Gardiner finance committee debates large step raises, accepts substituted ordinance amendment for council review

Councilors at the Gardiner City Council Finance Committee on Aug. 27 discussed a proposed amendment to Ordinance 11539 to replace the city's nonunion compensation schedule, focusing on step-based raises, inclusion of omitted positions and timing of effective dates. The mayor presented a grid that moves many positions to a four-step, service-based scale; councilors raised concerns about large percentage increases and the timing and source of budget authority. Councilor Paul Brooks offered a detailed amendment-by-substitution to trim year-one cost, group positions by role and oversight needs, and add procedures to grant credit for prior service. After discussion the substitution was offered and there was no objection; committee members said the revised language will be finalized and referred to the full council for further review. The committee heard that the mayor's draft reorganizes the nonunion pay chart to mirror the union step structure used in collective bargaining and folds some stipends (for example clothing allowances and educational incentives for chiefs) into base pay in some positions. The mayor told the committee that for several public-safety positions the job descriptions require a minimum bachelor's degree and the new grid removes steps for lower education levels so the incumbents meet the written job qualifications. Councilors repeatedly pressed for clarity on which stipends are included in base pay and where the budgeted money currently sits. One councilor said the auditor's reports show large deltas between amounts budgeted and amounts expended for some chief-level lines and requested a follow-up showing how those stipend and incentive amounts map to budget line items. Councilors split on the best mechanics for step advancement. Brook's substitute groups employees (department heads, assistants, nonhead confirmed positions, and seasonal/intermittent staff), shortens some step intervals for confirmed department heads to preserve council oversight, and proposes a structured approach to crediting prior city or outside service toward steps. He said the substitution reduces initial-year cost by an estimated $150,000 versus the mayor's version and adds a mandated periodic review of the grid to avoid long gaps between updates. Council discussion also focused on the timeline: any appropriation or salary-reserve entry needed to implement increases must be in place by Oct. 1 to affect the current fiscal-year payroll. No formal vote on the ordinance was recorded at the finance committee meeting. The committee accepted an amendment by substitution with no objection and the sponsors asked staff to produce a cleaned draft showing exact budget impacts, placement of specific stipends (for example college-credit or clothing allowances), and the ordinance's effective dates for both seasonal and regular staff. The substituted language also proposes retroactivity to July 1 for regular positions and Jan. 1 for seasonal positions, but committee members asked staff to verify budget authority and carry-forward effects before the item is placed on first or second reading. Committee members flagged equity and transparency concerns during discussion, including: - Large percentage increases for some positions (examples cited during debate: certain IT and public-works positions rose by roughly 30% in the mayor's table) and whether the increases reflect duties or an across-the-board methodology. - The need for clearer process rules on hiring at higher steps and how that affects time-to-next-step for newly hired or promoted employees. - Ensuring positions governed by separate authorities (e.g., golf commission positions) are handled in consultation with those governing boards rather than unilaterally by the city. The committee directed staff to: provide a reconciled table showing current salaries, the mayor's proposed schedule and the substituted schedule; show which stipend and incentive accounts fund the amounts included in the ordinance; and circulate the revised ordinance to councilors before the next full-council meeting. The item remains pending and will return to the council for formal action.