Agenda Packets - 2025/10/06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. Since February 27, 2023 the city has hired 25 new employees. Of those, 11 were hired at Step 1. However, of those 11; two started in a higher grade than their previous city position/employer. 6. Of the remaining, five were at Step 2, two were at Step 3, one was at Step 4, one was at Step 5, two were at Step 6, one at Step 7 and two at Step 9. The remaining two were CSO’s who were hired at Grade 4, Step 1. a. Note – Joe Keding was hired January 8, 2024 at Step 7. Mr. Keding was scheduled to advance to Grade 5, Step 9 August 26, 2025 had he not accepted the position with Shoreview and terminated effective June 20, 2025. Clint Schumann was hired as Mr. Keding’s replacement. b. Note - Joe Ulrich was hired February 10, 2025, as the Streets & Stormwater Lead. Mr. Ulrich started at step 6. (He had no previous supervision experience.) c. Ben Geisbauer, as part of a promotion, went up a grade and two steps to Step 6. (He had no previous supervision experience.) d. Over the last three years the number of Public Works Employees with experience and or required licenses has been limited and it’s been difficult to fill vacant positions. i. The Council approved in 2024 the start of an internship. This resulted in hiring Nik Loder, primarily in the Utility Division. In 2025 the City hired Kyle Smith to the Utility Division. Both Nik and Kyle have no Public Works experience or the required licenses. Personnel Policy: NINE-STEP COMPENSATION PLAN The City uses a nine (9) step compensation plan for regular full-time and part-time employees. The nine (9) step plan is the first phase of the overall compensation policy and shall consist of nine (9) increments with the highest step, Step 9, representing 100% of the positions maximum compensation rate. Progress through the Steps Generally, new employees will begin at Step 1 of the nine (9) step plan. The City Council may however authorize a new employee to start at a step other than Step 1 in consideration of experience and qualifications. Employees hired to start at Step 1 will be eligible for an increase at six (6) months of service. Advancement to subsequent steps would occur on the employee’s anniversary date until the employee reaches Step 9. Advancement to a subsequent step necessitates (1) a performance evaluation rated satisfactory or better by the employee’s supervisor and (2) approval of the Department Head and City Administrator. The progression from Step 1 to Step 9 represents a span of seven (7) years. Policy Issues: 1. The policy manual, which is agreed to in the CBU agreement, states wages/compensation are not subject to grievances. a. Legal has advised the grievance likely violates this clause. 2. The policy manual states the City Council may authorize a new employee to start at a step other than 1 in consideration of their experience and qualifications. a. The policy manual clearly allows council to start at a step higher than 1 and in fact has done so 14 out of the last 25 hires with 4 of them occurring in public works.