MINUTES OF THE PEORIA CITY COUNCIL	
	CITY OF PEORIA, ARIZONA
	PINE ROOM, CITY HALL
	FEBRUARY 19, 2008


A Study Session Meeting of the City Council of the City of Peoria, 
Arizona was convened at 8401 West Monroe Street in open and 
public session at 4:02 p.m.

Members Present: Mayor Bob Barrett; Vice Mayor Cathy Carlat; 
Councilmembers Ron Aames, Joan Evans, Vicki Hunt, Carlo Leone 
and Dave Pearson.
 
Members Absent:  None

Other Municipal Officials Present:  Terrence Ellis, City Manager; 
Carl Swenson, Deputy City Manager; Susan Thorpe, Deputy City 
Manager; John Wenderski, Deputy City Manager; Steve Kemp, City 
Attorney; Mary Jo Kief, City Clerk; Stephen Bontrager, J.P. de la 
Montaigne, Greg Eckman, Brent Mattingly, Bill Mattingly, Bob 
McKibben, Grady Miller, Dave Moody, Steve Prokopek, Larry 
Ratcliff, John Schell, Sandy Teetsel, Jeff Tyne, Glen Van 
Nimwegen, James Mason and Gina Soria.

Audience:  Approximately 25 members of the public were present.

Subject for Discussion only:

1.	Classification and Compensation Study 
Recommendations

Susan Thorpe, Deputy City Manager, explained that Waters 
Consulting Group, Inc. (WCG) was contracted by the City to 
conduct a classification and compensation study for all 
professional, supervisory, confidential, and management positions.  
Additionally, WCG conducted a benefits survey among market 
competitors and a performance management system to replace the 
current performance appraisal process for these positions.  Ms. 
Thorpe noted the study goal is to be internally fair, externally 
competitive, and compliant with state law.  

Ms. Ruth Ann Eledge, Project Manager for Waters Consulting 
Group, Inc., discussed the project deliverables, including: an 
analysis of job classifications with an updated classification system, 
a point factor job evaluation system, customized salary and benefits 
survey, market based pay structure, competency based 
performance management system with formal training, and a final 
report with guidelines and formal recommendations for 
implementation. 

Ms. Eledge discussed the job analysis completed.  She reported on 
the review of classifications, including: job relationships and 
grouping, collapsing and/or splitting of jobs, and updated job 
descriptions.  Ms. Eledge noted updated job descriptions should be 
available to employees in four-to-six weeks.  Discussion ensued on 
the point factor job evaluation, which is a system that compliments 
and co-exists with a market approach to structure development.  
Ms. Eledge reported there is no market data for unique jobs, thus 
they are grouped with similar jobs.  She commented on job content 
and requirements and highlighted compensable factors, such as 
experience, technical skills, and education.  

Discussion ensued on market comparisons.  Ms. Eledge 
highlighted the benchmarks and key factors for the market survey. 

Ms. Eledge reported on salary structure.  She suggested reducing 
the number of pay grades, which will be efficient in placing 
employees and allow opportunities to promote or move through 
ranges.  Discussion ensued on structure development.  Market 
average actual salaries are used to determine the midpoint target 
and the placement of positions is based on internal evaluation and 
market data.  Ms. Eledge highlighted the structure development in a 
graphical representation.  She noted only 16 employees currently 
fall beneath the proposed pay ranges.

Ms. Eledge discussed the implementation process and commented 
there will be limited salary adjustments.  She reported on the 
system for establishing starting salaries, pay increases, and 
movement in pay structures.  

Ms. Eledge discussed benefits, highlighting enhancements for 
medical, vacation, and sick leave.

Discussion ensued on the performance management system.  Ms. 
Eledge noted competencies were identified for each job based on 
job content and jobs were divided into eight families based on 
employee questionnaires.  She highlighted management training to 
support the delivery of the performance system implementation.  

Ms. Eledge discussed the implementation process, which will 
become effective June 28, 2008.  

Ms. Thorpe reported that tonight’s presentation will be shown to all 
employees and Human Resources will work on an implementation 
schedule for the project deliverables.  

Vice Mayor Carlat inquired on the reduction of pay grades and the 
grouping of job families.  Ms. Eledge responded that similar 
organizations have an average of 12-14 pay grades and jobs that 
had small differentials were grouped so as to align them with similar 
market value.

In response to questions from Council, Greg Eckman, Human 
Resources Director, reported no employee will receive a pay 
decrease and several employees that are currently at their max pay 
will benefit from the new pay structures as it will allow opportunities 
for pay increases.

In response to Councilmember Evans, Ms. Thorpe noted that the 
budget will be the same allocation, but the deployment will be 
transformed from a step system to a percent range based on 
performance.  

Mayor Barrett commented that it is important for employees to fully 
understand any changes and that staff is properly trained on the 
new performance system.  

Adjournment:

Being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting 
was duly adjourned at 5:00 p.m.


	____ __________________________________
                                                                               
Bob Barrett, 
Mayor


ATTEST:


______________________________________
Mary Jo Kief, City Clerk

CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct 
copy of the minutes of the Study Session Meeting of the City 
Council of Peoria, Arizona held on the 19th day of February, 2008.  I 
further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a 
quorum was present.


Dated this 15th day of April, 2008.

(Seal)


______________________________________
Mary Jo Kief, City Clerk