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Council and staff clash over implementation of pay study as Amarillo weighs COLA vs. merit
Summary
Councilmembers pressed staff for the full pay‑study report and alternatives after staff budgeted $2.2 million to bring many civilian positions up to new minimums; members argued for preserving merit differentiation while staff said implementation and personnel decisions fall to the manager but that alternate splits can be modeled.
Mayor opened an extended exchange after staff said the budget includes $2.2 million to implement a pay study that would bring positions below newly recommended minimums up to market levels.
"I thought the pay study would just be a recommendation and I was in favor of, hey. Let's go get a pay study," the mayor said, arguing that council expected to see the consultant findings before blanket implementation. Multiple councilmembers echoed concerns that a uniform across‑the‑board increase risks rewarding low performing employees while squeezing merit‑based pay for high performers.
City Manager Grayson defended the administration’s approach to implementation as an operational choice while promising more transparency: "I will take those arrows — I'll be the bad guy — because I'm the one to help with my staff, manage those adjustments there," he said, and offered to send the full study to council and produce models showing alternate ways to split COLA and merit.
Council asked staff to return with the consultant report, a breakdown of the highest and lowest position adjustments, and scenarios (for example 1% COLA/3% merit or 3%/1%) so members could weigh policy tradeoffs. Storrs confirmed the draft budget was built on 5% for police, 4% for fire and a 2% COLA plus up to 2% merit for civilians, but said those are changeable at council direction.
No formal decision was made. Staff said it will provide the consultant pay‑study report and run alternate compensation scenarios ahead of further budget votes.
