The Avondale City Council on Oct. 6 approved midyear adjustments to sworn public safety pay plans and authorized two additional full‑time police lieutenant positions, measures staff said are intended to improve recruitment and retention amid West Valley market pressure.

Human Resources Director Andy presented a market survey of West Valley comparators (Buckeye, Glendale, Goodyear, Peoria and Surprise) and recommended multiple changes effective on the first pay period of 2026 (Jan. 5, 2026). For police officers staff recommended aligning the recruit rate with the market midpoint at $34.23 per hour, reducing the officer step structure from nine to eight steps while maintaining a 5% progression between steps, and increasing individual rates accordingly. Staff reported the market study showed officers’ midpoint was roughly 2% below market; those officers did not require a market adjustment under the city’s compensation philosophy, but the recruit alignment addressed entry rate competitiveness.

For sergeants staff recommended a 5% market adjustment to align the sergeant step 1 rate to a market average of $55.51 per hour and a top step (step 6) of about $66.76 per hour, with a 3.8% progression between steps. Budgetary impacts presented for FY 2026 were an estimated $680,000 (officers portion) and $83,000 (sergeants portion) for the remainder of the fiscal year and $1.36 million and $167,000 ongoing, respectively.

Staff also recommended converting police lieutenant and fire battalion chief pay to step plans for internal equity. For lieutenants staff proposed a five‑step plan using the current midpoint as step 1, a 4.66% progression between steps and placement of incumbents into the closest appropriate step without reducing pay; the ongoing fiscal impact was estimated at $23,000 (about $12,500 for FY 2026). For battalion chiefs staff proposed an eight‑step plan with a 4.56% progression and a small ongoing fiscal impact of about $19,000 (roughly $9,500 for the remainder of FY 2026). Because Avondale’s maximums for these grades already led the West Valley market, staff said a conservative step‑movement approach was appropriate.

To improve patrol coverage, staff recommended creating two new full‑time lieutenant positions in the Patrol Division (the division currently has four lieutenants responsible for patrol coverage plus ancillary duties). The recurring cost for those two positions was shown as approximately $314,000 and the FY 2026 prorated cost as about $157,000; staff said salary savings in the current year could cover midyear costs and that ongoing costs are included in the FY 2027 budget projections.

Council members voiced support for competitive pay and praised department leadership for retention efforts. Council member White asked where midyear funding would come from; the city manager and staff said they expect to use current salary savings for FY 2026 with any additional need to come from contingency and noted the amounts are included in the cityfive‑year projection for FY 2027 budgeting.

Action taken: Council member Salorio moved and Council member White seconded a motion to approve the proposed changes (officer and sergeant step adjustments, lieutenant and battalion chief step plan transitions, and the creation of two additional lieutenant positions), effective Jan. 5, 2026; council voted to approve the package.