Agenda Item #12.4
For Council Meeting of: October 10, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DOMINIQUE BLANQUIE, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE CITY’S SALARY PLAN AND SCHEDULE AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Human Resources Department that the Council, by resolution, approve and adopt the City of Santa Rosa Salary Plan and Schedule.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
California Code Regulations Title 2, section 570.5, Requirement for a Publicly Available Pay Schedule, requires the City Council to approve and adopt a pay schedule detailing pay rates for each City classification in order for members’ pay rates to be credited by CalPERS. Therefore, Salary Plan and Schedules are presented for approval, including all classifications and salaries and their effective dates.
BACKGROUND
California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Subchapter 1, Employees’ Retirement System Regulations section 570.5 requires a member agency’s pay schedule to be approved and adopted as a standalone document detailing the pay rates for each agency position. On December 13, 2022, Council approved resolution RES-2022-238 adopting the most recent Salary Plan and Schedule. A new Salary Plan and Schedule is needed due to Cost of Living Adjustments on July 2, 2023 previously authorized by Council; new classifications approved by Council with the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 budget; new classifications and salary adjustments requested in other items on the agenda for Council’s approval today; and increases to temporary salaries due to the upcoming minimum wage increase.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Please see below.
ANALYSIS
With the approval of MOU’s and Terms and Conditions of Employment in 2021 and 2022, Council authorized a 2.5% Cost of Living Adjustment effective the first pay period after July 1, 2023 (July 2, 2023) for the following City Employee bargaining units:
Resolution/
Ordinance No.
Date Passed
Unit
RES-2021-164
10/12/2021
2- Firefighting
RES-2021-188
11/9/2021
5- Police Officers
RES-2021-189
11/9/2021
4- Support Services
RES-2021-189
11/9/2021
6- Professional
RES-2021-189
11/9/2021
7- Technical
RES-2021-190
11/9/2021
3- Maintenance
RES-2021-191
11/9/2021
13- Mechanics
RES-2021-192
11/9/2021
16- Utility Systems Operators
RES-2021-193
11/9/2021
10- Executive Management
RES-2021-194
11/9/2021
11- Middle Management
RES-2021-194
11/9/2021
12- Confidential
RES-2021-195
11/9/2021
9- Police Safety Management
RES-2021-196
11/9/2021
18- Miscellaneous Mid-Management
RES-2021-207
11/30/2021
14- Police Civilian Technical
RES-2021-215
12/7/2021
8- Transit
RES-2022-025
2/15/2022
9- Fire Safety Management
The City Attorney Employment Agreement dated April 18, 2017, and most recently amended on March 15, 2022, (RES-2022-049) states the City Attorney shall receive cost of living increases in salary in accordance with the cost of living increases subsequently provided to other Executive Management employees of the City (Unit 10).
On December 13, 2022, Council adopted Ordinance ORD-2022-018 increasing Council and Mayor compensation, effective December 13, 2022. This ordinance was enacted 31 days after adoption and was not reflected on the December 13, 2022 salary plan and schedule.
On June 6, 2023, Council adopted Ordinance ORD-2023-005 providing the City Manager a 5% merit increase effective January 1, 2023, and a 2.5% cost of living salary adjustment effective July 2, 2023.
On June 20, 2023 with the 2023-2024 budget adoption, Council approved Resolutions RES-2023-103 and RES-2023-106. In addition to adding and deleting positions, the resolutions created the new classifications of Assistant Parks Planner, Deputy Director Information Technology, and Water Quality Manager.
On September 12, 2023, Council approved Ordinance ORD-2023-013 establishing the salary of the incoming City Attorney at $24,500 per month effective November 6, 2023.
On January 1, 2024, the City of Santa Rosa minimum wage will increase to $17.45 per hour, impacting temporary and seasonal employee pay scales. In addition to increasing pay for classes whose pay rates are currently below the new minimum wage, the proposed adjustments include increases for higher level temporary classifications to preserve the salary structure.
According to Council Resolution 23615, “The City Manager is authorized to set and change any rate of pay that is necessary to best meet the needs of the City for any temporary, seasonal, or recurrent position.” However, some of our temporary staff are members of CalPERS, which requires that pay rates for all CalPERS members be approved by the governing body in an open meeting.
Recent audits performed by CalPERS have included findings related to inaccurate reporting of compensation for “Y-rated” employees. An employee is “Y-rated” when his or her current base salary is temporarily above their current salary grade range maximum in accordance with City policy. Such employees will not receive a base wage increase until his/her salary falls within the appropriate salary range. Therefore, the proposed salary plan and schedule includes a Y-rated salary as advised by CalPERS.
In order to fully comply with California Code Regulations section 570.5, a Salary Plan and Schedule is attached reflecting the aforementioned salary increases for Council’s approval and adoption.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact. Funds were appropriated in the previously adopted budget for this fiscal year or approved by resolution as indicated above.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution / Exhibit A – City of Santa Rosa Salary Plan and Schedule
PRESENTER
Dominique Blanquie, Human Resources Director
ADOPTION OF THE CITY’S SALARY PLAN AND SCHEDULE
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