Consultant Kelly Babcock told council Jan. 28 that most of the city’s classifications were below market and some minimum pay ranges were below market. She said this does not mean the employee’s pay is below market, but the study was looking at the pay range for positions.
The consultant surveyed 15 cities in the area for 18 benchmark positions and four proposed positions. Monroe’s pay scales were most frequently at the top or bottom of lists, but rarely in the middle.
She recommended 10 levels of pay grades with a 40 percent difference between the top and bottom of each scale (one position will be 31 percent).
It will cost Monroe $29,868 to bring some positions up to the new minimums in the updated pay levels.
Babcock said there is one position that is above the maximum and part of the compensation plan recommended in the policy manual review will be how to handle individuals whose pay falls outside the maximum.
Council voted 6-1 with Councilman Todd Hickman voting against the ordinance at the Feb. 11 meeting.
In other business, council appointed Gary Morton as the city’s new public works director. City Manager Bill Brock said Morton would begin his new duties on Feb. 12, and his annual salary would be $90,000.
“We chose Gary because of his work ethic, his familiarity with the city and his experience in the public works field,” Brock said.
He said Morton was self-employed for the past five years and previously worked as the city’s public works superintendent for eight years. Morton also worked as Middletown’s superintendent of water distribution, sewer and storm water collection from 2003 to 2007.
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