Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council last week approved raises for several positions not represented by unions.
The increases, effective July 1, apply across a five-step salary schedule. The middle step, Step C, is set at 95 percent of the average comparable salaries among other cities, including those with similar populations and nearby cities.
“Some of the raises are near 10 percent but only because those positions were knowingly underpaid because of the lagging economy,” said City Manager Ray Towry.
“Those positions that did not change or changed very little are more recent hires, whose positions were evaluated at the time we needed to recruit or create the position.”
Among positions receiving raises are plant superintendent, which is not currently filled because the city’s water and wastewater treatment plants are operated and managed by Jacobs, a private company.
The position, which remains on the city’s salary schedule, increases its first step from $4,661 to $4,849 per month. At the fifth and final step, it increases from $5,451 to $5,701 per month.
For the library director, Rose Peda, the first step increases from $4,763 to $5,160 per month. The fifth step increases from $5,571 to $6,065 per month.
For the senior engineering technician, Staff Engineer Joe Graybill, the first step changes from $4,795 to $5,071 per month. The fifth step increases from $5,609 to $5,963 per month.
For the Public Works director, Greg Springman, the first step increases from $5,992 to $6,082 per month, and the fifth step increases from $7,008 to $7,150.
For the police chief, Jeff Lynn, the first step increases from $6,396 to $6,964 per month, and the fifth step increases from $7,469 to $8,186 per month.
For the city manager, Towry, the first step increases from $7,826 to $8,347 per month, and the fifth step increases from $9,153 to $9,812 per month.
Employees moving to steps B and C receive 5-percent salary increases. Moving to steps D and E are 3-percent increases.
In addition to the increase approved by the council, all positions on the non-represented employees’ salary schedule has a proposed budgeted cost-of-living increase of 3 percent that also takes effect July 1, with 3-percent cost-of-living increases planned for July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
Employees receive an additional 2 percent longevity merit pay increase after eight years of continuous service with the city.
City staff reviewed salaries based on a 2012 council policy defining how to conduct salary studies, Towry said. The studies may be done every three years, using information from equivalent cities, as well as public and private employers.
Councilor Diane Gerson said that she wasn’t comfortable using population size and region as criteria for picking comparable cities and had requested the issue be tabled earlier in March. She selected five comparisons based on unemployment rates and compared housing prices and poverty level.
She found that among Sweet Home, Sheridan, Independence, Cottage Grove and Stayton, Sweet Home had the highest unemployment rates and poverty levels and the lowest median house price – about $30,000 less than the average.
The differences in salary were similar to the findings of the city staff’s study.
In a letter to the council, she said, “We have not given staff direction on this policy as we do not know what we want, and the issue is a philosophical one as well as economic, given the high poverty rate and unemployment and low property values, all of which translate into money to run the city. Do we give big raises just because we can?”
With the information she found, she said she could support the proposed salary schedule, Gerson said, but she wanted to develop a policy on the process.
Towry asked the councilors what they would like to see, noting that “you will never find perfect comparables” and that each councilor will have different factors they value in selecting comparables.
The norm is population and region, he said.
“My concern is, ‘Are we going to be able to pay these salaries?’” said Mayor Greg Mahler.
Towry said that if the economy tanks in a month, the council can override the resolution setting the salary schedule.
Councilor Lisa Gourley said she could approve 3-percent cost-of-living increases but not the additional 5- and 3-percent increases.
The council voted 5-1 to approve the raises. Voting yes were Cortney Nash, Mahler, Gerson, James Goble and Dave Trask. Gourley voted no. Susan Coleman was absent.
In other business, the council:
– Approved a 20-percent schematic design concept plan by Murraysmith for the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant improvement project. Murraysmith will begin developing a final scope of work and final design budget and return to the council for contract approval.
The city is planning to rehabilitate, expand and upgrade the Wastewater Treatment Plant at a cost of about $28.5 million.
– Appointed Bob Briana to the city Budget Committee and the Charter Review Committee. Briana ended a term as a city councilor Dec. 31.
– Appointed Jeff Parker to the Planning Commission.
– Adopted proposed council goals for the next year.