Two-thirds of Columbus city government workers earn less than the midpoint of a new salary range recommended by a consulting firm, according to findings of a new salary study.
Total Reward Solutions, McCordsville, was hired to evaluate salaries of 428 full-time city government employees, comparing them with salaries of peer positions at similar-sized Indiana municipalities.
The Columbus City Council on Tuesday heard the results of a salary compensation report, which recommended establishing pay ranges at three levels for all positions as the city works to attract and retain workers.
The work began in July, initially resulting with the city updating job descriptions, said Cassandra Faurote, president of Total Reward Solutions.
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The firm was paid more than $72,000 for its work that looked at employee pay in the parks and recreation department, city utilities and public safety.
Salary studies were done under previous administrations, but there is no evidence of findings being implemented, said Mary Ferdon, executive director of administration and community development.
Arlette Cooper-Tinsley, human resources director for the city, told the council that Columbus has struggled with recruitment and retention since she was hired in 1995. Job openings that once drew hundreds of applications in the police and planning departments now generate a handful of applicants, she said.
“The struggles have gotten more immediate,” Cooper-Tinsley said.
Faurote analyzed survey data from municipalities such as Anderson, Greenwood, Kokomo and Noblesville, while salary ordinances were also obtained from the cities of Bloomington, Jeffersonville, Lafayette and Terre Haute. Base pay data was used to establish pay ranges for all roles in the city; it does not include shift premiums or overtime/holiday pay, Faurote said.
She recommended the city adopt updated salary ordinances with a phased implementation for all positions using a minimum, midpoint and maximum. Currently, the city has minimum and maximum pay ranges in place under its salary ordinances.
In addition, the consultant urged the city to increase the salaries of employees who are under the minimum of their new pay range to that level as soon as fiscally possible and to move employees to the midpoint level based on longevity and performance.
Faurote also told the council that positions should be benchmarked every three years to re-establish pay ranges.
An analysis of employee data indicated that 27 employees were under the minimum of the newly established pay ranges, while 289 employees were under the midpoint of the new pay ranges, Faurote said. On average, city employees are at 90 percent of the new pay range midpoints, which represent the market average, Faurote said.
Mayor Jim Lienhoop said the goal of the salary study was to provide an unbiased assessment of fair compensation for city employees.
“Having qualified employees and treating them fairly is the backbone of our city’s structure,” Lienhoop said. “City employees are our neighbors who work hard to maintain our quality of life in Columbus. We will take the information received from the study and make recommendations to continue to hire and retain qualified individuals to provide the best services possible to citizens.”
Cost-of-living adjustments will also have be factored into discussions about establishing pay ranges moving forward, Ferdon said. The city gave employees 2 percent raises this year as part of its 2018 budget.
City employees received a 1.5 percent raise during the 2017 budget year after being granted 2 percent raises in 2014-2016. However, raises are given at the discretion of city department heads to employees who are meeting expectations, Ferdon said.
Cooper-Tinsley also told the council that keeping the pay ranges in place or increasing them to include cost-of-living adjustments are among the options that can be considered.
City Councilman Frank Miller said the recommendations within the salary study will be beneficial once implemented.
“It will be good for all employees because they’ll know they’re being paid on par with other cities our size,” Miller said.
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The Columbus City Council will be presented options by the city administration for implementing some recommendations of a salary study at its May 15 meeting.
Among its priorities will be working on a phased approach tied to all city positions to establish minimum, midpoint and maximum pay ranges.
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