TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Mina Hanssen, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT:
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Municipal Judge Compensation
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council adopt the recommendation from the Municipal Judge Compensation Commission to:
1. Maintain the current compensation level for the Municipal Judge and the Judges Pro Tempore.
2. Eliminate the criteria for setting the Municipal Judge’s compensation level as that of the top step of the compensation level for the Deputy City Attorney classification.
3. Effective July 1, 2018, the Municipal Judge shall receive the same cost-of-living adjustment as the unrepresented classifications.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Adopt the recommendation from the Municipal Judge Compensation Commission to:
1. Maintain the current compensation level for the Municipal Judge and the Judges Pro Tempore.
2. Eliminate the criteria for setting the Municipal Judge’s compensation level as that of the top step of the compensation level for the Deputy City Attorney classification.
3. Effective July 1, 2018, the Municipal Judge shall receive the same cost-of-living adjustment as the unrepresented classifications.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
In 2008, Council enacted SRC 4.035, establishing the Municipal Judge Compensation Commission (Commission) comprised of three members consisting of the City Manager, one Attorney in good standing with Marion and Polk County Bar Association, and one resident. The Commission is charged with making a recommendation every other year on the compensation for the Municipal Judge and Pro Tempore Judges.
On June 8, 2009, City Council approved the policy recommendation from the Commission. The Commission established the criteria for setting the compensation level for the Municipal Judge classification as that of the top step of the compensation level for the Deputy City Attorney classification and not to exceed the compensation level for the State Circuit Court Judge. The policy to index the pay range as such was made after the Commission determined there are no comparable municipal courts in Oregon which would provide meaningful pay data.
The Commission met on November 15, 2017, and December 19, 2017, to review the compensation levels.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
A salary survey was conducted in December 2017, to review the compensation for the Municipal Judge and Pro Tempore Judges. Analysis of current total compensation for the Municipal Judge was found to be within market comparable to other jurisdictions. In addition, the current compensation for Pro Tempore Judges of $65.00 per hour is comparable to other jurisdictions as well. The City does not have any difficulty attracting and recruiting judges pro tempore.
Therefore, the Commission recommends maintaining the current compensation levels for the Municipal Judge and Judges Pro Tempore, with further specification that the Municipal Judge’s compensation is no longer equivalent to the top step of the compensation level of the Deputy City Attorney classification. It is further recommended by the commission that the Municipal Judge receive the same cost-of-living adjustment as the unrepresented classifications should such an adjustment occur.
In accordance with SRC 4.035(c), the Commission will again review the Municipal Judge and Judges Pro Tempore compensation level in 2019.
There is no financial impact of the recommendation.
Mina Hanssen
Human Resources Director