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Council approves HR restructure, adds workforce and compensation analyst amid budget uncertainty
Summary
The council approved a phased restructuring of Human Resources that creates a workforce and compensation analyst position. Staff said the FY27 net cost will be covered by vacancy savings; council voted 5–2 to approve the change and asked for future budget-year cost clarifications.
Councilors debated consent item 12 — a proposed restructuring of the Human Resources Department that would add a workforce and compensation analyst and reclassify the benefits and compensation manager role. Chief Human Resources Officer Shelley Stifford said the change follows a multi‑phase reorganization begun in 2022 and a recent classification and compensation study; the new analyst will perform market benchmarking, job classification reviews, succession planning and higher‑level compensation analysis that staff said cannot be fully automated.
Stifford told council the FY27 net cost is expected to be under $30,000 and will be covered by savings from current vacancies and recent resignations; the position will be funded from the property‑tax‑supported HR budget in future years. Budget manager Laura Bendorf confirmed the FY28 funding source will be identified at next year’s budget process. Manager Van Milligen and other councilors emphasized the broader city priority on recruitment and retention and said the new role supports those objectives.
The council approved the reorganization on a roll‑call vote, 5–2. Members voting in favor said the position will help the city maintain competitive pay and internal equity; members opposed asked for the request to be reconsidered during the FY28 budget cycle given looming revenue uncertainty tied to Senate File 2472.
Why it matters: Staff framed the change as a phased, fiscally conservative step to complete an earlier multi‑year plan to expand HR capacity and to preserve the results of a comprehensive compensation review. Councilors asked that staff report back during the FY28 budget process with funding details and the anticipated ongoing cost when vacancies are filled.
