The Marlborough finance committee on May 14 voted 5–0 to approve a proposed amendment to City Code Chapter 125 (personnel) that updates the salary schedule for several leadership roles in the Department of Public Works, including head treatment plant operator, general foreman, head mechanic and assistant city engineer. The changes are scheduled to take effect July 1, at the start of the next fiscal year.

Commissioner Ted Scott presented the city’s succession-planning report and salary proposal, saying three leadership positions are currently unfilled and that higher pay is necessary to attract and retain licensed and experienced staff. Scott told the committee the head treatment plant operators have responsibilities that include emergency response, procurement and use of the city’s financial system (Munis), and that those operators’ professional licenses make them targets for private-sector recruiting.

Why it matters: The department oversees critical daily services — the city’s treatment plants, fleet operations and emergency response for water, sewer and public-works incidents — and sustained vacancies at leadership levels pose operational risk. Committee members said competitive salaries and a clear succession path are essential to preserve institutional knowledge and ensure continuity of services.

Commissioner Scott described the proposed salary schedule as a multi-step structure that would become active July 1; for employees already at top steps the proposal allows a small additional step increase (roughly a 2% adjustment at the top step, as described in the memorandum). Several councilors praised the succession-plan emphasis and the goal of promoting from within where possible. Councilor Roby asked whether a formal job description for the assistant city engineer had been submitted; Scott said the position’s job description was submitted in the prior budget cycle and that the salary ordinance and job description for the assistant city engineer are in place. After discussion, the committee voted to approve the amendment to the salary schedule by a 5–0 vote.

Next steps: The salary schedule amendments will take effect July 1. Department leadership said they will pursue internal candidates and external recruitment as needed and that the city will monitor classification and compensation findings in future reviews.