TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Mina Hanssen, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT:
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Fire and Police Management Compensation
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council approve compensation adjustments for the Deputy Fire Chief, Deputy Police Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief of Operations classifications effective August 1, 2018?
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve the following recommended compensation adjustments effective August 1, 2018:
1. Increase the compensation level for the Deputy Fire Chief and Deputy Police Chief classifications to a new monthly salary range of $10,367 - $11,667. This is a 4% increase in compensation for the Deputy Fire Chief and 1.23% increase for Deputy Police Chief.
2. Increase the compensation level for the Assistant Fire Chief of Operations from a monthly salary range of $10,218 - $11,500 (D10) to a new monthly range of $10,984 - $12,363. This is a 7.5% increase in compensation.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Over the past two years, the City has had four failed recruitments for the position of deputy fire chief. Due to the failed recruitments, the Human Resources Department conducted a market review of the deputy fire chief and assistant fire chief classifications. A market review of the compensation for deputy fire chiefs found that the City of Salem’s compensation for the deputy fire chief was significantly behind market.
The deputy chief classifications in Fire and Police are closely aligned both in command structure and the consequence of error. In order to maintain internal equity between the public safety units, the compensation level for both deputy fire and police classifications should continue to be adjusted in tandem.
The Fire Department’s assistant chief classification is based on responsibility and scope of duties in a classification above the deputy chiefs. An increase in the deputy chief salary range will require a corresponding increase in the assistant chief range in order to avoid compression within the deputy chiefs. Police does not have an assistant chief classification.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
A market review found that the deputy fire chief classification is 9% behind comparable agencies. Increasing the deputy chief salary range to a new monthly range of $10,367 - $11,667 for both Fire and Police will achieve internal equity and improve the market position with comparable agencies.
The recommended changes to the salary range of deputy chief will create compression with the assistant fire chief’s salary range. A new monthly range of $10,984 - $12,363 will maintain an appropriate spread between the classifications.
The recommended compensation adjustments for the Fire and Police Management classifications will have a fiscal impact of approximately $21,126 (Fire), and $5,946 (Police) for the remainder of FY 2019. The anticipated cost increase would be absorbed within the departments’ adopted budgets.
Mina Hanssen
Human Resources Director