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Compensation review finds half of pay ranges lag market; police pay and recruitment singled out
Summary
A consultant's compensation study reported at the Cottonwood Heights retreat found roughly half of civilian pay ranges trailing peers and highlighted police officer and sergeant pay as a key retention risk, recommending modest structural changes and targeted starting-pay increases to improve recruitment and retention.
A compensation and benefits review presented by Clay Johnson of GBS at the Cottonwood Heights retreat found that about 50% of the city's civilian pay ranges are below market, with trailing ranges averaging about a 9% gap. The consultant said the pay-range analysis, rather than individual salaries, was used because ranges provide a stable basis for long-term pay decisions.
Police pay concerns
Johnson focused on sworn positions for two reasons: those roles make up roughly 25% of city employees, and the police labor market in the county is especially competitive. The study compared Cottonwood Heights to 11 peer police departments and found officer pay roughly in the middle (about fifth of 11), but pay progression lags over tenure, producing retention pressure for more experienced officers.
Costs and recommendations
The consultant and staff presented rough cost estimates for options: modest structural starting-pay increases and step adjustments can substantially improve retention; one estimate to reach a top-three rank for sworn pay was about $182,000 in payroll (staff noted that benefits add roughly 35—45% on top). For the broader civilian workforce, staff estimated that adding an assistant city manager and some staffing realignment would add roughly $344,700 in base salary (with additional benefits costs) to raise medians toward market. Staff also discussed non-pay recruiting tools such as the 4x10 work schedule and other benefits.
What council members asked
Council members asked for detailed spreadsheets and consistent peer comparisons (e.g., starting pay vs. top-of-range) so the council can be clear about where employees sit in the market. The council requested staff to return costed options and to coordinate the compensation committee for deeper review.
Next steps
Staff will return with the full GBS report and the underlying spreadsheets, cost estimates that include benefits, and prioritized recommendations for council consideration as part of the March follow-up process.
