Council approves $86,311 budget amendment to correct underpaid positions after salary study

City staff presented findings from a compensation study and asked the council to approve a budget amendment of $86,311 to implement immediate adjustments for underpaid positions. The presenter explained the salary study's market reference and said the identified adjustments would produce a loaded cost to the city of $86,311 to bring specified positions up to minimum market thresholds; the meeting record also cites a previously approved December 2026 one-time stipend of $1,500 that would raise the overall near-term personnel cost to approximately $163,819 if applied as discussed.

The presentation detailed recommended pay changes for multiple public-safety and administrative roles, including moving the deputy chief to an $85,000 base salary, setting captains' base near $82,000, and aligning medics and EMTs to suggested starting salaries of $62,000 and $53,000, respectively. Staff recommended part-time firefighter EMTs be set at $16 per hour and wildland-certified firefighters at a $17.76 minimum; council members debated data completeness and requested additional supporting documentation and peer comparisons before deciding whether to adopt further market adjustments such as an optional 2% market increase estimated to cost about $192,000.

A motion to adopt a budget amendment of $86,311 for the immediate position adjustments passed after discussion; council members asked for fuller documentation and data comparisons prior to additional changes such as the proposed stipend application method or a broader market adjustment.