Council backs staff bid to boost water/wastewater pay after high turnover; $4/hour raise recommended

City staff told the council that the water and wastewater departments have struggled to maintain staffing, with 18 authorized positions (10 filled, eight vacancies) and a five-year voluntary-resignation total of 21 — a rate staff cited as roughly 36% annually.

Staff said short-term steps included a $1,500 sign-on bonus with a two-year commitment and career-advancement messaging. For longer-term stability, staff recommended raising entry and pay-range minimums for water positions by about $4 per hour so those wages align better with other city utility departments and local private employers; the change was estimated to cost about $86,000 including employer costs.

"We increased the pay ranges for our water positions by about $4 each; this gets us more in line with other City utility departments as well as Freeport," the presenter said, and noted the city had examined internal equity and local market comparators before finalizing the recommendation.

Councilors acknowledged the raise might not fully close the gap with private-sector employers that offer higher pay and different schedules but expressed support for the proposal as a necessary step to reduce turnover and maintain water infrastructure. Staff also described a plan to reclassify one vacant position to a data analyst to improve lifecycle-maintenance analysis and long-term planning for utilities.

Next steps: staff will include the wage schedule updates in the budget process and return with final cost numbers and implementation details.