Richmond OKs changes in pay-scale

Taylor Six, Richmond Register, Ky.
·3 min read

Mar. 17—At the March Richmond City Commission workshop meeting, the commissioners were able to approve an ordinance that modified several existing grades and salary ranges.

According to Ordinance 21-07, the salary adjustment is by reason of cost of living adjustments and salary adjustments to the city's employees which have taken place and will take place to provide higher maximum salaries within existing pay grades.

Positions including the human resource coordinator, director of industrial development, the city clerk, communications and community development coordinator, building and planning assistant director, the finance director, the vehicle maintenance director, parks and recreation director, and the public works director all received salary increases.

City Manager Rob Minerich said this adjusts pay grades in personnel grades and class to allow for pay increments that are part of the new budget.

"What we will do in the budget for the next fiscal year, we will do a complete overhaul of this personnel grades and classifications," Minerich said. "At this time we just did what we needed to, to comply with the budget amendment. But it does need a complete overhaul and that will be a part of our new fiscal year budget that you all will see in May or June."

Mayor Robert Blythe said he was happy to hear the city manager say he would take a total look over all employee's pay.

Minerich went on to explain this approval would move this list of employees into the 25th percentile of the Kentucky League of Cities wage and salary survey compared to other cities the same size as Richmond.

"I think it is really time for Richmond to continue to — I think we have to — keep the talent we have and be able to attract talent as we move forward as a city," Minerich said. "We are poised to be one of the fastest growing cities in the commonwealth and we have got to be able to keep the talent we have and to move forward and reward our employees that provide those services to the citizens."

He added this move benefited employees no matter what department they are in.

Other business:

—The Richmond City Commission approved the second reading of an order which made several budget amendments to their 2020-2021 Fiscal Year budget to transfer $1 million into the city's 'rainy day fund.' According to City Manager Rob Minerich, the city typically reserves the amount annually to help build the city's contingency reserve. In the amended budget ordinance, the total revenue adjustments equaled $2,915,312. Additionally, the city adjusted the expenditures in the document in the amount of $1,994,105. Minerich explained this was to help pay for many different things including new equipment for departments, a new fire truck, and pay increments for department heads.

—Jason Hart of the Codes, Planning, Safety and Risk Management Department received approval for his resignation.

—Soft Shoe and Richmond School of Karate were approved for COVID-19 small business relief funds.

—Several job descriptions within the city administration were adopted with new descriptions including city clerk, human resource coordinator, communications and community development director, assistant chief of police, greens superintendent, and economic and industrial development director.

The next Richmond City Commission is scheduled to be held on March 23 at 6 p.m.

Reach Taylor Six at 624-6695 or follow her on Twitter at @TaylorSixRR.