Ordinance committee passes salary adjustments; councilors press administration for full compensation study

The ordinances committee on June 23 recommended first readings for several personnel changes: establishing a stipend for the Assistant City Clerk who attends council meetings, finalizing an amended effective date for a director‑level salary change, and forwarding a broader salary schedule adjustment that applies a 2.5% cost‑of‑living adjustment to affected executive and non‑union positions.

Nick Molini, the city’s director of human resources, said the 2.5% adjustment is intended as a temporary ‘‘band‑aid’’ so employees do not lose ground to inflation while the administration prepares a full restructuring. Molini said the administration will return with a comprehensive plan; councilors repeatedly urged using an outside consultant or software to perform a complete compensation study and asked for an update by the end of summer.

Council debate centered on methodology, timing, and the risk of an escalator that could allow unchecked salary growth. Councelor Canuel and others asked for equivalent‑position comparables and said parts of the proposed schedule appeared uneven (some positions changing by modest amounts, others by larger sums). Councelor Kadim suggested outsourcing the comp study and noted the internal HR staff size would make an in‑house study time‑consuming.

The committee moved and passed the salary items through first reading (roll calls recorded a majority in favor with at least one 'no' on the salary schedule). The administration committed to report progress and to send an update by the end of the summer; members discussed preparing a resolution or a check‑in six months after implementation.