City staff told council the draft 2026 budget prioritizes reducing salary inequities by moving job pay scales toward the 50th percentile, adding a 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment and proposing a police step-pay program.

Finance/budget staff member Jennifer said the budget "includes, moving all staff to the fiftieth percentile" and added there is a proposed 2.7% COLA. On the police side, staff proposed a step program developed from a prior CBIZ compensation study; the step program would provide set annual increases by years of service rather than merit-based percent increases. Jennifer explained the step program "is a set amount per year...that the officer will get each and every year regardless of performance."

Headcount requests and constraints
Staff presented multiple requested positions — many not included in the current draft — across departments: a deputy city clerk, a purchasing assistant refilled from existing staff (no net new headcount), seven police officers, a part-time community service officer (to help weekend animal shelter/kennel coverage), a parks recreational specialist, a paid planning intern (requested but staff recommended waiting and seeking an unpaid intern option given cuts), a general foreman in electric, a water/wastewater split utility worker and two street utility workers. Jennifer said the communications position conversion from part-time to full-time is included in the budget but most other requests are not.

Council and staff discussion
Council members and staff acknowledged recruiting and retention pressures for police and other departments; several council members urged a cautious, stepped approach to adding officers and warned the city could not hire seven officers at once because of budget and retention concerns. "We cannot hire 7 officers this year. We can't afford to do that all in 1 year," Jennifer said, noting the city has been hiring incrementally.

Next steps
Staff asked council to provide feedback on which positions to prioritize; several positions were suggested as contingent on future hires or on improved revenues during the year.

Context: The step proposal originates from a CBIZ compensation study staff noted had recommended a step structure; staff also said COLA increases would still apply in January and steps could be frozen if budget constraints required it.