Spanish Fork to discuss pay raises

SPANISH FORK — City leaders are anticipating a 2 percent across-the-board raise for city employees starting in July.

If approved, the average increase could be nearly $80 a month, considering the $47,121 average wage, officials say.

The City Council will meet tonight in a 2004-2005 budget work session to discuss the salaries, changes in the assistant city manager's contract and the monthly car allowance, officials said.

An annual salary study comparing Spanish Fork public employee wages with 14 other cities on which the increase is based has been under way since February.

Spanish Fork compares its salaries and benefits to Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Clearfield, Layton, Murray, Provo, Sandy, Springville, St. George, Utah County, West Jordan and West Valley City.

The highest paid is the city's CEO — City Manager Dave Oyler, who earns about $101,000 annually. Assistant City Manager Mary-Clare Maslyn grosses more than $80,000. She is leaving city employment, however, to join her husband who is working out of state. Changes are expected in the new assistant city manager's contract, Mayor Dale Barney said. He said he couldn't be more specific until the council takes action.

The council will also discuss the current $450 monthly car allowance 15 department heads and top level employees receive, which totals $81,000 annually. The allowance is based on what it costs to operate a vehicle, city leaders say.

At 37.5 cents per mile, the mileage reimbursement that the IRS uses for allowable auto expense deductions, $450 pays for 1,200 miles a month. In 2003, only five of the 15 employees met or exceeded 1,200 miles per month on average, city records show. Oyler drove fewer miles than any other employee with a car allowance, averaging less than 200 miles a month.

Among other salary issues are whether Spanish Fork should adopt a salary schedule that would make it a stepping stone city — one that would contain caps that would discourage career-long employment and thus hold down city payroll costs.

City Councilman Everett Kelopolo doesn't think so. He believes employees should earn enough so that they won't want to leave. That benefits the city, he said, because it gives stability to city operations.

"Our salary schedule allows us to do that," he said.

While city leaders will discuss the issues on Tuesday, a final vote isn't expected until June 15. The meeting at City Hall, 40 S. Main, starts at 6 p.m.

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