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HR director asks council for assistant HR director and $250,000 HRIS implementation
Summary
Human Resources Director Carla Stanton requested one new assistant HR director position and a new HRIS/payroll system with first‑year implementation costs estimated at about $250,000, citing high staff workload, payroll complexity and the need for better employee communication.
Carla Stanton, the city’s human resources director, told the council the department is understaffed and is asking for one additional assistant HR director and a modern human resource information system that would replace a largely manual payroll and benefits process. "We are down to 2 people. We are asking for 1 more," Stanton said, explaining that staff burnout and payroll complexity require both additional personnel and a more capable system.
Stanton said the new HRIS would improve payroll reliability, enable an employee portal for those without city email and allow electronic open enrollment and better benefits administration. She estimated first‑year implementation costs in the range of $250,000 and annual ongoing costs between about $127,000 and $197,000 depending on licensing and service options; current system costs are roughly $15,000 per year.
Council members asked for additional detail on the assistant HR director salary and the long‑term operational costs of the HRIS. Council member Bill Kennedy said the proposed total compensation appeared high relative to local market ranges; Stanton replied the budgeted all‑in first‑year cost for a new hire was around $150,000 but base salary nearer $109,000 once setup and one‑time expenses are excluded.
Stanton told the council the HRIS implementation would take nearly a year because contract rules and multiple bargaining groups require building and validating pay rules across many employee classifications. She said staff who now run payroll would be entirely focused on implementation for the first year, delaying any relief until after the rollout.
Why it matters: the HR request combines a recurring personnel cost with a one‑time technology investment intended to reduce long‑term labor and compliance risk. Council scrutiny centered on pay benchmarking, the budget‑year impact and whether the software choice and scope justify the cost.
What’s next: staff will return with vendor finalists, cost breakdowns and a work plan; council members asked staff to provide a salary/total‑compensation breakdown for the proposed assistant HR director and clearer estimates of ongoing service fees.
