Infrastructure Planning and Growth seeks salary adjustments, FTE reduction as department fills vacancies

Infrastructure Planning and Growth presented Bill 54-25, a salary amendment that would realign pay and reduce one planner FTE while increasing pay for other planners, code enforcement officers, economic development staff and GIS positions.

Director Bill Shaleo told the committee IPG has been short four positions — a code enforcement officer, two planners and a GIS technician — for months. The amendment would raise a second planner from $69,415 to $72,060, increase the economic development specialist to $72,060, raise two code enforcement inspector lines from $56,500 to $62,000 and increase the GIS manager and technician pay to $84,000 and $67,000 respectively.

Shaleo said the total net change would not require new money because the increases are covered by salaries not currently being paid for vacant positions; the ordinance would eliminate 1 planner FTE going forward and reduce benefits exposure in 2026. "A lot of the cost savings are covered within the existing budgets that have been approved," he said.

Council members pressed about workload and whether two planners would be sufficient given local development activity. IPG staff responded that they intend to hire experienced planners, not entry-level employees, and that two planners should be able to handle day-to-day work and ongoing projects.

The committee voted to send Bill 54-25 forward with a favorable recommendation; members requested clarifying budget schedules and confirmation of benefit impacts during the full council review.