Brentwood committee weighs pay-study percentiles, considers EDST to cover debt; firefighter warns of departures

The Brentwood Ways & Means Committee on July 9 reviewed a compensation and benefits study that models citywide pay at multiple percentiles and considered using Economic Development Sales Tax (EDST) reserves to relieve debt service and free funds for salary increases.

Michelle, a city staff presenter, said the study modeled four percentiles (50th, 60th, 70th and 95th) across the General Fund and the Park Stormwater Fund and included full compensation impacts — base pay, overtime, holiday and shift differentials, and benefits. She told the committee Park Stormwater accounts for about 20% of wages and that the team removed “Brentwood Bound” capital figures to view the fund’s standalone performance.

"If you look at the table at the bottom of the slide, it shows what the current fund is for 2024. The estimate includes the transfer of the $1,000,000 and also the 2.8 for the purchase of the garage," Michelle said while describing a scenario in which EDST assumes approximately $1 million of debt service to relieve the General and Park Stormwater funds.

The proposal would not allow EDST to pay salaries, staff said. Members also discussed procedural steps: the EDST board would need to schedule a meeting and vote to authorize using EDST funds, and the Board of Aldermen would then act on that outcome.

Committee members pressed for caution about relying on EDST long term. "So if we're relying on EDST to pay for some of this, that goes away at some point," Alderman Theiss said, citing the EDST sunset passed in 2018. Staff confirmed EDST balances in recent years (about $3.7M in 2021, $3.8M in 2022 and $3.6M in 2023) but noted the need to forecast payments out decades and to meet UMB trust-account requirements before a final plan is set.

The study also models CPI adjustments for 2025–26 (a roughly 2.7% multi-year average), and staff warned higher percentile choices produce compounding future budget pressure. "These are compounding increases that have to be budgeted and balanced," Alderman Gould said, urging the committee to weigh debt service and revenue limitations when considering higher percentiles.

Public comment amplified the urgency. John Youngblood, district vice president for Local 2665 and a Brentwood Fire Department member, told the committee Brentwood employees have been among the lowest paid in the region, cited years of stagnant raises and reduced benefits, and urged the city to make raises retroactive to Jan. 1. "We will lose the time we have invested in our members which makes the city less safe and our job more dangerous," Youngblood said, warning of a potential mass exodus if pay is not made competitive.

Committee members did not adopt a percentile at the meeting. Staff recommended the group review revenue projections at the next meeting, consider whether to retro pay to Jan. 1, and continue engagement with department heads and EDST trustees before forwarding a recommendation to the full Board of Aldermen. The committee set the next meeting for Aug. 1 to review benefits and revenues and continue the conversation.