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Council posts FY27 classification and compensation plan after debate on pay and retention
Summary
Council voted to post the proposed FY27 classification and compensation plan after the mayor outlined targeted regrades and a 3% nonunion increase, police/fire contractual increases, and a recommended hourly rise for van drivers to $19 to retain staff. Finance recommended the changes; council will publish the plan as a municipal bulletin.
Mayor Jennifer A. Maxi presented the proposed FY27 classification and compensation plan to the City Council and asked the body to post it as a municipal bulletin for public review. The changes include a mix of position regrades, a 3% across-the-board proposed increase for non-union employees, contractual increases for police and fire (3.5% cited), and targeted wage adjustments such as raising van drivers from $17.51 to $19 per hour.
Why it matters: The administration framed the package as an effort to retain and recruit staff amid rising local wages and turnover, particularly in the public services/highway area where officials said the city has lost employees to neighboring jurisdictions that pay more. Mayor Maxi and finance committee members emphasized competitiveness and staff retention as the rationale for selective regrades and step adjustments.
Key elements discussed: The mayor walked through several reclassifications across departments (finance, health, mayors office, tourism, public buildings, Council on Aging and treasurers office). Council members asked for more transparent, machine-readable charts for future review and noted the plans complexity, including legacy step tables and contract-driven categories for police and fire. Finance committee recommended the plan by unanimous vote and the council voted to post the document as a municipal bulletin.
Council questions and follow-up: Councilors asked for an electronic (Excel/CSV) version of the plan for easier analysis and for a longer-term simplification of step charts; the mayor said modernizing the classification system is a known goal when administrative staffing allows. Several council members emphasized a priority to protect public works staff, citing working conditions and recruitment pressure.
Outcome: Motion to post the FY27 classification and compensation plan as a municipal bulletin passed; the plan will be publicly posted and available for review in advance of final budget action.
