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Urbana council holds first readings on multiple salary ordinances; councilors discuss process to adjust administrator pay
Summary
At the Jan. 21 meeting the Urbana City Council gave first readings to a package of salary-and-benefits ordinances covering police, fire, central staff and department directors (effective Jan. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2027) and discussed the process for proposing a salary increase for the city administrator; no final votes on salary ordinances occurred.
The Urbana City Council on Jan. 21 conducted the required first readings for a set of ordinances that update salary ranges and benefits for several city positions, and councilors discussed how to pursue a possible salary increase for the city administrator.
Ordinances receiving first readings include: Ordinance 4397-25 (fire chief; range $112,000–$127,000), Ordinance 4398-25 (assistant fire chief; range $95,000–$118,000), Ordinance 4399-25 (central staff employees; classification and market adjustments, sick-leave and educational-incentive clarifications), Ordinance 4400-25 (police chief; range $112,000–$127,000), Ordinance 4401-25 (police lieutenant; range $95,000–$118,000; first-year pay retroactive), Ordinance 4405-25 (director of administration; range $123,000–$140,000), Ordinance 4406-25 (director of finance; range $115,000–$130,000) and Ordinance 4407-25 (director of law; range $115,000–$130,000). Each ordinance was given its first of three required readings; council took no final votes on these ordinances at the meeting.
City staff presented the ordinances as the routine follow-up to recent labor-contract negotiations and budget planning. Packet material and staff comments said the ranges cover Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2027, and that some increases are retroactive to the start of 2025; the ordinances do not set an individual employee’s salary but establish the pay ranges from which appointments will be made.
Separately under miscellaneous business a council member asked whether council could consider increasing the salary of Roger, identified in meeting discussion as the administrator (referred to in the meeting as "Roger"). Council members discussed procedure: changing a pay scale requires drafting and passing an ordinance (three readings unless emergency language is included) and coordination with the finance department to confirm budget availability. Several council members said the topic could be discussed in executive session if members preferred a private deliberation about compensation before drafting an ordinance. The clerk and staff offered to prepare background on current scale placement and budget implications before any formal action.
Why it matters: The salary ordinances set ranges that will govern hiring and compensation decisions for key city positions for the next three years and will be reflected in city budgeting and appropriations. The procedural discussion about the administrator’s pay indicates a council interest in potential compensation changes and the steps required to pursue them.
Next steps: The ordinances will return for second and third readings on the council schedule; if council wishes to pursue an administrator pay adjustment it will need to draft a separate ordinance, coordinate with finance for an appropriation or scale change, and — if desired — place the topic on an executive session agenda for preliminary deliberations.
