Kennewick staff review Baker Tilly pay study; consultant recommends 105% market midpoint and raises to entry minimums

Baker Tilly presented a draft classification and compensation study to the Kennewick City Council on April 8, recommending a new pay structure aligned to 105% of market midpoints and a higher starting minimum for non‑represented positions.

The consultant said the study evaluated internal job value using a nine‑factor point system called SAFE (Systematic Analysis and Factor Evaluation) and benchmarked 110 positions against 11 public peers plus three published private‑sector surveys. The firm recommended a new 18‑grade pay plan (grades A–R) with 11 steps and a consistent 2.5 percent step increase, and proposed aligning pay midpoints to 105 percent of the market midpoint to maintain a “lead market” philosophy.

Sarah Towne, consulting manager with Baker Tilly, told the council the firm’s market assessment covered 110 benchmark positions and produced market values for 97.3 percent of those positions. “None of these scenarios will result in a pay decrease for any employee,” Towne said when describing implementation options.

Why it matters: the study would reframe how the city recruits and retains staff by adjusting minimums, midpoints and maximums across the workforce and by creating a more predictable step progression. Council and staff discussed budget impact, implementation approaches, and which employees would be moved onto the new pay ranges.

Key findings and structure Baker Tilly said the city currently uses a 16‑grade structure labeled A–P; the draft replaces that with 18 grades (A–R) and keeps 11 steps per grade. The firm recommended equal 28 percent range…