June 14, 2021 Special SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF NEDERLAND
3:00 P.m. June 14, Mak
1_ MEETING
The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. by Mayor Albanese at the Nederland City
Office Building, 207 N. 12th Street, Nederland, Texas. See attached for quorum.
The following statement was posted:
"PIJRS IJANT TO SECTION 30_07, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY LICENSE HOLDER
WITH AN OPENLY CARRIED HANDGIJN),. A PERSON LICENSED UNDER
SUBCHAPTER H� CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (HANDGUN LICENSING
LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A HANDGUN THAT IS CARRIED
OPENLY."
2. SALARY SURVEY
Chris Duque, City Manager, reported on the 2021 City of Nederland Salary and Benefits
Survey. In 2016 the City of Nederland completed its first compensation and benefits
survey in over twenty years. In addition to the approved compensation adjustments,
the City Council agreed to reassess the City's market status every five years. In
January the City engaged Public Sector Personnel Solutions to complete the new
assessment with the same parameters as in 2016:
• The City would attempt to rectify the status of those positions found to be below
market,
• the City would generally not adjust those positions found to be above market,
• the process would be objective by focusing on positions, not the employees
holding said positions and utilizing a consulting expert's data to guide the
process, and
• the City would not reduce any position's pay so that no employee would go
backwards.
Based on the City Council's guidance from the 2016 salary survey, staff identified
positions' pay as below or above the total market (the cities of Beaumont, Port Neches,
Port Arthur, Orange, Groves, Nederland, Humble, Bellaire, Webster, Dickinson, South
Houston, Bay City, Lake Jackson, La Marque and Stafford), below or above the local
market (the cities of Beaumont, Port Neches, Port Arthur, Orange, Groves, and
Nederland), and below or above the mid-county market (the cities of Port Neches
Groves, and Nederland).
Mr. Duque explained the recommendations are based on the adjusted Wage S.
Classification Plan. Currently the Plan is based on defined Grades that include seven
Steps. Each Grade is separated by a five percent increase, and within each Grade, the
first six steps are separated by 63/4 with the final step being 4.753/4 above step 6_
Under the adjusted Plan, the Grades retain the S% separation, but the existing 63/4
separation between steps 1-6 is adjusted to only a 33/4 separation between steps 1
Minutes Continued, June 14, 2021
and 2. This adjustment elevates the entry-level pay (step 1) without impacting the
top-out pay (step 7).
Mr. Duque made recommendations on several positions based on the "below/above
market" status. The highest priority was to address positions identified as "below all
markets" and no proposed adjustments to those positions identified as "above all
markets".
BELOW ALL MARKETS
City Manger
Human Resources Director
Chief Building Official
Fire Chief
Library Director
BELOW MID-COUNTY AND LOCAL BUT ABOVE TOTAL MARKETS
Library Assistant
Departmental Clerk
BELOW MID-COUNTY AND TOTAL BUT ABOVE LOCAL MARKETS
Public Works Director
BELOW MID-COUNTY BUT ABOVE TOTAL AND LOCAL MARKETS
Maintenance Worker Water and Sewer
Maintenance Worker Streets
Maintenance Worker Parks
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator
Water Treatment Plant Operator
Mechanic
Meter Reader
Administrative Secretary
Finance Director
NO MID-COUNTY MARKET BUT BELOW TOTAL AND LOCAL
Recreation Assistant
IT Director
Parks Director
Dispatch Supervisor
NO MID-COUNTY MARKET AND ABOVE TOTAL AND LOCAL
Dispatch
Note: This recommendation is being made outside the salary survey. Over the past
two years, it has been necessary to fill a vacant dispatcher position five times. The
vast majority of the applicants reflect a poor understanding of the position's
responsibilities and tasks, and the current salary may deter a stronger pool of
applicants.
ABOVE ALL MARKETS (No adjustment being recommended)
Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor
Water Treatment Plant Supervisor
Chief of Police
Streets Supervisor
Minutes Continued, June 14, 2021
Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility Worker
Heavy Equipment Operator Streets and Water & Sewer
Animal Control Officer
Sanitation Driver
Court Administrator
Accounting Assistant
Implementation of the recommended pay adjustments are distinguished between
hourly and salaried employees but adheres to the same approach that was employed
in 2016:
• Affected hourly employees would be adjusted on October 1, 2021 in addition to
receiving the anticipated 2% cost of living adjustment; however, steps for these
employees would be frozen for the fiscal year 2021-2022; and
• Affected salaried employees would be adjusted on April 1, 2022; all employees
would receive the anticipated 2% cost of living adjustment on October 1, 2021;
and steps would remain frozen for the fiscal year 2021-2022.
3. ADJOURN
There being no further business a motion was made by Councilmember Neal and
seconded by Councilmember Root to adjourn the meeting at 3:47 p.m. MOTION
CARRIED.
Ayes: Mayor Albanese, Councilmembers Neal, Hollier, and Root.
Noes: None.
Absent: Councilmember Austin.
,oERIAN4
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ATTEST:
ay Fergus , City Clerl
City of Nederland, Texas
CITY OF NEDERLAND
SPECIAL MEETING ATTENDANCE SHEET
NAME TITLE PRESENT ABSENT
Don Albanese Mayor
Talmadge Austin Council Member-Ward I
Billy Neal Council Member-Ward ll
V
Emmett Hollier Council Member-Ward III \�
Sylvia Root Council Member-Ward IV
Chris Duque City Manager
Gay Ferguson City Clerk
Jesse Branick City Attorney
Cheryl Dowden Director of Finance
Gary Porter Police Chief
Terry Morton Fire Chief
Robert Woods Director of Public Works
George Wheeler Building Official
Victoria Klehn Librarian
Holly Guidry Human Resources Director
Joni Underwood Executive Secretary
Angela Fanette Parks Director
Don Albanese, Mayor
G y erguson ity Clerk
June 14, 2021
Date