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Council to revisit comp‑time caps after staff and employees warn of retention and emergency‑coverage impacts
Summary
City staff proposed halving comp‑time caps to reduce long‑term liabilities; water and public‑works employees and department heads said high balances serve as income and emergency buffers. Council moved the issue to next week's action agenda so staff can consult departments and produce variants.
City manager and human‑resources staff presented a proposal to reduce maximum compensatory time accruals (non‑public safety from 240 to 120 hours; public safety from 480 to 240) phased in over five years, arguing the change will lower the city's long‑term payout liability and encourage leave use.
Several employees and department heads testified that comp time functions as a necessary buffer for long emergency shifts, medical leaves and seasonal workload. Matt Baker (Water Department) told the council that the current accruals aid retention and provide protection when staff need extended leave: “Maintaining the current cap promotes the employees' well‑being, retention and operational continuity,” he said, summing up several departmental comments.
Council members acknowledged competing priorities: reducing fiscal exposure while avoiding unintended hiring and staffing difficulties. Staff quantified the city's potential payout exposure; council agreed to continue conversations with labor‑affected departments and placed the proposal on next week's action agenda to allow more targeted alternatives (grandfathering, phased reductions or different limits by department).
Outcome: Council directed staff to consult further with departments, prepare data on accrual distributions across the workforce, and return with one or more options for final action.
