Council reviews certification-pay proposals and a possible global raise as part of budget talks

Speaker 3 presented a certification-pay package that includes three options to compensate employees who hold job-relevant certifications; staff said the options are intended to recognize employees who perform certified duties and that the fiscal impact is "negligible."

Councilors asked how certification pay would apply (annual vs. monthly payments), whether bilingual pay should require proficiency testing, and how multiple certifications should stack. Speaker 10 clarified that the TMCCP certification (Texas Municipal Clerk Certification Program) is relevant to clerks: "TMCCP... is through the University of North Texas" and applies to duties performed by the clerk.

Members debated whether to adopt a 3% global compensation increase (staff estimated each 1% equals about $41,000). Speaker 3 recommended a mixed approach: a global pool plus targeted adjustments for roughly 5–7 positions that appear undervalued or taking on additional duties. "Your 3% is global. If somebody's not doing their job, they shouldn't be working here," Speaker 3 said, adding that supervisors must exercise judgment on adjustments.

Council asked staff to review the pay-scale, job descriptions and the process used to evaluate positions, and to return with a plan that addresses compression and midpoints before the budget workshop.