Committee accepts employee-support update and asks staff to continue work; no immediate action taken

At the March 16, 2026 session the Government Operations Committee received an update on employee engagement and benefits work and voted to "pass with no action," asking the manager's office and human resources to continue developing a benefits review and pay-study implementation plan.

Manager Cal and staff summarized the 2023 employee survey results, which staff said achieved roughly a 50% response rate. "We had almost 50% response rate," the manager's office said, and presenters highlighted key findings: high scores for work environment and professional development, and lower scores for compensation and benefits.

Staff described staffing trends and recent actions: reported full-time staffing at about the high 80% range, annual market increases in the 4%–7% range in recent years, a three-year freeze on the employee contribution to health insurance and a new fire-department pay plan that adjusted step timing. Presenters said a planned pay-study implementation could cost millions once fully budgeted.

The manager's office outlined policy work underway: a parental-leave proposal to align with local employers, a unified on-call compensation policy, and an emergency-closure policy to clarify compensation for frontline public-safety and public-works workers during weather events. Staff also said they will field an updated employee survey this spring and run anonymized focus groups through a third party to identify themes.

Committee members asked for several additions, including a potential question about incentives for alternative transportation and clarity on leave accrual and payout rules. After discussion the committee moved, seconded and approved a motion to "pass with no action" while staff continues work and brings back any requested follow-up; the vote was recorded as approved by voice vote in the transcript but without a roll-call tally.