Hiebert Hands On for City Raises

City Council approved a 7% cost of living raise plus market adjustments when it voted for the 2022-2023 budget.

One City Council person was hands on for the raises and salary adjustments, spending 30 to 45 hours interviewing middle management.

From: Hiebert, Tommy City Council Representative District #1
Sent: Wednesday, August 3, 2022 4:50 PM
Subject: Compensation Plan ‐ Current and Future 

Good Afternoon,

After two months of meeting with most Directors and some managers, it has become clear, at least to me, there are:

• problems within the City's current compensation plan
• many departments are woefully understaffed
• inadequate pay throughout the entirety of the organization regardless of level within the organization
• It also became clear that for the largest single line item in our budget - personnel- and the greatest asset the organization has - personnel - there is no strategy and/or plan(s) to begin addressing these issues.
  

Council received a presentation on a future compensation plan in last year's budget workshops according to HR Director Brian Kendrick and chose not to commit to the presented goals.  

It undertook the topic in its August 11, 2022 budget planning meeting.  Prior budgets referred to a Compensation and Classification Committee but there is little information on the city's website regarding this committee.

Hiebert talked how other staff have to do the job of the city engineer.  That position has been open for nearly two years.  Former Assistant City Manager Elizabeth Grindstaff works for engineering firm Freese and Nichols.  Former City Engineer Russell Pehl works for Centurion Planning and Design, another engineering firm.  Their firms make money from the city being understaffed in engineering talent.  Angelo State University has a civil engineering program with experienced professors.  

In many cases the issue is pay, but in some cases the issue is management.  City Manager Daniel Valenzuela waived the engineering requirement for the Executive Director of Public Works position for two people. Ricky Dickson and Shane Kelton.  How many engineers want to report to and be evaluated by someone without that credential?  The City's headhunter firm should have feedback as to why it is so difficult to fill the City Engineer position. 

The engineer talent pool decreased further after Water Utilities Director Allison Stube left city employment with a $9,000 raise in sight.  Surely, management learned her reasons in an exit interview.  Time will reveal the impact of Council's investment in staff compensation.  It likely will go a long way, but other fixes will be needed for deeper issues not related to pay.

Update 9-29-22:  Tommy Hiebert spent many years on the Development Corporation board.  Did he interview Economic Development Director Guy Andrews during his summer compensation tour?  If so, he may be aware of what came out yesterday in the COSADC board meeting.