Minot council approves $38,000 compensation study; HR to pursue job-description and pay-structure changes

The Minot City Council unanimously approved a compensation consulting proposal with Heron Palmer on Jan. 6 after councilmembers asked staff to clarify the scope and deliverables.

Alderman Fuller questioned why the city would spend $38,000 on an outside consultant when internal staff could perform some work; the amount was raised during discussion. City Manager Harold Stewart and HR Director Lisa Junt said the contract implements a prior recommendation from the council’s wage-and-benefit committee that an external professional perform a market comparison every three years to provide an outside check on internal work.

Junt told the council the consultant will update job descriptions, address pay compression and review whether the city should move from a 15-step pay scale to a seven-step model or to salary banding to support a potential merit- or performance-based pay system. Assistant City Manager Tom Joyce’s related lean/process review will examine internal procedures; the compensation contract focuses on personnel structure and wage recommendations and will produce data for the 2026 budget process.

Alderman Fuller and others sought clarity about likely organizational effects; Stewart said the contract could lead to recommendations that change the structure but emphasized the firm’s work will present options and fiscal impacts for council discussion. The council moved and seconded the item and approved it unanimously.

The contract’s stated deliverables include wage comparisons, updated job descriptions, analysis of compression issues and recommendations for pay structure changes; the city did not provide a more detailed timeline in the public discussion beyond tying results to the 2026 budget process.