Council corrects pay-grade language and adopts Ordinance 257/2024 as amended

Canton City Council voted unanimously to reconsider and amend Ordinance 257/2024, passing the corrected version after the service director explained a drafting error that had created a "mathematical logjam" in employee pay progression.

The council reconsidered Ordinance 257/2024, adopted Dec. 16, 2024, after Leader Mariel moved to bring the measure back for further action. The city’s service director told the council that the ordinance’s original wording unintentionally required some employees between the 80th and 85th pay percentiles to wait a full year for incremental movement. "I screwed this up," the service director said, explaining the change would allow workers who are at or just below the 80th percentile to move to the next step without an extra 365‑day delay.

Council members asked brief clarifying questions and heard that the amendment does not change the policy's intent but corrects the percentile thresholds so employees are not unfairly delayed in step progression. After the amendment was offered and seconded, the council adopted the amendment by voice vote and then adopted Ordinance 257/2024 as amended by roll call (10 yeas).

The action resolves a narrowly technical drafting problem that city staff identified when reviewing individual employee records following adoption of the ordinance last month. Council President called the motion carried after the roll-call result, and the ordinance was declared adopted "as amended." No additional changes to benefits or step amounts were described during the meeting.

The council did not specify an effective date for the amended language during the meeting; the ordinance was declared an emergency when originally considered in December. Staff follow-up or the ordinance text should be consulted for implementation timing.