City's Pay Policy - Broken?

1/10/12

Thanks to Shorewoodian Resident who sent in a comment mentioning the City's non-union pay changes that were on last night's Council agenda.

In 2006, then Mayor Woody Love, Chris Lizee and the others on council hired a consultant to review and make recommendations regarding non-union compensation policy. By the end of 2006, all non-union jobs were examined, pay rates changed and the consultant recommended implementing a pay-for-performance compensation system. Mayor Love, Lizee and the others agreed.

The result was, in most cases, big pay increases for non-union staff starting in 2007. Of course, the messy details of implementing the performance system and a new compensation policy were not addressed. So, the City decided to abandon the old way of giving what amounted to annual cost of living raises, but did not setup the new way.

Finally, in 2009, and with no leadership from now Mayor Lizee, the council established a performance review system. This was followed in 2010 with finalization of a compensation policy that essentially said that non-union employees who were performing at expectations were to be paid in a range that was slightly above the average in the Twin Cities for their job type. Those who exceeded expectations could be paid above the average, but would be capped at something approximating the highest pay in the Cities.

So, what happened last night (based on information provided to the Insider by those who were in the council meeting)?

Two employees, already at the top of their pay range were given lump sums of 1.5% and 2%, without any justification as to why. One employee who is rated as achieving expectations was given a raise to the maximum pay plus, a lump sum of $538. Again, with no justification. A fourth employee, rated achieving expectations, was given a 1.5% lump sum without justification, even though they were already paid $10,000 per year more than the maximum for their job!

The Insider's conclusions are that Mayor Lizee, who defended the pay changes, disagrees with the compensation policy, but just wants to ignore it rather than change it. And, she is rewarding her friends in City Hall at the expense of you, the Shorewood taxpayers.

Happy Reading!
The Insider