Municipal
staff gathering market salary info
FY 05-06 Budget cycle will begin December 13
By Elizabeth Prata
Gray--Town of Gray Manager Mitchell A. Berkowitz
is preparing material to present to the Gray Council
at their December 13 workshop meeting regarding
staff compensation.
Two and a half years ago the town staff formed a
Compensation Committee and researched area market
salary and benefit packages to compare against what
the staff in Gray receives. They determined that
most of the staff positions in Gray were under market
in terms of salaries, and above market in terms
of health care benefits.
For the last three budget cycles, Berkowitz has
requested that the Council budget for compensation
for his staff that reaches market levels. Last year,
the Manager and staff asked for only a cost of living
raise, acknowledging that in tight fiscal times
with the Palesky bill staring them down, and already
receiving 100% of health care benefits, that an
additional raise would likely not fly even though
some positions are significantly under-market.
The FY 2005 budget cycle is gearing up, with staff
work being completed in December and January. The
Council will receive the staff-generated information
regarding compensation on December 13 and continue
their budget work at a series of workshops that
begin with a Super-Saturday in early January. The
public is welcome to attend all Council budget workshops.
Berkowitz sent an e-mail to staff this week asking
for the final pieces of salary information so that
he can present to the Council on December 13.
He directed staff to make calls to peers at select/comparable
towns so this information can be entered into a
spread sheet this week. He attached the key points
he is seeking in a spreadsheet. The communities
to contact are on the bottom of the spread sheet.
Compensation
Survey Questions:
Currently Hourly or equivalent being paid?
If there is a pay range for a position please list
Years current person has been in Position?
Weekly hours position pay is based upon?
Next Cost of Living proposed ( 7/1/05)?
Any Longevity or Merit Pay given and How much?
How did you determine rates of Pay and when?
If you have a pay or salary plan please send it
to us.
Communities
identified for Market Survey: Cumberland, N. Yarmouth,
Falmouth, Raymond, Freeport, Scarborough, Gorham,
Windham, Naples, Raymond, New Gloucester
BUDGET
'06 DEVELOPMENT TIME FRAMES
Revised 11.10.04
Source: Gray Town Manager
NO
LATER THAN:
NOVEMBER 9, 2004 Reaffirm this chronology
NOVEMBER
18, 2004 Department Heads will turn in their budget
requests-flat lined-Manager to review
NOVEMBER
22, 2004 Council to review CIP related to FY '06
DECEMBER
9,2004 Manager prepares first draft of FY '06 Budget
for
Council
DECEMBER
13,2004 Council to take first look at a draft FY
'06 budget
Council receives the Compensation Committee Presentation
of Recommendations NLT 12/21/04
JANUARY
8, 2005 Saturday Budget Review with all Dept. Heads/Public
Safety
JANUARY
24, 2005 Council to review the proposed budget and
refine
FEBRUARY
7, 2005 Council to review possible implications
of the proposed budget and report out as needed
MARCH
1, 2005 PROPOSED BUDGET TO COUNCIL-
90 DAYS BEFORE TOWN MEETING (JUNE 11, 2005)
MARCH
15, 2005
OR APRIL 5, 2005 COUNCIL CONDUCTS AN INFORMATIONAL
PUBLIC HEARING(S) ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO SEEK
PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE ANY OFFICIAL ACTIONS.
APRIL
5 or 19, 2005 MSAD#15 PRESENTS THEIR BUDGET OVERVIEW???
MAY 3, 2005 COUNCIL BUDGET GOES TO FORMAL PUBLIC
HEARING. REQUIRES THAT WE PRINT/DISTRIBUTE BUDGET
FOR A PUBLIC HEARING WITH NOTICE. ALL WARRANT ARTICLES
MUST ALSO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL ORDER ON MAY 3
TO BE PART OF TOWN MEETING NOTICE
JUNE
1, 2005 PROPOSED BUDGET TO PUBLIC- 10 DAYS BEFORE
TOWN MEETING (STATUTORY REQUIREMENT)
JUNE
2, 2005 LATEST FOR NOTIFICATION/POSTING OF MEETING
(MRSA 30-A:2523 7 DAYS) PUBLISH DATES JUJE 2&3
JUNE
11, 2005 TOWN MEETING SAT. PRECEEDING TOWN ELECTION
JUNE
14, 2005 TOWN ELECTIONS SECOND TUESDAY IN JUNE
