HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 509-1 RESOLUTION NO. 509-1
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF SARATOGA AMENDING
AND SUPERSEDING RESOLUTION NO. 509 ESTABLISHING COM-
PENSATION AND BENEFITS OBJECTIVES FOR THE CITY OF
SARATOGA
WHEREAS, the CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA deems it necessary to establish
well defined Compensation and Benefit Objectives for the City of Saratoga; and
WHEREAS, the basic objectives of Compensation and Benefits provided by the City
of Saratoga shall be to attract and retain well qualified employees who can provide
effective public service; and
WHEREAS, achievement of the basic objective requires establishment of a level
of City Salaries and Benefits and establishment of a procedure for determining and
achieving the desired level;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council will establish salaries
and salary ranges for all City of Saratoga positions substantially equal to the median of
salaries anticipated to be paid during the co. ming year by other cities for similar
positions, proper allowances being made for differences in job classifications, content,
scope and responsibilities; for compensation provided comparable positions in private
employment; and for the quality of the working environment provided by the City.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following procedures will be used to implement
the establishment of salaries and fringe benefits:
(1) The following cities will be used for salary comparisons of benchmark classes:
Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Mountain View,
Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale. Benchmark classes are defined
in Paragraph 1 of Exhibit A, attached.
(2) The following cities will be used for salary comparisons of Department Heads
and other non-benchmark classes: Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos,
Los Gatos and Milpitas. Non benchmark positions are defined in Paragraph
2 of Exhibit A, attached.
(3) The City Council each year will review these procedures and will make any
necessary changes.
(4) The City will conduct a survey each year covering appropriate City of Saratoga
position classifications to determine salaries and salary ranges paid in the
cities listed above. Salary levels as of April 15 shall be used for adjustments
to be made effective for the ensuing fiscal year. Salary levels as of October
15 shall be used for adjustments to be effective during the ensuing calendar
year. The salary survey shall include visits to each of the jurisdictions
with which comparisons are being made when such visits are essential to the
validity of the survey. Care will be taken to avoid comparing ~ ties only.
Job substance will be reviewed for meaningful comparisons. For classes
comparable to positions in private employment, the survey will include
consideration of compensation afforded these positions in private employment.
(5) On the basis of the salary survey, encompassing both public and private employ-
ment and other factors deemed appropriate to the level of compeM. sation provided
by the City of Saratoga, the City Manager shall prepare the recommended com-
pensation plan for positions in the city service. These recommendations will
reflect the guiding principles for compensation stated in Resolution No. 508.
It is recognized that, at positions above the entry level, comparisons and
recommendations will be difficult and consideration must be given to internal
relationships and levels of responsibility.
Recommendations relating to Department Heads must take into consideration the
levels of responsibility relative to the responsibility of similar positions in
other agencies and the success with which the individual Department Heads accomplish
the mission of the city within the policy constraints established by the City Council.
(6) The results of the City Salary Survey and the City Manager's recommendations will
be published in a written preliminary report which will be placed on file for
employees and other interested citizens to examine.
(7) The City Manager will inform city employees of the report and recommendations. The
City Manager will then meet and confer with the recognized Employees' Association
and will consult with those individual employees who request it.
(8) If Agreement is reached by representatives of the Employees' organization and the
City Manager, they shall jointly prepare a written memorandum of such understanding,
which shall not be binding, and present it to the City Council Management Committee
for consideration.
(9) Following the meeting with the employee representatives and individual employees, the
City Manager will submit the final report and recommendations to the City Council
Management Committee, together with a summary of all concurrences and non-concurrences
expressed by individual employees and the recognized employee association and any
written memorandum of understanding jointly prepared by the employee association
and the City Manager.
(10) The City Council shall give consideration to the salary survey, the report of the
City Manager, the written memorandum of understanding, the recommendation of the
City Council Management Committee and the proposals of the Employees' Association
in establishing the Compensation Program for the City of Saratoga within the context
of these compensation and benefits objectives of the City of Saratoga.
The within resolution is an expression of the existing policy of the City of
Saratoga and is subject to modification and change by the City Council from time
to time. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as creating or establishing
any of the provisions of this resolution as terms of any contract of employment
between any officer or employee of the City.
The above and foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and
passed by the City Council of the City of Saratoga at a regular meeting held on
the..]~ .... day of December , 1971 by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmen Robbins, Smith, Kraus
NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmen Dwyer, Bridges G ~ ~
MAYOR
A TTE S T: ~.
EXHIBIT "A"
RESOLUTION NO. 509
1. Benchmark classes are entrance level of journeym~. classes rppresenting
the various occupational groups, and are standardized to allow for ef-
fective comparisons in the sample agencies. Benchmark classes are used
where there are a series of classes or related classes that should move
salary-wide together. For example, an intermediate typist classification
would make a good benchmark class, since such types of work are readily
identifiable and are found in most governmental agencies. It is easier
to make comparisons on such a classification and then, as the salaries
move for this class, so would the salaries of the other classes which
are related to the benchmark. In many governmental agencies, benchmark
classes a~e referred to as "key'~ classes.
2. Non-benchmark classes are those classifications for which it is diffi-
cult to make comparisons. These are generally single position classes
and salaries for other classes would normally not be affected when the
salaries of non-benchmark classes are adjusted. For example, certain
professional classifications or department head classifications might
be considered as non-benchmark classes.