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Council approves new engineer FTE and expands benchmark list after staffing debate
Summary
Prescott Valley approved consent agenda items including a new engineer position split between Development Services and Utilities and a recommendation to expand benchmark organizations from 11 to 17 as part of a classification and compensation study; the consent agenda passed 5–2 and Evergreen Solutions will present findings to council later.
The Prescott Valley Town Council approved consent agenda items March 26 that include creating a new engineering position to be split between Development Services and Utilities and adopting recommended benchmark organizations for an ongoing classification and compensation study.
Shauna Dechant, the town’s human resources director, told the council the proposed change responds to recent vacancies and identified “an exceptional need for additional engineering services.” Dechant said the staffing change would result in one added full-time equivalent position split between the two departments and that Evergreen Solutions— the vendor conducting the class-and-comp study—will return to present a final report.
Dechant also described the vendor’s recommended revision of benchmark organizations, moving from 11 to 17 benchmarks after on-site orientation and 14 focus groups that engaged more than 200 employees. She said staff reviewed and refined the list and will present phased options as part of the upcoming budget process.
Several council members voiced concerns about whether the town is running “too lean” on staff and suggested further discussion, including the possibility of an executive session to review payroll and staffing strategy. “A discussion about how lean we are as an organization is definitely worth having,” Dechant said, noting the staffing review will be part of the budget deliberations.
A motion to approve the consent agenda items (8a–8d), including the engineer position and benchmark recommendations, was made and seconded; the council approved the consent agenda by electronic vote, 5–2. Evergreen Solutions will present to council in a subsequent meeting before the final report is published.
