By Thomas J. McKillen
Managing Editor
The Germantown Village Board was presented with recommendations at its Aug. 7 board meeting on the salary ranges for the next public works director and village engineer.
Larry Ratayczak retired as public works director on July 14. A part-time interim director has been hired through Public Administration Associates (PAA) while the same firm has also been contracted to recruit for the public works director and village engineer positions. Bruce Stelzner, who is serving as interim public works director, noted the village is experiencing growth in residential, commercial, and industrial areas.
“I would say that the majority of communities in the state of Wisconsin would be very jealous over your development and your development potential that you continue to have and the open areas you have for more development. As time goes by, your engineering requirements are going to be fairly robust,” Stelzner said.
Stelzner said the village has a $20 million capital improvement and operating budget, with 15 to 20 percent those costs (an estimated $3 million to $4 million) going to engineering. He noted at one point in time the village had an engineering department of five people. By contrast, there is currently one part-time director and one engineering technician.
Stelzner said his firm examined what it would take to fill the positions in the engineering department. According to memo presented by Stelzner to the board, the recommended pay range for a village engineer would be $115,000 for a hire, $122,500 as a midpoint and $130,000 for the max. In contrast, the PAA recommended pay range for a village engineer is $105,000 for a hire, $112,500 as a midpoint and $120,000 for the max.
“I’ve done five recruitments this year, this is a range we can find success in,” Stelzner said.
During later discussion, Village Administrator Steve Kreklow said the current village pay range for public works director goes from a low of $97,392 to a midpoint of $110,147 to a top figure of $119,810. For the village engineer position, village pay range is $83,777, a midpoint of $99,000 and a top point of $108,000.
Stelzner added that the village may need a wage and classification study to be done on positions in the entire engineering department. He said the firm has not been hired to do that work, but it can make recommendations for the public works director and engineer positions. He added that the current village wage scale for the positions is “light.”
Stelzner presented information for an engineering rate showing that engineering consultants can cost up to $250 per hour for work while he added the village could do the work for significantly less if it had an in-house engineering staff.
“You do have money to make adjustments in your capital outlay budget and your operating budget for what you’re paying consultants today. The money is clearly there to make an adjustment,” Stelzner said.
Stelzner added his firm is recommending that being a professional engineer be recommended but not required for the public works director position. Stelzner said that option could draw candidates who have background as municipal administrators who could manage the department.
Trustee Phil Hudson expressed concern that the range for the public works director and village engineer positions are too narrow and would not look attractive to candidates due to the max figures for each position. Hudson asked if the maximum salary should be increased to draw more candidates.
“I think the range is going to be enough to make the hire,” Stelzner said. “The range is the right range.”
Kreklow added the recommendation from PAA provides data points to announce the positions and make hires. He added the recommended salary ranges don’t fit into the village’s salary ranges, and it’s another process to review how the recommendations for the two positions changes the village current pay ranges.
During questioning, Stelzner said it is recommended that candidates for both the public works director and village engineer posiitons have five years of similar experience.
Trustee Terri Kaminski recommended the matter be sent to the General Government and Finance Committee to review all the village’s salary ranges.
“This is going to affect everything in a year when we don’t have money and we have to see where this money is coming from,” Kaminski said. Kreklow recommended authorizing the hiring range for the two positions recommended by PAA while going back to committee to recalibrate the pay ranges for village positions.
Kaminski urged the board to send the matter to committee for discussion on the recommendations for the two positions and how that would affect pay ranges for other village positions.
“We have to get this sorted out correctly, that’s all I’m saying,” Kaminski said.
Village President Dean Wolter added the village, besides competing with other communities for various positions, is also competing with the private sector to fill those positions.
“A lot of municipalities are getting knee-capped because they can’t compete with the private sector and what is out there in the private sector. Those that are leaving (municipal positions) in most cases are going to the private sector because they’re starting at a higher wage and it’s hard to recruit somebody away from that,” Wolter said.
Wolter said he could support going out at the high range for both positions while reviewing the matter in committee. Kreklow said while he could support a full salary study, that process would take several months and he is concerned because the village had a limited time frame for the interim public works director position and he does not want to have the public works and village engineer positions remain vacant.
“I do not see a full salary study in the offing here,” Kaminski said. She said the committee could review the proposed range and how it will affect other positions, and how the village will fund increases in any salary ranges.
The board voted to send the matter to the General Government Committee for further discussion.
02 8005 6525
info@aktengineering.com.au
Recent Comments