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Council weighs filling vacancies and modest COLA as staff touts hiring‑freeze savings
Summary
Staff proposed keeping three positions vacant to reduce personnel costs and presented options—1%–2% COLA, market adjustments and alternatives such as absorbing insurance increases—asking council whether to use fund balance to cover increases.
Staff told council a hiring freeze and recent turnover would reduce personnel costs by roughly $864,000 and that keeping three positions vacant is a key lever to close a projected FY27 gap. “We have three positions that we are hoping that are not filling,” staff said, and presented scenarios comparing no COLA, 1% and 2% increases plus market adjustments and targeted grade changes.
Human-resources and finance staff presented the compensation strategy and detailed candidate alternatives for reducing employee out‑of‑pocket costs. “One option is to absorb the health‑insurance premium increase so at least their paychecks don't change,” a staff presenter said; councilors pressed for a line‑by‑line breakdown of the $387,000 savings tied to the three vacant positions and for the operational consequences of prolonged vacancies.
