Salina Commission Approves 2027 Pay Plan With 1.5% Cost-of-Living Increase

The Salina City Commission on Monday unanimously approved the city’s 2027 staffing table, employee classifications and salary schedule, including a 1.5% cost-of-living adjustment and the potential for employees to receive up to an additional 1.5% merit increase.

Human Resources Director Natalie Fisher presented Resolution No. 26-8377, which establishes the city’s 2027 pay plan across three employee groups: public safety, classified employees and executive staff.

Fisher said each city position is assigned to a pay grade with a minimum and maximum salary range. The difference between each pay grade is approximately 5%.

Under the approved 2027 schedule, the entire pay scale — including both the minimum and maximum of each grade — will increase by 1.5%.

Fisher said the amount reflects direction commissioners gave city staff during budget study sessions earlier this year.

“The budgets were built around that one-and-a-half percent cost-of-living adjustment and the up to one-and-a-half percent merit,” Fisher said.

The cost-of-living increase will take effect at the beginning of 2027.

Merit increases operate differently. Employees may receive up to another 1.5% based on performance evaluations. Fisher emphasized that the merit increase is not automatic.

“Depending upon those evaluations will determine whether or not someone, first of all, earns a merit, and if so, what that rate will be,” Fisher said.

Merit increases generally take effect on an employee’s anniversary or evaluation date rather than at the beginning of the year.

Rempp Questions Raises for Employees With Unsatisfactory Performance

Commissioner Doug Rempp questioned whether an employee whose performance is rated as unsatisfactory would still receive the 1.5% cost-of-living increase.

Fisher said they would.

“Yes, they would,” Fisher said. “It moves the entire pay grades, so it is separate from the performance.”

Fisher explained that performance issues can be addressed separately through the city’s evaluation and management process. Depending on the circumstances, an employee who is not performing adequately could be transferred to a different position or demoted, which could affect that employee’s pay.

Rempp said he had concerns about employees receiving any increase when their job performance is not satisfactory.

“Just my gut would be that anybody, if their performance is not satisfactory, I just don’t think they should be getting any raise,” Rempp said. “And I know it’s COLA, but anyway, just my thoughts.”

Salary Figures Do Not Include Overtime

Fisher also cautioned that the annual salary ranges included in the city’s documents represent base compensation and do not necessarily reflect what some employees may actually earn.

Overtime is not included.

She pointed specifically to firefighters, who work 24-hour shifts followed by 48 hours off. Because of that schedule, Fisher said firefighters have scheduled overtime during two out of every three pay periods.

The salary tables instead calculate compensation using an employee’s base rate multiplied by the number of regularly scheduled hours worked during the year.

For many city employees, that calculation is based on 2,080 hours annually. Firefighters working the city’s shift schedule are calculated using 2,912 hours.

Two Positions Move to Higher Pay Grades

The approved staffing plan also includes pay-grade changes for two positions: the city’s digital forensic analyst and assistant city prosecutor.

Each position will move up one pay grade.

Fisher said those adjustments would ordinarily fall within the city manager’s authority. However, because the increases were not paired with identified reductions elsewhere in the budget, she said staff decided to bring them to commissioners for consideration.

Fisher said the potential long-term financial impact could arguably place the changes outside the city manager’s normal discretion.

City Has Used Current Pay Structure Since 2022

Salina’s last comprehensive employee compensation study was implemented in September 2022.

Fisher said the city has maintained the same general pay-plan structure since then, with subsequent changes either handled under the city manager’s authority or brought to commissioners when necessary.

Additional amendments could come before the commission later this year.

Fisher specifically referenced the proposed outsourcing of animal shelter operations to Prairie Paws as an example. If that agreement moves forward and city positions are eliminated as part of the transition, the staffing table and classifications would need to be amended accordingly.

Commissioners approved Resolution No. 26-8377 on a 5-0 vote.