![\"2010](\"https:\/\/www.aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/icons\/2010_Budget.jpg\")
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Notes from the Fort Wayne City Council Budget Hearing on October 13, 2009.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This post covers notes Salary Ordinance discussion. The Salary Ordinance\u00c2\u00a0may be downloaded here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Valerie Ahr, Deputy Controller is presenting.<\/p>\n Councilwoman Liz Brown is asking about classifications and who determines them. \u00c2\u00a0 Val is\u00c2\u00a0responding\u00c2\u00a0that a contractor was hired in 2007 to explore the system. \u00c2\u00a0An independent consultant is factoring the positions for non-union employees in the City.<\/p>\n Who decides who gets what classification which determines the pay. \u00c2\u00a0Controller Pat Roller is now at the table explaining the processes used.<\/p>\n Some talk about if employees are at the max in their classification, how adjustments will be made. \u00c2\u00a0Are the job descriptions matching the quality of work being done? \u00c2\u00a0Talking about implementing raises across the board vs. each job.<\/p>\n Councilman Tom Smith \u00c2\u00a0– What happens to people that have performance bonuses? \u00c2\u00a0It’s only union employees that have it. \u00c2\u00a0Tom is suggesting City should stay \u00c2\u00a0away from performance based raises.<\/p>\n Councilwoman Karen Goldner – asking about work to compare public sector pay to private sector. \u00c2\u00a0Goal is to make sure City employees are being paid fairly, yet not over the private sector. \u00c2\u00a0“I think the pay in City government has caught up to the private sector.” \u00c2\u00a0Karen is asking if the comparable positions are being paid similar amounts. \u00c2\u00a0There were very few over the max for their classification. \u00c2\u00a0About 25-30 employees, approximately. \u00c2\u00a0Property tax supported employees are not as many.<\/p>\n Councilman Pape – Is the plan to give every employee a 1.5% rate increase? \u00c2\u00a0They haven’t made the decision over whether or not to withhold it from those already maxed at their classification. \u00c2\u00a0Councilman Pape doesn’t think it’s a good idea to treat every employee the same. \u00c2\u00a0Tim thinks that all should \u00c2\u00a0be considered. \u00c2\u00a0Those with better performances should be rewarded more. \u00c2\u00a0The pot is increased 1.5% and spread from there, not necessarily 1.5% across the board. \u00c2\u00a0“I hope we’re finding ways to reward outstanding performance.” \u00c2\u00a0That’s how we increase productivity.<\/p>\n I think you’re doing a disservice to citizens overall to not give city workers a raise due to economic conditions. \u00c2\u00a0Question is how do we get the best government for the value? \u00c2\u00a0Sometimes it means paying certain individuals more. \u00c2\u00a0If certain employees can take on more, means less employees, should be rewarded. \u00c2\u00a0Look at performance of organization overall. \u00c2\u00a0I hope we’re getting to the point of treating people as individuals and increasing the pool of money available for raises overall. \u00c2\u00a0Are we having fair, competitive pay.<\/p>\n Councilman Mitch Harper – Looking at retention. \u00c2\u00a0What is the turnover rate of City employees? \u00c2\u00a0My sense, Controller Roller speaking, is that it’s stable and low turnover. \u00c2\u00a0I also think that the skillset needed to accomplish the tasks of City government is more complicated than before. \u00c2\u00a0And we’re doing it with less employees. \u00c2\u00a0This has been an evolving process and is an on-going conversation.<\/p>\n Councilman Glynn Hines – process used to be where department head had a pool and made decisions – what happened? \u00c2\u00a0Human Resources doesn’t historically report to the Controller. \u00c2\u00a0There is an on-going process to look at the performance evaluation process. \u00c2\u00a0Pat Roller doesn’t really know when or who made the decision. \u00c2\u00a0Implementing pay for performance is difficult. \u00c2\u00a0Two groups of teams are working on performance review evaluations – how they are filled out, how do we hold managers accountable.<\/p>\n Councilman Pape – it’s hard to hold managers accountable when everyone get’s the same amount.<\/p>\n Councilman Tom Didier – when pay cuts are taken, performance goes down. \u00c2\u00a0 Not in favor of across \u00c2\u00a0the board 1.5% increase.<\/p>\n Controller Roller – we need to find out where the two groups are at. \u00c2\u00a0Let me come back to you with a more formal report.<\/p>\n Liz Brown – did everyone’s salary stay same last year with the Council not giving raise? \u00c2\u00a0Pat – I think everyone’s did. \u00c2\u00a0I think there were two employees who did receive raises because of added job responsibilities due to attrition and other assumed duties.<\/p>\n We were looking at a 1.5% \u00c2\u00a0increase across the board. \u00c2\u00a0We don’t allocate salaries per employee, just the amount overall. \u00c2\u00a0The intent right now is that the 1.5% will go to everyone. \u00c2\u00a0But would like to change this in the future. \u00c2\u00a0Need to make sure the City of Fort Wayne remains competitive, without paying too much.<\/p>\n This ordinance applies to only non-union. \u00c2\u00a0Is it the Mayor’s intent going forward to do performance based increases? \u00c2\u00a0Yes.<\/p>\n Councilwoman Goldner – Taxpayers buy services with their property taxes. \u00c2\u00a0Government’s responsibility is to provide quality services for the money. \u00c2\u00a0HR Consulting company, 48% of businesses froze salaries, 2% last year. \u00c2\u00a0Smallest increase in 33 years. \u00c2\u00a0Typical non hourly workers will see their salaries bumped up 1.8% \u00c2\u00a0I don’t think 1.5% motivates employees. \u00c2\u00a0I think we “delude” ourselves by thinking 1.5% is going to motivate employees.<\/p>\n Liz – what motivates comes from the top down. \u00c2\u00a0We don’t do pay-for-performance like the private sector. \u00c2\u00a0Karen’s stats don’t give an idea of how many businesses went out of business, nor benefits \u00c2\u00a0packages. \u00c2\u00a0People are well compensated in this administration. \u00c2\u00a0Comes down to the Administration and employees we hire. \u00c2\u00a0Health insurance will cost employees 15% more.<\/p>\n Tom Smith – plenty of other places we could have spent $1.3 million. \u00c2\u00a0Could have spent it on Calhoun Street. \u00c2\u00a0Could have given more of an increase, but need to start looking at choices made.<\/p>\n S-09-09-28<\/strong> – Karen – non-union only. \u00c2\u00a0Comments on Police pay. \u00c2\u00a0City of Fort Wayne’s pay drops lower than any other City than Gary. \u00c2\u00a0At 10 years, under Indianapolis, $10,000. \u00c2\u00a0We’re not paying our cops more. \u00c2\u00a0Does it include benefits? \u00c2\u00a0(Liz) \u00c2\u00a0FW officers generally pay more for take-home cars than any other community. \u00c2\u00a0Indy is pegged to price of gas.<\/p>\n Liz – discuss just the grid classification. \u00c2\u00a0All that is being locked in is the amount of people that can be hired and classifications. \u00c2\u00a0Fire decreased by 1. \u00c2\u00a0Police, et. al., increased by 6.<\/p>\n Karen – is there a difference in non-union positions? \u00c2\u00a0only 1 decrease in Fire.<\/p>\n S-09-09-28 vote – 8-0, Marty Bender abstained – passage out of committee.<\/p>\n Notes from the Fort Wayne City Council Budget Hearing on October 13, 2009. Related Images:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1647,236],"tags":[1646,37535,15,21751,129,130,21755,133,127,128,326,2026,851],"class_list":{"0":"post-7754","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"hentry","6":"category-fw-budget","7":"category-fort-wayne-city-council","8":"tag-2010-city-of-fort-wayne-civil-city-budget","9":"tag-city-of-fort-wayne-controller-pat-roller","10":"tag-fort-wayne-city-council-2","11":"tag-fort-wayne-city-councilman-glynn-hines","12":"tag-fort-wayne-city-councilman-marty-bender","13":"tag-fort-wayne-city-councilman-mitch-harper","14":"tag-fort-wayne-city-councilman-tom-didier","15":"tag-fort-wayne-city-councilman-tom-smith","16":"tag-fort-wayne-city-councilwoman-karen-goldner","18":"tag-fwpd-fort-wayne-police-department","19":"tag-salary-ordinance","20":"tag-valerie-ahr"},"yoast_head":"\nRelated Images:<\/h3>
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t![](\"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/wp-content\/gallery\/cityoffw\/71709.jpg\"\n\t\t\ttitle=\"Mayor "\\"2009\/02\/27:")
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