Helotes council hires Evergreen Solutions for $28,000 pay study; findings expected to inform FY2028 budget

The Helotes City Council voted 5-0 on June 11 to authorize the city administrator to contract with Evergreen Solutions for a comprehensive compensation and salary study, approving expenditures up to $28,000.

Council members pressed staff and the consultant on timing and scope during the discussion. Several members said the study’s estimated 2½–3½ month timeline would likely place final recommendations after the FY2027 budget cycle, meaning the results are expected to inform the FY2028 budget.</n Ann Caraway, a council member, asked whether the consultant could produce preliminary figures that the council might consider for FY2027. She said the delay was “a little disappointing” if preliminary information were not available in time to influence the upcoming budget.

Evergreen Solutions project manager Mark Holcomb told the council his firm typically provides the most comprehensive recommendations toward the end of the study but can produce interim projections based on the city’s internal data. Holcomb said the firm could be “a little more conservative” with any early adjustments and that a full market‑based recommendation generally requires the complete review.

Council and staff described the scope as including total-pay assessment, supplemental pays (such as certification and longevity pay), a benefits review and an implementation plan that could outline phased or multi‑year approaches. Staff said they would make any usable pieces of the study available to the council during the budget process if the information arrived in time.

The council’s authorization also named Evergreen Solutions as the selected vendor and capped the contract at $28,000 for the engagement.

The council’s action leaves the city with a consultant report expected to shape future budget deliberations; officials said they will incorporate the findings into FY2028 planning unless usable data arrive early enough to affect FY2027.