Finance committee approves pay grade increase and updated job description for civil service secretary

The Medina City Council Finance Committee approved raising the civil service secretary position from salary code 11 (A–F) to 13 (A–F) and adopted an updated job description reflecting duties the role has been performing.

The measure, advanced at the committee meeting, was recommended by the Civil Service Commission after a salary comparison with comparable positions in nearby communities found the city’s incumbent salary was “significantly underpaid,” the commission reported. The committee also discussed implementation details and timing for the raise.

Committee members and administration representatives said the change would apply when the ordinance takes effect; the committee set the pay to begin with the next payroll period following the ordinance’s effective date (30 days after passage). Law Director Patrick Huber told the committee the council can set the effective date and may make the raise conditional on hiring or other factors. Committee members emphasized the civil service code’s provisions for step placement and noted longtime incumbent Loreen (full name not specified in the transcript) currently sits at step 11F and would move to the next higher step under the 13-grade scale rather than automatically to 13F.

Members also noted portions of the position’s pay are funded by the Medina City School District under the existing formula and that the city’s general fund would cover the city share of any increase. The Finance Committee approved a single Request for Council Action (RCA) covering both the pay grade change and the revised job description, with the pay effective the next pay period after the ordinance’s effective date.

Action on the RCA passed in committee and will move to full council for final enactment.

The council discussed administrative mechanics for bringing a new hire into the grade at a higher step when appropriate and confirmed that existing employees promoted into the position would move to the next higher step per civil service rules.

The committee also recorded acknowledgment from the Civil Service Commission that the revised job description better reflects the incumbent’s duties and that commissioners attempted to persuade the incumbent to remain in the role. The committee did not identify any changes to benefits or other statutory requirements tied to the position in the discussion.

The ordinance and job description amendment will appear before full council for final approval.