PSPP011122PUBLIC SAFETY, PERSONNEL & PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
January 11, 2022
Elected Officials Participating Virtually Staff Participating Virtually
Councilmember Laura Johnson (Chair) Jessica Neill Hoyson, HR Director
Councilmember Susan Paine Scott Passey, City Clerk
Dave Rohde, GIS Analyst
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Edmonds City Council virtual online PSPP Committee meeting was called to order at 5:01 p.m.
by Councilmember L. Johnson.
2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Non -Represented Employees Compensation Study
Ms. Hoyson introduced Shannon Drohman and Kathy Marek, Compensation Connections. She advised
the packet contains the executive summary and appendices with detailed data.
Ms. Drohman reviewed the executive summary:
• Project Activities
o Conducted base pay market study for 115 represented and non -represented positions
o Reviewed and suggested revisions to existing wage scales
o Recommended placement of positions into proposed wage schedules
• Summary of Methodology
o Used existing job descriptions
o Utilized existing compensation policy
o Strived for as many appropriate matches as could find between the City's jobs and jobs in
comparable cities and surveys
o Matching includes job duties, position purpose, required qualifications, etc.
• Compensation goals
o City updated compensation policy in 2021
• Market data sources
City
County
Population
Assessed Valuation
Per Capita
Issaquah
King
38,690
11,966,058,762
309,280
Edmonds
Snohomish
42,470
11,011,221,440
259,271
Bothell
King/Snohomish
48,400
12,354,415,516
255,257
Mukilteo
Snohomish
21,360
5,444,416,654
254,888
Shoreline
King
56,980
11,637,183,574
304,233
Lynnwood
Snohomish
40,690
7,503,860,299
184,415
Puyallup
Pierce
42,700
6,928,321,607
162,256
Burien
King
52,300
7,794,662,044
149,038
Olympia
Thurston
54,150
7,741,414,390
142,962
Lacey
Thurston
52,910
7,268,934,236
137,383
o Compensation policy also states that other local government agencies and private
employers may be taken into consideration when they are determined to be a relevant factor
in the City's labor market.
01/11/22 PSPP Committee Minutes, Page 2
o Pay data was researched using published survey sources. These surveys utilize
compensation information provided by hundreds of employers in the public and private
sectors.
o Utilizing published surveys rounds out the data for City of Edmonds jobs that were not in the
comparable city data. The published survey data also reflects the broader labor market in
which the Citv competes for talent.
Survey source
Market Sector
Economic Research Institute
Government
Com Anal st
Government
Milliman Public Employees
Government
Compdata
Government
Milliman Puget Sound
Government
Milliman Northwest
Government
• Market Reference Point
o When researching pay data in published surveys, 25th, 50th (median), and 751h percentiles
were noted. For comparator organization research, pay scales for each position were noted
and used to calculated the midpoint, which represents 50th percentile (median).
o When comparing the City's pay scales to market, 50th percentile (median) was utilized in
alignment with compensation policy and goals. Most public and private sector organizations
use 50th percentile as their market reference point.
• Findings and Recommendations for Non -Represented Positions
o In comparing the current non -represented salary scale to the market data, found current
salaries to be approximately 6% below the market median overall. Suggest the City increase
non -represented salary scale's dollar amounts to better align with the market.
o Also examined placement of each non -represented job within salary scale to determine if
any jobs might be a better fit in a different salary range, based on the market data. Found
29 jobs (39 people) move to a higher salary range.
o If City implements proposed salary scale and job placement changes for the non -
represented employees, 39 people would be eligible for a pay increase. Total increase would
be $220,409 or 2% of the City's total salary budget.
• Labor Market Context
o Seeing a significant number of salary scale and job placement changes with every
organization. Puget Sound labor market has historically been challenging for employers, with
consistently low unemployment and steady wage growth.
o Rate of unemployment for area is fluctuating around 5% and CPI-U growth is over 6% (per
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) which adds to an already difficult climate for employers
as they hire and retain staff.
Ms. Drohman reviewed additional materials provided in the packet:
• Non -Represented Market 501h and Job Matching
o Summary of all market data collected at 50th percentile for each non -represented position
o Details of survey source, survey job match title and survey 5011 percentile (median) pay data
for each NR position.
• Non -Represented Salary Scale Adjustment
o Compared current NR salary sale to the market data and found to be approximately 6%
below market median overall
o Comparison of grades by current grade midpoint, market 501h, and variance
■ Overall (average) variance: 6.7% below market
• List of increase to range mid -point for non -represented positions by department and job title
Ms. Hoyson advised two items related to compensation that are not included and will be addressed
separately are, 1) revising the Police Department command structure, and 2) potential adjustment to
the WWTP Supervisor wage (following bargaining to ensure the position is aligned with positions below
it).
01/11/22 PSPP Committee Minutes, Page 3
Questions and discussion followed regarding appreciation for the data included in report, when
comparable cities did their last compensation study, partial implementation of Edmonds' 2018
compensation study in 2019, council policy to do non -represented employees compensation study
every 3 years, policies in other cities, ranges used to calculate mid -point, why hiring is so difficult in the
Puget Sound area, updating non -represented employees' pay ranges based on council direction,
percentages between steps and ranges, current policy related to hiring new employees, structuring
ranges so employees have further earning potential, and the number of wage deficiencies in
engineering.
Ms. Hoyson relayed the data regarding non -represented positions can be discussed in public; the data
regarding represented employees must be discussed in a closed bargaining session. For the council to
make decisions, both pieces need to be considered. She recommended the non -represented employee
data go to full Council followed by a bargaining strategy session to review the represented information
and then another meeting in open session to make a decision on the non -represented employees.
Action: Presentation to full Council.
3. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m.