TITLE:
Resolution of the Fort Bragg City Council Accepting the Results of the Ordinance 672 Salary Survey and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Same and Adopt Changes to the City of Fort Bragg Salary Rate Compensation Plan ISSUE:
Ordinance 672 establishes minimum standards of compensation, benefits, and salaries for members of the Police Department of the City of Fort Bragg. The purpose of the ordinance is to ensure the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the City of Fort Bragg by retaining competent, qualified, trained, and experienced law enforcement employees. To reach this goal, Ordinance 672 helps to maintain compensation, salaries, and benefits that are competitive with other law enforcement agencies in the County of Mendocino of the State of California by requiring an annual salary survey to be conducted.
Specifically, Ordinance 672 requires the City of Fort Bragg to conduct a salary survey on an annual basis to determine the existing monthly salaries of each classification of like or comparable agencies or ranks (including experience, education, and training) of the Police Departments of the City of Willits, the City of Ukiah, and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department. It states that the average of the salaries for each of the comparable grades or ranks of the members of the respective comparable agencies (City of Willits, City of Ukiah, and Mendocino County Sheriff) shall be the minimum salaries of the City of Fort Bragg Police Department for the respective comparable grades or ranks that is effective each January 1st.
The Fort Bragg City Council approves all salary schedules, which include all classification titles and compensation rates that comply with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System code requirement to have a publicly adopted and posted salary schedule. To allow the Fort Bragg City Council to make an informed decision, this agenda item summary report (staff report) provides a summary of the survey methodology used for the completed salary survey.
ANALYSIS:
In the fall of 2023, Human Resources contracted with SilverBranch Consulting (SilverBranch) to conduct the Ordinance 672 salary survey that was to be effective on January 1, 2024. On October 6, 2023, SilverBranch sent the survey results to City Manager Peggy Ducey. After review and approval of the draft survey by Ms. Ducey, the results of the survey were sent to the Fort Bragg Police Association (FBPA) on November 2, 2023, for their review and consideration. The FBPA President, Colin McHugh, confirmed receipt of the salary survey results on November 6, 2023. In January 2024, Isaac Whippy was appointed City Manager to succeed Ms. Ducey. The FBPA President, Colin McHugh, left the City’s employee in early February 2024. To allow for the City Manager Isaac Whippy to settle in and provide time to determine FBPA Board restructuring resulting from McHugh’s departure, the salary survey was put on hold with the understanding the Ordinance 672 salary survey would be incorporated into the Fort Bragg Police Association Memorandum of Understanding (FBPA MOU) negotiations that were held in the late spring/early summer 2024.
During the FBPA MOU 2024-2028 negotiations, the annual survey results were reviewed with the Fort Bragg Police Association. The salary study results are listed below.
As shown above, the City of Fort Bragg’s compensation for the Community Services Officer, Police Officer (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced), and Police Sergeant (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced) classifications are significantly below the City of Ukiah, City of Willits, and the Mendocino County Sheriff law enforcement agencies. The FBPA MOU 2024-2028 approval, Resolution 4835-2024, resulted in a four percent (4%) cost of living adjustment effective July 1, 2024. The cost to the City is significant, and implementing the salary results is mandated by Ordinance 672. Concessions are needed to ensure the City can absorb the costs if the above increases are required by Ordinance 672.
The following concessions were agreed to during the FBPA MOU 2024-2028 negotiations. These concessions include freezing two Community Service Officer positions, delaying the effective date of the pay adjustments resulting from the Ordinance 672 salary survey to July 1, 2024, when it would have been January 1, 2024, and splitting the above adjustments between the FBPA MOU 2024-2028 that were approved at the August 12, 2024, City Council meeting by Resolution 4835-2024. As mentioned, the FBPA MOU 2024-2028 has a 4% cost of living adjustment for the FY 2024/25. To make up the difference, the FBPA and the City agreed to implement the following pay increases, as noted below, effective July 1, 2024.
Community Services Officer classification receives a 7.79 percent increase in their base pay rate.
Police Officer classifications receive an 8.52% increase in their base pay rate.
Police Sergeant classifications receive an 8.12% increase in their base pay rate.
The above pay increases to employees’ base pay would result in a combined salary increase that matches the pay adjustments noted in the salary survey results shown above and would allow the City to comply with Ordinance 672. The total increases shown in the salary survey are noted for convenience below with an effective date of July 1, 2024.
Community Service Officers' total pay increase of 11.79 percent.
Police Officers' total pay increase of 12.52 percent.
Police Sergeants' total pay increase of 12.12 percent.
Ordinance 672 – Police Captain Classification
The Police Captain is part of the Ordinance 672 salary study but is not part of the Fort Bragg Police Association. The November 2023 Finance and Admin Committee review showed that City Manager Ducey acknowledged that the Police Captain classification has been below the average of the comparable agencies mentioned in Ordinance 672. At the committee meeting, it was stated that the City intended to have a meeting and would complete a budget amendment per Ordinance 672. The meeting never occurred, nor did the City complete a budget amendment.
To correct the above and to comply with Ordinance 672, a salary study was conducted for the Police Captain classification. The result of the study is shown below.
Table 1
Captain Salary Survey (Updated on 07/30/2024)**Other Pays Not Included Step
Top Step
Fort Bragg
$143,228.80
Willits
N/A
Ukiah
$175,457.88
County
$165,609.60
Average
$170,533.74
% Difference
19.06%
Table 2
Captain Salary Survey (Updated on 07/30/2024) Other Pays Included Step
Top Step
Fort Bragg
$143,228.80
Willits
N/A
Ukiah
$193,003.67
5% for Bachelors/5% for Management
County
$192,703.13
7% for Bachelors/7% for Management Cert/3% for Supervisor Cert Average
$192,853.40
% Difference
34.65%
Table 3
Forfeited Salary
Year
Estimated Amount
Notes
2021
$17,648.10
Initial Salary set between LT and CPT
2022
$14,848.68
12+% Forfeited
2023
$14,848.68
12+% Forfeited
2024
$15,118.33
19+% Not paid for seven months
2024 (with 12% and backpay)
$10,025.96
Estimated Total
$72,489.75
Table One shows that the Police Captain classification is below the average of the comparables by 19.06%. Ordinance 672 is silent regarding the inclusion of premium/special pay. Therefore, special pay, such as Education Incentive pay, is not being considered.
The City Manager and the Police Captain discussed the salary study results and agreed to a twelve (12%) adjustment to preserve the budget and comply with Ordinance 672.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt City Council Resolution approving the Ordinance 672 Salary Survey results and authorize the City Manager to execute the same and adopt changes to the City of Fort Bragg Salary Rate Compensation Plan. Approval of the Resolution would result in pay increases listed below with an effective date of July 1, 2024.
Community Services Officer classification receives a 7.79 percent increase in their base pay rate.
Police Officer classifications receive an 8.52% increase in their base pay rate.
Police Sergeant classifications receive an 8.12% increase in their base pay rate.
Police Captain classification receives a 12% increase in their base pay rate.
FISCAL IMPACT:
As noted, the salary changes were factored into the City’s FY 2024/25 budget. Two Community Services Officer positions were frozen to find cost savings.
CONSISTENCY:
Approval of the Resolution would be consistent with the intent and purpose of Ordinance 672 and comply with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System code requirement to have a publicly adopted and posted salary schedule. Approval of the Resolution is consistent with the adopted FY 2024/25 that included Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) as mandated by Fort Bragg City Code Chapter 2.68, which provides an annual survey of Mendocino County law enforcement positions (Ordinance 672). Approval of the Resolution helps with the goal of the City attracting and retaining dedicated law enforcement staff committed to the safety and well-being of the City of Fort Bragg.
IMPLEMENTATION/TIMEFRAMES:
The implementation would be immediately upon approval of the Resolution with an effective date retro to July 1, 2024.
ATTACHMENTS:
Ordinance 672
Exhibit B (FBPA Compensation Schedule Ord 672 excerpt)
Ordinance 672 Salary Survey
Ordinance 672 Police Captain Salary Survey
Resolution
NOTIFICATION:
Shaun A. Du Fosee, Mastagni Holstedt, [email protected] Jarod Frank, Fort Bragg Police Association President, [email protected] City of Fort Bragg Payroll, [email protected]
Adriana Hernandez Moreno, Finance Technician III, [email protected] Lesley Bryant, Administrative Analyst-Police, [email protected]
AGENCY: City Council MEETING DATE: September 9, 2024DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services PRESENTED BY: Juli MortensenEMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected] AGENCY: City Council MEETING DATE: September 9, 2024DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services PRESENTED BY: Juli MortensenEMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected] AGENCY: City Council
MEETING DATE: September 9, 2024
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services
PRESENTED BY: Juli Mortensen
EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]
AGENCY: City Council
MEETING DATE: September 9, 2024
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services
PRESENTED BY: Juli Mortensen
EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY