[1. Call Meeting to Order and Announce that a Quorum is Present]
[00:00:05]
SECOND ITEM IS PROJECT BRAD PIT AND IT IS 5 31
[2. Closed Meeting. The Addison City Council will enter a Closed Meeting pursuant to Texas Government Code Sections 551-071 through 090 to discuss the following item(s):]
AND WE'RE GOING CLOSED SESSION AT THIS TIME.AND FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THAT CLOSED SESSION, WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY.
[3. Open Meeting. In accordance with Texas Government Code Chapter 551, the Addison City Council will reconvene in an Open Meeting to consider action, if any, on the matters discussed in the Closed Meeting.]
SEVEN 13 AND WE ARE COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION INTO OPEN SESSION AND THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN FROM THE CLOSED SESSION.AND UH, WE'LL WAIT FOR A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME BACK AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR NEXT ITEM, OUR BOARD SESSION ITEM.
SO WE'LL WAIT TILL THEY GET BACK HERE, JUST A COUPLE MINUTES.
[a. Present and discuss an alternate voting site location for the May 2025 General Election.]
OKAY.ADAM, FOUR A PRESENT AND DISCUSS AN ALTERNATE VOTING SIDE LOCATION FOR THE MAY, 2025 GENERAL ELECTION.
ASHLEY, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, TONIGHT WE WANTED TO COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT MOVING THE LOCATION FOR THE MAY, 2025 ELECTION JUST FOR ONE YEAR.
IF YOU RECALL, WE CHANGED AND MOVED THE VOTING LOCATION TO REDUCE IT FROM TWO TO ONE AND BROUGHT IT OVER HERE TO THE CONFERENCE CENTER.
UM, TWO, I THINK ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IS WHEN WE MADE THAT CHANGE WITH THE RENOVATION OF THE CONFERENCE CENTER THAT HAMID HAS GUARANTEED US WILL HAPPEN IN SIX MONTHS.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE MOVE THAT TO THE ATHLETIC CLUB, TO THE COMMUNITY ROOM.
THIS WOULD JUST BE FOR ONE YEAR.
UM, AS PART OF TOWN HALL, IT'S A CENTRAL LOCATION WITH GOOD PARKING, GOOD ACCESS, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING THAT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, SO LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY ROOM, IT IS, UM, A PRETTY OPEN ROOM.
IF YOU SEE THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY BRING IN, THEY BRING IN VERY LARGE EQUIPMENT.
UH, THEY HAVE TYPICALLY ANYWHERE BETWEEN SIX TO 10 MACHINES, PLUS THEY HAVE TO HAVE A TABLE TO SET UP.
AND SO WE WERE LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY ROOM FOR THAT LOCATION.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS OF BRINGING IN, UM, BASICALLY A QUEUING LANE.
SO USING, IF YOU RECALL, WHEN WE HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS HERE, WE HAVE THE BLACK CURTAINS THAT ARE ON, UM, LIKE THE STANCHIONS THAT WE CAN SEPARATE OUT.
SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY COME IN AND MAKE A QUEUING LANE THAT WOULD TAKE THEM DIRECTLY INTO THE COMMUNITY ROOM SO THAT THERE'S NOT ANY CONFUSION OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING.
UM, WORKING WITH JANA AND THE STAFF AT THE ATHLETIC CLUB, THEY FEEL LIKE THE WAY THAT EVERYTHING IS SET UP, THEY CAN KEEP A GOOD EYE ON MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING TO VOTE? ARE THEY COMING IN TO CHECK IN TO ACTUALLY GO WORK OUT OR TAKE A CLASS? AND SO, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION AGAIN IS TO USE THIS ROOM FOR BOTH ELECTION DAY AND EARLY VOTING.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? YES, A QUESTION.
UM, I SENT IN SOME PICTURES MM-HMM
UM, BASICALLY OF THE AREA UNDERNEATH THE, KIND OF NEAR THE STAIRWELL.
IS IT THE BREAK ROOM? UH, WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE BREAK ROOM? YES.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT LOCATION TO DO THIS.
AND THE REASON, REASON WHY IT IS, IT WOULD LIMIT THE ACCESS TO PEOPLE COMING INTO THE CLUB AND RUNNING OVER TO THE BATHROOM AND HERE AND THERE AND ALL EVERYWHERE.
UM, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH POLICING THAT, THAT BEHAVIOR.
ALSO, THE OTHER THING IS, UM, WE GOT AMPLE PARKING, A DA ACCESS AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL VIEW.
UM, HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? MAYBE MOVING THE BREAK ROOM UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM? WE LOOKED AT THAT BACK IN 2019.
UM, THE ROOM ITSELF IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH.
IT WOULD BE A VERY TIGHT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE CIRCULATION THAT WE NEED FOR THE VOTING MACHINES, SO TO CHECK IN, HAVE THE DIFFERENT VOTING MACHINES AND TO GET THROUGH ALSO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE STAFF BACK THERE THAT COULD CONTROL AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T COMING.
I MEAN, WE DO NEED TO ALLOW ACCESS TO BATHROOMS IF SOMEBODY NEEDED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM OR SOMETHING.
SO, UM, WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH CONTROL BACK THERE BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S NOT A FULL STOP RIGHT THERE.
AND STAFF IS MORE AT THE FRONT, AT THE, AT THE DESK.
IN ADDITION, THAT IS, I MEAN, WE KEEP EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED BACK THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, THE PICTURES YOU SENT, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'VE REALLY GONE BACK AND ORGANIZED IT.
[00:05:01]
SO THEY HAVE, UM, EQUIPMENT, JANET MENTIONED.UM, WE HAVE CO2 TANKS THAT ARE DELIVERED BACK TO THAT AREA.
AND SO, AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST NOT LARGE ENOUGH.
AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT AREA IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH FOR SIX TO 10 VOTING MACHINES? NO, NOT, NOT WITH THE, BECAUSE IF YOU RECALL, WE, WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THIS BACK IN 2019 WHEN WE WERE, UM, WE DISCUSSED HAVING VOTING, MOVING VOTING FROM THE FIRE STATION TWO OVER TO THE ATHLETIC CLUB.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT IT AND UM, DALLAS COUNTY DID NOT FEEL LIKE IT WAS LARGE ENOUGH AND WOULD HAVE THE CIRCULATION THAT IT NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO SPACE EVERYTHING OUT.
UM, 'CAUSE IF YOU RECALL, I MEAN, IT TAKES UP HALF, I WOULD SAY, OF THIS VOTING LOBBY OR OF THE LOBBY OUT HERE.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAD STAFF GO OUT AND MEASURE TODAY.
AND THAT BREAK ROOM AREA IS ABOUT A HUNDRED SQUARE FEET.
AND THEN, UH, THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM IS A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, WE HAD A LOT MORE SPACE.
WE HAD A LOT MORE VOTING MACHINES.
UM, WE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, MAYBE TWO DOZEN, NOT SIX TO 10, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE PERFECT SPACE, UM, FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, STUFF CLEANED UP.
SO, WELL, AND THEN THE STORAGE IS ON WHEELS, WHICH IS IMPRESSIVE.
IF WE, IF WE FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO FREE UP MORE SPACE, UM, TO ME THAT'S, THAT'S AN IDEAL LOCATION.
THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING AT IT, THAT THAT'S STAFF'S CONCERNS THAT WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE STAYING WHERE THEY SUPPOSED TO.
THAT IS EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND THEN DALLAS COUNTY'S CONCERN AGAIN WAS THE AMOUNT OF SPACE.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A GOOD SOLUTION, UM, TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE STAYING WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO AND STAFF IS ABLE TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT AS WELL.
SO HOW BIG IS THAT ROOM? HOW MANY SQUARE FEET? A THOUSAND.
YEAH, BECAUSE THEY DON'T JUST HAVE THE MACHINES, THEY HAVE A TABLE SET UP REGISTRATION AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND SO, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE AADA A ACCESSIBLE MACHINES.
AND SO, UM, EVEN DURING A, RIGHT, BECAUSE WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE VOTING HERE, ANYBODY IN DALLAS COUNTY CAN VOTE HERE.
SO, SO THEY, UM, AGAIN, THEY, THEY STAFF IT AND THEY HAVE MACHINES AVAILABLE BASED ON KIND OF OUR PAST VOTING HISTORY.
BUT IN DALLAS COUNTY YOU CAN VOTE AT ANY LOCATION.
I THOUGHT I ALWAYS HAD TO VOTE FIRE STATION ONE.
COULD THAT CHANGE IF I COULD HAVE VOTED ANYWHERE BACK THEN TOO? YEAH, YOU CAN IN DALLAS COUNTY FOR UP UNTIL A COUPLE YEARS AGO FOR EARLY VOTING, YOU COULD HAVE VOTED ANYWHERE IN DALLAS COUNTY.
WHAT ABOUT DAY OF ELECTION? UH, UP UNTIL A COUPLE YEARS AGO YOU HAD TO GO TO YOUR ASSIGNED POLLING LOCATION.
I THINK YOU CAN STILL VOTE AT ANY LOCATION FOR DALLAS COUNTY.
AND WHAT'S THAT ROOM USED FOR? IT SAYS COMMUNITY ROOM.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE UP WHATEVER THAT IS FOR THESE FEW WEEKS THAT IT'S BEING USED.
AS FAR AS ANY PROGRAMMING, UM, LUCKILY THAT IS BEFORE WE START DOING ANY, UH, KIDS PROGRAMMING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ELECTION HAPPENS THAT FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY.
SO I'LL LET JANA SPEAK TO THAT.
SO THAT ROOM IS, UM, A PLACE FOR WHERE WE HAVE CANASTA AND WE HAVE A GROUP STARTING BRIDGE RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE A GROUP THAT MAKES PUZZLES LIKE OUR 50 PLUS GROUP.
UM, BUT WE ALSO FREQUENTLY CAN SET THEM UP BY THE OUTDOOR OR THE INDOOR POOL IN THE LOBBY AREA AND ALSO IN THE LIBRARY ROOM, WHICH IS ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
UM, AND SO WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY, WE, AND WE WOULDN'T BE CANCELING ANY PROGRAMS, WE WOULD JUST BE RELOCATING THEM WITHIN THE BUILDING DURING THIS TIMEFRAME.
UM, 'CAUSE FORTUNATELY OUR SUMMER CAMPS HADN'T STARTED YET AT THAT TIME, SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT CONFLICT.
AND HOW LONG IS IT GONNA BE TIED UP WITH VOTE? THREE WEEKS, IS THAT CORRECT? Y YEAH, SO IT'S THREE WEEKS FOR EARLY VOTING AND THEN THAT ONE SATURDAY.
AND THIS IS JUST FOR 20, 25? JUST MAY, YES.
WE DON'T HAVE IT LATER IN YEAR, CORRECT.
SO BEING, IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE THERE'S GYMNASIUM IN LOCKER ROOMS, MALE AND FEMALE LOCKER ROOMS, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SECURITY CONCERNS AS SOMEONE FROM DALLAS COUNTY JUST WANDER IN AND START LOOKING AROUND, DO WE? NO.
I MEAN, I, I'LL TELL YOU, NO MATTER WHAT FACILITY THEY'RE IN, WE HAVE ISSUES LIKE WITH THE ELECTION WORKERS, WE, WE KEEP AN EYE ON 'EM.
WE HAVE TO TELL THEM, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE HERE,
[00:10:01]
WE HAD TO TELL THEM, THAT'S NOT YOUR REFRIGERATOR, THAT'S NOT YOUR COFFEE STUFF.WE TRY TO BE AS ACCOMMODATING AND, AND AS AMENABLE AS EVER.
BUT, UM, HONESTLY, WITH IT RIGHT HERE, HAVING THAT FRONT DESK STAFF HELPS TREMENDOUSLY.
AND SO WHEN YOU SEE 'EM KIND OF START TO ROAM YEAH.
FRONT DESK STAFF CAN BE LIKE, MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE, AND BIG BATH SUITS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE FOR THOSE THAT ARE YEAH.
OUR STANDARD PROTOCOL IS TO THIS DAY, WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE COME IN THAT ARE PLAYING WITH CHILDREN ON THE PLAYGROUND BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A RESTROOM.
AND IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO A PLAYGROUND WITH A LITTLE KID BEFORE
BUT WE ASK FOR A DRIVER'S LICENSE, UM, AND WE HAVE STAFF THAT MONITORS AND MAKES SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE WINDOW THAT WE NEED TO SEE THAT PERSON COME BACK AND GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND IF THEY DON'T, WE, WE START LOOKING FOR THEM.
AND SO WE, WE ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE THAT WE'VE USED THAT WE WOULD JUST USE THAT WITH THIS AND THEY WOULD ACTUALLY, IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE KITCHENETTE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S THE, I THINK THERE'S A SINK, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S STUFF THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN MAKE THEIR COFFEE, THEY CAN DO STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO YEAH, I'M MORE, I'M MORE ACTUALLY MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE VOTER THAN I AM THE ACTUAL YEAH.
I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT THEM WANDERING AROUND INTO A LOCKER ROOM.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT FRONT DESK STAFF, I MEAN, AND JANA AND PAT HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO THEM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY, THEY'RE PREPARED.
UM, AND AGAIN, HAVING, THE WAY WE WANNA SET UP IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE, YOU'RE GOING DOWN THIS SECTION AND, UM, TRUST ME, YOU TRY TO WALK INTO THAT CLUB WITHOUT SCANNING YOUR CARD, THEY'RE GONNA CATCH YOU.
SO YOU USE THAT ROOM FOR OTHER PUBLIC MEETINGS TOO, LIKE DARK MEETINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, SO IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ISSUES? YES.
YEAH, I, I LIKE THIS LOCATION.
SO, UH, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR ORDINANCE COME, I BELIEVE NEXT WEEK, FEBRUARY, AND THAT'S WHEN WE'LL, UH, VALENCIA WILL HAVE THAT COME FORWARD NEXT TUESDAY.
UM, SO WE'LL LET COUNCIL KNOW OR LET THE COUNTY KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING WITH.
WE'LL ADD IT INTO THE ELECTION ORDER.
AND AGAIN, THE IDEA IS ELECTION, UM, VOTING WILL MOVE BACK HERE WHEN ALL OF THE RENOVATIONS ARE DONE IN SIX MONTHS.
[b. Present and discuss public safety compensation.]
BE PRESENT AND DISCUSS PUBLIC SAFETY COMPENSATION.OH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ASHLEY WAKE, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO THIS TOPIC TONIGHT IS MEANT TO BE AN OPEN DISCUSSION, SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR FRONT ROW POLICE CHIEF AND FIRE CHIEF HERE AS WELL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO THE FOLLOWING COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY SERVES AS DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER IN BUDGETING FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.
OUR MOST RECENT TOWN WIDE COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY WAS COMPLETED AT THE END OF 2023.
AND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT STUDY, POLICE OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER COMPENSATION WERE BROUGHT ABOVE THE AVERAGE OF OUR COMPARISON CITIES.
AND THAT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CURRENT COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY.
OUR CURRENT PAY PLAN WAS LAST UPDATED AT THE BEGINNING OF FISCAL YEAR 25 LAST YEAR, BACK IN OCTOBER, WHERE WE SHIFTED THE ENTIRE PAY PLAN BY THAT 2% MARKET ADJUSTMENT.
AND WE ALSO BUDGETED FOR EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE A 2% MERIT BASED ON THEIR PERFORMANCE AND ELIGIBILITY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
IF APPROVED, PAY RANGES WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT BY MARKET ADJUSTMENT TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND CURRENT IN THE MARKET.
THIS CONSISTENT ANNUAL MARKET SHIFT PROVIDES GROWTH FOR OUR TENURED STAFF.
WHILE MERIT INCREASE ALLOWS FOR PROGRESSION THROUGH THE PAY RANGES WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS, LATERAL PAY IS OFFERED TO THOSE APPLICANTS WITH PRIOR FULL-TIME EXPERIENCE.
AND AS WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WHAT OUR COMPARISON CITIES ARE DOING, THERE'S BEEN REGULAR CONVERSATION OF POTENTIALLY MOVING TO A STEP BASED PAY PLANS.
THE KFA INCLUDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND FINANCIAL HEALTH AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, WHERE THE FOCUS WOULD BE TO HELP ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALITY TOP TIER EMPLOYEES IN ABSENCE THE TURNOVER DATA ON THE RIGHT SHOWS.
EMPLOYEES ARE UNFORTUNATELY EXITING THE ORGANIZATION WHEN THEY'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY EXIT INTERVIEWS.
THEY'RE OPEN AND HONEST STATING THAT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THEY'RE LEAVING IS ADDISON'S LACK OF A STEP PLAN.
BUT I ALSO HAVEN'T ENCOUNTERED ONE OF THEM SAYING IT WAS AN EASY DECISION THAT THEY TRULY LOVED WORKING FOR
[00:15:01]
ADDISON.IN JUST THE LAST FEW YEARS, OUR COMPARISON CITIES HAVE INCREASED THEIR COMPENSATION FOR EXPERIENCED EMPLOYEES AND LATERAL MOVES, WHICH HAS ALSO LED TO THE EXITING OF SOME OF OUR TENURED PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL WHERE THEY'RE NOT JUST ONLY RETIRING, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO ANOTHER CITY WITH ALL TURNOVER.
THERE ARE INDIRECT, INDIRECT COSTS.
SO YOU'RE TYPICALLY LOOKING AT INCREASED OVERTIME EXPENSES, RESOURCES SPENT ON RECRUITING, HIRING, AND TRAINING WHERE PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CAN LAST BETWEEN 12 AND 18 MONTHS.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE A DECREASE IN EMPLOYEE MORALE AND POTENTIALLY THAT SNOWBALL EFFECT WHERE ONE PERSON LEAVING HAS THAT EFFECT OF OVERTIME AND CONSISTENT OVER TIME AND THEY GET OVERWORKED AND THEN THEY END UP LEAVING THEMSELVES.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE REALITY IS THAT WE ARE THE OUTLIER.
UM, ALL 13 OF OUR COMPARISON CITIES OFFER A STEP BASED PAY PLAN FOR SWORN POLICE AND FIRE ON AVERAGE OTHER CITIES TOP OUT QUICKER THAN ADDISON, WHICH MAKES IT HARD FOR US TO KEEP UP FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT YEAR TO YEAR.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT THE MINIMUM AND THE MAXIMUM OF THE PAY RANGE, THERE'S THAT LARGE GROUP OF EMPLOYEES IN THE MIDDLE, MEANING WE'RE ALWAYS PLAYING CATCH UP WITH THE MARKET WITH THAT LARGE GROUP OF EMPLOYEES.
OTHER CITIES ALSO FRONT LOAD THEIR PAY PLAN, MEANING EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE THAT HIGHER INCREASE DURING THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS OF SERVICE, WHICH IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR INCENTIVE.
AGAIN, LEAVING US BEHIND THE MARKET AND FEELING LIKE WE'RE CONSTANTLY PLAYING CATCH UP WITH OUR COMPARATOR CITIES PROVIDED THE CHALLENGES, MARKET COMPETITION IN THE TOWN'S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.
STAFF EVALUATED AND RECOMMEND MOVING TO A STEP BASED PERFORMANCE PAY PLAN FOR SWORN POLICE AND FIRE BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 26.
IT'LL ENSURE WE'RE REMAINING COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKET BY DEVELOPING STEPS THAT ALIGN WITH THAT QUICKER PROGRESSION TREND.
AND OUR GOAL IS FOR APPLICANTS TO SEE THAT NOT ONLY DOES ADDISON HAVE A STEP PLAN, BUT A COMPETITIVE STEP PLAN AND IMMEDIATELY APPLY INSTEAD OF POTENTIALLY MISSING OUT ON THOSE IDEAL CANDIDATES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO REQUIRE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEWS AS THIS WOULD BE A PERFORMANCE BASED STEP PLAN KEEPING CONSISTENT WITH OUR METHODOLOGY.
AND WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE LUMP SUM AMOUNTS FOR OUR TOPPED OUT EMPLOYEES AS BUDGET LOCKS.
AND WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE STEP PLAN.
AND THIS IS BASED ON OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 25 PAY RANGES.
WE WANNA DEMONSTRATE THAT MOVEMENT THROUGH THE RANGE AND KIND OF THE VISION THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE HIRED, YOU'LL START AT YEAR ZERO, AND THEN IF YOU MEET YOUR PERFORMANCE AT YEAR ONE, YOU CAN MOVE TO YEAR ONE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AGAIN, PERFORMANCE BASED, WHILE THE PROPOSED STEP STRUCTURE WILL INCREASE THE TOWN'S COMPETITIVE POSITION, WE WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THE MARKET HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE AT A VERY SIGNIFICANT PACE DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 26.
BUDGET PROCESS IS WHEN WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE BUDGET TEAM TO DEVELOP A STEP STRUCTURE THAT IS COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE.
WE'RE CLEARLY NOT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS RIGHT NOW, SO PLEASE DON'T FOCUS ON THE NUMBERS.
UM, BUT WE DID WANNA PROVIDE JUST THAT STRUCTURE AND PROGRESSION FOR YOU TO GET A VISION OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING INITIALLY.
IF WE BEGIN THE STEP PLAN IN FISCAL YEAR 26, AND FOR NOW, WE'LL ASSUME A 4% BUDGETED COMPENSATION INCREASE TO PERSONNEL JUST LIKE WE DID IN FISCAL YEAR 25, IS THAT 4% INCREASE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE PHASED INTO THE STEP SCHEDULE BASED ON CURRENT SALARY AND YEARS OF SERVICE.
FOR EXAMPLE, AN EMPLOYEE WITH FOUR YEARS EXPERIENCE MAY NOT IMMEDIATELY JUMP TO STEP FOUR.
THEY MAY BE PLACED INITIALLY AT STEP THREE, STILL RECEIVING AN INCREASE, BUT THEN MOVE TO STEP FOUR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS.
SINCE THE INITIAL TRANSITION IS MORE FOCUSED ON GETTING PERSONNEL WHERE THEY NEED TO BE ON THE STEP PLAN.
WE ARE ASSUMING NO FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE LUMP SUM AMOUNTS FOR OUR TOP OUT EMPLOYEES UNLESS THERE'S ONE TIME FUNDS AVAILABLE, UM, OR APPROVED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
BUT BOTH FD AND PD LEADERSHIP HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS WITH THEIR STAFF AND THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS APPROACH.
OVERALL, THERE'S BEEN RESOUNDING SUPPORT AND BOTH POLICE AND FIRE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A STEP PLAN MODEL.
STAFF IS SEEKING INITIAL FEEDBACK FROM COUNSEL ON THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS STEP BASED PERFORMANCE PAY PLAN STRUCTURE BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 26 FOR JUST SWORN POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL.
IF COUNSEL WISHES TO PROCEED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY COMPENSATION, THIS DISCUSSION WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD DURING THAT FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET PROCESS.
AND THEN A RESOLUTION WOULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO REFLECT AN UPDATE TO THE TOWN'S COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET ADOPTION.
I COULD JUST MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU,
[00:20:01]
ASHLEY.UM, SO THIS CONVERSATION HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN ADDISON OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEAR, OVER 10 YEARS, UM, OR MORE.
AND SO AS WE BRING IT FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION, AGAIN, THIS INITIAL DISCUSSION AS WE LEAD UP TO BUDGET IN A NUMBER OF MONTHS, I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS NOT A SAYING THAT WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN MERIT IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE COME UP WITH THIS SOMEWHAT OF A COMPROMISE.
WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GONNA HAVE A STEP PLAN WITH A MERIT COMPONENT, UM, TO TAKE THOSE STEPS.
BUT THE, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE JUST, WITH RECRUITS THAT ARE COMING IN, WE'RE KIND OF SPEAKING A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
IF THEY, THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT CITY DO I GO TO AND EVERY OTHER CITY IS SHOWING THEIR PAY IN ONE FORMAT AND WE'RE SHOWING IT IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT, IT'S CONFUSING AND IT'S, IT PUTS US AT A DISADVANTAGE OF IN RECRUITMENT.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS, PROS AND CONS ON BOTH SIDES, WHICH WE CAN CERTAINLY GET TO, BUT THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE BRINGING THIS FORWARD IS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT BE CLEAR WHAT OUR PAY PLAN IS TO FOLKS WHO ARE PREPARING US TO OTHER CITIES AND, AND, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY WITH POLICE AND FIRE.
THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE RIGHT NOW.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, NANCY? YES.
UM, AND YOU TOUCHED ON IT, UM, BRIEFLY, WAS THAT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS HAS BEEN LOOKED AT, UM, PREVIOUS YEARS MM-HMM
AND, UH, SO, UH, CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT AS TO WHAT THE CONCERNS WERE, WHAT THE HESITATION WAS, WHY, WHY IT WASN'T, UH, ADOPTED AT THAT POINT? AND THE SECOND THING IS, UM, I I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE I DON'T, I'M AGAINST DEBT PLANS, THAT'S NOT AT ALL.
BUT I AM VERY MUCH FOR, UM, MERIT AND PERFORMANCE YES.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THAT IS BLENDED INTO THE PROCESS MM-HMM
I'LL, I'LL HIT ON THE FIRST PIECE AND I'LL LET, UM, ASHLEY JUMP ON THE SECOND PIECE.
AND THIS IS MOSTLY FROM GOING BACK AND, UM, AND WHAT, AND HAVING, LOOKING AT THE OLD MEETINGS AND FORTUNATELY HAVING THE FORMER HR DIRECTOR HERE,
I THINK PREVIOUS COUNCILS UNDERSTANDABLY REALLY FOCUSED ON MERIT.
AND THEY SAID IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IT'S ON MERIT FOR ALL OF OTHER EMPLOYEES, IT'S ON MERIT.
AND THEY JUST BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A MERIT SHOULD BE BASED ON YOUR INCOME.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S VALID AND THAT'S COMPLETELY JUSTIFIABLE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, UM, AND I, AND IT IS NOT LIKE THIS OTHER, I MEAN, BACK THEN WE WERE AN OUTLIER, SO THEY HAD TO WRESTLE WITH THIS TOO.
AND I, I THINK THE CHIEFS WILL SPEAK TO JUST THE REALITY OF WHERE WE ARE NOW IS WHY WE'RE BRINGING IT FORWARD.
SO I THINK THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT, I GUESS.
REALLY, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND TOO THAT I THINK, AND I CAN, I WAS GONNA ADD SOMETHING IS ANSWER JUST MY TAKE IS I THINK WHAT GETS MISSED OFTEN, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN THROUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS YEARS AGO, YEAH.
I THINK WHAT GOT MISSED WAS THE, THE MARKET DRIVES THE, THE SALARY.
AND I THINK WHAT GETS MISSED IS YOU START TO TALK ABOUT A STEP PLAN, SUDDENLY PEOPLE THINK, OH MY GOSH, EVERY YEAR THERE'S GONNA BE A 5% INCREASE AND EVERYONE'S BEEN MAKING $350,000 A YEAR.
AND I THINK AN IMPORTANT PART TO THAT IS THE MARKET TRACKS THE SALARY NEEDS POSITIONED AND THAT GETS LOST.
AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TOP OUT, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS HERE, YOU, YOU TOP OUT, YOU DON'T CONTINUE TO GO.
I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
NO, AND I CAN SEE TOO, AND THAT'S WHY I JUST ASKED FOR A BIT OF EXPLANATION ON, UM, THE ISSUES, THE HURDLES, THE PROBLEMS, AND IN, IN THE MEASUREMENT, IN THE EVALUATION, BECAUSE THEY COULD UNDERSTAND AND SEE HOW THAT COULD PLAY INTO IT, PARTICULARLY IN, IN THESE ARENAS AS COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, WHERE I'VE COME UP IN A MORE CORPORATE, YOU KNOW, UM, ENVIRONMENT.
SO I, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT I'M, I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UM, EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS TO THAT.
SO, UH, I I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
AND I THINK, WELL, LINDSEY, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF KIND OF MY JOURNEY WITH THIS.
BECAUSE TO, TO YOUR POINT, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME AND THE CONVERSATION DOESN'T SEEM TO GO VERY FAR.
AND, UH, BUT, BUT, BUT IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP FROM OUR EARLY YEARS ON THE COUNCIL, RIGHT, CHRIS MM-HMM
AND, UH, FROM WHAT, 12, 13 YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, AND, AND I, AND I, I CAME, I CAME AT IT FROM WHERE YOU ARE TALKING RIGHT NOW, UH, PRIVATE SECTOR, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WORK HARD, YOU, YOU, YOU PERFORM AND YOU GET INCREASES.
AND I THOUGHT THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO GO.
AND, AND I STILL BELIEVE THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO GO.
UM, BUT NOW THE REALITY OF THE MARKET THAT WE'RE IN, IT IS MARKET BASED AND WHAT'S OUR COMPETITION,
[00:25:01]
RIGHT? AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT OUR COMPETITION IS, AND IF YOU'VE GOT SOME 22-YEAR-OLD, YOU KNOW, CANDIDATE OUT THERE THAT'S LOOKING FOR THIS DEPARTMENT, THIS DEPARTMENT, THIS DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'RE GONNA COMPARE 'EM AND THEY'RE LOOKING, THEY LOOK AT THOSE LINE GRAPHS AND ONE GOES LIKE THIS AND ONE GOES LIKE THAT, IT'S A PRETTY EASY DECISION.YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE THOSE, YOU KNOW, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH 'EM BECAUSE THEY'LL NEVER EVEN, THEY'LL NEVER EVEN MEET US.
WE'LL NEVER EVEN HAVE THAT CHANCE.
SO, SO I THINK FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, TO COMPETE IN THAT IN THE, UH, IN THE MARKET OF, YOU KNOW, FIRST RESPONDERS, I THINK FOR ME, I'VE MADE 180 FROM WHERE I WAS, YOU KNOW, A DOZEN YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, I WANNA BE, I I WANNA BE COMPETITIVE FOR SURE.
I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF THE, OF, OF THE, UM, REVIEW.
AND I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY IF YOU DECIDE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE THIS OPEN DISCUSSION DURING OUR BUDGETARY PROCESS IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STEVEN AND I DISCUSSED ALREADY.
WE TALK ABOUT THE MARKET, WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE COMPENSATION INCREASE.
WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS ALREADY.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE TO A STEP PLAN AND YOU'RE TYING THEM TO PERFORMANCE BASED, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK WITH THE CHIEFS AND REALLY LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS AND HOW APPLICABLE THEY ARE JUST TO THOSE GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT WILL BE ON THE STEP PLAN.
AND MAYBE THERE'S ROOM FOR ADJUSTMENT.
SO A QUESTION REALLY GOES TO THE, TO THE RECRUITING SIDE, BACK TO THE 22-YEAR-OLD WHO WALKS IN THE ROOM, LOOKS AT IT ON A GRAPH, SEE'S ARMS DOING THIS, AND THERE'S ONE GOING LIKE THIS.
WHEN THAT COMES AS, AS THE RECRUITER, I'M 22 YEARS OLD, I WALK IN YOUR OFFICE AND SAY, I WANNA, I WANNA BE A PARAMEDIC FIREFIGHTER.
WHEN YOU THINK OF COMPARATOR CITIES, AND THIS IS WHERE I NEED SOME HELP AND ASSISTANCE IN EDUCATING ME, AM I LOOKING AT IT AS, THIS IS ADDISON, 4.5 SQUARE MILES, TAKE THE AIRPORT OUT OF THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS MANY SQUARE MILES, THIS MANY RESIDENTS.
ARE THEY LOOKING AT LIKE A CALL RATE? LIKE HOW MANY TIMES IS THAT FIVE BILL GOING OFF? HOW MANY TIMES IS THAT CALL COMING INTO THE STATION FOR A NINE ONE ONE CALL AS A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE OF ME COMING TO WORK AND SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M KIND OF A GO-GETTER.
I NEED THAT DOG GOING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE I NEED TO KNOW I'M, I'M PUTTING THE UNIFORM ON, OR I'M PUTTING THE, THE TRUCK LIGHT ON AND WE'RE GOING OUT THE DOOR.
ADDISON CAN'T BE COMPARED, IN MY OPINION, I DON'T KNOW TO FARMER'S BRANCH CARROLL THAN EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE IT'S WAY MORE THAN 3.4 POINT MILES AND IT'S JUST SUCH A DIFFERENT, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, THAT'S GONNA BE ALMOST A HARDER SELL, THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET CALLS EVERY THREE MINUTES FOR A 32ND.
I AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? AM I EXPLAIN THAT RIGHT? WHEN I'M A NEW RECRUIT, I I YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE FIGHTING FIRED CHIEFS.
SPEAK TO, I'D LOVE TO HEAR THAT SIDE OF IT AS A RECRUIT IF I'M 22 YEARS OLD.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON THAT, UH, DAVID JONES FIRE CHIEF, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SOMEBODY COMING INTO ADDISON AND LOOKING AT, OH, ADDISON IS 16,000 OR 17,000 PEOPLE, AND HOW MANY CALLS DO THEY RUN? SO WE RUN OVER 4,000 CALLS A YEAR BETWEEN OUR TWO STATIONS.
UH, LAST YEAR WE WERE CLOSE TO 4,300 CALLS IN A YEAR.
AND WHEN YOU TAKE THAT, YOU NEED TO FIND IT OUT BY THE NUMBER OF CALLS AND THE NUMBER OF STATIONS.
WE WERE AT THE TOP, WE WERE THE BUSIEST OF THE QUAD CITIES.
SO THEY'RE GETTING ACTION HERE.
NOW, WHEN YOU GO TO, UH, DALLAS IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL, UH, THEIR CALL VOLUME IS DIFFERENT.
THEY HAVE ENGINES THAT RUN 4,000 CALLS IN A YEAR.
BUT I THINK THAT, UH, WHEN THEY LOOK AT US, WE ARE A BUSY DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE A VERY ACTIVE DEPARTMENT.
WHERE, WHERE WE HURT IS THAT WE GET THESE PHONE CALLS DURING THE RECRUITING PROCESS WHERE MONICA OR CHIEF ALEXANDER WILL GET A PHONE CALL FROM A CANDIDATE THAT SAYS, HEY, I'VE GOT THREE YEARS.
UH, HOW MUCH WOULD I MAKE IF I COME TO ADDISON? 'CAUSE IT'S NOT ON OUR, IT'S, IT'S NOT ON OUR PLAN, IT'S NOT ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO TELL THEM THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING, WELL, IT DEPENDS ON IF YOU GET YOUR MERIT.
IT, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY AND IT'S JUST A LITTLE HARDER TO EXPLAIN.
BUT BACK TO THAT POINT OF, IF WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE, IF WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF CALL AND WE'VE NOW IMPLEMENTED CODE COMPLIANCE, 'CAUSE WE, WE'VE SEEN THE CALL REPORTS, THE WATER REPORTS, WE NOW KNOW WHAT A LOT OF THOSE CALLS ARE GOING FOR, SEEM TO BE ALMOST REPEAT OFFENDERS IN TERMS OF LOCATION OF VISIT.
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? MEANING THE TYPE OF CALLS THAT WE'RE GETTING ARE GOING TO THAT 80 20 RULE? SO I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE, ARE WE CONSTANTLY GOING TO THE SAME EXACT LOCATION FOR THE SAME EXACT TYPES OF REASONS? ARE WE SEEING NEW TYPES OF CRIME OR NEW TYPES OF ARSONS OR NEW TYPES OF FIRE NEEDS OR PARAMEDIC NEEDS? NO, WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL RUNNING ABOUT 60 TO 65% EMS CALLS.
AND THEN THE REST ARE FIRE RELATED CALLS.
[00:30:01]
THEY, THEY'RE VERY, THEY'RE VERY, UH, VARIED, UH, DIFFERENT CALLS ALL OVER THE CITY.WE DO HAVE AREAS THAT WE'RE CALLED TO REPEATEDLY, BUT THEY'RE DIFFERENT CALLS.
IT MIGHT BE FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, BUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, A WIDE VARIETY OF ALL TYPES OF CALLS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO, OKAY, CHRISTOPHER, CHIEF OF POLICE, UH, AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YOU KNOW, FROM THE RECRUITING STANDPOINT AND WHAT OFFICERS ARE LOOKING FOR, THAT 22-YEAR-OLD, I'LL BE BLATANTLY HONEST WITH YOU, THEY'RE LOOKING AT PAY PLAN.
THEY'RE GOING ON THESE WEBSITES AND THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, IF I GO TO A CITY AT YEAR THREE, I'LL MAKE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
THEY CAN PLAN OUT THEIR FUTURE BECAUSE THEY'RE SMART, THEY WANNA PLAN, THEY, THEY WANNA HAVE THAT ROADMAP OF SUCCESS.
UM, WITH ADDISON, OUR RECRUITER, SHE FIELDS CALLS ALL THE TIME, HEY, I'M ON YOUR WEBSITE, I CAN'T FIND YOUR YOUR STEP PLAN.
SO NOW SHE'S TRYING TO EXPLAIN OUR COMPENSATION, HEY, IT'S BASED ON MERIT.
OKAY? WE MORE LIKE TOP OUT MAYBE SIX YEARS, MAYBE 10 YEARS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON, ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GO TO FARMER'S BRANCH, THEY GO TO CARROLLTON, THEY GO TO DALLAS, THEY GO TO ANYWHERE.
AND THEY SAY, IF I COME IN, YOU'RE WILLING TO MAKE THIS.
YOU'RE TOO, I'M GONNA MAKE THIS.
AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, NOT NANCY, IT'S THAT, THAT'S THAT IN MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE MEETING THE METRICS AND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE SET FORWARD.
THEY'RE NOT, IF WE MOVE TO A STEP PLAN, THEY'RE NOT COMING IN AND JUST GETTING A PAYCHECK.
YOU STILL HAVE TO WORK FOR IT.
WE SET OUT OUR EXPECTATIONS AND IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MEETING THOSE EXPECTATIONS OR THEY DON'T MOVE ON TO THAT NEXT STEP.
SO WE STILL HAVE THAT MERIT COMPONENT TO IT.
AND IT'S STILL TIED TO THE PERFORMANCE.
SO WE NEED, WE NEED TO USE THE TERM FOR A MARKETING PURPOSE THAT WE HAVE A STEP PLAN.
YOU, YOU ARE NOT, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR.
YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES ARE NOT GONNA SHOW UP, NOT DO WORK AND GET PAID.
THAT IS NEVER GONNA BE THE CASE.
IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY DOING THAT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION.
WE CAN WITHHOLD, UH, THAT STEP.
WE CAN SAY, HEY, YOU'VE HAD DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE NOT MOVING ON.
IF THIS BEHAVIOR CONTINUES, WE'RE GONNA SEPARATE YOU FROM THE ORGANIZATION.
BUT THAT'S MINE AND, AND CHIEF JONES' JOB.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN THESE POSITIONS.
WE SET THE EXPECTATIONS, WE HOLD OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THEN MY LAST, SO LAST PART OF THAT QUESTION, KNOWING, KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020, KNOWING HOW THE ADMINISTRATION CAME IN AND NATIONALLY LOOKED AT NOT BACKING THE BLUE, WE KNOW THERE WAS A NATIONAL THING AND IT'S NOW BEHIND US.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE SUNNIER DAYS IN THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF JUST THE RECRUITING PEOPLE WANTING TO BECOME POLICE OFFICERS OR FIREFIGHTERS, DO YOU THINK THAT DEPEND WILL SWING BACK? I, I THINK IT'S A VERY BROAD, WE CAN SIT HERE AND SAY TO YOUR POINT THAT YOU SEE THAT PENDULUM SWING CONSTANTLY RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK YOU'RE STILL GETTING PEOPLE WANTING TO GET BACK INTO THE PUBLIC SAFETY JOBS.
UM, SO NOW THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR US TO INSTITUTE THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA MISS OUT ON THESE YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF COLLEGE AND WANTING TO GET INTO THIS PROFESSION.
AND THEY, IT'S AN EMPLOYEE'S MARKET.
IT'S NOT JUST IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
THESE INDIVIDUALS, THEY'RE LOOKING, THEY'RE DOING THEIR RESEARCH AND THEY'RE CALCULATING, HEY, IF I GO HERE, I KNOW I'M GONNA MAKE THIS MUCH MONEY OVER THE COURSE AS LONG AS I'M MEET THE EXPECTATIONS.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE JUST CAN'T CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS STRUCTURED THAT WE CAN NOW ADVERTISE AND BRING IN THOSE PEOPLE.
WE WANT THEM TO COME TO ADDISON.
IF THEY DON'T COME HERE, THEY'RE GONNA GO TO FARMER'S RENT, COME TO CARROLLTON, THEY'RE GONNA GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
FURTHER, OTHER QUESTIONS? I'VE GOT A QUESTION.
IS ASHLEY STILL IN THE ROOM OR SHE, SHE STARTS
AND THAT'S USUALLY YOUR LARGER NUMBERS.
THE 28 AND A HALF YEARS, YOU KNOW, ON THE, ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT FOR POLICE, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A RETIREMENT.
MOST OF THE OLDER NUMBERS YOU'LL SEE THE 25.1, 25.3 22.
THOSE ARE TYPICALLY PEOPLE RETIRING.
BUT I STATED BEFORE, SOME OF THEM ARE RETIRING, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO OTHER CITIES.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T STUDY IT WITH THAT FOCUS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU, YOU'RE UP TO SPEED WITH THAT.
SO, ON ON OUR, ON OUR NUMBERS HERE, OUR TURNOVER NUMBERS, HOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THESE WOULD YOU SAY WERE RETIREMENT? UM, FOR 2020? YOU HAVE A GUESS.
I MEAN, I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE FIREFIGHTER THAT RETIRED AND YEAH, SO VERY LOW PERCENTAGE RETIRED.
SO WE HAD, WE HAD ONE THAT WAS 18 AND A HALF YEARS AND HE WENT TO ANOTHER, UH, HE OR SHE WENT TO ANOTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO JUST ONE, ONE ON FIRE THAT WAS RE RETIREMENT.
AND THEN HOW MANY ON POLICE WOULD YOU GUESS? UM, JUST FOR 2024 IT WAS, UM, OUR PRIOR CHIEF JUST ONE.
ALRIGHT, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CHIEFS AND THE LEADERSHIP IN BOTH HEALTH AND SAFETY.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF WE, WE HAVE THIS TOOL VERSUS NOT HIGHEST OF THIS TOOL CALLING THE STEP PLAN TOOL A MECHANISM, IT NOT HAVING IT KIND
[00:35:01]
OF HAND HOLDS YOU A LITTLE BIT FOR MAKING A DECISION TO MAYBE LET SOMEBODY GO.'CAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN'T FILL IT AS FAST.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE HAVING THIS GIVES YOU MORE OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE BETTER PLAYERS AND MOVE THE LESS LESSER ONES OUT.
AND LIKE IT IS ANOTHER TOOL FOR, UH, RETENTION.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE RETAINING OUR PEOPLE.
WE'RE NOT HAVING TO GO OUT AND HIRE NEW PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE NOT GETTING INTO SITUATIONS WHERE WE'RE SO FAR UNDERSTAFFED THAT WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S HAPPENED.
DEPARTMENTS IN THE PAST, THEY'VE GOTTA GET PEOPLE AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE BRINGING ON THE PEOPLE THEY REALLY WANT 'CAUSE IT'S THAT NEED.
SO YES, IT'S ABSOLUTELY A TOOL TO RE RETAIN, NOT ONLY RECRUIT, BUT ALSO RETAIN THE OFFICERS THAT WE ALREADY HAD THAT WE'VE INVESTED SO MUCH MONEY IN, UM, JUST TO KEEP THEM HERE AND WE'RE NOT HAVING TO GO OUT AND SEEK THAT ELSEWHERE.
LAST THING YOU WANNA DO IS TO KEEP A C PLAYER BECAUSE THAT RUNS OFF YOUR A PLAYERS AND YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T WANT THAT.
YOU DON'T WANNA TOLERATE THE ELECTION.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, UM, NOT A BIG FAN OF A STEP PROGRAM THINKING THAT IT'S A COMPULSORY THING TO WHERE YOU'RE NOT DOING MERIT.
SO, UH, I THINK MERIT IS, IS A HUGE PART OF THIS.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA PAY THE BEST, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE BEST PLAN AND WE'RE GONNA EXPECT IT.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO I, I DO APPRECIATE THAT ONE OF THE, UH, KIND OF, UH, ASPECTS OF THIS THAT WAS ALWAYS TOLD WELL THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM PREVIOUS, UH, LEADERSHIP IN THE TOWN BEING ACCOUNTANT TYPE PEOPLE, IS IT'S, UH, A COMPENSATION, UH, POLICY SHOULD BE FAIR AND THE SAME ALL, ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWN.
SO YOU DON'T TREAT PUBLIC SAFETY DIFFERENT.
BUT I THINK, I THINK IT'S A MARKET REALITY.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PLAY THE GAME, YOU HAVE TO PLAY BY THE RULES.
IF YOU DON'T, THEN YOU'RE NOT A VERY GOOD PLAYER.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANNA BE THAT CITY.
AND NOW SINCE WE ARE THAT CITY, THE ONLY ONE, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WE, WE REALLY HAVE TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.
AND I THINK, I THINK THE MERIT COMPONENT WILL BE THE BALANCING FACT AND, UH, PERFORMANCE IS, IS EVERYTHING.
AND, AND I'LL TRUST LEADERSHIP, UM, TO, TO MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND REWARD, UM, WELL WITH GOOD PLAYERS.
AND, AND I BELIEVE THAT WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE TRUST IN YOUR LEADERSHIP TO HOLD THE, THE, THE FOLKS ACCOUNTABLE TO DO THE JOB, TO MEET OR EXCEED THE EXPECTATIONS, THAT I THINK IT TAKES A LOT OF THAT, UM, HESITATION, YOU KNOW, OUT OF IT.
WELL, UM, FOR WHATEVER WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE BEST.
UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS 10 OR 12 YEARS AGO, UM, WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS WE WERE, WE WERE BRINGING, UM, YOUNGER GUYS IN, WE WERE TRAINING THEM UP, WE WERE MAKING THIS INVESTMENT IN THEM AND THEN THEY WERE LEAVING.
SO THAT, THAT IN ITSELF IS A PROBLEM.
BUT THE BIGGER PROBLEM WAS WE WEREN'T ALLOWING OURSELVES TO GROW LEADERSHIP WITHIN POLICE AND FIRE.
AND THAT BECOMES A BIGGER PROBLEM.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST GO DOWN THIS PATH.
UM, I, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT HERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE RANGE, THERE'S HOW QUICKLY WE'RE GONNA MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE RANGE.
AND I FEEL LIKE THOSE ARE TWO IMPORTANT THINGS BECAUSE IT'S GREAT TO SAY WE HAVE A STEP PLAN, BUT UNLESS WE GET THE RANGE RIGHT, I, I, I DON'T THINK JUST THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A SET PLAN WILL WORK.
I, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND THOSE ARE BIG DISCUSSIONS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
THIS IS THAT PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION, BUT THOSE ARE THE NEXT DISCUSSIONS.
AND IT REALLY, HAVING THE PLAN ALLOWS US TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN A MORE SIMPLE WAY.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS WE'RE TALKING WITH, WITH THE ASSOCIATION, WHEN WE'RE TALKING WITH THE FOLKS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS IN THE DEPARTMENTS, WE CAN GO THROUGH, WELL, HERE'S A SCENARIO.
IF YOU HIT YOUR MERIT, YOU'D HAVE THE X, Y, AND Z.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE IT TANGIBLE, IT DOES MAKE THOSE DISCUSSIONS EASIER, ESPECIALLY AS THEY'RE LOOKING AT OTHER AGENCIES THAT ALREADY DO THAT.
IT MAKES OUR BUDGETING SIMPLER.
THE, THE, THE LANGUAGE IN HERE SAYS SWORN POLICE AND SWORN FIRE.
WHAT DOES SWORN MEAN? WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT JUST SOMEONE THAT'S NOT ENFORCE? YES SIR.
YOU'RE A SWORN POLICE OFFICER OR SWORN LIKE YOU'VE BEEN COMMISSIONED.
UH, THAT'S JUST, WE HAVE SWORN PERSONNEL THAT WORK HERE.
OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS ARE NON-SWORN.
THEY'RE PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS.
SO IF YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER AND YOU WEAR A UNIFORM, YOU'RE A SWORN POLICE OFFICER.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I GUESS.
I MEAN, YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF A NON-SWORN, UM, A DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT, UM, AN EVIDENCE TECHNICIAN, ADMINISTRATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS.
SO SOMEONE THAT'S GONNA GO RESPOND THERE SWORN.
AND THEN, UM, I READ UNDER THE CURRENT CHALLENGES, JUST IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, CITIES HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THEIR COMPA COMPENSATION.
[00:40:01]
YES.SO AN EXAMPLE, WE JUST CONCLUDED AT THE END OF 2023, OUR LAST CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STUDY, AND WE PLACED BOTH FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS ABOVE THE AVERAGE.
THAT WAS AT THE END OF 2023, I BELIEVE.
HERE WE ARE A YEAR LATER, AND NOW WE ARE BELOW AVERAGE A YEAR LATER.
BECAUSE WHAT I'M, WHERE THIS IS LEADING WITH ME.
AND I'M NOT OPPOSED TO STEP PLAN BY THE WAY.
I JUST, I SEE THAT WE'RE IN COMPETITION WITH THESE OTHER CITIES MM-HMM
SO IF THEY HAVE A STEP PLAN, WE HAVE A STEP PLAN, BUT OUR STEPS ARE NOT AS HIGH AS THEIR STEPS OR IF WE PUT OUR STEPS ABOVE AND THEN THEY GO ABOVE US, IT'S CONSTANT.
WHERE DOES THIS, DOES THIS, WHERE'S THE END OF THIS ONE? WELL, I MEAN, SO THO THOSE WE DON ARE ALL THE FOLLOWUP DISCUSSIONS.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHY WE, WE HAVE A COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY.
AND WE DO OUR COMPENSATION STUDIES AT INTERVALS EVERY YEAR.
WE LOOK AT THE MARKET TO SAY, WHERE ARE WE? AND THAT'S HOW WE COME THROUGH THE DECISIONS TO SAY, HEY, WE WANNA BE 50% PLUS ONE.
UM, BUT THEN THERE ARE MORE NUANCES.
AND THIS IS WHERE IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL BECAUSE AS YOU TALK ABOUT MOVING UP THE RANGE QUICKLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMPETITIVENESS, WHAT WE ALSO SEE NOT ONLY ARE CITIES JUMPING UP THEIR PAY, BUT THEY'RE JUST SLASHING THEIR STEPS.
AND THEY'RE SAYING, YOU'RE GONNA GET TO FAX OUT IN ONLY A FEW YEARS.
SO THIS WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OF WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? HERE'S THE MARKET.
WHERE DO WE WANNA BE? WHAT ARE OUR GOALS? AND SO THAT, THAT'LL BE PART OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS THAT WE BRING FORWARD AS WE IMPLEMENT THIS.
AND IT COULD BE, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE FOR 26 AND HERE'S OUR PLAN AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, BUT IT'S COMPETITIVE ON ALL THOSE ANGLES.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED IS, UH, THE MARKET IS, IT'S CHANGING A LOT.
WELL, I, I'VE HEARD FROM SOME PEOPLE IN TOWN THAT THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WORK JUST A FEW DAYS A WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SCHEDULES ARE WHERE THEY'RE 24 HOURS OR, AND THEY'RE OFF TWO DAYS OR I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.
SO I, I WANT TO HAVE THE, THE BEST PEOPLE AND I WANT BE COMPETITIVE WITH PRICED, BUT I ALSO, I DON'T WANT, I GUESS I DON'T WANT TO SPEND MORE THAN WE NEED TO OR MORE THAN WE SHOULD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS, BUT I MEAN, HOW DO WE COMPARE OUR STAFF TO OTHER CITIES WITH THEIR REQUIRED HOURS AND HOW DIFFICULT THE JOB IS IN ADDISON.
SMALL LITTLE TOWN, TO YOUR POINT, VERSUS SOME OF THE, I, I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK ALL THOSE THINGS COME INTO PLAY, BUT I CAN EXPLAIN THE HOURS FOR SURE.
SO WE WERE A 24 48 DEPARTMENT WHERE WE WORKED 24 HOURS ON THE, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON SHIFT WORKED 24 HOURS ON AND HAD 48 HOURS OFF.
WE RECENTLY TRANSITIONED TO A, A MORE POPULAR SCHEDULE THAT HAS CAUGHT ON, UH, FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS, WHICH IS A 48 ON 96 OFF.
WE ACTUALLY JUST STARTED THAT ON THE FOURTH.
SO EVEN WHEN THEY WERE WORKING, THEY'RE STILL WORKING THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS IN A YEAR.
IT'S JUST COMPRESSED THOSE 24 TOGETHER.
SO INSTEAD THEY'RE GETTING FOUR DAYS OFF.
SO THEY'RE STILL WORKING THE EXACT SAME NUMBER OF HOURS IN A YEAR AS THEY WERE WORKING WHEN THEY WORKED 24 48.
NOW THEY'RE JUST WORKING A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE.
IT'S 48 96, THEY'RE WORKING 156 HOURS.
SO THEY WORK MORE, THEY WORK MORE IN WEEK THAN A FOUR WORK WEEK.
IT'S A 56 HOUR WORK WEEK IS WHAT IT BASICALLY EQUALS OUT TO.
UH, THEIR, THEIR JOB'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WHEN YOU'RE COMPARING IT TO ANY OTHER CIVILIAN JOB, YOU'RE NOT ASKING MOST CIVILIANS TO RISK THEIR LIVES.
SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT.
UM, BUT WE ARE COMPARING OURSELVES WITH THE ENTIRE METROPLEX AND ANYBODY, ANY, ANY OTHER FIREFIGHTER IN THE AREA, WHAT THEY NOTICE IS THEY COULD GO TO WORK, THEY COULD GO TO WORK IN ADDISON AND WHAT THEY WOULD MAKE IN TWO OR THREE YEARS, OR THEY MIGHT TOP OUT HERE IN EIGHT TO 10 YEARS AND THEY MIGHT TOP OUT AND MAKE THAT SAME MONEY IN TWO YEARS IN ANOTHER CITY OR THREE YEARS IN ANOTHER CITY.
BECAUSE OF WHAT DAVID SAID ABOUT HOW THEY'VE CUT THEIR STEPS DOWN, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, UH, ASHLEY AND SARAH REALLY LOOKED AT ALL THE CITIES AND HOW FAST THEY TOPPED OUT AND TOOK KIND OF AN AVERAGE OF THAT.
AND SO THAT PUTS US VERY COMPETITIVE RIGHT NOW.
IT TAKES PEOPLE A LOT LONGER TO TOP OUT, MAKE THEIR SALARY.
DID I EXPLAIN THE HOURS OKAY TO YOU? I THINK SO.
SO IF THEY WORK 48, SO AT THE END OF 48 HOURS THEY'VE BEEN AWAKE 48 HOURS.
THEY, THEY STILL WILL HAVE TIME TO SLEEP.
YOU'RE, YOU'VE GOT LAUNDRY TO DO, YOU GOTTA COOK, YOU GOTTA CLEAN AND YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE TIME, SOME, SOME RECUPERATION TIME TO SLEEP.
AND THAT'S JUST UNHEALTHY TO HAVE SOMEBODY AWAKE FOR 48 HOURS.
SO IT'S AS MUCH, MUCH OF A ROUTINE DAY AS YOU CAN DO WITH INTERRUPTIONS THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT.
SO, SO THEY SLEEP DURING THAT TIME, BUT THEY GET WOKEN UP WHEN THERE'S A CALL? IS THAT HOW THAT YES.
AND THEY GET CALL, A LOT OF 'EM WILL GO TO BED AT A NORMAL DINNER
[00:45:01]
TIME AND THEY GET UP AND RUN ON A CALL OR AT A NORMAL BEDTIME.OKAY, SO THEY'RE ON FOR FOUR EIGHT, THEN THEY'RE OFF FOR FOUR DAYS.
AND THEN ARE THEY BACK ON ON THAT FIFTH DAY OR WHAT? I MEAN THEY ONLY SIX DAYS A WEEK.
SO WHAT HAPPENS ON THE SEVENTH DAY? THEY WORK FOR 48 HOURS, THEN THEY'RE OFF FOR 96, THEN THEY'RE BACK ON FOR 48 AGAIN.
SO THEIR SHIFT, SO THEIR SHIFTS MOVE AROUND SAME TWO DAYS, WHICH THAT, THE BENEFIT OF THAT SCHEDULE ACTUALLY GIVES THEM A WEEKEND.
IT GIVES THEM MORE WEEKENDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH THEIR FAMILIES, WHICH IS GREAT VALUE FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
'CAUSE YOU'RE GIVING THEM AT HOME.
THEY'RE AT HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES WHEN THE KIDS ARE OFF OF SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND WITH THE 24 48, YOU NEVER HAVE A WEEKEND BECAUSE YOU'RE EITHER WORKING FRIDAY OR FRIDAY AND MONDAY OR SATURDAY AND TUESDAY OR SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY YOU'RE ALWAYS GONE.
SO ISN'T THAT A BENEFIT TOO, TO WORKING IN ADDISON, THE 48 9 6? YEAH, IT IS A BENEFIT, BUT IT'S ALSO, WE JUST CAUGHT UP WITH CITIES AROUND US THAT ARE 48, 9 6.
SO THAT'S, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THAT IT IS A BENEFIT AND IT'S, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED BY STAFF.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY'VE WANTED THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
SO THAT IS A GREAT BENEFIT AND UH, BUT JUST, JUST KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS AS THEY WERE WHEN THEY WERE 24, 48.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE.
I'VE GOT A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THAT SLIDE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, FOR POLICE ON THAT STEP STRUCTURE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MORE FRONT LOADED IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS MM-HMM
WHY IS THAT? I THINK THAT BASICALLY WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW AN EXAMPLE.
I THINK WITH POLICE, YOU'RE SEEING THIS MORE COMMON WITH THE FRONT LOADED, THOSE FIRST THREE OR FOUR YEARS FIRE, YOU'RE NOT SEEING IT VERY MUCH.
BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS AN OPEN CONVERSATION.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE YOU WANT TO MIMIC THAT INCREASE WITHIN THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS, WE CAN SHOW YOU WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THE FIRE SIDE AS WELL.
BUT WE'RE JUST NOT SEEING THAT AS AN INDUSTRY STANDARD REALLY.
AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BOTH CHIEFS.
IS THERE, IS THERE LIKE SOME MAGICAL YEAR, LIKE IF WE CAN GET SOMEONE TO STAY FOR FIVE, WE USUALLY HAVE 'EM FOR THE REST OF THEIR CAREER.
UM, WE ALWAYS SAY IF I CAN GET YOU HERE FOR FIVE YEARS, ONE, YOU'RE VESTED.
UH, THEN ALSO YOU'VE SEEN THE CULTURE.
UM, AND IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO LEAVE IN THOSE LATER YEARS.
YOU PICK UP SENIORITY, TYPICALLY YOU GET TO DO MORE SPECIALIZED POSITIONS.
UM, SO THAT THOSE PEOPLE WE'RE TRYING TO CAPTURE THOSE ONE TO THREE AND A HALF, FOUR YEAR OFFICERS THAT WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED SO MUCH MONEY AND WE DON'T WANNA BE A TRAINING GROUND FOR SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
THEY COME IN GREAT DEPARTMENT OF WORK, GREAT COMMUNITY, AND WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT LEFT, THEY'VE NOT LIKED LEAVING.
UM, BUT IF THEY CAN GO AND MAKE MONEY GET TOP OUT QUICKER IN ANOTHER AGENCY, THEY'LL BE SADDENED WHEN THEY LEAVE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, CULTURE DOESN'T PAY THE BILLS.
RIGHT? BUT IF WE GET THEM HERE LONG ENOUGH, WE CAN KEEP 'EM WITH THE CULTURE AS LONG AS WE STAY COMPETITIVE AND WE HAVE THAT ROADMAP WITH A STEP PLAN TO LET THEM KNOW, YOU MEET YOUR METRICS, YOU MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GONNA MAKE THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER, THEY'LL STAY HERE.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY JUST CAPTURING THOSE, THOSE YOUNGER OFFICERS AND GETTING THEM INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, 2024, ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS, THE, THE DARKER NUMBERS TO THE LEFT, THOSE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE TALENTED, SHARP AND WELL-RESPECTED PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING FOR THE ORGANIZATION THAT JUST SIMPLY WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR MORE MONEY.
THEN THE, THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE THAT'S A 10, THAT WAS ONE THAT, UH, HAD A BABY AND DECIDED TO BE A MOM.
SO IT, SHE, THAT WASN'T ANYTHING TO DO WITH MONEY.
AND THEN THE OTHER TWO RETIRED AND WOUND UP GOING TO WORK FOR OTHER, OR LEFT THE DEPARTMENT TO GO TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
AND CAN YOU TALK REAL QUICK ABOUT LATERAL MOVES? IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
IT USED TO BE, I'M GOTTA GET THIS WRONG, BUT LIKE IF YOU WERE A LIEUTENANT IN ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND YOU WANTED DO A PLANO, I FEEL LIKE IT USED TO BE YOU WOULD START AS A, UH, SOMETHING LOWER THAN WHERE YOU WERE BEFORE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE.
WE, IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA HIRE, THAT'S NOT OUR PRACTICE IS TO HIRE SOMEBODY FROM THAT'S A CAPTAIN IN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT AND MAKE 'EM A CAPTAIN IN OUR DEPARTMENT, THERE'S TOO LITTLE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE, THEY DON'T KNOW THE CULTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
THEY WOULD COME IN AS A FIREFIGHTER IF THEY WANTED TO DO THAT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE CONCENTRATING ON HERE IS THE FIREFIGHTER RANK.
SO IF A FIREFIGHTER IS, HAS WORKED FOUR YEARS FOR ANOTHER AGENCY AND IT'S COMPARABLE TO US, THEN WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEM IN AT THAT FOUR YOUR POINT OR CLOSE TO IT SO THAT IT'S AN EASY TRANSITION FOR THEM.
OR EVEN MAYBE IT'S A HIGHER STEP.
BUT, BUT IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP SOMEONE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND THEY'RE HERE FOR YOUR FIVE, AND THEN AS TO SAY THEY START TO LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE, IF THEY END UP IN ANOTHER CITY, ARE ARE THEY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAY RATE RANGE AGAIN, OR NO IS THE POINT HERE.
THEY'VE GOTTEN, EVERYONE CAN MAKE LATERAL MOVES NOW.
THERE'S LATERAL MOVES ARE PRETTY COMMON THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY.
BUT WHAT, UH, LIKE THE CHIEF'S POINT IS IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY HERE WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR FIVE YEARS, THEY'RE
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INVESTED IN THE ORGANIZATION, THEY SHOULD KNOW THE CULTURE.THEY'VE PROBABLY BEEN PART OF SPECIAL PROJECTS AND THINGS THAT HAVE, THEY HAVE SOME PRIDE IN OWNERSHIP IN STAYING HERE AND THEY'RE NOT JUST SHOPPING AROUND TO LEAVE.
UM, THERE ARE THOSE OUTLIERS THAT HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY'RE OFFERING FOR THE SAME YEARS, BUT YOU'RE AT RISK OF A DIFFERENT CULTURE THERE TOO.
QUESTION FOR DAVID OR, OR MAYOR BRUCE IS, SO WITH COBALT VITRUVIAN, UH, TREEHOUSE TWO COMING ONLINE, WHAT DO WE EXPECT THE GROWTH OF RESIDENCY IN ADDISON? 5,000? IS IT FOUR? DO YOU HAVE ROUGH NUMBERS OF WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE IN TWO YEARS? THEY KNOW WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE NEEDING IN TERMS OF STAFFS? YEAH.
WELL IT'S, YEAH, IT'S A FEW THOUSAND, BUT WE ARE, RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH A STAFFING STUDY WITH POLICE AND FIRE WHERE WE'RE DOING THAT, UM, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE WHAT, WHAT IS OUR POPULATION? HOW IS OUR POPULATION AGAIN GOING TO INCREASE BOTH, AS WE KNOW IN ADDISON POPULATION DOESN'T DRIVE MOST OF OUR, UM, OUR CALLS AND OUR DEMAND ON POLICE AND FIRE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT FULL THE ENTIRE TOWN.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, BECAUSE THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A BIG COMPONENT FOR ME TO SUPPORT THE, THE PROGRAM IS THAT THEY HAVE THE POWER TO GO HIRE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO COVER THE NEEDS, BUT THEY'RE NOT HANDCUFFED BECAUSE THE BUDGET GREW SUDDENLY WITH A STEP MERIT PROGRAM AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHAT CAN'T HIRE, WE'RE LIKE ONE YEAR HIRING FREEZE.
THAT'S WHAT I DON'T WANNA SEE HAPPEN.
IF THEY HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY TO GO HIRE WHAT THEY NEED.
I'VE GOT, UH, BASICALLY THE SAME QUESTION FOR BOTH OF THE CHIEFS.
UM, AND THAT IS ON THESE, THESE TURNOVERS, THESE ONES THAT ARE LEAVING OUR DEPARTMENT AND THEN GOING TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, OR ARE YOU, ARE YOU ALL SEEING ANY TRENDS AS FAR AS THEM LEAVING GOING TO A PARTICULAR, UH, OTHER CITY OR, OR GEOGRAPHY FOR THAT MATTER? IT, IT'S CONTINGENT UPON A LOT OF TIMES WHERE THEY LIVE.
UM, MOST OF OUR OFFICERS LIVE NORTH, THEY'RE GONNA PASS SEVERAL CITIES THEY COULD BE WORKING AT TO COME TO ADDISON.
SO WHEN WE SEE PEOPLE LEAVING, A LOT OF TIMES IT'LL BE TO PROSPER.
UM, FRISCO, WE LOST THEM TO PLANO.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S KIND OF, EVERY OFFICER'S DIFFERENT, THEY MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THEIR FAMILY.
MIGHT BE CLOSER, MIGHT BE MORE MONEY, THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING INTO RETIREMENT.
BUT USUALLY WE'RE SEEING THEM MOVE UP NORTH A LITTLE BIT OR IF THEY LIVE FAR AWAY, CLOSER WHERE, WHERE THEY, UH, WHERE THEY LIVE AT.
WE'VE LOST, UH, WE LOST A COUPLE TO PLANO, UH, THREE TO SHERMAN BECAUSE THEY LIVE SO FAR NORTH AND SHERMAN'S PAY WENT WAY UP.
SO THEY STARTED WORKING THERE AND THEN WE LOST ONE TO LEWISVILLE.
OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SO HOW DO WE WANNA, UH, APPROACH THIS AS FAR AS JUST, YOU ONLY GET A FEEL FOR WHERE WE, WHERE WE ARE, WE WANNA CONTINUE DISCUSSION, MAKE IT PART OF THE BUDGET OR YEAH, I MEAN, WE OPEN FOR ANYTHING.
I THINK OUR THOUGHT WAS WE WOULD BRING THIS BACK IN THE BUDGET.
IF, IF Y'ALL SAID, DON'T WASTE TIME ON IT TODAY, WE WOULD STOP THAT.
BUT IF THE, IF THE CINNAMON IS, HEY, LET'S SEE, LET'S BRING IT BACK THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE DETAILED NUMBERS AT THAT TIME AND SOME OF THOSE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
DO WE HAVE A, A BROAD ROUGH, UH, AMOUNT OF, UH, CHANGE IN THE BUDGET COMPENSATION FOR THE NEXT FIVE? IS IT 5% MORE THAN WE GOT THE STEP PROGRAM? IS IT ABOUT THE SAME WITH THE STEP PROGRAM NECESSARILY? SO THE, OUR PLAN IS TO PHASE IT IN.
SO IF WE DID IT ALL IN ONE YEAR, CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE A BIGGER HIT IF WE SAID, HEY, EVERYBODY WHO'S A YEAR THREE IS GOING STRAIGHT TO A YEAR, THREE ON THE STEP, THOSE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS WE NEED TO HAVE.
OUR PLAN IS TO DO AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH SO THAT IT'S NOT A HUGE COST IN FY 26.
AND WE FEEL, AND OUR NUMBERS A LITTLE CUT SO FAR, WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A GOOD PATH TO DO THAT.
IT'S NOT TOO OUTSIDE OF OUR, OUR PROCESS RIGHT NOW IN OUR PLAN.
LIKE MORE PERCENT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M HAPPY TO GO FORWARD WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
I MEAN, AND NOT EVEN JUST TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M BOARD MOVING FORWARD WITH THE STEP PLAN AND THEN WE FIGURE OUT THE DETAILS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFFING ANALYSIS IS DONE IN TIME TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE, CAN HIRE WHAT THEY NEED TO HIRE.
I HAD ONE MORE POINT IS WE HAVE TO TRUST THE LEADERSHIP TO MANAGE THE PEOPLE.
TO DETERMINE THE COMPENSATION AND THE MERIT.
AND JUST HOLDING YOU OUTSIDE OF THE STEP PROGRAM DOESN'T REALLY GIVE YOU THAT TRUST.
SO NOW YOU'VE GOT THE STEP PROGRAM FRAMEWORK AND WE HAVE TO TRUST THAT YOU DO THE JOB AND I DO TRUST YOU, SO I'M IN FAVOR.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW THE IMPORTANT POINTS.
I MEAN, WHAT'S THE RANGE GONNA BE? HOW QUICKLY GONNA MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE RANGE, AND THEN HOW OFTEN ARE WE GONNA ADJUST THAT RANGE TO BE COMPETITIVE? UM, I, I THINK NANCY SAID IT BEST, UM, YOU KNOW HOW THE PERFORMANCE SLASH MERIT WILL BE BLENDED INTO OUR VERSION OF THE STEP PLAN I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TOO.
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QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE, THE PRICE TAG.SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA COST MORE MONEY AND WHAT'S GONNA BE PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS? WHERE DO THESE DOLLARS COME FROM? DOES IT, IS IT JUST RAISE PROPERTY TAXES WHERE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GENERATE THE DOLLARS TO PAY FOR IT? ARE WE GONNA TAKE IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE? HOW, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? WELL, WELL IT COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY IS PROPERTY TAXES.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES.
SELLS TAX IS A BIG REVENUE SOURCE AS WELL.
BUT ANY, ALL OF OUR REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT IS.
THERE WAS A FINANCIAL IMPACT TO IMPLEMENT IT BECAUSE YOU HAD TO GET PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT STEPS.
BUT IF WE, THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE DONE A 4% INCREASE.
RIGHT? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE TO KNOW HOW MANY DOLLARS, NOT NECESSARILY PERCENTAGES, BUT HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WERE WE TALKING ABOUT AND WHERE'S IT GONNA COME FROM? I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION IN THE BUDGET, BUT WE WERE DOING THAT ANYWAY.
LIKE WE, THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, WE HAVE A FOR, UNLESS THE, UNLESS THE ECONOMY SHIFTS SIGNIFICANTLY, VERY LIKELY WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN INCREASE NEXT YEAR REGARDLESS OF THIS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
SO THE QUESTION IS, AND THEY'LL HAVING THE BUDGET IS WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO? RIGHT.
AND OUTSIDE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION COST OF THIS, THAT DELTA IS NOT GONNA BE MASSIVE, RIGHT? IT'S ABOUT GETTING THIS PROCESS IN PLACE AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
SO, UM, I WOULDN'T SAY THIS DECISION ALONE IS GONNA PUT A HUGE FINANCIAL GOAL IN THE FUTURE.
IT HAS CHANGED THE FORECAST, AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN THE BUDGET.
I'D LOVE, I'D LOVE TO KNOW LIKE THE NET, LIKE HOW MUCH ARE WE REALLY INVESTING IN, IN PEOPLE THAT WE, WITHIN A YEAR? YEAH.
HOW MUCH OVERTIME ARE WE SPENDING? WE ELIMINATE SOME OF THAT.
I'D LOVE TO SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER LOOKS LIKE.
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, OUR TAXPAYERS, OUR RESIDENTS DO DEMANDS HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT ASKING.
AND THEY'VE ALWAYS SAID THEY DON'T MIND PAYING FOR IT.
I'VE HEARD THAT SO MANY TIMES.
NOBODY'S EVER SAID, YOU KNOW, CUT MY TAXES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA BE, THEY WANNA BE SAFE.
AND THEY HAVE A HIGH, HIGH REGARD FOR OUR, WELL, TO MY POINT, THE GROWTH OF THE, THE GROWTH OF NEW RESIDENTS INCREASES THE TAX BASE ANYHOW TO OFFSET THE HIRING.
IN ADDITION, NEW RESIDENTS, NEW BUSINESSES, NEW RESIDENTS, NEW BUSINESS GENERATES THE VOLUME OR THE REVENUE.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED FROM US? YES.
IF THERE'S ANY MORE DISCUSSION Y'ALL LIKE TO HAVE IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU WANNA ASK ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE DATA, WE CAN PROVIDE NUMBERS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UM, OTHERWISE WE'LL WORK WITH STEVEN AND HIS TEAM.
IT IS, UH, EIGHT 12 AND THAT'S THE LAST THING ON OUR AGENDA.