Holyoke council approves Schedule A regradings after debate over taxes and recruitment

The Holyoke City Council voted to adopt Schedule A salary regradings for several municipal positions after more than an hour of debate that centered on recruitment needs and taxpayer impacts.

Councilor McGrath Smith, presenting the committee’s recommendation, said the changes re-grade five administrative positions — including the administrative assistant to HR, mayoral aide, assistant library director, city auditor and director of economic planning — with ranges increasing approximately $1,600 to $4,200. He said the adjustments, which would take effect July 1, 2026, amount to a roughly $15,000 total change across the affected positions and are intended to align pay with neighboring municipalities to attract qualified candidates.

“Some of these are right-sizing the grade so that administrative assistants are on the same scale; others are to make the roles competitive when we’re bargaining to hire people,” McGrath Smith said.

Councilor Bacon registered strong objections, arguing that pay increases translate directly into higher taxes for residents, particularly those on fixed incomes. “All of these spending motions that we approve as a city council translate into tax increases,” Bacon said, adding he could not support the measure.

Councilor Sullivan, who supported the measure, urged colleagues to weigh the costs of vacancies in key roles against the expense to taxpayers. “We really need to fund these at a level that will attract a qualified person, not just any warm body willing to take a job,” Sullivan said.

After discussion and an amendment clarifying some position titles in the clean copy of the ordinance, the council adopted the committee report, passed the ordinance on roll call and ordained the passage. The roll call produced a recorded vote; Bacon and Councilor Graney registered “no” votes during the call. The council clerk announced the item as passed on the record.

The ordinance text indicates the regrades would apply to new hires and incumbents as specified in Schedule A, and the administration said implementation will begin in the new fiscal year on July 1, 2026. The council did not set additional funding offsets at the meeting; members said budget committee review is expected in upcoming sessions.

Next steps: The adopted ordinance will be reflected in the city’s pay schedules and implemented by the personnel and payroll offices in the lead-up to the July 1 effective date.