Title
Resolution to Approve Adding 2.0 Full Time Employee Equivalents (FTE's) to the Transportation Unit and Appropriate $87,500.00 to the FY2026 Major Streets Fund Budget (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
The Transportation Unit is requesting approval of 2 additional FTEs and the appropriation of $87,500.00 in the FY26 budget. The existing scope of responsibilities for the Unit has grown beyond what the current staffing model was designed to support, creating risks to long-term service quality and operational reliability. The workload growth and operational demand have led to increases in overtime, reductions in transportation's ability to optimally maintain infrastructure, diminished service capacity, and extended timelines to respond and complete work. Additionally, the Transportation Unit is now absorbing duties previously handled by Engineering and taking on tasks handled by outside contractors.
The Transportation Unit respectfully requests the addition of 2 FTEs within the current fiscal year for one (1) Signs & Signals Manager and one (1) Signs & Signals Supervisor. The urgent need for positions now is to be able to have the new staffing model in place to prepare for the 2026 construction season. The upcoming season is expected to be extremely busy with capital projects, council priorities, two concerts at Michigan Stadium, and the regular stream of events requiring road closures.
The Signs & Signals team currently has one Supervisor and thirteen Transportation Technicians (techs) with support from two Transportation Engineers that determine and communicate the signage, signal and streetlight needs for the entire city. Operationally, two of the techs currently function as unofficial leaders and take on increased responsibilities due to the workload - one focuses on Signs, and another on Signals. Adding two positions at the manager and supervisor level frees up two (2) Technician positions to focus on field work, aligns the current operational workload wit...
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