Police pay: Council mulls proposed plan
Starting officers would earn $52,000 a year
When compared with 12 other cities in Arizona, starting police officers and firefighters in Yuma are underpaid more than an annual average of $4,000.
At the request of the City Council, during the Wednesday meeting, staff provided a pay plan that would fix this situation. The plan focuses primarily on the Police Department, which is losing officers for better compensation in other cities. However, the intention is to eventually make all city salaries competitive with other areas.
The plan recommended by staff includes starting police officers at $52,000 a year and implementing a step plan for officers and sergeants with a maximum spread of 30 percent, compared with today’s 40 percent. The plan corrects in-rank seniority pay issues over time, which means senior employees would not be making less than their juniors. The plan would be implemented as part of the budget process and implemented July 1, with the start of the new fiscal year.
The plan would be adjusted based on the results of a market study that is due in December and will be presented in January. Staff noted that firefighter pay is still under review.
“It doesn’t fix it right away, but it does fix it over time,” Deputy City Administrator Ron Corbin said.
Currently, Yuma police officers make an annual average starting salary of $49,572; the state average is $53,841. The Yuma annual average starting salary for
police sergeants is $65,043; the state average is $77,434. The annual average starting salary for Yuma firefighters is $42,476; the state average is $47,024.
In 2017, the Police Department lost 23 officers, a turnover rate of 8.30 percent. The department has hired enough to replace the lost officers. However, it will take more than a year for the recruits to go through the academy and be trained, and retention is still a struggle.
Finance Director Lisa Marlin noted that staff is analyzing the general fund, which is the only fund that the city can legally use to pay public safety salaries and benefits. Currently, 41 percent of the general fund goes to police and 24 percent to fire.
Marlin explained that the city keeps a 20 percent fund balance for emergencies and unexpected expenses and it gives the city a favorable bond rating. The acceptable range is between 16-20 percent.
The current fund balance is $17 million and is projected to be $15 million by the end of the budget year. However, Marlin noted that even if the city uses the fund balance for police salaries, it would only be for one time and once the money’s gone, it’s gone if it’s not replenished.
City Administrator Greg Wilkinson said that the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex keeps coming up, with some people saying the city could have used the money it spent on building the facility to pay for police salaries. However, he clarified that the PAAC was paid out with impact fees and the 2 percent hospitality tax collected from hotels, bars and restaurants and these revenues cannot legally be used for public safety salaries.
Councilwomen Leslie McClendon and Karen Watts expressed fears that the issue will drag on without a commitment. Wilkinson responded that city administration and the council are committed to adopting a police pay plan, but first they need to be sure where the money will come from. “That’s what we’re trying to figure out, if we have the funds to put it in place.”
He said that staff is still putting together different options and how much each will cost. He added that he also wants to do something for the firefighters, who “keep getting dropped from the conversation,” and then all city workers.
McClendon said she wanted to hear the council say it is committing to the police and fire departments. “All we’re doing at the moment is just talking.”
Wilkinson said that city staff should have the full budget submissions at the end of January. During February’s special meetings, the council can then have educated discussions.
“We’re doing more than talking, we’re committing to doing something but can’t actually do anything until (staff has projected revenues and expenses),” Wilkinson said.
“A plan is not a plan until you know where you’re getting the money,” Mayor Doug Nicholls said, noting that he didn’t want to promise something without knowing if the city can deliver.
Councilman Mike Shelton noted that the city can’t be paralyzed by the unknown and if disaster struck, employees would understand the need to divert resources. He said that it’s important to set the goal and then call on staff to meet the goal, and assume other councils and mayors will follow the goal.
Shelton then motioned to direct administration to support the proposal presented by staff, but it died for lack of a second. Nicholls noted that he did not want to commit to something that might change in January when the numbers come in. However, he added, the city is going in a good direction and he’s looking forward to continuing the discussion in January.
Seven members of the public spoke on the issue, all urging the council to adopt a police pay plan.