PSPP071321PUBLIC SAFETY, PERSONNEL & PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
July 13, 2021
Elected Officials Participating Virtually Staff Participating Virtually
Councilmember Kristiana Johnson Whitney Rivera, Municipal Court Judge
Council President Susan Paine Uneek Maylor, Court Administrator
Scott Passey, City Clerk
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Edmonds City Council virtual online PSPP Committee meeting was called to order at 5:04 p.m. by
Councilmember K. Johnson.
2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
2. Add Court Clerk Position
Ms. Maylor explained there are multiple courts with one full-time judge; the staffing for those courts is
double digit, Edmonds's staffing has historically been single digit. The new Driving While License
Suspended Relicensing program the court will be implementing will require an additional staff person.
The packet includes the Court Clerk's job description, Judicial Needs Estimate by Full -Time
Equivalents, and court staffing.
Questions and discussion followed regarding what information is considered in the Judicial Needs
Estimate, comparable cities, comparable cities that may not have comparable courts, and support for
an additional court clerk position (Council President Paine).
Action: Continue discussion at next month's PSPP meeting.
3. Add Assistant Court Administrator and Court Clerk Positions
Ms. Maylor explained in reviewing court management styles and positions in King, Snohomish and
Skagit Counties, the accounting and financials in Edmonds are not necessary to the standards of the
other courts. For a number of reports, financial transactions, criminal histories, etc. there is only one set
of exempt eyes for reports that require two sets. Most of the accounting is done and audited by the lead
(a union position). Another issue with the lead being in the union versus an exempt employee is that
person covers for the Court Administrator during absences and has to deal with HR issues that arise
so it cannot be a union employee. The request is to make that person exempt so they can address HR
issues in the Court Administrator's absence as well as provide three layers for accounting and audits
(Administrator, Assistant Administrator and staff that do the transactions).
Questions and discussion followed regarding whether the Assistant Court Administrator will be an
internal or external hire; basis for the knowledge, skills and abilities for the Assistant Court Administrator
job description; cases the position will be auditing; proposed salary level for the position; lowest NR
level available for a supervisor; salary levels in other courts; and support for an Assistant Court
Administrator (Council President Paine).
Action: Continue discussion at next month's PSPP meeting
4. Judicial FTE Recommendation
07/13/21 PSPP Committee Minutes, Page 2
Ms. Maylor relayed when she came to Edmonds she realized there were tasks not counted in the
Judicial Needs Estimate including search warrants and Saturday/Sunday jail hearings. When she
received the Judicial Needs Estimate, she realized Edmonds Municipal Court should have had a full-
time judge based on the caseload and hearings. This was discussed with then -Judge Coburn, but then
COVID hit which affected operations. When Judge Rivera was appointed, she was aware it was a full-
time position but compensated at a .75 salary. She brought to Judge Rivera's attention that the Judicial
Needs Estimate indicates the position should be full-time and that several tasks were not included. She
also brought this information to the HR Director who indicated that could possibly be a labor law issue
which was the reason for presenting it for Council review.
Questions and discussion followed regarding the Judicial Needs Estimate that determines the FTE for
judges, possible impacts of legislative changes on the judge's workload, the State's forecast for
additional judges, who prepared Judicial Needs Estimate, whether the City is responsible for adhering
to the Judicial Needs Estimate, a request to include caseloads in the Judicial Needs Estimate, how the
Judicial Needs Estimate is developed, data that would help the City Council understand the court's
caseload, and a suggestion to consider all the court -related items as part of the 2022 budget.
Additional information requested by Councilmember K. Johnson: header on the Judicial Needs Estimate
existing salary versus proposed salary, personnel policy related to a 5% increase, and further work on
the Assistant Court Administrator.
Action: Continue discussion at next month's PSPP meeting
1. Change Court Administrator Pay Grade to NR-20
Judge Rivera described the request to achieve equity in salary and vacation compensation for the Court
Administrator. She explained Ms. Maylor is not a director under the executive branch, but as the Court
Administrator she is in charge of all personnel and administration for the entire judicial branch. In
comparing her pay with directors and other municipalities in the Puget Sound region, it was clear her
pay grade needed to be increased to achieve equity for her role in the municipal court. There has been
a lot of turnover in the court staff in the past; Ms. Maylor has helped rebuild the team.
Questions and discussion followed regarding where on the NR-20 pay scale the position would be
placed, concern with the percentage of increase going from NR-14 to NR-20, recent administrative law
changes recognizing the role of the Court Administrator, appearance of a large pay increase versus the
position being undercompensated in the past, historically low pay ranges for court staff, current salary
versus proposed salary, personnel policy related to a 5% increase, and whether personnel policies are
applicable to the judicial branch.
Action: Continue discussion at next month's PSPP meeting
5. Special Event Permits and Amendments to ECC Title 4 Licenses
Action: Schedule on next month's PSPP agenda.
3. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 5:59 p.m.