Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, December 7, 2010,
Item 17
17 is consider and take appropriate action on market salary surveys during fiscal year 2010.
I did skip over 10, we probably ought to discuss that in executive session.
we just announced number 17.
>> judge, Commissioners, my name is todd osborne, compensation manager.
to my left diane blankenship, director of the human resources department, and we have brought an item today to discuss basically the compensation direction for f.y.
11.
as you are probably aware, we have done our compensation analysis historically at least for the last ten years in three-year cycles.
three-year strategic plans.
the last one was completed in f.y.
'08.
that study was about 95% complete and then at the recommendation of the compensation committee, they recommended that essentially the work not be received by the Commissioners court and that is what happened.
f.y.
10 the economic conditions have not improved much or f.y.
9 so no analysis was authorized to be done in f.y.
10.
as we come into f.y.
11, we were beyond the third year of a he three-year planning cycle but no results have been produced for f.y.
9 and 10.
what we are proposing is to do a countywide analysis consistent with the plan that was approved in theory by the compensation committee.
so basically what we're asking here is for county Commissioners to give their blessing for us to do the work necessary to produce the market analysis for all county positions during f.y.
11.
we're not asking that you accept it at this time and we're not asking that you approve any recommendations that it may contain at this time.
simply speaking, we're asking that you allow us to do the work.
and as you know, we have not had some jobs analyzed in Travis County really since f.y.
06.
some have not been analyzed since f.y.
07.
the market has moved some since that point.
since we haven't done the analysis in the last two number of years, we don't know exactly how far the market has moved, and we think it's important that we do find out.
at some point we're going to come forward with the recommendation and compensation for f.y.
11 in conjunction with the compensation committee, and basically that recommendation is going to need to be guided by factual information.
and without the ability to conduct the market analysis, we won't be able to give you the best factual information of where Travis County resides in the marketplace.
>> comments or comments?
>> that's it.
>> you believe you can do the county, whole county by the -- I guess early in the budget process?
I guess early summer?
is that what you are looking at?
>> this is typically about a five-month process.
I’ve done comparable studies by myself in five months.
as it turns out, I’ve got a good team of four people that can help me, so yes, I do believe we can do it.
>> do you believe in terms of addressing the internal equity issue we will need outside assistance?
>> I do.
for two reasons.
first, an outside consultant typically is viewed as more impartial.
I’m not saying people view us as being necessarily biased, but typically an outside party is going to be viewed as more impartial.
and second that is correct person is going to have to work fairly closely with the compensation committee and as I’m on the compensation committee, I don't know if that's necessarily the right working dynamic.
>> now, who would this cover?
>> excuse me?
>> who would this cover, this particular survey?
>> everyone.
>> it would cover all county employees.
>> all county employees.
okay.
so I guess getting an answer back by then as far as how long it would take to conduct the survey, do we know how long it would take?
>> I think it's going to take approximately five months.
>> five months?
okay.
and, of course, there may not be any money attached to any of.
in other words, you just basicallyly are going through the survey to see what's out there as far as the market is concerned, right?
>> correct.
we're not asking you to approve anything in advance because certainly we don't know what the study is going to show at this point.
we're not asking for any guarantees --
>> sometimes when these surveys goes out, everyone is being surveyed, sometimes there is a -- a possible indicator that it may be money attached at that point or sometime in the near future or even in the incomes fiscal year.
so that anticipating -- as that anticipated situation sometimes is real and then sometime it's not.
that's just been part of my experience when we've done m.s.s.
and that there are sometimes is an association from folks that there's money coming down the pike immediately.
>> I don't disagree with that.
I’ve seen similar things myself in doing other studies.
and we will certainly do our best to dampen the enthusiasm of those who might think that this is a foregone conclusion in terms of the results.
basically we just need to know where we're at.
>> in the market, I understand that.
>> I think this information is certainly needed since some of these job titles haven't been analyzed since fiscal year 06 and as your backup memo says it, we effectively froze salaries in fiscal year 10 and we've basically maintained the status quo.
I hi we need this information and I appreciate you bringing it forward so I would make a motion.
>> second.
>> it's already in the budget.
>> any discussion on the motion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> the other items I think we should discuss in executive session first, therefore I move we see rest until 1:30.
>> second.
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, December 7, 2010 1:33 PM
