San Angelo council approves $150,000 contract for citywide compensation and classification study

The San Angelo City Council on July 1 approved a professional services contract authorizing up to $150,000 to fund a citywide classification and compensation study, council members voted 5-0.

The study will be conducted by Public Sector Personnel Consultants and, according to Veronica Sanchez, the city’s human resources director, “this process would take about 5 months” and will review job descriptions and the pay plan across every department, including police and fire.

City staff told council the study is intended to provide up-to-date market data to help the city recruit and retain employees. Sanchez said the city has not done a full classification and compensation study since February 2007 and that the review will consider both salary and benefits. “Numbers don’t lie,” she said, describing the study as a way to understand the market and make data-based budget decisions.

Council members raised timing questions because the work is expected to extend past initial budget deliberations. Council member Colleen asked whether results would be available in time for the August budget process; staff answered that while final results would take about five months, the city could use interim data and placeholders during the budget and pursue a phased, multi-year implementation. Sanchez also told council that the study commonly supports a three-year phased pay plan and that midyear adjustments are possible.

Council member Tommy Hebert moved to approve the contract; Council member Karen Hesse Smith seconded. The motion passed 5-0.

Next steps: staff will execute the consultant contract and begin the study. City officials said they expect to use interim findings to inform the upcoming budget and will return to council with any recommended budget placeholders or phased implementation plans once the consultant provides results.