Brookings council approves updated management compensation plan; councilor recuses

The Brookings City Council approved an updated management compensation plan during its Aug. 11 meeting, taking formal action intended to address pay inequities between management staff and unionized public safety and public‑works positions.

City staff and the city manager told the council the plan, last substantively updated in 2022, is intended to reduce ‘‘compression’’ — when non‑management pay and overtime begin to approach or exceed management salaries — and to improve retention. Staff said the plan includes a banked administrative/management time benefit that has no monetary value, does not accrue, and is intended to provide schedule flexibility for senior staff. The presentation also noted that, even with the proposal, management pay had fallen about 3.2% behind police pay levels over the prior three years.

During the meeting a councilor disclosed a potential conflict of interest: "My husband is an employee whose position falls under the terms of the management contract," the councilor said, and she announced she would recuse herself from discussion and voting on the item and leave the dais for the item. The recusal was recorded before deliberations and the subsequent vote.

After brief discussion about parity, longevity steps and relocation assistance language (staff said relocation assistance language was broadened to allow moves within 30 miles of city hall), a motion to approve the management compensation plan dated 08/11/2025 was made, seconded and approved by the council. The councilor who had recused herself did not participate in the vote.

The council recorded the approval and did not attach additional directives in the meeting minutes; staff said the proposal had been discussed at a prior workshop and that staff and the city manager would follow up on implementation and tracking of the plan.