Staff presents wages-and-benefits worksheets; council told many figures remain estimates

City staff presented internal budget worksheets that list each city employee, their department assignment and the city’s estimated wages and benefits for 2024.

The presenter said the only costs known with certainty at this stage were health, dental and life insurance; other line items remain estimates because of ongoing contract negotiations and an unresolved police arbitration. Staff explained the worksheets break down personnel costs by object code and fund and noted that about 66% of wages and benefits are charged to the general fund, about 13% to the water fund and about 21% to the sewer fund. The airport fund has not generated sufficient revenue to cover its personnel costs, so those personnel are currently supported by the general fund.

Staff told council the worksheets are internal working documents (not for public distribution) because they include sensitive personnel information; members may view the worksheets in the presenter’s office. Staff also noted some allocations (for example, snow removal hours and department time allocations) are provisional and will be trued up as actual hours are recorded through the year.

Council did not set non‑union wages during the meeting; the AFSCME settlement was described as negotiated but not yet signed. The presenter said the city remains in arbitration with the police department and has not received an arbitrator’s resolution since March.