July 18, 2007
After stepping out from under unions’ umbrellas, workers who have moved to management positions in city hall may see some gray clouds ahead if a proposal receives council support.
During Thursday’s work session, the Auburn City Council will review an ordinance that would change how city management staff gets paid, how much they earn, and what they will pay for benefits.
Some department heads in the past have pointed to what they consider a lack of incentives for their jobs, which are not subject to union contracts.
“I think the city is a great employer and I don’t think it should make any difference,” Mayor Timothy Lattimore responded.
If the councilors approve city manager Mark Palesh’s suggestions, the city would no longer provide for compensation time, for example, allowing workers to leave the office early if councilors asked them to attend a council meeting the night before.
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The proposal caps salaries for elected officials, department heads, managers and management support personnel at $89,000 and lowers possible raises. Currently the management staff receives the same raise as the Civil Service Employees Association. The proposal would cut that amount to 75 percent. Last year, department heads turned down the 2.75 percent raise because of the city’s financial woes.
Workers with salaries more than $89,000 will keep their current salaries, but would receive no additional raises, comptroller Lisa Green said.
Lattimore reminds workers the proposal could be a short-term solution to help the city become financially stronger.
“The cap is not forever and a day,” Lattimore said. “You have to keep it in check.”
The mayor suggested the city is offering salaries that are outpacing the private sector.
Members of management can accumulate up to 260 sick days during their tenures. Under the current system, employees don’t earn any more after they rake in the 13 days a year for two decades. The proposal would change that by allow workers to continue to earn half a sick day each paycheck.
If workers, including police officers or firefighters get injured on the job, they use city-specified leave rather than sick time.
The proposal also would force management, including elected officials, to contribute 20 percent to their medical coverage, if and when a union agrees to the same policy.
The city boasts the Civil Service Employees Association, CSEA Professional Unit, Auburn Firefighters Local Union 1446 and assistant chief union, and Auburn Police Department Local Union 195.
The proposed changes for management may “send a message” to the unions about the city’s finances, Lattimore said. He met with Palesh Tuesday morning to suggest changes to the potential amendment, for example switching percentages to set dollar amounts.
The potential changes would not affect Palesh because his contract contained specific provisions that covers these categories, Green said.
Palesh also drafted a new pay scheduled which lowered starting salaries for the 15 management positions, from police chief to city clerk. The lowest two salaries – councilor and mayor – are the only two not scheduled to change.
“It’s going to save some money but it’s not that many people so it’s a drop in the bucket. It’s a start I suppose,” Green said.
— Compiled by David Wilcox
