Grants Pass council reviews non‑bargaining pay options, directs staff to craft 10%‑reduced plan

Stephanie, presenting to the Grants Pass City Council, reviewed options for updating non‑bargaining employee pay with a focus on market alignment and Oregon pay equity compliance. She said the city already budgeted full implementation and noted the consultant (Dr. McGrath) had surveyed 19 communities in a 2024 market analysis; the consultant addressed market and compression but did not perform pay‑equity placement for individuals.

The presentation laid out four options: the task force recommendation (phased implementation with weighted, experience‑based placement and a market‑adjustment cap), a full implementation version that applies a pre‑placement cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) immediately, a regrade of the current schedule that resolves pay‑equity mismatches without addressing compression, and a public‑safety‑only option that applies the new system only to police and fire. Stephanie noted key variables that drive costs: whether the FY25‑26 COLA is applied pre‑placement, whether placement is phased, the effective date (the analysis used Jan. 11, 2026), and the placement rubric.

Council members pressed on several points. Several members and a task force representative pointed to a Daily Courier comparator list provided that morning showing lower pay medians for a seven‑city Southern Oregon set; task force members defended the consultant’s broader 19‑community sample and the professional judgment applied. Stephanie warned that reducing the proposed grid could create situations where current employees would otherwise fall above the new top step; in practice those employees would be frozen at their existing pay but that approach complicates the structure and can require redlining to avoid pay cuts.

Stephanie also described legal exposure: pay‑equity claims commonly require approximately two years of back wages plus compensatory damages (courts sometimes award one to two times back wages), possible punitive damages for willful violations, attorney fees, and noted the city’s CIS insurance has a $10,000 deductible per claim and coverage limits that could leave the city exposed beyond per‑member and all‑member caps.

After discussion about recruiting markets, comparators and budget impacts, Councilmember Rob moved — and Councilmember Joel seconded — to direct staff to return with an option that reduces the task force recommendation by 10% (using step‑6/market average as the reference unless council directs otherwise) so the council can compare a Southern Oregon‑weighted alternative against the task force proposal. The motion passed on roll call with councilmembers voting in favor. Staff confirmed they will return with the analysis and adjusted spreadsheets.

The council also agreed to schedule a future workshop to discuss whether the city manager’s compensation should be treated separately from the non‑bargaining salary structure. The workshop was adjourned after staff confirmed next steps.