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Council discusses clarifying job descriptions, pay parity and a PRN maintenance role
Summary
Council members debated how to handle employees covering others' duties, including whether substitute workers should receive the same hourly pay and whether to create a PRN (as-needed) position. No formal action was taken; council directed staff to draft job descriptions and return with options.
Cleveland Town Council members spent substantial time discussing how to compensate employees who cover duties assigned to other positions and how to clarify job descriptions.
Council members said tasks that fall under a specific position should be documented so alternate employees who perform them are compensated fairly within existing line-item budgets. Several speakers noted current employees often cover additional duties — for example, cemetery maintenance or utility tasks — and that the town lacks a single, clear job description linking those tasks and pay rates.
During the discussion council members proposed multiple approaches, including hiring a PRN (as-needed) maintenance position or creating a combined maintenance/PRN job description that would be called when the regular employee is unavailable. Participants emphasized the need to avoid creating overtime liabilities and to keep expenditures within the existing budget lines that fund the original positions. Heather (staff) confirmed the budget could support short-term coverage within current line-item amounts.
Why it matters: The discussion affects who performs maintenance, cemetery work and utility tasks, how those hours are charged to town funds, and whether employees receive equitable compensation when filling in for others.
Next steps and direction: Council asked staff to draft clear job descriptions for the positions discussed, identify which budget lines would pay for coverage hours, and return with recommended language for an on-call or PRN position. No formal motion or vote was recorded on hiring or pay changes during the meeting.
Council members repeatedly stressed that hiring a full-time, benefited employee is not feasible under the current budget and that any new roles should be scoped to available funds.
