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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCIV 1984-05-03 Minutes MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MAY 3, 1984 AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE NORTH RICHLAND HILLS CITY HALL 7301 NORTHEAST LOOP 820 l. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chairman Phelps called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Members Present: David Phelps Vice Chairman George Pederson Bob Roark Jeff Newsom Lyle Welch Others Present: Ron McKinney Civil Service Secretary 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Pederson moved, seconded by Commissioner Newsom, OF MARCH 13, 1984 to approve the minutes of March 13, 1984 as written. The motion carried 5-0. 4. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN Commissioner Pederson nominated David Phelps as Chairman. AND VICE CHAIRMAN Commissioner Welch seconded the nomination. David Phelps was approved unanimously as the Chairman. Commissioner Newsom nominated George Pederson as Vice ~ Chairman. Commissioner Roark seconded the nomination. George Pederson was approved unanimously as the Vice Chairman. Chairman Phelps moved Agenda Item 6 before Agenda Item 5. 6. DISCiISSION OF There was a general discussion by the Commission regarding SALARY RANGES the CPI and the salary ranges of the other cities surveyed. FOR 1984-85 Mr. McKinney stated the other cities do not necessarily use the CPI when adjusting their salaries. He stated that where North Richland Hills took a 3.7% adjustment last year to the ranges, some of the other cities adjusted theirs 6% and 8% so we actually lost ground. Chairman Phelps asked if North Richland Hills lost any people during the last six months to other municipalities. Mr. McKinney stated the employees that resigned were not lost to other cities. Commissioner Welch stated that other than Hurst, our salary ranges do not look far off from the other cities. There was a discussion by the Commission regarding what kind - of an ad~ustment should be made to the salary ranges. CIVIL SERVICE MINUTES May 3, 1984 Page 2 V Chairman Phelps asked if the City has a philosophy of where it wants to be. Mr. McKinney stated the mid-point. The Commission discussed what ad~ustments the other cities might make to their salaries. The Commission felt they should know what action the other cities will take in time to re-evaluate our salaries and make an additional adjustment if needed. Chairman Phelps asked if the Commission could recommend a 3% ad~ustment now with the understanding if another 3% is needed in October an additional ad~ustment could be made. Commissioner Welch stated he felt 6% was too much; that he would like to see a 5% adjustment which could be split. The Commission discussed what adjustments were made last year. Commissioner Newsom asked what ad3ustments the other cities made to their ranges last year. Mr. McKinney stated Hurst had an 8% across the board increase and a 12% increase to Police salaries; Bedford gave a 6% increase in October and a 3% increase in April. He stated he understood that Bedford and Euless are going to bring their salaries up this year. Commissioner Newsom suggested splitting the adjustment. He suggested budgeting with the recommendation of a 4% ad~ustment now and the Commission reconsider it 6 months later to see if another ad~ustment is needed. Commissioner Wel.ch stated he felt you are going to have to stay close to what the cost of living has been and on top of that you are going to have to reward the better worker a little bit more. Chairman Phelps asked the Commission how they felt about a 5% increase with a 7% adjustment to the ranges. Commissioner Welch asked if the increases are automatically given. Mr. McKinney stated it was across the board; every employee gets the 5% ad~ustment. CIVIL SERVICE MINUTES r~y s, 1984 ^~ge 3 ~ Commissioner Roark stated he agreed with Phelps; that we do not know where the economy is going. Commissioner Pederson said he felt spreading the adjustment would get very complex. Chairman Phelps stated he took the conservative approach to make sure we don't over recommend. He agreed that splitting it would be more complex. Commissioner Welch stated that unemployment is extremely low and the City is not losing that many people. He stated that apparently in the past the Commission has done a fairly good ~ob of ad~usting the salaries with the CPI. He stated he felt they should go with the cost of living. Commissioner Pederson said he felt the recommendation should be something less than the cost of living, but the ranges should be adjusted something more thaa the cost of living to allow for the merit. Mr. McKinney explained to the Commission how the departments budget for salaries in the budgeting process. Coa~issioner Welch moved that the Commission recommend a 5% increase and a 7% adjustment to the rangesozo allow for merit. The motion died for lack of a second. Commissioner Pederson moved to recommend a 4~% increase across the board and a 7% ad~ustment to the ranges. Commissioner Newsom stated he liked a 4% increase and a 7% ad~ustment to the ranges. Commissioner Roark stated he liked a 4% increase and a 6% ad~ustment to the ranges. Commissioner Pederson withdrew his motion. Commissioner Newsom stated he had a problem with trying to keep up with the Joneses. He said if we are not having any jumping from city to city then apparently that is not where the bottom line lies. Commissioner Pederson said his problem was the middle-of- the-road employeeso He said he had difficulty bringing those that are below up at the same rate. He said he thought ~ there should be more room for the merit part of it; that the across the board adjustment should not be the cost of living. He said there will be some employees who get CIVIL SERVICE MINUTES May 3, 1984 ~ ~.ge 4 dragged along because the ranges move. He stated he felt the man in the middle shouldn't be rewarded merit just for doing what he is suppose to do and doing it well. He stated that maybe there should be a lot of people who do not get any merit. Mr. McKinney stated under the system we have now, if the employee doesn't receive any merit they are unsatisfactory. Chairman Phelps moved to recommend a 4% general increase and a 7% ad3u5tment to the minimum and maximums. Commissioner Pederson seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. McKinney stated the Water and Street Superintendents' salary ranges are so far below that of the other cities. He said the classifications are appointed positions in the other cities and felt they should be non-classified in our ~~ty. Chairatan Phelps stated before the Commission took any action on ad~usting the ranges he felt the positions should be made non-classified. He stated if the Commission ma.de a 10% or 15% increase now and then at some point in time the Coatmission needed to do something for the Fire Inspector, the next higher pay grade would be that specially created grade. Mr. McKinney stated Pay Grades 1 and 2 may have a 5% difference and Pay Grade 3 may have a 10% difference. He said Pay Grade 3 then becomes Pay Grade 4. He said if the Fire Inspectors were now in Pay Grade 8, the Commission could make the Superintendents Pay Grade 11. The Commission felt that the Water and Street Superintendents' classification should be removed from the classified service, but they would not take any action until a recommendation is made from the department. Mr. McKinney stated that since the Warrant Officer position became effective, the incumbent is enrolled to become certified as the City Marshall. Commissioner Pederson asked if being a peace officer would be part of the job description. Mr. McKinney stated that when the incumbent becomes certified the ~ob description will include the requirement that he be a certified peace officer. CIVIL SERVICE MINUTES May 3, 1984 ge 5 ~ The Commission decided that this should be considered when the incumbent becomes certified and the department head comes to them. Mr. McKinney stated the Seeretary II position was the same situation. He stated he looked over the classifications and these three classifications were out of line with the other cities. He said moving the position to another pay range would not affect the salary of the incumbents. Chairman Phelps stated it looked low to him. The Comanission discussed the classification and its salary range. Commissioner Welch moved, seconded by Commissioner Newsom, that the Secretary II classification be moved to Pay Grade 5. The motion carried unanimously. 5. DISCUSSION OF Mr. McKinney stated that retirement was the only benefit EMPLOYEE BENEFITS he thought the city was behind in. There was a general discussion regarding the retirement benefit. Commissioner Pederson asked what is the maximum the employee can put in when the City matches 2:1 and 1:1. Mr. McKinney explained the retirement system. Chairman Phelps asked if there would be a further benefit by increasing the percentage and leaving the matching ratio 1:1. Mr. McKinney stated the employees would have to be surveyed to increase the percentage. Commissioner Newsom moved, seconded by Commissioner Pederson, to recommend increasing the.retirement matching ratio l~:l. The motion carried unanimo~isly. 1 i i 7. ADJOURNMENT The Chairman ~d~ourned t~ie meeting at 8:,'30 p.m. r r, I l ` ~ ° Da, ' Ph ps, Chairman i ~ . Ron McKinney, vil S ice Secretary