Minutes - 03/10/1998 - Committee of the Whole VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK
COMMITTEE-OF-THE-WHOLE Minutes
February 23, 1998
UNOFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVED AS WRITTEN
OR `MENDED ✓ BY VILLAGE BOARD
ON /ZLmreA /0, /99,'
1. MEETING CALL:
The Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of Monday, February 23, 1998 was called to order by
President Bushy in the Samuel E. Dean Board Room of the Village Commons at 7:30 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance was given.
The Clerk called the roll with the following persons
PRESENT: President Bushy,Trustees Bartecki,Caleel,and Shumate.
Trustee Kenny arrived at 7:32 p.m.
Trustee Savino arrived at 7:37 p.m.
ABSENT: Trustee McInerney.
IN ATTENDANCE: Stephen B. Veitch, Village Manager; Michael A. Crotty, Assistant to the
Village Manager; Debra J. Jarvis, Fire Chief/Building Commissioner; Darrell J. Langlois,
Finance Officer/Treasurer; Ruth A. Martin, Library Director; Allen W. Pisarek, Chief of Police;
and Village Employees, Richard Arling, Marlene Hellwig, Heather Koy, Eileen Kulis, Linda
Lojewski, Darren Martens,Gail Polanek and Joyce Resh.
2. 1998 SALARY PLAN AND SALARY ADMINISTRATION POLICY:
Village Manager Veitch presented the Village's Salary Administration Policy, a policy and
procedure document approved annually by the Village Board with respect to maintenance of the
Salary Plan for non-union employees:
"The Village Manager shall be responsible for reviewing the data supporting the annual grade
adjustment, as well as the performance salary guidelines, and submitting the revised Salary Plan
to the Board of Trustees for its approval.
The Village Manager shall also be responsible for engaging an independent compensation
consultant once every three years, and forwarding the study, evaluations and recommendations
to the Village Board for its consideration."
The goal of the Village's compensation program is to maintain a system for classification and
compensation that is both internally equitable and externally competitive. The purpose of the
triennial audit procedure is to maintain those conditions within the Village's program.
The Salary Administration Policy provides that pay grades will normally be adjusted annually,
effective on January 1 of each year, based on the change in the Consumer Price Index ("CPI")
for the Chicago-Gary-Lake Co. region, as published by the U. S. Department of Labor, for the
twelve months ended September 30 of the preceding year. The policy also provides that
adjustments can be based on other factors (e.g., the Employment Cost Index and wage
adjustments of comparable communities) as may be recommended by the Village Manager and
approved by the Village Board.
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The Salary Administration Policy further provides that every three years the Village will retain
the services of a compensation consultant to perform an independent analysis of the
compensation program and that, in those years, adjustments to the Salary Plan may be based on
the results of that evaluation, as well as other factors. In September, 1997, the Village retained
Hay Management Consultants ("Hay") to review the compensation program and provide
recommendations concerning the Salary Plan to be effective as of January 1, 1998.
The audit process involved a review of updated position descriptions for all full time non-union
jobs in the Village organization, interviews with department heads and evaluation of the content
of each position using the Hay Guide Chart Profile system of job evaluation. The jobs were then
placed into grades along with jobs with similar overall content, as measured by the Hay job
content evaluation procedure. This constituted the internal equity assessment portion of the
study. The external competitiveness portion of the study involved collection of salary data for
benchmark positions from the employers determined to constitute the Village's employment
market in the interest arbitration between the Village of Oak Brook and Teamsters Local Union
#714 in connection with the Police Department bargaining unit.
Compulsory binding interest arbitration (applicable to certain groups of public employees
pursuant to the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act) has rendered regional surveys irrelevant. A
municipality's comparator market is represented by its most recent set of arbitrated comparable
communities. Oak Brook's arbitrated comparator market currently consists of the following
employers: Village of Bensenville, Village of Bloomingdale, Village of Burr Ridge, Village of
Downers Grove, City of Elmhurst, Village of Hinsdale, Village of La Grange Park, Village of
Lombard, City of Oakbrook Terrace, Village of Westchester, Village of Western Springs,
Village of Westmont,and Village of Willowbrook.
Two alternative sets of recommendations for adjustments to the salary ranges were submitted as
follows:
Internal Equity. Hay found that the internal equity reflected by the Village's current pay
program is essentially good. Based on the analysis of job content, which itself was based on
updated job descriptions and interviews, Hay recommends a structure consisting of eleven
grades, rather than the fourteen grades reflected in the 1997 Salary Plan. In addition to reducing
the number of pay grades, Hay recommends that a number of positions move within the salary,
structure in order to improve internal equity.
Village Manager Veitch disagreed with Hay's conclusion with respect to four jobs. He felt that
Hay has under-evaluated the content of the Public Works Employee II and Building Maintenance
Employee positions such that they belong in the next grade above where Hay has placed them.
Similarly, he believes that Hay has under-evaluated the Public Works Employee I position and
the Community Service Officer position and that they also should be placed in the next grade
above where Hay has placed them. These amendments also have the effect of restoring certain
internal comparability relationships of long standing, which he does not believe should be
disturbed. The recommended 1998 Salary Plan reflects the grade structure as recommended by
Hay,with these amendments.
External Competitiveness. In general, Hay found that the Village's existing salary ranges are
somewhat more competitive at the lower salary ranges than at the higher ranges. The report
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indicates that current (1997) salary maximums are somewhat above the market in the lower
grades and somewhat below the market in the highest grades(1997 data).
In determining the pay range recommendations,Village Manager Veitch started from a base line
approach of positioning the pay range maximum at the 20th percentile of spread between the
"Hay A"maximum and the"Hay B"maximum. Again,this is based on the view that the subject
jobs are somewhat larger than the comparator jobs in general, which suggests a slightly higher
market target than that reflected by "Hay A". Four of the eleven proposed pay ranges are so
designed.
In three cases, Village Manager Veitch has recommended adoption of the "Hay B" range based
on his opinion that the Oak Brook positions covered by those ranges are substantially larger than
the comparator positions. In three other cases, he recommended a range at the 50' percentile of
the "Hay A" to "Hay B" spread. Finally, in one case he recommended a range above the "Hay
B" range based on his opinion that certain of the covered Oak Brook positions are significantly
larger than the comparator positions.
The recommended pay ranges are as follows:
Grade 1: $22,640 - $30,570 - Maximum placed at 20'' percentile of the "Hay A" to "Hay B"
spread.
Grade 2: $25,610 - $34,580 - "Hay B" range adopted. The clerical positions covered by this
range are deemed to be substantially larger than their counterparts in the comparator market.
Grade 3: $26,410 - $35,660 - Maximum placed at 20' percentile of the "Hay A" to "Hay B"
spread.
Grade 4: $30,040 - $40,550 - "Hay B" range adopted. The operational positions covered by
this range are deemed to be substantially larger than their counterparts in the comparator market.
Grade 5: $32,040 - $43,260 - Maximum placed at 50' percentile of the "Hay A" to "Hay B"
spread. The operational,technical and administrative positions covered by this range are deemed
to be somewhat larger than their counterparts in the comparator market.
Grade 6: $35,230 - $47,560 - Maximum placed at 50'h percentile of the "Hay A" to "Hay B"
spread. The operational, administrative and supervisory positions covered by this range are
deemed to be somewhat larger than their counterparts in the comparator market.
Grade 7: $39,730 - $53,640 - "Hay B" range adopted. The supervisory, professional and
technical positions covered by this range are deemed to be substantially larger than their
counterparts in the comparator market.
Grade 8: $44,140 - $59,595 - Maximum placed at 50`' percentile of the "Hay A" to "Hay B"
spread. The technical and supervisory positions covered by this range are deemed to be
somewhat larger than their counterparts in the comparator market.
Grade 9: $51,070 - $68,950 - Maximum placed above the "Hay B" maximum. The positions
covered by this range are deemed to be significantly larger than their counterparts in the
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comparator market. This is particularly true of the Police Lieutenant and Fire Captain positions
which, in Oak Brook,constitute the rank immediately below that of Chief.
Grade 10: $52,610 - $76,280 - Maximum placed at 20' percentile of the "Hay A"to "Hay B"
spread.
Grade 11: $55,680 - $80,740 - Maximum placed at 20' percentile of the "Hay A" to"Hay B"
spread.
The adjustments to the pay ranges of individual positions (where there has not been a
reclassification)range from 1.5%to 6.5%. The adjustments to the pay ranges of fifteen positions
that have undergone reclassification (i.e., the content of the job has evolved beyond the former
job description to an extent material to compensation)range from 6.9%to 22.2%.
In addition to several non-substantive clarifications in job titles,the recommended 1998 Salary Plan
includes substantial changes to five job titles as follows:
The Account Clerk responsible for water billing has been reclassified given the title Water Billing
Clerk. This title is more descriptive of the job and is the title most commonly attached to this
function.
The Account Clerk-Payroll position has been reclassified and given the title Personnel Specialist.
This position has evolved well beyond the payroll clerk function and is significantly involved in
benefits administration,personnel analysis and risk management activities.
The Finance Officer position has been re-titled Finance Director, the most common title given to
positions of similar content.
The Public Works Superintendent position has been re-titled Public Works Director,also the most
commonly used title in the field.
The Assistant to Village Manager position has been reclassified and re-titled Assistant Village
Manager in recognition of the level of work that is currently involved in the position.
If approved by the Board, it is Village Manager Veitch's intention to implement the new pay ranges
as follows:
1. A small number of employees with 12/31/97 salaries below the minimum of their new
range would have their salaries adjusted to the new minimum as of 1/1/98.
2. Employees with 12/31/97 salaries falling within their new range would receive, consistent
with the Salary Administration Policy, the increment by which their pay range moved, up
to a maximum adjustment(related to on range movement)of 5 percent.
3. Merit adjustments and merit bonuses would continue to be administered pursuant to the
Salary Administration Policy.
Employees whose pay ranges move by an increment greater than 5 percent will occupy a lower
position within their new range than they occupied in their old range, meaning that they will be
eligible for merit adjustments over a longer period of time (or, in the case of certain employees
formerly at the range maximum, will again become eligible for merit adjustments) until they reach
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the maximum of their new range. Capping the amount of range movement that is received by the
employee in 1998 will assist us in managing the program within the constraints of our budget.
The name of the policy and procedure document is proposed to be changed from the Salary
Administration Plan to the Salary Administration Policy.
The most significant substantive change is to the Merit Bonus program where the dollar amounts
awarded to top-of-grade full time employees who achieve an Above Standards or Excellent
performance evaluation are proposed to increase to $750 and $1,500, respectively, from $500 and
$1,000. This is our principal mechanism for recognizing ongoing distinguished performance on the
part of employees who have reached the maximum of their pay range. The dollar amounts have not
been changed since the inception of the program in 1990.
Language has been modified and new language added at Section V. C. 1., on pages 2 and 3 of the
Salary Administration Policy, to clarify and distinguish between reclassification and promotion
for purposes of defining the schedule for performance evaluations and salary adjustments.
Trustee Caleel inquired if these proposed range changes are within the budget constraints.
President Bushy indicated the Police pension contributions will decrease this year as the Oak
Brook Police Pension Fund is 106-112% funded. With less contributions, the Village will gain
some revenues,as it will be within the budget constraints.
Trustee Kenny noted the Village Board expects top performance of our employees, and the
Board should ensure that the Village is equitable to our employees and endorsed Village
Manager Veitch's recommendations.
Trustee Shumate explained with the responsibilities of our Executive Chef, this position should
be considered as equivalent to the range of the Public Works General Forman and Golf Course
Maintenance Superintendent. Village Manager Veitch noted it was difficult for this range as
there are no benchmarks in this respect.
Trustee Kenny remarked that, over time with this plan, there is more opportunity for all of our
employees to receive a greater salary.
Employee Richard Arling expressed some concern about the inability of a top-placed employee
to get the bonus after the adjustment. Employee Darren Martens noted that effect but endorsed
the plan. "It seems more proactive to the employees and not reactive", he said.
President Bushy observed that she was pleased that all of our employees were able to review the
proposed plan. She stated this is an improved plan and wanted all of the employees to
understand the benefit. She commended Village Manger Veitch,Assistant to the Village Manger
Crotty and Staff for their professional ized plan and policy.
The Village Board of Trustees concurred with the recommendations of the Village Manager to
adopt, at the Village Board meeting of February 24, 1998, a resolution approving the Salary Plan
and Salary Administration Policy for Non-Union Employees effective January 1, 1998.
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3. ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT FUND(IMRF)MILITARY SERVICE PROGRAM:
On August 16, 1997 Governor Edgar signed into law Senate Bill 665 which allows IMRF
employers the option of offering a military service program to its eligible employees. Under this
program, employees would be given the option of purchasing up to two years of IMRF service
credit for participation in the military prior to working for an IMRF employer. Should the
Village elect to offer this program,there would be some costs to the Village.
The following procedures would occur:
1. The Village would need to pass a resolution adopting the program.
2. Once the program is adopted interested employees must complete IMRF Form 6.02J.
IMRF will then notify the employee of the cost to purchase the service credit, and the
employee then has the option to pay the amount in one lump sum or in monthly
installments prior to retirement.
3. The employee is required to pay employee contributions (generally 4.5% of wages or
salary), employer contributions (a state-wide average is used depending on the year of
participation), and interest on both amounts(at rates ranging from 5%to 7.5%) from the
time discharged from the military until the time the service is paid for.
4. In most cases the amount paid by the employee will not be sufficient to cover the actual
amount of liability assumed by the Village. This program will become a permanent part
of the Village's IMRF program, and the Village's cost will simply be a component of
our future employer rate.
5. If the Village were to adopt this program in the near future, interested employees would
be given the opportunity to purchase service credit at a discounted interest rate of 2.5%
through May 16, 1998. This discounted rate would not reduce the liability created by
this additional service, and thus the liability assumed by the Village would in fact be
greater since the employee would be paying a lesser amount due to the discounted
interest rate.
The actual cost to the Village is largely dependent on the number of employees who choose to
participate. Since police and fire employees do no participate in IMRF, Finance Officer
Langlois estimated approximately 10 individuals would be eligible for the program, and it is
unlikely that all would participate. The cost of the program would become part of future
employer contribution rates(currently 8.31%), and would be funded over the next 33 years. This
would equate to approximately$6,000 annually.
The Village has three options:
I. Adopt the resolution creating this program as soon as possible in order to allow
employees the option of purchasing the service at the discounted 2.5%rate.
2. Defer adoption of the resolution until after May 16, 1998. Since this would be after the
expiration of the discounted rate window, the Village's cost would be somewhat
reduced.
3. Decide not to participate in the program at this time.
Village Manager Veitch noted it is the Board's decision if they wish to recognize military service
for our Village employees. This could increase the Village IMRF contribution by as much as
$10,000 annually.
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President Bushy commented the fire and police personnel receive preference for their military
service. If they served as a medic or MP in the military, they do not automatically qualify for
additional monetary compensation.
It was the consensus of the Village board to review this proposal and discuss the 5 +5 option at a
time to be determined.
4. POLICY ORDINANCE -RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL SERVICE AREAS:
One of the 1998 Village Board Objectives (Objective 411-3) suggests the development of a
policy and procedure for implementing Special Service Areas (SSA's) to install public
improvements that were waived at the time of development, or to develop other local
improvements,where requested by Village residents.
This objective was created in response to discussions within at least two Oak Brook
neighborhoods about post-development improvements. Installation of public improvements
normally required of developers, but waived at the time of development, is a natural application
of the SSA mechanism.
The draft policy ordinance includes, in Section 3, a minimum showing of interest by 40% of the
owners of record before the Village Board would entertain the application. The statute includes
no such minimum, and where the Board might determine to proceed with the process, regardless
of the interest shown, it could do so pursuant to Section 5. The purpose of stating a policy is to
indicate to the public the Board's general intention.
Trustee Bartecki asked consideration of whether the policy ordinance should include some
limitation of the amount of time and funds the Village should spend to investigate a request. He
suggested that staff should estimate the cost to the resident before the Village expends funds for
a request.
Trustee Caleel concurred with Trustee Bartecki's request and suggested more than a majority of
the homeowners are needed to implement a special service area.
Trustee Bartecki suggested that 60% of the owners of record must show interest in such a
request.
Trustee Shumate asked if the Village Board could establish regional areas in Oak Brook and
delineate districts in the Village. Village Manager Veitch will research this suggestion, and if it
is viable in accordance with State statute, this subject will be presented again for review by the
Village Board.
5. ADJOURNMENT:
Motion by Trustee Kenny, seconded by Trustee Caleel, to adjourn the Committee-of-the-Whole
meeting at 9:13 p.m. VOICE VOTE: Motion carried.
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ATTEST:
A
Linda K. donnella,CMC
Village Clerk
cow22398
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1998 SALARY PLAN-NON-UNION EMPLOYEES
GRADE POSITION MINIMUM MAXIMUM RANGE
1 Golf Course laborer $22,640 $30.570 $7,930
Police Records Clerk
P.W.Laborer
Receptionist
Records Management perk
2 Account Clerk $25,610 $34.580 $8,970
Purchasing &IS Clerk
3 Secretary $26,410 $35,660 $9,250
Water Billing Clerk
4 Communications Operator $30,040 $40,550 $10,510
Community Service Officer
P.W.Employee I
Sports Core Maintenance Employee
5 Building Maintenance Employee $32.040 $43,260 511,220
Communications Supervisor
Librarian
Personnel Specialist
Police Records Supervisor
P.W.Employee II
6 Administrative Assistant $35,230 $47,560 512,330
Circulation Services Supervisor
Sports Core Mechanic
Technical Services Supervisor
7 Accountant 539.730 $53,640 $13,910
Civil Engineer I
Executive Chef
Head Mechanic
P.W.Foreman
Senior Librarian
8 Golf Course Superintendent S44,140 $59,595 $15,455
Information Systems Specialist
Plan Reviewer/Chief Building Inspector
Police Sergeant
P.W.General Foreman
9 Assistant Village Manager 551,070 $68,950 $17,880
Civil Engineer II
Director of Community Development
Fire Captain
Police Lieutenant
10 Bath&Tennis Club Manager $52.610 $76,280 $23,670
Director of Information Services b Purchasing
Golf Club Manager
Library Director
t t Finance Director $55,680 $80,740 525,060
Fire Chief/Building Commissioner
Police Chief
Public Works Director
Village Engineer
Approved.
Effective: January 1. 1996
EXHIBIT A(1 of 3) frm:salary