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Council approves classification-plan changes, adds facilities maintenance role amid budget questions
Summary
By a 6–2 vote, Grants Pass council authorized changes to the non-bargaining and Teamsters classification plans, including conversion of an engineering tech to a supervisor, reassigning the urban forester role, and adding one facilities maintenance technician; councilors raised concerns about timing and general-fund capacity.
The Grants Pass City Council on March 18 authorized several changes to the city's classification plans and staffing structure, approving the measure 6–2 after a lengthy discussion about costs and timing.
Staff presented four primary items: reallocate a general-fund community service officer (CSO) allocation into Police (an accounting transfer with no change in service level); convert an engineering tech position to an engineering supervisor (estimated net increase of about $20,000 annually); add one facilities maintenance technician to centralize building upkeep (staff cited an "all-in" annual cost that includes salary and benefits); and reclassify the urban forester to an urban forester/trail coordinator (an estimated increase of about $54,000 to the general fund where the role had been split previously).
Councilor Indra said she was not prepared to support new hires while the council was still revising the salary schedule and facing budget uncertainty: "I feel rushed into this," she said, explaining her no vote. Staff responded that the items were discussed at the recent budget workshop and that affordability depends in part on realized savings and budget appropriations.
Councilor Joel moved to authorize the city manager to amend the non-bargaining and Teamsters classification plans to implement the described changes; after discussion the motion passed 6–2 (Indra and Kathleen voted no).
Staff indicated the facilities maintenance technician position is intended to improve building systems upkeep (HVAC, water systems, etc.) and extend asset life, and that staff will return with implementation details and budget accounting. The council directed the city manager to proceed with the classification-plan changes approved at the meeting.
