City workers could see fatter paychecks

Shown above is the main entrance to the John G. Christy Municipal Building, commonly known as City Hall, at 320 E. McCarty St. in Jefferson City.
Shown above is the main entrance to the John G. Christy Municipal Building, commonly known as City Hall, at 320 E. McCarty St. in Jefferson City.

Following six months of analysis by a nationally prominent municipal compensation consultant, the Jefferson City Council absorbed an hour's presentation of its Job Classification System and Pay Plan Analysis at City Hall Monday night. If there is controversy about the proposal, none was expressed.

Rebecca G. Crowder, president of the Overland Park-based Austin Peters Group, answered numerous questions from the council but none from the sparse audience in the gallery.

When her oral and visual presentations were completed, Second Ward Councilman J. Rick Mihalevich urged his colleagues to adopt the plan when it is brought to a vote at the Dec. 6 meeting, thus triggering a 2 percent across-the-board pay increase plus distribution of $575,000 in a budgeted cash reserve to the 400-plus city employees. The $575,000 is tucked into the current city fiscal year budget, which began Nov. 2.

City Administrator Steve Crowell voiced wholehearted support for the Austin Peters study, noting no city employee would receive less in his or her pay envelope because of it. Some employees might find themselves with different or new job classifications, but none would see their compensation reduced, he said.

When asked by Mayor Carrie Tergin for his recommendations, Crowell had three: accept the Austin Peters report, adopt the pay plan it proposed, and determine the manner in which and when the $575,000 is distributed.

Some of Mihalevich's council companions echoed his comments. As Mayor Carrie Tergin adjourned the meeting, they huddled to discuss the timeline which could put the raises in the workers' paychecks within the next few weeks - perhaps before the end of the calendar year and in time for Christmas present purchasing.

Mihalevich volleyed numerous questions at Crowder, seeking clarification and amplification on a number of the issues raised in the Austin Peters study. At one point, Crowder, by way of complimenting Mihalevich on his thorough reading of the lengthy analysis, asked, "Can I hire you?"

Third Ward Councilman Ken Hussey spoke to the gravity of the financial proposal, not just because of Mihalevich's call for an almost immediate approval and funds transfer to the city's employees but also because of the long-term implications of the plan. He called adoption of the plan not just a big step for the city but a huge step as well. Hussey's cautionary note was not daunting to Mihalevich, who reiterated his view that the council should give its stamp of approval to the plan when its first opportunity for a vote arises at that Dec. 6 meeting.

City Counselor Ryan Moehlman assured members of the council they were not binding future councils through the adoption of the Austin Peters plan, nor would they be violating Missouri's Sunshine Law if they considered how the proposal would affect groups of employees vs. individual policemen, for instance.

Jefferson City Police Chief Roger Schroeder and three leaders of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) represented the interests of the police force. The FOP was represented by president Mark Edwards and executive board members Jason Ambler and Andrew Lenhart. None of the four chose to be quoted on their views of the Austin Peters report or the council's enthusiastic tone about adoption of it. Chief Schroeder said he believed comment at this point would "muddy the waters."

Crowder, who has done 100 similar pay studies for municipalities throughout the state and nation, offered effusive praise to Jefferson City staff with whom she has worked closely the past six months. Crowell estimated Crowder and her associates from Austin Peters had been in Jefferson City 160 hours working on the plan.

Crowder will be meeting with city employees one-on-one over the next three days to answer any questions they may have.

The Austin Peters plan can be reviewed in its entirety on the city's website, jeffcitymo.org.