The Turlock City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted amendments to the 2026-27 budget to accommodate staffing levels for the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority.
According to city finance director Isaac Moreno, two SRWA positions will be reclassified (Staff Services Assistant to Staff Services Assistant or Technician, and Water Operator I to Water Operator Sr.), while a third (Instrumentation Technician II) will be created. These changes were approved June 18 by a 3-0 vote of the SRWA board.
Benefits of the Staff Service change provide flexibility to recruit and retain personnel possessing the level of expertise necessary to meet organizational needs while maintaining an appropriate career development pathway, according to the city.
Benefits of the Operator change include strengthening succession planning and workforce development efforts, career progression pathway for operations staff, increasing the number of highly experienced operators available to support plant operations, improving flexibility during employee absences, reducing risk associated with retirements and workforce transitions, and supporting long-term staffing needs.
Benefits of adding the Technician II include improved preventative maintenance, increased responsiveness to instrumentation and control-system issues, and reduced reliance on outside contractors and consultants.
The changes will cost the city nearly $144,000, but an administrative transfer from Fund 450 will mitigate the fiscal impact, according to Moreno.
The SRWA is a joint powers authority with a board comprised of two members of the Turlock City Council (Mayor Amy Bublak and Councilmember Erika Phillips) and two members from the Ceres City Council (Mayor Javier Lopez and Councilmember James Casey).
Set on 47 acres near Fox Grove Park, the $230 million Stanislaus Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant north of Turlock officially opened in November 2023. The plant provides clean, sustainable drinking water from the Tuolumne River for the cities of Turlock and Ceres, while reducing dependence on groundwater.
In 2011, both cities, along with Turlock Irrigation District, formed the SRWA, a joint powers authority to build and operate the plant. To pay for the plant, the city councils of both cities enacted a series of water-rate increases.
In other action on Tuesday, the council approved the second and final reading to amend the municipal code to establish a framework for sidewalk vendors.
Earlier this month, the council adopted a resolution to comply with state Senate Bill 946, which limits local regulations of sidewalk vendors. The bill stipulated that any regulations must be based on health, safety and welfare standards.
The legislation aims to protect street vendors' sensitive personal information – collected during local permitting processes – from being accessed by federal immigration enforcement agencies. It provides safeguards for immigrant entrepreneurs and small business owners across California.
