Cheyenne leaders propose shorter step progression, 3% merit raise and employee development pilot

Mayor Patrick Collins and city staff outlined a package of compensation changes at the May 1 City & County work session aimed at improving recruitment and retention for the City of Cheyenne.

The proposal would shorten the existing step progression from 35 years to 25 years so employees advance to top pay grades faster, include a 3% merit increase in the 2027 budget and establish a professional‑development reimbursement program that would partially pay for degrees or certifications in exchange for a multi‑year retention commitment.

Mayor Patrick Collins said the city employs 394 non‑uniform full‑time and 310 part‑time workers and that the administration wants Cheyenne to be an "employer of choice" by ensuring employees are properly compensated. "We do a compensation study every 2 years... a couple of years ago we adopted a step program," Collins said, describing the plan to move from a 35‑year model to a 25‑year model so annual step increases better reflect career progression.

Director Darren, who led the compensation presentation, said the existing 35‑year step model produced step increments that were too small and too slow to prevent pay…