Committee authorizes review of new 'Community Media Coordinator' job description by McGrath

The Finance, Budget and Personnel Committee on April 1 authorized staff to send revised job descriptions to McGrath for review and compensation evaluation, including a proposed title change from Communication Specialist to Community Media Coordinator and updates to the Communications Director job description.

Tom Lauck, communications director, told the committee the change is intended to separate “community media” operations (Marshfield Broadcasting) from broader communications and marketing functions so that the city’s communications director can focus on citywide strategy while a new Community Media Coordinator would manage the city’s community media operations, including live meeting broadcasts, programming, technical production and a weekly newsletter.

Lauck said funding sources for community media would not change: the work is paid from franchise fees and a 1% state aid backfill that the transcript characterized as continuing since 2020. He described operational details: the community media work includes studio and on-location production, social platforms and a weekly newsletter and that the coordinator would oversee that budget area.

Human Resources Director Sarah Dressel explained McGrath’s review would examine comparables, FLSA exempt/nonexempt status and whether the position’s pay grade should change; she said McGrath typically evaluates whether a role should remain hourly/nonexempt or move to salaried/exempt status and then suggests pay-grade adjustments if warranted.

Committee members pressed on hours, overtime and burnout risks. Lauck and staff said the department budgets $3,500 for overtime and that the community media employee (referred to as David in discussion) is currently paid hourly and often uses comp time; staff estimated substantial weekly hours devoted to recording meetings (committee members referenced an estimate of 10–15 hours per week for meeting recording). Members asked that Human Resources and the communications committee clarify priorities so the role can be structured as a 40-hour position and staff said McGrath will return a report for committee and council review before any salary changes are implemented.

A motion to authorize staff to send the proposed job descriptions and title to McGrath for review and compensation evaluation passed; committee members emphasized the motion authorizes review only and does not itself approve a job title change or a salary adjustment.

Staff said the report from McGrath will return to the committee with proposed compensation recommendations and that any final title or pay changes would require subsequent committee/Council approval.