2019-09-11 Salary Commission MinutesSALARY COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
SPECIALLY CALLED MEETING
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
7:00 pm
Police Department Training Room
250 5th Ave. N., Edmonds, WA 98020
Present: Jay Grant, Chair
Ava Dubno, Vice -Chair
Don Hall, Commissioner
Carl Zapora, Commissioner
Jeff Hodson, Commissioner by Conference Phone
Marilynne Beard, Consultant, MMB Consulting
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Grant called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
There were no changes requested to the agenda and the agenda was approved as
submitted.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chair Grant asked the Commissioners if there were any changes to the Meeting Minutes
of the September 4, 2019 meeting. No edits were noted. Commissioner Zapora moved
approval of the minutes. Commissioner Hall seconded the motion. The minutes were
approved unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no members of the public present. Chair Grant closed the public comment
period.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Review of Draft Letter from Salary Commission
Chair Grant distributed a draft letter with the Commission's findings to be filed with the
City Clerk and presented to the Mayor and City Council. Commissioner Zapora asked
that his approval of the findings and compensation adjustments included in the letter be
noted for the record. Minor clarifying edits were made to the draft letter. Commissioner
Zapora made a motion to accept the letter from the Salary Commission as amended.
Vice -Chair Dubno seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.
Chair Grant will make the needed edits to the letter and file it with the City Clerk with a
copy to the City Attorney on September 12. The Commission confirmed that a copy of
the community and Council surveys should be included in the City Council's agenda
packet for September 17.
ELW 7/2/2019
Review of Draft Presentation to the Citv Council
The Commission reviewed the presentation slides prepared by Commissioner Hodson.
The Commission asked for various corrections and clarifications consistent the final
letter from the Commission. Commissioner Zapora made a motion to approve the
presentation as amended. Commissioner Hall seconded the motion. The motion was
approved unanimously. Commissioner Hodson will make the requested changes and
send a revised version to the Commission on September 12.
OTHER
Commissioner Zapora thanked the Commission for their work and diligence and noted
that the Commission is a pleasure to work with.
Chair Grant adjourned the meeting at 8:00 pm.
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j" 1g9° CITY OF EDMONDS SALARY COMMISSION
Commissioner Jay Grant, Chair
Commissioner Ava Dubno, Vice Chair
Commissioner Don Hall
Commissioner Jeff Hodson
Commissioner Carl Zapora
Date: September 11, 2019
To: Mayor Dave Earling
Council President Adrienne Fraley-Monillas
City Council Members
v
From: Commissioner Jay Grant, Chair
Re: 2019 Commission's Compensation Determination
The Salary Commission performed its duties, as required under ECC 10.80.030, and files this report on the
compensation determination of the Office of the Mayor and City Council Members.
We are appreciative and grateful for the assistance given by consultant Marilynn Beard, who in the absence
of a human resource director performed an excellent job. Also, we thank Emily Wagener from the Human
Resources Department, and other staff within the City who contributed and prepared various requested
information.
As our charge requires an outcome that is binding on the City, we not only look to have transparency and
public input, but the Commission took into consideration the financial impact any decision would require.
Our Commission worked diligently and harmoniously to reach our conclusions. The Commission took
great strides in reviewing a considerable amount of history and comparable information that is relevant to
this process. We also wanted to take a step beyond just using comparable data. For this reason, we looked
to see if any type of accountability and job responsibilities could be used. We understand ultimately it is
the citizens of the City that execute accountability with their vote. However, like any position, we wanted
to see if there were other measurements that would be appropriate.
In our survey this year, of which we were pleased with the amount of submissions from the public, the vast
majority stated accountability was important. We encourage Council Members to review the information.
Also, six Council Members answered the questionnaire, and we appreciated their input. Our challenge in
reviewing the Council compensation, we found there is no practical way to approach accountability, nor
any job responsibilities documented other than the number of meetings that might be attended. We are
unaware of compliance for documentation of actual time spent, except an estimate of hours stated in the
budget.
We would like to point out the City of Lynnwood has published statements of its Council responsibilities
and job descriptions. We think it would be helpful if Council would consider this same endeavor. We
believe it would offer assistance to Council Members, the public and the Salary Commission.
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j" 1g9° CITY OF EDMONDS SALARY COMMISSION
Page 2
2019 Commission's Compensation Determination
By our actions, we are ensuring that the Mayor and Council are fairly compensated for their duties. We
understand the amount of the salaries is not the reason for their service to the community. However, it is
important that reasonable compensation is reflected for that service. After considerable research and
discussion, it is the conclusion of this Commission that the following compensation be implemented:
To provide the Mayor's salary for 2020 and 2021 as follows:
■ Effective January 1, 2020, the Mayor's salary shall be increased by four percent (4%) of
the current salary to $130,972;
■ Additionally, effective January 1, 2021 the Mayors' salary shall be increase by four percent
(4%) of the 2020 salary to $136,211; and
Also, the Commission determines the benefits package for the position of Mayor shall
remain unchanged and shall change in the future only if the benefits package for
nonrepresented employees' changes. The benefits package for Mayor currently mirrors the
benefits package for non -represented employees.
To provide the Council President salary as follows:
■ Effective January 1, 2020 the Council President's additional compensation shall be
increased by $100 a month, for a total of $300 a month which is an additional amount of
salary to the Council's base salary.
To provide Members of the City Council for 2020 and 2021 as follows:
■ Effective January 1, 2020 the Council Members base salary shall be increased by $1,000
a year over their current salary;
■ Additionally, effective January 1, 2021 the Council Members salary shall be increased by
$1,000 a year; and
■ Also, the Commission determines that the current health benefits package shall remain the
same and shall change in the future only if the benefits package offered to non -represented
employees changes (either plan, or any contribution rate).
Agreed unanimously; City of Edmonds Salary Commission:
Commissioner Jay Grant, Chair
Commissioner Ava Dubno, Vice Chair
Commissioner Jeff Hodson
Commissioner Carl Zapora
Commissioner Don Hall