DISCUSSION:Riedner responds

[Bill London <london@moscow.com>]

I forwarded the questions posed by Priscilla Salant to V2020 regarding the
proposed city employee compensation changes.
Below is Gary Riedner's response (Riedner is Moscow's city supervisor).
BL

Gary Riedner wrote:

> Bill:
>
> The issues of compensation and salary equity are always contentious,
> especially in the public sector. In 1994, the City of Moscow last conducted
> a salary survey which was fairly comprehensive in nature. It involves
> reviewing and adjusting job descriptions, conducting a regional survey and
> adjusting the "step and grade" salary grid that was (and in some places,
> still is) very common among governmental employers. At that time the Council
> directed that "a periodic review of salaries be conducted at least every
> four years to ensure the City maintains a fair and equitable pay system".
>
> To conduct the current study, the City hired BDPA, Inc., a human resources
> management consulting firm from Boise. Their list of clients includes many
> Idaho cities, counties and districts. Locally they have consulted with City
> of Coeur d'Alene, City of Post Falls, City of Lewiston, City of Pullman,
> Kootenai County as well as many other southern Idaho clients.
>
> BDPA provided total compensation services including job evaluation, position
> review process, compensation strategy evaluation, salary survey, salary data
> analysis and compilation, salary structure design, presentation of
> implementation options and report. BDPA will also provide services, if
> requested, to assist in the implementation of a pay-for-performance pay
> system.
>
> Preliminary discussions regarding the compensation study were discussed at
> Council Committees on July 1, 2002. The reports was presented last Monday,
> September 30 at another Council workshop. The direction that was given was
> to continue to evaluate the implementation options and conduct further
> research. I anticipate that additional workshops will be required before any
> alternative proposal is finalized.
>
> On September 30, BDPA, through Andrea Fogleman and Bonnie Brazier, presented
> an executive summary of the "Job Evaluation and Total Compensation Study".
> This was distributed at that time and a copy was provided to Ted McDonough
> of the Daily News. A copy of the executive summary is available for review
> at City Hall. A review of the executive summary may answer a lot of the
> questions people may have.
>
> The proposals are being evaluated at this time. Leslie Moss, our Human
> Resources Director will return next Thursday and may be able to answer more
> specific questions regarding the technical aspects of the survey and
> proposals.
>
> Thanks for the opportunity to respond.
>
> Gary J. Riedner, City Supervisor
> City of Moscow
> P.O. Box 9203
> 206 E. Third St.
> Moscow, ID 83843
> (208) 883-7006
> griedner@ci.moscow.id.us
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill London [mailto:london@moscow.com]
> Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 9:01 AM
> To: Gary Riedner
> Subject: V2020 questions
>
> Gary:
> Can you respond to any of these questions?
> thanks BL
>
> Priscilla Salant wrote:
>
> > Visionaries,
> >
> > Thanks to the Daily News for covering the 9/30/02 Council deliberations
> > about employee salaries and benefits.  I would appreciate a follow-up
> > article with the following information:
> >
> > What cities were compared with Moscow to determine market rates for public
> > employees?
> >
> > What positions -- and which employees -- would be covered under the
> > proposed "executive compensation plan"?
> >
> > How does the Council justify leaving lower paid employees at wages less
> > than market rate, and increasing compensation to higher paid employees to
> > "keep our best folks"?
> >
> > Will the Council consider splitting off the merit-based salary proposal
> > (which is a superb idea), from the exec compensation plan (which sounds a
> > little fishy)?
> >
> > Are copies of the consultants' report available to the public?
> >
> > Priscilla Salant