Pay increases by position
Editor's note: The salaries listed for fire chief have been corrected from the previous story posted.
Position, Old, New, Increase
• Director of Water - $68,000; 69,200; $1,200
• Clerk - $54,200; $56,300; $2,100
• Administrator - $75,000; $79,200; $4,200
• Comptroller - $51,700; $56,100; $4,400
• Fire Chief - $69,500; $70,300; $800
• Police Chief - $69,700; $80,900; $11,200
• Street Dept. Supervisor - $51,700; $63,400; $11,700
• Senior Center Coordinator - $46,100; $59,100; $13,000
• Water Dept. Supervisor - $55,800; $69,400; $13,600
• Parks Dept. Supervisor - $51,800; $69,900; $18,100
• Recreation Director - $49,700; $69,900; $20,200
MONROE - The Salary and Personnel Committee recommended a new salary and wage scale for non-union city department heads, giving them a hefty pay raise.
The council passed the measure on a 6-3 vote Tuesday, which Jan Lefevre, Tyler Schultz and Sara Conway voted against.
The new pay-grade levels and corresponding salaries are an update of a similar pay table from 1997. City Administrator Phil Rath said the general pay scale represents a 55 percent increase to adjust the table to current market values.
Wage increases have occurred since that time, according to Rath, but salaries had not kept step with market rates. In addition, some positions had changed in scope, were eliminated or created after 1997. Rath said the pay scale table should be readjusted every 2-3 years to stay consistent with market rates.
About four weeks ago, department heads completed a comprehensive position questionnaire, used to assess the scope of each employee's responsibilities and duties. Rath used weighted scoring of criteria on the questionnaire to determine where job positions landed on the scale.
The Salary and Personnel Committee met in closed session for about 45 minutes Tuesday, debating where individual employees fell on the pay scale.
To place individuals on the scale at a base-rate, the committee agreed to give one step for each year of service in a position, up to mid-scale at step 11. After that, employees received one step for every three years of service in their position. Raises for those beyond mid-point will be based on performance hereafter.
The total compensation increase totals about $152,000 - a 15-percent cumulative salary increase, according to Rath. The Council had set $325,000 in the budget for this increased expense.
"This is the first time we've been able to do compensation changes in three years," Alderman Reid Stangel said.
But Alderman Jan Lefevre, while agreeing department heads deserved an increase, said she believed some of the jumps in compensation were extremely large.
"I couldn't justify this to the public," she said. "I rather see a gradual increase."
Brooke Bauman agreed some of the jumps in pay will be significant for some employees, but she added that the pay schedule paves a fairer way for determining compensation. "It's very black and white," she added.
Examples of compensation changes (rounded to the nearest $100) are: Administrator $75,000 to $79,200; Clerk $54,200 to $56,300; Comptroller $51,700 to $56,100; Police Chief $69,700 to $80,900; Fire Chief $59,500 to 65,900; Director of Water and Wastewater $68,000 to $69,200; Water Department Supervisor $55,800 to $69,400; Street Department Supervisor $51,700 to $63,400; Park Department Supervisor $51,800 to $69,900; Recreation Director $49,700 to $69,900; and Senior Center Coordinator $46,100 to $59,100.
The Common Council also approved wage increases for part-time and non-salary personnel employees. Department heads asked the city to pay wage increases of about 15 to 25 cents per hour for many of those workers.
The council passed the measure on a 6-3 vote Tuesday, which Jan Lefevre, Tyler Schultz and Sara Conway voted against.
The new pay-grade levels and corresponding salaries are an update of a similar pay table from 1997. City Administrator Phil Rath said the general pay scale represents a 55 percent increase to adjust the table to current market values.
Wage increases have occurred since that time, according to Rath, but salaries had not kept step with market rates. In addition, some positions had changed in scope, were eliminated or created after 1997. Rath said the pay scale table should be readjusted every 2-3 years to stay consistent with market rates.
About four weeks ago, department heads completed a comprehensive position questionnaire, used to assess the scope of each employee's responsibilities and duties. Rath used weighted scoring of criteria on the questionnaire to determine where job positions landed on the scale.
The Salary and Personnel Committee met in closed session for about 45 minutes Tuesday, debating where individual employees fell on the pay scale.
To place individuals on the scale at a base-rate, the committee agreed to give one step for each year of service in a position, up to mid-scale at step 11. After that, employees received one step for every three years of service in their position. Raises for those beyond mid-point will be based on performance hereafter.
The total compensation increase totals about $152,000 - a 15-percent cumulative salary increase, according to Rath. The Council had set $325,000 in the budget for this increased expense.
"This is the first time we've been able to do compensation changes in three years," Alderman Reid Stangel said.
But Alderman Jan Lefevre, while agreeing department heads deserved an increase, said she believed some of the jumps in compensation were extremely large.
"I couldn't justify this to the public," she said. "I rather see a gradual increase."
Brooke Bauman agreed some of the jumps in pay will be significant for some employees, but she added that the pay schedule paves a fairer way for determining compensation. "It's very black and white," she added.
Examples of compensation changes (rounded to the nearest $100) are: Administrator $75,000 to $79,200; Clerk $54,200 to $56,300; Comptroller $51,700 to $56,100; Police Chief $69,700 to $80,900; Fire Chief $59,500 to 65,900; Director of Water and Wastewater $68,000 to $69,200; Water Department Supervisor $55,800 to $69,400; Street Department Supervisor $51,700 to $63,400; Park Department Supervisor $51,800 to $69,900; Recreation Director $49,700 to $69,900; and Senior Center Coordinator $46,100 to $59,100.
The Common Council also approved wage increases for part-time and non-salary personnel employees. Department heads asked the city to pay wage increases of about 15 to 25 cents per hour for many of those workers.