City leaders picked a Dallas company to conduct a key wage and job classification study for city employees when it met in a study session Wednesday morning in the city conference room.
The choice will be finalized at next week’s commission meeting. It represents the first time since 1984 that a survey of wages will be conducted; no classification work was done then.
“We want to look at where we need employees ... and are they doing the work we need?” said City Manager Matt Zimmerman. “Some jobs have no job description.”
Zimmerman said the study will be “very time consuming for staff” but that the end of the year and early next year would be the better time to do the work before the next budget cycle begins.
Waters Consulting Group was chosen over Organizational Development Services of Evergreen, Colo., in part because it could complete the study in 15 weeks as opposed to about 6 weeks longer by ODS.
The study was estimated to cost $71,280 but a not-to-exceed price will be set when the city’s contract with Waters comes up for a vote next week. The company has conducted similar studies in Hutchinson and Glenview, IL.
Mayor Julie Johnson said Waters was “most favorable.” She said the commission needs to know “if we have too many employees or where we have too less.” The study also was measure wages against national and local markets.
Zimmerman said the study “provides neutral info... we need to show the public why a change is needed.”
Commissioner Bobbie Agler said the study could help eliminate “sacred cows” and would deal with perceptions of the city paying too much or too less in some jobs, as well as lead to better budgeting.
Zoo’s mission
In another study matter, commissioners agreed with a more concise mission statement for the David Traylor Zoo of Emporia and could approve it at their next meeting. The new statement is, “To provide an environment which inspires respect and stewardship for the natural world, improves the future for wildlife and provides a recreational opportunity for learning about nature and conservation.”
Bond seller picked
In a short action meeting, the commission approved the sale of $3,610,000 in taxable general obligation bonds by UMB Financial Corp., the lower bidder at 5.361048 percent. The third lowest bid was submitted by Lyon County State Bank at 5.5 percent. The bonds will pay a portion of the costs of the projects included in a bond ordinance for infrastructure and other upgrades.
flexj66801 (anonymous) says...
I think it is about time a study is done on this issue. Being employeed by "the city" isn't the great place that it is rumored to be. It may be great in certain departments or in higher levels, But in the lower areas it is basic survival.
Whenever the city has a crisis in the budget (which happens almost every year), Lower job positions get cut, & wages are frozen. You never hear of the higher paying jobs such as dept. supervisors or adminstrative jobs being cut. Its always the the laborers, The very same ones who show up at 3am when its freezing cold outside to unclog a sewer or fix a water main break. These are the people that every person in this city relies on when something goes wrong day or night.
These people are dedicated, & its not for the pay because it isn't great. Take a look at the recent ads in this very paper for job opportunites with the city. Most labor jobs average around $10 an hour, With part time help dipping in the $7.50 an hour range. Even lower managment in local fast food establishments make as much & in some cases more.
I personally worked there for a brief time in the late 90s & into 2000. Talking to people I know who still work for the city, They tell me that those days even though we had wage freezes & the occasional cuts, Its nothing like it is today. City crews at Public Works are less than half staff of what they were then. But the work still goes on, understaffed or not.
On another note, I live in the southeast part of town. As I drive around during the day I notice city vehicles coming & going. Most are parked near job sites & the few I see on the road are loaded down with barracades & construction fences, Some pulling work trailers, And a lot of dump trucks loaded with dirt & rock heading for the city dump. However, I consistantly see a city vehicle parked along east street & 6th avenue. It is usually there several times a week for extended periods of time. Are we the tax payers paying wages for city employees to conduct personal business while on the clock? Or is there not enough supervision for certain employees taking advantage of city time? Surely there are better times to buy motor cycle parts than when we are paying your wages. I wonder if this is part of the "Sacred Cows" comment Mr. Agler mentioned?
September 27, 2007 at 6:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )