Longview to commission citywide salary survey to guide future pay decisions

A consultant recommended the City of Longview begin a citywide salary survey to measure pay for roughly 150–200 classifications and inform future budget and pay‑philosophy decisions. Matt Weatherly of Public Sector Personnel Consultants told the City Council on Nov. 13 the firm will collect salary plans, job descriptions and organization charts from proposed comparison cities and private‑sector surveys for portable roles.

"We want to identify where we are in the market and then ultimately lead you through a conversation later around where do we want to be in the market," Weatherly said, describing a proposed list of 10–15 comparator agencies and a timeline that would bring results for policy discussion in spring. He noted council retains the policy decision on target market placement, such as aiming for 90–95% of market averages.

Weatherly told the council Longview’s average turnover over the last five years has been about 17%, a level many employers saw in 2023–24 amid wage inflation; he said some entry positions in the city start near $15.25 per hour while a living-wage estimate cited was roughly $16.50. The firm will model pay ranges and placement; Weatherly said implementation decisions — whether to adjust ranges or move current salaries — should be addressed through the annual budget process.

Councilmembers asked about treatment of benefits in comparisons and weighting of comparator cities. Weatherly said benefits were not in the current scope but that staff routinely studies benefits during renewals; he recommended focusing comparisons by job duties and using cost‑of‑living or purchasing‑power adjustments where appropriate.

Next steps set at the meeting: councilmembers will review the consultant’s presentation and submit suggested comparator agencies through staff; the consultant expects to begin data collection after council direction and to return with initial findings in the spring.