Consultant: pay-study would cost about $1.2M–$1.4M; recommends two assistant city managers, restructure

A compensation and organizational review presented to the Goldsboro City Council recommended citywide pay increases and a restructured executive team that would narrow the city manager's direct reports from nearly 19 to seven and add two assistant city managers and a strategic planning manager.

The consultant, identified in the meeting as Dr. Campbell, recommended a 3% cost-of-living increase for all employees and estimated the fiscal impact of bringing pay ranges up to market. Dr. Campbell told the council that the study covered 308 positions across 184 job titles and that initial annualized increases were calculated at about $1.4 million; after HR and staff data revisions the estimated annual cost fell to about $1.2 million. He said the payroll change would represent roughly an 8% change in annual payroll, down from an earlier 9.4% estimate.

The presentation included three cost components: a 3% across-the-board pay adjustment ($467,811 annual cost, per the consultant); pay-range minimum adjustments to bring incumbents to new minimums (about $503,738); and additional adjustments to move incumbents toward a calculated "target" salary based on tenure and market (about $238,705). Those figures were described as the principal drivers of the $1.2M to $1.4M annual total. "We recommend giving everyone a 3% cost of living adjustment," Dr. Campbell said during his briefing.

On structure, the consultant said the city manager currently supervises far more direct reports than is recommended by modern public-administration practice. "About 5 to 8 is the maximum span of control," he said, adding that 19 direct reports limited the manager's ability to provide direction and mentoring. To address that, the report proposed: creating two assistant city manager positions (one aligned over operational departments and one over community services), reclassifying an existing assistant-to-the-manager role into a strategic planning manager, and consolidating certain departments (for example, forming a single Development Services department that would house planning, building and codes, and community development). The report also recommended moving the Paramount Theater under Parks & Recreation and consolidating downtown development and tourism into a business development function.

City Manager Matt Livingston thanked Human Resources and staff for working with the consultant to verify data and said managers would need to evaluate how the recommendations would work in practice. "We appreciate their judgment and guidance, but we also have to look at it as what really makes sense and what's gonna work for us," Livingston said.

Council members pressed for timing and budget implications. Staff and the consultant said costs will need to be phased into the FY2026 budget process and that some of the changes would require more discussion about implementation, job descriptions and which positions should be reclassified. The consultant said the study also reviewed exempt/nonexempt FLSA status and recommended rewriting position descriptions to reflect current duties.

The presentation prompted council discussion about priorities for the coming budget, and staff said they will return with implementation options and cost scenarios. City officials cautioned that some recommendations could be phased to align with budget capacity and that the final implementation plan would be developed by the city manager in consultation with department heads and the council.

Ending: The council did not take any immediate binding action on the report; staff said they would return with more detailed implementation scenarios and budget impacts for FY2026. The pay-study numbers presented will be evaluated as part of the budget-development process that the council scheduled for the coming months.