TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Mina Hanssen, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT:
title
Municipal Judicial Compensation
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
end
ISSUE:
Shall the City Council adopt the recommendation from the Judicial Compensation Review Commission to:
1. Maintain the current total compensation for the Municipal Judge.
2. Make a market adjustment for the Judges Pro Tempore to increase the rate to $75.00 per hour.
3. Effective July 1, 2020, the Municipal Judge shall receive the same cost-of-living adjustment as the unrepresented position classifications.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Adopt the recommendation from the Judicial Compensation Review Commission to:
1. Maintain the current total compensation for the Municipal Judge.
2. Make a market adjustment for the Judges Pro Tempore to increase the rate to $75.00 per hour.
3. Effective July 1, 2020, the Municipal Judge shall receive the same cost-of-living adjustment as the unrepresented position classifications.
body
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
In 2008, Council enacted SRC 4.035, establishing the Judicial Compensation Review 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 recommendations regarding the compensation provided for the elected Municipal Judge and the appointed Pro Tempore Judges.
The commission meets biannually to review the Municipal Judge and the Pro Tempore Judge’s compensation.
The Commission met on February 12, 2020 and March 12, 2020.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
A salary survey was conducted in December 2020 to review the compensation for the Municipal Judge and the Judges Pro Tempore. Analysis of current total compensation for the Municipal Judge was found to be within market, comparable to other jurisdictions. The current compensation for Pro Tempore Judges of $65.00 per hour is approximately 14% behind the market average compared to other jurisdictions. The City’s compensation philosophy provides that the organization will strive to maintain compensation within 5% for comparable positions in labor market.
The Commission recommends maintaining the current compensation level for the Municipal Judge. A recommendation has been made to increase the compensation level for the Judges Pro Tempore to $75.00 per hour. The committee also recommended that the Municipal Judge receive the same cost-of-living adjustment as other 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 during 2021.
It has been determined that current court budget can absorb the additional costs of the recommended salary increases for the Judges Pro Tempore within the current funding levels.
Mina Hanssen
Human Resources Director
Attachments:
1. none