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Council reviews new 30-step pay schedule and classification changes in compensation workshop
Summary
At a Sept. 15 workshop, city HR staff presented a new 30-step pay structure with 1.5% step progression and several classification/title updates aimed at recruitment and retention, particularly in public safety and technical maintenance roles; staff said the changes fit within the adopted FY 2025–26 budget and will return for formal adoption.
The Fair Oaks Ranch City Council on Sept. 15 reviewed proposed changes to the city—s compensation structure in a workshop item focused on general government and public safety pay schedules.
Joanna Merrill, the city's director of human resources and communications, presented the proposed pay structure based on the previously approved "minimum plus 1" methodology with a 1.5% step progression. "This new structure creates 30 steps, each with a 1.5% increase between steps and this replaces our previous system which had fewer steps with a larger 2.5% progression," Merrill said. Merrill said the change is intended to provide smoother progression, extend career longevity within pay ranges and reduce compression between new hires and experienced staff.
Merrill said the adjustments target maintenance, utilities and public-safety classifications—areas the presentation described as particularly technical and difficult to recruit for. The presentation named several classification and title changes: full-time administrative clerk and administrative support specialist titles will be consolidated to administrative assistant; custodian and maintenance worker will be simplified to custodian; payroll and accounts-payable specialist will be reclassified as finance specialist; the Director of HR and Communications title will be shortened to Director of Human Resources following a planned separation of communications into a standalone unit; and Public Works and Engineering titles will be simplified to Director of Public Works and engineering services manager to engineering manager.
City staff told the council that the labor costs associated with the proposed pay schedules can be managed within the FY 2025–26 operating budget and that no additional budget amendment is required at this time. Merrill said next steps include returning the finalized schedule for formal adoption by resolution at the council's regular meeting on Thursday and presenting a final report with any additional adjustments after the full study is complete.
Council members asked clarifying questions about title consolidation and whether any positions were being added; staff confirmed the changes were reclassifications and clarifications rather than new positions. Grant (Director of Public Works and Engineering Services) and Lee (Manager of Engineering Services) were mentioned by staff as incumbents in the clarified titles; staff emphasized the changes were intended to align titles and placements with peer cities.
Why it matters: the pay-schedule changes are aimed at recruitment and retention in technical and public-safety roles and will affect how employees progress through pay ranges if formally adopted.
Next steps: staff will prepare the resolution for formal approval at the council's next regular meeting and will return with a final report and any follow-up adjustments based on council direction and the full compensation study.
