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Safford staff recommends 2.5% COLA plus merit increases and maintains 90/10 health premium split
Summary
HR staff proposed a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment plus performance-based merit increases and recommended preserving the 90% city / 10% employee health-insurance premium split despite a Consortium plan-rate increase; council discussed step programs, special-event pay and a $500 holiday bonus proposal.
City HR staff asked the Safford City Council on March 10 to approve a package of personnel recommendations: annual merit increases tied to performance evaluations, a 2.5% baseline cost-of-living adjustment, continuation of step programs for certain jobs, and a proposed holiday bonus program.
"Staff is recommending to process the 2 and a half% cost of living adjustment in addition to the annual Merit increases for all full-time and part-time staff," the presenter said, and provided cost estimates: roughly $845,000 for performance-based merit increases and about $2.925 million for the COLA across all funds. Staff noted employees in step programs (e.g., sworn police, apprentice linemen) are not eligible for COLA because step increases are structured into those pay plans.
On benefits, staff presented a required overall health-plan-rate adjustment (the Consortium indicated a 5.5% required increase for the trust) and recommended maintaining the 90% city / 10% employee premium cost share. Council moved and voted to approve the health-insurance premium cost-share recommendation for FY26.
Other HR items included proposals for special-events pay (time-and-a-half for hours worked at city events to ease scheduling), a grossed-up holiday bonus of up to $500 for full- and part-time staff and volunteers (estimated ~$170,000 across funds), and ongoing discussion about PSPRS pension-tier implications for lateral police hires.
Next steps: staff will bring formal budget language and action items for inclusion in the FY25–26 appropriation process; council asked staff to continue monitoring recruitment and pension-liability questions tied to lateral hires.
