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Davenport civil rights director says salary assessment delayed; commission schedules April 15 joint meeting with council
Summary
Director Lacy told the Davenport Civil Rights Commission a requested salary assessment for investigator positions remains unresolved after repeated requests to HR. Commissioners scheduled a joint meeting with the City Council and city administrator for April 15 to press for answers and consider next steps, including possible legal action.
Director Lacy, the Davenport Civil Rights Commission director, told commissioners on April 25 that a requested salary assessment for the commission’s investigator and specialist positions has not been completed despite repeated requests beginning in October 2024.
Lacy said she submitted the request twice verbally, then in writing in December 2024, and received a reply April 4 she described as “unresponsive” and misaligned with the requested comparisons. “I requested that salary assessment for the investigations positions in October of 2024 before they started negotiations for the new union contract,” Lacy said. She said HR compared different job classes than those she asked to be reviewed and omitted one of the requested positions from the assessment.
Why it matters: Lacy and commissioners said the delayed assessment has blocked hiring for vacant investigator roles and complicated budget planning, and they said the apparent mismatches in HR’s comparisons could depress pay for specialist and investigator roles that the office says require legal training. Lacy said the delays have affected investigations and day-to-day operations.
Commissioners asked for a joint meeting with the City Council and city administrator to get direct answers. City administrator Max Steiner has tentatively confirmed the April 15 joint session; Lacy said the commission will submit specific written questions to the city in advance so staff who attend can respond. Commissioner remarks urged clear, written responses before the meeting so the commission can decide its next steps.
Lacy said the commission is considering legal options if the requested information — including the metrics HR used, which titles were compared, and who holds decision authority — is not provided. “In my opinion, it seems like legal action needs to be taken at this point,” she told commissioners, citing the length of the delay and the effect on hiring and investigations.
Next steps: commissioners said they will compile and send specific written questions to city staff before the April 15 meeting. The commission will evaluate answers at that joint meeting and decide on further action, including possible legal remedies.
