SR-103-001-03
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~ City of
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City Council Report
City Council Meeting: December 5, 2006
Agenda Item: 11-8
Subject:
Mayor and City Council
Maria M. Stewart, City Clerk
Resolution Approving Salary Adjustment for Assistant City Clerk
To:
From:
Recommended Action
Recommendation that Council adopt a resolution adjusting the salary of the Assistant
City Clerk for reasons of merit and equity, in order to be in line with existing differentials
between the salaries of other department heads and the department head assistants.
Executive Summary
The proposed resolution is intended to narrow the existing 31 % gap between the salary
of the City Clerk and the salary of the Assistant City Clerk, for reasons of equity and
merit, and to bring it in line with the differential between the salaries of other department
heads and their departmental assistants as is provided for in Resolution No. 9972
(CCS) (copy attached). The resolution provides for a maximum of 15% differential
between the salaries of the department heads that report to the City Manager, and the
salaries of their assistants.
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Discussion
Because the City Clerk reports to the City Council and not to the City Manager, the
existing resolution is not applicable to this situation. However, the duties and
responsibilities of the Assistant City Clerk are similar to those performed by the
assistants to department heads who report to the City Council, and the rationale of
Resolution 9972 applies here. Moreover, Ordinance No. 801 (CCS), entitled: "An
ordinance of the City Council of the City of Santa Monica Establishing Orderly
Procedures for the Administration of Employer-Employee Relations," adopted by the
City Council on February 25, 1969, allows the Assistant City Clerk to represent herself
individually in bargaining with the City about her salary and other terms and conditions
of employment, and her employee bargaining unit, the Management Team Associates
(MT A) labor group, has no objection to her doing so. A review of this ordinance by
Human Resources and the City Attorney's Office staff indicates that this ordinance
provides a vehicle for this proposal. A copy of the ordinance is attached.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the MT A states, in
part: "It is the mutual understanding of the parties hereto that acknowledgement of the
MT A as the Recognized Employee Organization: A. Does not preclude employees in
such employment position classifications from representing themselves individually in
their employment relations with the City." A copy of this section of the MOU is attached.
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The Assistant City Clerk has conferred with MT A representatives and reports that MT A
is in support of this proposed action. The proposed resolution will provide that the
benefits accorded to this position shall remain and be the same as for the members of
the Management Team Associates.
In terms of equity, a salary differential of 10% is recommended for this position. The
average differential between department head and assistants salaries is 13.5%, with the
highest differential being 16% and the lowest being 12%. Council may opt to set a
different differential percentage between 10% and 15%. Salaries of positions that have
received an increase within the last 12 months have not been included.
As to the merits of the proposal, the Assistant City Clerk's duties are similar in all
aspects to the duties of other departmental assistants including but not limited to
managing the day-to-day operations of the department; managing the Administration
and Support Services Divisions; hiring, training, evaluating and disciplining employees;
selecting and purchasing equipment for the mail center and print shop; developing short
and long range plans; researching and preparing staff reports and election-related
ordinances; making policy recommendations; overseeing preparation of, and monitoring
the budget; assisting with the administration of the election; providing management and
technical support to staff; and acting as the Department Head in the City Clerk's
absence.
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If the resolution is adopted, the salary of the incumbent Assistant City Clerk will remain
at the 5th step, which will be adjusted accordingly.
BudaeUFinancial Impact
Due to multiple vacancies in the department over the past fiscal year, there will be
enough salary savings to cover the cost of the proposed salary adjustment.
Attachments:
Resolution No. 9971 (CCS)
Ordinance No. 801 (CCS)
MTAMOU, Pg. 5
Proposed Resolution
Prepared by:
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Maria M. Stewart (C Clerk)
Director, Department of Records and
Election Services
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