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Consultant: Crossville pay schedule largely aligned but some roles fall behind; 5% raise would cost about $750,000
Summary
A market update from Dr. Victoria McGrath found compression in Crossville’s step pay schedule and recommended modest adjustments, including a 5% market increase that staff says would add roughly $750,000 to the general fund if implemented with planned step increases.
Dr. Victoria McGrath, CEO of McGrath Human Resources Group, told the Crossville City Council that a recent market review found many city positions clustered below the external market rate and recommended modest pay‑schedule changes to protect retention.
"You have 58% of the positions that are under the market rate," McGrath said, describing the city’s comp‑ratio methodology and the limits of the current 10‑step schedule, which she called compressed.
The consultant said the analysis used the same peer group and approach as the 2019 study but was narrower in scope (no employee interviews). She recommended a 5% market adjustment combined with continuing step increases and adding a new top step so longer‑tenured employees have room to progress without repeated top‑outs.
Leah (city staff) and council members pressed for numbers. Staff provided a planning figure: carrying the consultant’s recommendations through the budget and projecting the ordinary 5% (plus step increases) would increase general‑fund payroll by about $750,000. Finance staff cautioned the figure is sensitive to retirements, positional moves and whether pay modifications are phased.
Council members also asked about seasonal and part‑time rates. McGrath suggested raising seasonal base pay toward $14–$15 an hour, noting many private employers pay more for similar unbenefitted work. The consultant flagged the council’s demographics — a relatively young cohort and an elevated near‑term retirement eligibility — as factors that make retention and succession planning more urgent than a simple market tweak.
What happens next: staff said the findings will inform the upcoming budget process. Any final pay changes, the timeline for steps and the precise fiscal impact will be laid out in the council’s budget work sessions and will require appropriation decisions before implementation.
