Director Hunt pushes back on salary schedule increases

The Idyllwild Water District (IWD) Board of Directors approved in a 4-1 vote to implement a pay grade and step schedule, and eliminate automatic 5% salary increase upon completion of certifications.

General Manager Leo Havener wrote in the staff report that the “board of directors will consider approving general manager recommendation of a proposed pay grade and step schedule and eliminate the district policy of an automatic 5% increase in pay upon completion of each certificate obtained.

“The existing salary step schedule has no grades, job titles only, and 20 steps for each position. Additionally, there are inconsistencies between positions within the existing salary step schedule that should be corrected.”

Instead of 2.5% for each step, 5% was approved to go into effect next fiscal year (September 2021). Director Dave Hunt was the lone no vote.

The majority of the board’s focus was on the office and field staff.

However, the general manager starts year one with $102,212 on the chart. Havener currently has an annual salary of $117,000. By year two, the base salary on the chart increases to $107,454. By year 10, the salary increases to $159,516. The chart is included with the story. According to the staff report, there is no fiscal impact.

On the agenda for Wednesday, Nov. 18 is a request brought forward by Hunt for the “board of directors to consider reestablishing pay grade and step schedule that includes 2.5% per step and reestablish the district policy of a one-time bonus upon certification completion.”

The background on this item reads: “The majority of local water districts have 12 steps of 2.5%. Our current step schedule increase of 5% from 2.5% is not consistent with the standards in the local industry. To assist in equity, a one-time bonus for certificate completion by employees would increase pay grade motivation. (Per Director Hunt)”

Regarding fiscal impact, the staff report says there is also none.