Oldsmar council accepts compensation study, opts for compa‑ratio adjustments

The Oldsmar City Council on May 19 accepted a classification and compensation study prepared by Evergreen Solutions and approved implementing the consultant’s recommended compa‑ratio approach to bring pay grades closer to market.

Mark Holcomb, project manager for Evergreen Solutions, told council that about 76% of employees were paid below the midpoint of their pay grade, a figure the firm attributed partly to the organization’s relatively recent hiring patterns and average tenure of about eight years. "About 76% of employees are compensated below the midpoint," Holcomb said, noting that the city’s ranges remain structurally sound but need modest adjustments to be market‑competitive.

Holcomb recommended three principal steps: shift the city’s existing pay ranges modestly to close the market gap; reassign pay grades for specific classifications that fell farther behind; and apply a compa‑ratio method to move individual employees proportionally as midpoints shift. He described the compa‑ratio method as a way to maintain internal spacing while targeting limited dollars toward the classifications most below market.

Council members discussed cost and distribution effects and the need to coordinate with HR on hiring and pay‑progression rules. The council moved and seconded a motion to adopt the compa‑ratio approach and accept the study; the motion passed. City staff will work with Evergreen to implement the recommended adjustments and present specific payroll and benefits costs to the finance office for budget planning.

Next steps: staff will calculate total fiscal impacts (including benefits) and present phased implementation options to the council as part of upcoming budget discussions.