RESOLUTION NO. 25-xx
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
ATHERTON AUTHORIZING AN HOURLY WAGE INCREASE FOR PER DIEM
DISPATCHERS
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WHEREAS, the Police Department relies on Per-Diem dispatchers to provide critical support in the Town’s Communication Center. They are essential to maintaining adequate staffing levels, ensuring timely responses to emergency and non-emergency calls, and providing relief coverage during periods of full-time staff absences, vacations, and training; and WHEREAS, in recent years recruitment and retention of qualified dispatch personnel have become increasingly difficult as many neighboring jurisdictions have increased their dispatcher compensation to attract and retain skilled staff, resulting in a competitive disadvantage to our department; and
WHEREAS, a full time Dispatcher/Records Assistant top step hourly rate is $59.39, and it is the same rate that is paid to engage a per diem dispatcher to fill a short-term vacancy relief coverage of full-time staff absences. Per diem dispatchers do not receive benefits from the Town; and
WHEREAS, if the Town is unable to engage a per diem dispatcher, a full-time dispatcher must be called in to fill the shift at an overtime rate of $89.09; and WHEREAS, a survey of comparable local agencies indicates the Town’s current per diem hourly rate is below the regional average of $65.44. Thus, the policy focus is to align the Town’s per diem dispatcher pay rate more closely to the regional average. This enhances the ability to attract and retain per diem dispatchers willing to fill shifts at the Atherton Police Department; and
WHEREAS, absent a pay rate increase up to the regional average, the Town is not able to attract per diem dispatchers to fill shifts and is forced to backfill with fulltime dispatchers at an overtime rate; and
WHEREAS, the Per-Diem hourly rate is reflected in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Salary Schedules and Classifications in “Exhibit A”; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the Town of Atherton does hereby amends the Per Diem Dispatcher hourly rate in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Salary Schedules and Classifications in Exhibit "A" and increases the hourly rate from $59.39 to $65.00, effective December 1, 2025.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a meeting of the City Council of the Town of Atherton held on the 19th day of November 2025 by the following vote:
AYES: Council members:
NOES: Council members:
ABSENT: Council members:
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Elizabeth Lewis, MAYOR
Town of Atherton
ATTEST:
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Anthony Suber, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Mona Ebrahimi, City Attorney