FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF DECEMBER 19, 2023
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Interim City Manager Alex Posada
BY: Interim Chief Human Resources Officer Dawn Jackson
SUBJECT: Salary Increase for Crime Analyst Classification; Establishing New Classification of Legal Office Specialist; Establishing January 2024 Minimum Wage Increase; and Adoption of a Resolution Approving the CalPERS Comprehensive Schematic Pay Schedule
Description:
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution approving the Comprehensive Schematic Pay Schedule for all full -time and part -time employees in accordance with CalPERS guidelines to approve the salary increase for the Crime Analyst job classification, incorporate the addition of the Legal Office Specialist classification, and to establish the January 2024 Minimum Wage Increase.
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Adopt a Resolution approving the Comprehensive Schematic Pay Schedule for all full- time and part -time employees in accordance with CalPERS guidelines ; 2) Approve the salary increase for the Crime Analyst job classification; 3) Establish one new classification of the Legal Office Specialist; and 4) Establish the January 2024 Minimum Wage Increase.
BACKGROUND:
Crime Analyst Salary Increase : The Crime Analyst salary increase addresses the need for salary changes and aids in retaining incumbent employees seeking higher compensation elsewhere. One of the most basic functions of business management is to establish a compensation scheme that is competitive and equitable and that promotes employee engagement and high performance.
Legal Office Specialist: Resolution No. 2023 -103 delegated the authority to the City Manager to approve the recommended new job classification and respective job descriptions as presented in the Mid-Cycle Budget. On June 20, 2023, the creation of the Legal Office Specialist classification was approved as part of the mid-Cycle Budget.
2 Minimum Wage: The State of California’s minimum wage has increased every year since 2017 in accordance with legislation signed into law by former Governor Jerry Brown. The current 2023 State minimum wage is $15.50 per hour. California Department of Finance announced in October 2023 that a minimum wage of $16.00 per hour will commence on January 1, 2024.
Under the Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 2 -20.05 the attached comprehensive schematic pay schedule is set forth. Through the City Council’s goals and priorities, each classification is strategically focused on developing and retaining a high-performing and diverse workforce and fostering a healthy, safe, and productive work environment for employees, de partments, and the public to maximize individual and organizational potential and position the City of Santa Maria as an employer of choice.
DISCUSSION:
To this end, Human Resources has been engaged and successfully satisfied the meet and confer in compliance with the Meyers -Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) regarding the compensation for the Crime Analyst job classification. This classified position provides key critical support to the department, including, but not limited to timely processing of reports, the collection and analysis of crime, offender, and demographic patterns, and other related data for deployment of department resources. This salary increase will not create compaction with the job classification.
Crime Analyst – Increase salary from a range of $2,407.03 – $2,925.76 to $2,599.59 - $3,159.82, resulting in an eight percent increase.
Salary Schematic Schedule
A Comprehensive Schematic Pay Schedule (“Schedule”) for the City of Santa Maria is created and presented in accordance with CalPERS regulations intended to ensure consistency when reporting compensation for City employees. The Public Employees ’ Retirement Law (PERL) Government Code Section 20636(b)(1) requires pay amounts to be paid pursuant to publicly available pay schedules. The Schedule includes pay rate information for all full -time and part -time employees. The Schedule enhances the disclosure and transparency of public employee compensation by requiring that the pay rates be listed on a single-pay schedule as per CalPERS’ requirements.
CalPERS requires whenever there are changes to one or more pay rates, whether through the meet-and-confer process, employment contracts, new classifications, reclassifications, etc., the City is required to update the Schedule and present it to the City Council for review and approval. Any updates will include an effective date and date of any revisions and are to be retained by the City and available for public inspection for not less than five years. The Schedule (Attachment A) incorporates these changes. Upon adoption of the Resolution by the City Council, the Schedule will be posted on the City of Santa Maria’s website.
Alternative(s)
3 A decision by the City Council not to approve the Comprehensive Schematic Pay Schedule would result in being out of compliance with CalPERS. In addition, a decision by the City Council not to approve the increase for the position of Crime Analyst will result in recruiting and retention issues. If the recommendation for establishment of Legal Office Specialist is not approved, the City will continue to operate with the existing Resolution.
Fiscal Considerations
Due to salary savings, there are sufficient General Fund appropriations to absorb the additional cost in the Police Department budget within the current Fiscal Year. The impact of eight percent salary increase for the Criminal Analyst classification will have an ongoing additional cost increase in subsequent years of approximately $9,800.
The budget to establish the Legal Office Specialist classification was approved with the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget. There are no additional costs associated with thi s action to establish the classification. The position will provide necessary department streamlining and increase current services.
Impact to the Community
Overall, City services will continue to be provided by City employees with no decrease in the level of service to the public. Instead, it is expected that there will be a positive impact and increase to current service levels to the public achieved by attraction and retention of talent management; increased employee job satisfaction; and increased perf ormance to serve the community. The requested schedule change will enhance service to the community and maintain compliance with CalPERS.
ATTACHMENTS
A – FT_PT_LS_Salary Schematic