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Council discusses renewing WIS classification contract; asks staff to negotiate term and reporting
Summary
Counsel and councilors reviewed a draft services contract with Wagner, Erwin & Shealy (WIS) for classification and salary consulting, discussed term and annual not‑to‑exceed amounts, and asked staff to meet WIS and return with a modified agreement.
Monroe County Council discussed a draft consulting agreement Feb. 25 to continue work with Wagner, Erwin & Shealy (WIS), the external firm that performs job classification, salary analysis and related human‑resource consulting for the county.
Molly Turner King, county legal counsel, presented a draft engagement and said she left the term and amount blank intentionally for council direction. Councilors debated a one‑year versus two‑year term and whether to set a per‑year not‑to‑exceed amount. Councilor Iverson favored a two‑year term to allow the firm time to follow department workflows; several colleagues proposed a $28,000 annual cap tied to the county’s budgeted line for consulting.
The county auditor reviewed recent invoices for WIS work and said the county paid about $7,546 in 2022, $12,588 in 2023 and roughly $15,002 in 2024 for classification and related services. The auditor also noted one recent three‑month invoice sequence that totaled about $5,700. The auditor said itemized billing showed work on courts, probation and other department classification requests.
Why it matters: WIS provides central classification and compensation expertise the county lacks in a fully staffed internal HR model. Councilors said they want clearer cost‑per‑project guidance so departments know expected charges before requesting a major study.
Council direction and next steps: Councilors asked staff to meet with WIS, consider a two‑year term that ends Dec. 31, 2026, and return to the council with a contract that includes: (1) a per‑year not‑to‑exceed amount (council discussion centered on $28,000), (2) periodic check‑ins or review points so the council can assess performance and costs, and (3) language clarifying expected per‑project costs for department classification requests. The item will return to a future agenda after negotiation.
