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Council delays pay-plan and a municipal-officers ordinance amid legal concerns
Summary
Council failed to secure unanimous immediate consideration for an updated compensation and classification plan and likewise struggled to move an ordinance affecting appointing authority; legal counsel cited Scott v. Coachman and warned the change could be overturned.
Council discussed two personnel measures with immediate operational implications: an ordinance to adopt an updated compensation and classification plan and a separate ordinance that would change municipal appointing/approval processes for department heads.
The compensation ordinance: Human Resources staff (Kristen) recommended allowing more time to advertise vacancies and to adjust data as needed; a motion for immediate consideration required unanimous consent and failed on a recorded voice vote (motion for immediate consideration failed 4-2). The ordinance will be placed on the next agenda for full consideration.
Municipal officers/hiring-authority ordinance: council considered a proposal the sponsor said was intended to strengthen accountability by adding council participation in certain hiring steps. City legal counsel warned the ordinance could conflict with state law and cited the state Supreme Court’s decision in Scott v. Coachman, explaining that state statute assigns most appointing authority to the mayor and that municipal ordinances cannot override that statute. Council members expressed differing views about refining the proposal, and the item did not receive final approval or immediate consideration and will return to a future agenda.
What’s next: both items will be revisited at a later meeting after additional legal and administrative review.
Ending: Council members asked staff and legal to refine language and return recommendations before voting.
