position of Public Safety Communications Dispatcher is crucial to maintaining smooth operations within the Police Department’s Dispatch Division. With Jackie’s retirement on December 13, 2024, and 8.B. - Page 2 of 21 265