Gardner City officials weigh salary step changes to retain long‑tenured staff ahead of budget hearing

City staff and council members in Gardner City discussed adjusting the salary step system and allowing negotiated starting steps for experienced hires as part of preparations for an upcoming budget hearing.

The change is pitched as a tool to improve retention for long‑tenured employees and to make city salaries more competitive with comparable municipalities.

At a council meeting preview, a department head said the city could “negotiate a lower salary” or, alternatively, offer a higher starting step to attract candidates with 10 years of experience. The official added that while the move “does cost the city some money,” it could reduce turnover costs over time.

A council member noted that some current positions are underpaid compared with neighboring communities. “Dane’s been here for 23 years, and he makes far less than a lot of other communities,” the council member said, adding that the purpose of a step system is to “put you at a place where you should be.”

Speakers said the city has already imposed a hiring freeze since October and that one department head has implemented an overtime freeze to control personnel spending. Those measures were described as administrative steps rather than formal policy votes.

The discussion included examples cited by staff that showed new positions in other departments at salaries similar to or higher than existing department heads, which participants said highlighted pay‑scale compression and the need to review steps across departments.

Council members opened the floor to questions and asked staff to present the salary study during the budget process. No formal motion or vote on step changes was recorded at the meeting; staff indicated the topic will be part of the budget hearing and follow‑up discussions.

Next steps include the budget hearing, where staff expected to present formal proposals and cost estimates for any recommended step adjustments.