HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 3442-20247 7/
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KENAI
CITY OF KENAI
ORDINANCE NO. 3442-2024
Sponsored by: Administration
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING KENAI MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION KMC 23.55.020 —
COMPENSATION STRUCTURE BY GRADE FOR EMPLOYEES IN THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE, TO
AMEND THE EFFECTIVE DATE A STEP INCREASE OCCURS AND KMC 23.55.030 QUALIFICATION
PAY, TO CLARIFY ANNUAL LEAVE AND HOLIDAY PAY CALCULATIONS AND CORRECT AN
ERROR TO BUILDING PLANS EXAMINER RECOGNITION PAY.
WHEREAS, pursuant to KMC 23.15.010, the City Manager prepares and recommends revisions and
amendments to the personnel regulations as deemed necessary; and,
WHEREAS, Ordinance 3419-2024 amended sections of the personnel regulations related to
compensation structure by grade, which created two additional double letter steps in the Salary Schedule
and amendments to qualification pay; and,
WHEREAS, Ordinance 3419-2024 contained an error by way of additions or omissions to the Ordinance
enacting Building Examiner Pay that failed to omit contradictory language; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to clarify and update the language in the personnel regulations to ensure that
annual leave and holiday calculations are consistently applied for qualification pay and the effective date
for step increases is clearly defined; and,
WHEREAS, amendments to adjust the step increase effective date, clarify qualification pay in annual
leave and holiday calculations, and correct an error to recognition pay for Building Plans Examiner are
necessary and in the best interests of the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Amendment of Section 23.55.020 of Kenai Municipal Code: That Kenai Municipal Code,
Section 23.55.020 (b), Compensation Structure by Grade for Employees in the Classified Service, is
hereby amended as follows:
23.56.020 Compensation Structure by Grade for Employees in the Classified Service.
(a) Compensation structure by grade for employees in the classified service is hereby established in
accordance with the most recent salary schedule effective upon enactment by City Council of the
ordinance adopting a budget for the following fiscal year or by resolution.
(b) On completion of the probationary period, each employee in the classified service shall be
advanced one (1) step. At succeeding anniversary dates, subject to an evaluation of "Meets
Expectations" or better, the employee may be advanced a step increment subject to City Manager
approval effective on the first day of the payroll -period following the date the increase occurs. The
time period normally between Steps B to C to D to E to F is one (1) year. The time normally between
Steps F to AA to BB to CC to DD to EE is two (2) years.
Section 2. Amendment of Section 23.55.030 of Kenai Municipal Code: That Kenai Municipal Code,
Section 23.55.030 Qualification Pay is hereby amended as follows:
23.56.030 Qualification Pay.
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Ordinance No. 3442-2024
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(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) When [T]this recognition entitlement [, EXCEPT SENIOR OFFICER PAY, INVESTIGATOR PAY, CERTIFIED
MUNICIPAL CLERK PAY, PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PAY, AND DRIVER/OPERATOR PAY, IS NOT
CONSIDERED WHEN CALCULATING] is calculated based on an employees' current ran - a and step, it
will be included in hourly rates for annual leave or holiday pay.
(1) Police Department.
(i) Certification in accordance with State of Alaska Certification Standards as follows:
Intermediate Certification An additional 2.25% of step A of the Police Officer range.
Eligible grades are Police Officer and Police Sergeant.
Advanced Certification An additional 3.75% of step A of the Police Officer range.
Eligible grades are Police Officer, Police Sergeant, Police
Lieutenant, and Police Chief.
(ii) Recognition Pay for Qualified Senior Officers. Senior officer pay is for police officers who
have completed five years of service with the City of Kenai subject to an overall evaluation
rating of "Meets Expectations" or better, as follows:
An additional 5% of the employee's current range and step.
(iii) Recognition pay for qualified field training officer personnel for officers temporarily assigned
field training officer duties for eligible shifts only as follows:
Five percent (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:
Five percent (5%) increase of the employee's current range and step.
(v) Recognition pay for qualified Public Safety Dispatcher personnel for employees temporarily
assigned dispatcher training duties for eligible shifts only as follows:
An additional five percent (5%) 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,
captain, Fire Marshal, Deputy Fire Chief, and Fire Chief are as follows:
EMT/EMS Instructor An additional one-half percent (0.5%) of step A of the Firefighter
range.
EMT I II / Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
An additional two and one -quarter percent (2.25%) of Step A of
the Fire Fighter range.
Paramedic An additional five percent (5%) of the employee's current range
and step (included AEMT pay).
(iii) Recognition entitlements for driver/operator qualified personnel for eligible grades of fire
fighter are as follows:
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Ordinance No. 3442-2024
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Driver/Operator Qualified An additional 5% of the employee's current range and step.
(3) Water and Sewer Utility. Certification in accordance with the State of Alaska Certification
Standards.
W&SII
W & S III
$300/year
$480/year
(4) City Clerk's Office. Certification in accordance with International Institute of Municipal Clerks.
Certified Municipal Clerk An additional t[T]wo and one-half percent (2.5%) of [THE
EMPLOYEE'S BASE PAY] the employee's current range
and stet.
(5) Building Plans Examiner. Recognition Pay for certification in accordance with the International
Code Council as a Building Plans Examiner beyond the basic requirements of the employee's
position, which provides substantial cost savings or additional benefit to the City, upon
recommendation by the Department Head and approval of the City Manager as follows:
An additional 2.25% [OF STEP A] of the employee's current range and step.
(6) Public Works Assistant Director. Recognition pay for holding a license in accordance with the
State of Alaska Professional Engineer (PE) license beyond the basic requirements of the
employee's position, which provides substantial benefit to the City, upon recommendation by
the department head and approval of the City Manager as follows:
An additional five percent (5%) of the employee's current range and step.
Section 3. 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 application 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 4. Effective Date: That pursuant to KMC 1.15.070(f), this ordinance shall take effect 30 days
after enactment.
ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA TH�fS 20TH D Y NOVEMBER,
2024,
n c t Mayo
ATTEST: f
City Clerk
Introduced: November 6, 2024
Enacted: November 20, 2024
Effective: December 20, 2024
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KENAI
City of Kenai 1 210 Fidalgo Ave, Kenai, AK 99611-7794 1 907.283.7535 1 www.kenai.city
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Gabriel and Council Members
THROUGH: Terry Eubank, City Manager
Scott Bloom, City Attorney
FROM: Stephanie Randall, Human Resources Director
DATE: October 22, 2024
SUBJECT: Ordinance No. 3442-2024 — Amending Kenai Municipal Code Title 23
Personnel Regulations
Following the implementation of amendments made to the personnel code through Ordinance
3419-2024, a few areas need further review and clarification. The purpose of this memo is to
provide background and justification for the proposed amendments to the City of Kenai's
personnel code, specifically Sections 23.55.020(b) and 23.55.030(b) of the Kenai Municipal Code
(KMC). These amendments ensure the equitable and consistent application of personnel
regulations, improve efficiency, and make housekeeping changes to correct errors.
The following amendments to clarify and update key sections of the personnel code:
Section 1. This section amends 23.55.020(b) which sets the time for step increases to be applied.
When this section was last updated, employees were paid on a monthly basis. Currently,
employees are paid bi-weekly, and this amendment will update the effective date of pay increases
to align with the current payroll practices of the finance department. Under the amendment, pay
increases will take effect on the first day of the payroll period following the date an employee is
eligible for a step increase. This will eliminate the need to manually adjust pay rates in the middle
of a pay period, saving time for payroll staff and reducing the likelihood of errors.
Section 2. This section amends 23.55.030(b), which establishes qualification pay for employees
in recognition of professional development, personal time, and effort for Police Department, Fire
Department, Public Works, and Clerk's Office employees. The amendments to this section clarify
annual leave and holiday pay calculations as they relate to recognition pay. Currently, when
recognition pay is based on an employees' current range and step, it is included in the hourly
rates for annual leave and holiday pay. If the recognition pay is flat amount that is the same for
all employees eligible to receive the pay, annual leave and holiday pay are not included. The
proposed amendment reflects the current practice and will reduce the potential for
misunderstandings or disputes. The recommended change to the Certified Municipal Clerk and
Building Plans Examiner qualification pay will align both of these with the other qualification pay
in this section.
These amendments aim to ensure uniformity and clarify the City's compensation and classification
structure, ensuring fairness, competitiveness, and alignment with industry standards.
Thank you for your consideration.
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