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Consultant presents compensation and classification study; recommends grade-and-step system with modest cost impact
Summary
DDA Associates presented a classification and compensation study recommending grade-and-step salary ranges built from 2026 market data; consultant said the proposal would have an overall cost impact of about 1.71% and outlined next steps for job-description updates and labor negotiations.
DDA Associates consultant Mark Goldberg presented the results of a compensation and classification study for the City of Montrose, recommending a grade-and-step system that aims to be internally equitable and externally competitive. Goldberg said the firm used 2026 market data across peer cities and counties and emphasized that job evaluation is based on job content rather than the incumbent.
Goldberg described the proposed structure — nine steps per grade with grades spaced roughly 5–15% apart and typical salary-range widths near 27–30% — and said the city's aggregate placement is slightly above market, which he described as a healthy position. He told council the study's immediate fiscal impact would be modest: "the overall cost impact was 1.71%," he said. Council members asked about how the plan interacts with upcoming labor negotiations (the union referenced in the meeting) and about handling employees paid above the new range maximum; Goldberg recommended freezing pay for employees above range maximums until ranges catch up or offering creative options such as lump-sum payments.
Council did not take formal action on the study but discussed next steps, including revising job descriptions across departments and starting negotiations near the end of July. Staff and the consultant will return with implementation options and any budget implications for council approval.
