Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 3098-2019Sponsored by: Administration CITY OF KENAI ORDINANCE NO. 3098-2019 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA , INCREASING ESTIMATED REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND , POLICE DEPARTMENT AND AMENDING KENAI MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS 23.25.040 - APPOINTEE COMPENSATION , 23 .25.065 -SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL PAY, 23 .50.010 - EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION, AND 23.55.030 -QUALIFICATION PAY TO IMPROVE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES RECEIVING SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL PAY. WHEREAS, pursuant to KMC 23 .20.020, the classification plan shall be revised as changing positions require it, with the recommendation of the City Manager and the approval of the City Council ; and, WHEREAS, such revisions may consist of addition, abolishment, consolidation, division, or amendment of the existing classes; and, WHEREAS, the Human Resource Director worked with the Police Department to address ongoing issues with the Kenai Police Department's compensation plan in order to improve recruitment, competitive standing and reduce turnover; and, WHEREAS, the Kenai Police Department has had challenges in recent years attracting strong talent to apply for officer positions, retaining trained talent, and meeting the needs and expectations of the community with existing staff; and, WHEREAS, other agencies around the state, led by the Alaska State Troopers and the Anchorage Police Department, are making extensive efforts to recruit and retain officers , including to recruit lateral officers from other departments such as the Kenai Police Department ; and , WHEREAS, to address these issues, a number of potential changes were evaluated , including increasing the number of full-time officers, making changes to current grading and titling , addressing professional pay inequities with relative law enforcement organizations, and incentive bonuses; and, WHEREAS, an incentive bonus for lateral officers who have received certification recognized by the Alaska Police Standards Council will attract new police officers and reduce the City 's cost in sending new officers to the required basic training academy; and, WHEREAS , an increase to shift differential pay will bring the City closer to the competit ive average pay for th is type of pay as well as adjust the shift differential pay for other City employees working eligible shifts, including Public Safety Dispatchers and Kenai Municipal Airport Empl oyees operating snow removal equipment; and, New Text Und erlin ed; [DEL ETED TEXT BRACKETE D] Ordinance No. 3098-2019 Page 2 of 5 WHEREAS, it is estimated that supplemental funding in the amount of $13,755 will be needed in FY2019 and additional appropriations in the amount of approxi mately $115,000 in subsequent years, assuming full staffing of the police department, excl us ive of any Field Trai ning Officer details , and exclusive of payi ng any hiring bonuses ; and , WHEREAS , the City Manager recommends amendments to the Kena i Municipal Code to improve recruitment and retention for police officer positions and is in the best interests of the City of Kenai. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI , ALASKA, as follows: Section 1. Form: That this is code ordinance. Section 2 . That estimated revenues and appropriations be increased as follows : General Fund -Police Department Increase Estimated Revenues - Appropriation of Fund Balance Increase Expenditures: Salaries Overtime PERS Medicare $13.755 $(56,094) 69,000 660 189 $13.755 Section 3. Amendment of Section 23 .25.040 of the Kenai Municipal Code : That Kenai Municipal Code , Section 23.25.040 -Appointee Compensation is hereby amended as follows: 23.25.040 Appointee compensation -Classified service. (a) Upon initial appointment to a position , the employees in the classified service shall re ce ive the minimum compensation for the class to which the position is allocated, except as provided below. (b) In cases when unusual difficulty in filling the vacancy is ex perienced, or when the appointee is ex ceptionally qual ified, the City Manager may cause the appointment for employees in the classified servi c e to be made at a compensation level above the minimum , but not more than Level D for t he same class. ( c) For recruitment of police officers who have successfully completed a police academy recogni zed by the Alaska Police Standards Council. the City Manager may offer additional compensation in the form of a signing bonus up to twenty-thousand dollars ($20,000) to a police officer certified in accordan ce with the State of Alaska Certification Standards . The signing bonus must be paid according to a plan approved by the City Manager. Section 4. Amendment of Section 23 .25.065 of the Kenai Municipal Code : T ha t Kenai Municipal Code , Section 23.2 5.065 -Shift Differential Pay, is he reby amended as follows : New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Ordinance No. 3098-2019 Page 3 of 5 23.25.065 Shift differential pay. (a) Eligible full-time regular employees who work certain shifts expl ained below are entitled to additional compensation . To be eligible , the scheduled shift must be for a period of less than twenty-four (24) hours. (b) Eligible shifts and rates are: (1) Shift begins on or after 2:00 p.m. and before 6:00 p.m.-[2]~%. (2) Shift begins on or after 6:00 p.m. and on or before 3:00 a.m .-[4]§%. (c) The above rates will be computed against [STEP A OF] the fPAYRANGE] current range and step of the employee. Shift pay is not to be considered in computing annual leave or holiday pay. ( d) Eligible employees shall receive shift differential pay for each el igible shift worked. (e) Shift pay will be allowed only upon approval of the City Manager when such work schedule is necessary for the benefit of the City. Section 5. Amendment of Section 23.50.010 (c) of the Kenai Municipal Code: That Kenai Municipal Code, Section 23.50.010 (c)-Employee Classification, is hereby amended as follows: CLASS CODE (c) PUBLIC SAFETY 302 303 304 305 306 307 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 CLASS TITLE Fire Fighter Police Lieutenant Police Sergeant Police Officer Public Safety Dispatcher Fire Engineer Fire Captain Fire Marshal Communications Supervisor Police Trainee Deputy Chief Chief Animal Control Officer Animal Control Officer RANGE 13 [20]22 [18]19 16 9 15 16 17 12 16 /2 1 2 0 11 9 Section 6. Amendment of Section 23.55.030 (b) of the Kenai Municipal Code : That Kenai Municipal Code , Section 23.55.030 (b)-Qualification Pay, is hereby amended as follows: 23.55.030 Qualification pay. (a) In recognition of professional development, personal time , and effort of the individual to achieve same, the following annual recognition entitlement is authorized , payable on a pro rata monthly basis. (b) This recognition entitlement. except senior officer pay and driver/operator pay, is not considered when calculating hourly rates for annual leave or holiday pay. New Text Underlined; [D ELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Ordinance No. 3098-2019 Page 4 of 5 (1) Police Department. UL Certification in accordance with State of Alaska Certification Standards[.] as follows : Police Officer Intermediate Certification Advanced Certification Police Sergeant Intermediate Certification Advanced Certification Police Lieutenant Advanced Certification Police Chief Advanced Certification $1 ,800/year $3 ,000/year $1 ,800/year $3,000/year $3,000/year $3,000/year (ii) Recognition pay for qualified Senior Officers. Senior Officer pay is for Police Officers who have completed step 16E subject to an overall evaluation rating of "Meet Expectations" or better, as follows: Advance one ( 1) pay grade from 16E to 17E (iii) Recognition pay for qualified Field Training Officer personnel for officers temporarily assigned Field Training Officer duties for eligible shifts only as follows: 5% increase of the employee's current range and step (iv) Recognition pay for qualified "Investigator" personnel for temporary assignment as an Investigator when the assignment is the employee's primary assignment and the assignment has been approved by the City Manager or designee as follows: 5% increase of the employee's current range and step (2) Fire Department. (i) Recognition entitlement for an associate degree in fire science is four hundred eighty dollars ($480.00) per year. Eligible grades are fire fighter, engineer, and captain . (ii) Recognition entitlements for EMT certification for eligible grades of fire fighter, engineer, and captain are as follows: EMT I Instructor EMT II EMT Ill EMT-Paramedic $250/year $500/year $1 ,000/year (includes EMT I I pay) $1,500/year (includes EMT II & Ill pay) (iii) Recognition entitlements for driver/operator qualified personnel for eligible grades of fire fighter are as follows: Driver/Operator Qualified One ( 1) pay range increase (pay range 13 to pay range 14) New Text Underlined; [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Ordinance No. 3098 -20 19 Page 5 of 5 (3) Water and Sewer Utility. Certification in accordance with the State of Alaska Certification Standards. W & S II w & s Ill $300/year $480/year ( 4) City Clerk's Office. Certification in acc orda nce with International Institu te of Municipal Clerks . Certified Municipal Clerk 2.5% of the employee 's base pay Section 7. Severability: That if any part or provision of this ordinance or application thereof to any person or circumstances is adjudged invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall be confined in its operation to the part, provision, or app lication directly involved in all controversy in which this judgment shall have been rendered, and shall not affect or impair the validity of the remainder of this title or application thereof to other persons or circumstances. The City Council hereby declares that it would have enacted the remainder of this ordinance even without such part, provision , or application. Section 8. Effective Date: That pursuant to KMC 1.15.0?0(f), this ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after adoption. ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI , ALASKA, this 13th day of December, 2019. ATTEST: Approved by Finance ;!b_ BRIAN GABRIEL SR., MAYOR Introduced : December 4, 2019 Ena c ted : December 18 , 2019 Effective : January 17, 2020 New Text Underlined ; [D ELETED TEXT BRACKETED) 'Vtffqpe «1/t/i a Pair~ Ct~ «1/t/i a Fu.tan" 210 Fida Igo Ave, Kenai , Alaska 99611-7794 Telephone: (907) 283-7535 I Fax : (907 ) 283-3014 www. kenai .city MEMORANDUM TO: THROUGH: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor Brian Gabriel and Kenai City Council Paul Ostrander, City Manager David Ross, Police Chief Stormy Brown, Human Resource Director November 18, 2019 Ordinance No. 3098-2019 -Amending Kenai Municipal Code Addressing Police Officer Compensation The Police Department has been having officer recruitment and retention challenges for several years now. The challenges have included : 1. Attracting strong applicants to apply for positions at the Department. 2. Retaining highly trained and qualified officers . 3. Consistently meeting the needs and expectations of the community with existing staff. 4. Staying competitive with other agencies around the State that are making extensive efforts to recruit and retain officers , including to recruit lateral officers from other departments such as ours. The Human Resource Director and Police Chief, along with support from other members of administration have spent a great deal of time over this past year analyzing those challenges , evaluating turnover, evaluating comparative compensation data, evaluating what is occurring in departments around the State, and evaluating solutions. That analysis resulted in some basic findings including: 1) The police department is having recruitment and retention issues that need to be addressed. 2) Internal policies and practices that could impact recruitment, and retention have been changed and others continue to be analyzed . 3) The cause of those challenges e xperienced by the Department are multifaceted, but in line with state and national trends in law enforcement. 4) There are areas of strength in the City 's pay & benefit package and areas of weakness when it comes to attracting officers and retaining them as they gain experience and expertise. 5 ) Law Enforcement requires extens ive training at the beginning of employment, and ongoing training to maintain and expand skills . That training has a high cost both in dollars and dedicated hours. 6) We needed to ta ke an in-depth Page 2 of 3 Ordinance No. 3098-2019 look at each item of the pay structure and determine what changes could have the greatest impact toward recruiting and retaining officers . The analysis conducted by the City Administration has resulted in Code change recommendations under Ordinance No . 3098-2019. Those recommended changes include: 1. The City Manager is given authorization to use signing bonuses to recruit certified police officers that have already attended an in-state academy or one that is granted reciprocity. Hiring of lateral officers that do not have to attend the 16-week police academy in Sitka is a significant cost savings and time savings for officers to be on the road and functioning as a trained police officer. (i.e. hiring an Alaska certified police officer saves the City approximately $13,500 in academy travel and tuitions costs in addition to salary and benefits during the 16 weeks of attendance and an out-of-State officer granted reciprocity through the Alaska Police Standards Council is also a significant cost saving, requiring only a two week academy at a cost of under $3,500 in travel and tuition rather than the full academy.) 2 . Shift differential pay for swing shift and night shift are adjusted from 2% and 4% to 3% and 6%, respectively. These increased rates are common in law enforcement and among those agencies in the State that are competitively recruiting. This change impacts a couple other departments including Dispatch and the Airport, who also have personnel starting work on later shifts . Shift differential under this change would also be pegged to the employee's current range and step rather than Step A of their Range as was previously the case. 3. Creation of a "Senior Officer'' pay adjustment that would take an officer from a 16E on the pay scale to a 17D. This adjustment at approximately five years of experience addresses several issues: 1. It addresses the fact that officer pay loses competitiveness with peers as time goes on. 2. It considers that some other agencies are recruiting lateral officers with higher starting pay incentives than had previously been the case. 3. It considers the high value of both training and experience that a senior officer provides to the Department. 4 . The Police Sergeant positions are adjusted from pay range 18 to pay range 19. The reasons for this adjustment are two-fold : 1. To recruit into the position and to retain the most highly qualified individuals . 2. To address compression in pay with lower ranking positions created by other changes within the ordinance . 5. The Police Lieutenant position is adjusted from pay range 20 to pay range 22 . This position is exempt under FSLA. In order to be able to competitively recruit from highly qualified supervisors, and to retain a highly qualified person in this position this pay range adjustment is needed. This adjustment is also necessary given the other changes within this ordinance , to address compression in pay with lower ranking positions. As part of this change the Police Lieutenant will directly supervise the Animal Control division . 6. Recognition pay for a Field Training Officer, as assigned to this duty by the Chief, is instituted. This is very standard in law enforcement and among those agencies in the State that are competitively recruiting. A new officer is commonly placed with three Field Training Officers at the Department for a total of approximately three months (each trainer for a month) at the beginning of their employment. That trainer spends every shift with the trainee, evaluating and training them throughout every day. This requires a very intensive training effort and very high level of commitment on the trainer. The 5 % recognition pay received for this is only received by the officer during the period they are actually assigned to training . 7 . Recognition pay for investigators, as assigned to this duty by the Chief, is instituted . Again , this is very standard in law enforcement and among those agencies in the State that are competitively recruiting. When fully staffed, the Department currently operates Page 3 of 3 Ordinance No. 3098-20 19 with four investigators. These investigators are drawn from patrol officers and assigned to work on the most serious of cases including Felony Assaults, Hom ici des, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Sexual Assaults , comple x drug cases , and various other cases that require a high degree of training and proficiency. It is common to move highly trained and very experienced officers into the investigator role to handle those cases, however without this pay incentive it can be difficult to recruit officers into that role , when they wou ld otherwise make more money given shift differential pay, and overtime commonly available in patrol. The 5% recognition pay received for this duty is only received by the officer during the period they are actually assigned as an investigator. The annual estimated cost of these compensation changes is approximately $1 15,000 , assuming full staffing of the police department, exclusive of any Field Training Officer details , and excl usive of paying any hiring bonuses. It is anticipated that hiring bonuses would be up to $20,000 for an Alaska Certified Police Officer and up to $10,000 for an out of State Police officer who meets reciprocity standards with the Alaska Police Standards Council. Those bonuses , if g iven, would result in payments over a period up to four years. The first year anticipated cost for the bonus for an in-State lateral officer would be $6,349 and the first year anticipated cost for the bonus for an out-of-State lateral officer would be $5,079 . If given , these bonuses would result in cost savings in the FY21 budget, when compared to the costs associated with sending an officer to a full academy in Sitka . It is the intent of the administration to absorb these increases in the FY2021 Budget without a change to the General Fund 's revenue rates and percentages. These recommendations are the work of the Human Resource Director, the Police Chief, and the administration to identify a reasoned and measured response to what is occurring in the police department and in law enforcement in general. In conjunction with the work on these changes, the City Manager has met with all the officers of the Department in both 2018 and 2019 to discuss recruitment, retention , staffing, and compensation-related issues, and those officers are all aware of the administration 's efforts to improve officer recruitment and retention. Your consideration of this ordinance is respe ctfully requested . 'Vttf~ «1/tli a PaJ'~ e'ti «1/tli a f"v.tlif'e" 210 F idalg o Ave , Kenai , Alaska 996 11-7794 Telephone: (907) 283-7535 I Fax : (907) 283 -3014 www. kenai .c ity MEMORANDUM TO: THROUGH: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor Brian Gabriel and Kenai City Council Paul Ostrander, City Manager Terry Eubank, Finance Director November 25 , 2019 Ordinance No. 3098-2019 -Police Compensation Amendment The purpose of this memo is to discuss the financial impact of the proposed amendments to Kenai Municipal Code (KMC) Title 23 -Personnel Regulations in an effort to attract and retain qualified police officers. Ordinance 3098-2019 amends several sections of KMC Title 23 with the estimated FY19 and future fiscal year impact for each. Signing Bonus The payment of a $20,000 signing bonus to a candidate who has successfully completed an Alaskan police academy recognized by the Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC) would be accomplished as follows: After 90 days of employment Successful completion of probationary period (typically one-year of employment Upon completion of two-years of employment Upon completion of three-yeas of employment $ 5,000 5,000 5,000 5.000 $20,000 The cost per fiscal year of this change is estimated to be $6,349 including associated benefits . The payment of a $10,000 s igning bonus to a candidate who has su c cessfully completed a police academy re cognized by the Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC) would be accomplished as follows: Page 2 of 3 Ordinance No . 3098-2019 -Police Compensation Amendment After 90 days of employment Successful completion of probationary period (typically one-year of employment Upon completion of two-years of employment $ 4,000 3,000 3,000 $10,000 The cost of this change , including associated benefits, in the first fiscal year is estimated to be $5 ,079 and in year's two and three $3,810 . Shift Differential Increasing the percentage paid for working certain shifts and changing the pay rate to which the percentage will be applied from Step A of the employee 's pay range to the employee 's actual range and step . The estimated annual cost of this change is for the Pol ice Department will be $23,824. This change will also impact the Airport and Communications Department an estimated $3,234, for a total impact of $27,058. Police Lieutenant Reclassification The proposal is to reclassify the Police Lieutenant position from a Range 20 to Range 22. The estimated annual cost of this change is $13,633, including associated benefits . There is only one full time, authorized Police Lieutenant Position. Police Sergeant Reclassification The proposal is to reclassify the Police Sergeant position from a Range 18 to Range 19. The estimated annual cost of this change is $19,854 including associated benefits. There are three full time, authorized Police Sergeant Positions. Senior Officer Qualification Pay The proposal is to provide a new qualification pay, entitled Senior Officer, to be applied to Pol ice Officers receiving a satisfactory evaluation at the conclusion of Step 16E where the officer's pay would increase by one range to Range 17E. The effect of th is change would: be slightly more than a normal step increase to Step F, provide for another step increase in one year as opposed to two , increase the time in which the officer will reach the top end of their pay scale by one year, and increase the maximum compensation of the officer by five percent. The estimated annual cost of this change is $28,27 4 including associated benefits. There are thirteen full time , authorized Police Officer positions, of which seven would be currently eligible for th is change . Field Training Officer (FTO) Qualification Pay The proposa l is to provide a new qualification pay, entitled Field Train ing Officer, to be applied to an Officer or Sergeant performing FTO duties. This pay item would provide for a five-percent increase to the employee 's current range and step while performing FTO duties. The estimated cost per training of a new Officer in FTO status, estimated to be three months long , would be $1,578. Investigator Qualification Pay The proposal is to provide a new qualification pay, entitled Investigator, to be applied to an Officer or Sergeant performing Investigator duties. This pay item would provide for a five-percent increase to the employee 's current range and step while performing Investigator duties. The estimated cost is $24,393 . The department normally has three Officers and one Sergeant performing Investigator duties . Page 3 of 3 Ordinance No . 3098-2019 -Police Compensation Amendment The total financial impact of these change in FY19 is estimated at $33,226 and $115,000 in subsequent years, assuming full staffing of the police department, exclusive of any Field Training Officer details, and exclusive of paying any hiring bonuses. 'Vttf ~ «1/tlv a PaJ'~ tt~ «1/tlv a f"v. t~e 11 210 F idalgo A ve , K enai , A laska 99611 -7794 Tele p h o ne : (907) 28 3-7535 I Fax : (907) 283-3014 w w w . k enai.cit y MEMORANDUM TO: THROUGH: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor Brian Gabriel and Kenai City Council Paul Ostrander, City Manager Stormy Brown , Human Resources Director Dave Ross, Police Chief December 2, 2019 Ordinance No. 3098 -2019 -Increasing Estimated Revenues and Appropriations in the General Fund, Police Department and Amending Kenai Municipal Code Secti ons 23.25.040 -Appointee Compensation, 23.50.010 -Employee Classification, and 23.55.030 -Qualification Pay to Improve Recruitment and Retention for Police Officers and Other Eligible Employees Receiving Shift Differential Pay. (Administration), Introduced on December 4, 20 19, at the Regular Meeting of the Kenai City Counci l Following extensive review and analysis, Human Resources , as well as the Ch ief of Police , recommended changes to the compensation model for our police department in order to improve recruitment and retention of employees . Ordinance No . 3098-2019 provides for these recommended changes; however, a typo was discovered within the original memo and ordinance introduced at t he meeting held on December 4, 2019 , which needs correction . The memo stated , "creation of a "Senior Officer" pay adjustment tha t wou ld ta k e an officer from a 16E on the pay scale to a 17 D" and the correction would be that the pay adjus t men t t ha t would t ake an officer from a 16E on the pay scale to a 17 E. If the City Council approves of the changes as introduced in Ordinance 3098 -2019 , Sectio n 6. of Ordinance No . 3098 -2019 would need to be amended as fo ll ows : Section 6. Amendment of Section 23.55.030 (b) of the Kena i Mun icipal Code : That Kena i Municipal Code, Section 23.55.030 (b ) -Qualifi cation Pay, is hereby amended as follows : Page 2 of 2 Ord inance No. 3098-2019 23.55.030 Qualification pay. (a) In recognition of professional dev elopment, personal time, and effort of t he individual to achieve same , the following annual recognition entitlement is au t horized , payable o n a pro rata month ly basis . (b) This recognition entitlement. except senior officer pay and driver/operator pay, is not considered when calculating hourly rates for annual leave or holiday pay. ( 1) Police Department. ill_Certification in accordance with State of Alaska Certification Standards[.] as follows : Police Officer Intermediate Certification Advanced Certification Police Sergeant Intermediate Certification Advanced Certification Police Lieutenant Advanced Certification Police Chief Advanced Certification $1 ,800/year $3,000/year $1,800/year $3,000/year $3,000/year $3,000/year (ii) Recognition pay for qualified Senior Officers . Senior Officer pay is for Pol ice Officers who have completed step 16E subject to an overall evaluation rating of "Meet Expectations" or better. as follows: Advance one ( 1) pay grade from 16E to 17£Gl [El Thank you for your consideration.