Finance Subcommittee Hears Proposals on Municipal Salary Changes

FRAMINGHAM - The Framingham City Council’s Finance Subcommittee heard proposals on changes to municipal salary classifications during a meeting at the Memorial Building on Tuesday, January 7.

Local officials are reviewing classifications and compensation for the 123 non-union positions within the municipal government. Tuesday’s hearing was a continuance of the Finance Subcommittee’s meeting on December 10.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the city Michael Tusino told subcommittee members on Tuesday that the classification and compensation review was last conducted eight years ago. GovHR was brought on as a consultant for this recent study at a cost of $49,500.

Tusino’s presentation on Tuesday outlined the goal of keeping Framingham competitive on the job market going forward while ensuring that salaries are equitable for employees regardless of their gender or their tenure on the job. City officials are also aiming to make cost of living adjustments compared to previous classification and compensation levels; cost of living increases were not accounted for in the 2020, 2021, or 2022 fiscal years, according to Tusino. The COO explained that the study brings Framingham into compliance with the Massachusetts Pay Equity Law, which prohibits employers from paying a worker less than a colleague of the opposite sex who does equal or comparable work.

Tusino mentioned that there have been issues with recruiting and retaining municipal employees in recent years. He pointed to instances of employees leaving Framingham to work in other cities and towns, adding that work from home benefits along with higher wages through jobs in other municipalities as well as the private sector have been obstacles for the local government.

“This study gives us the opportunity internally to make things right for employees that were hired or have been on the payroll for a while, compared to the newer ones that had to come in during COVID or post-COVID where we had to pay them a higher salary to get them in the door,” Tusino continued on Tuesday.

“It’s very competitive out there right now.”

Tusino provided an overview of changes to multiple employment classes within the municipal government.

A new salary group was added to the DH class, ranging between $178,500 and $249,900. That group would include the COO, Chief Financial Officer, and City Solicitor. Other DH groups—which account for positions such as the chiefs and deputy chiefs of the police and fire departments, along with directors of departments like public health and libraries—remain unchanged in the proposal.

All S class positions—jobs such as assistant directors for local departments—would be brought into one collective class with salaries spanning between $99,000 and $138,500. Framingham’s Grants Manager and Public Information Officer, along with the Police Department’s Director of Administration and Finance, would also be brought into the S class.

The city has previously utilized S1, S2, and S3 grades. Tusino explained that all of those salaries were similar enough to warrant the recommendation of creating one, all-encompassing S group.

The additions of a ninth and tenth group to the M class was also recommended in order to compensate for added duties in certain roles, according to Tusino. The COO said that M1 and M2 grades are only used for entry level jobs and trainees; Tusino said the city currently does not have any M1 or M2-graded employees.

Tusino mentioned that no drastic raises to salaries are a part of these suggestions. He explained the funding for these proposals would partially be funded from open positions within some municipal departments, while the rest would come through a transfer from the city’s salary reserves. District 4 City Council member and Vice Chair of the Finance Subcommittee Michael Cannon requested specific details on those numbers.

Discussions between finance officials and members of the Finance Subcommittee on Tuesday also focused on a hesitancy to have Framingham repeat this process of reclassification again in a number of years. Finance Subcommittee Chair and At-Large City Councilor George King explained that he has seen numerous efforts to do so during his tenure in Framingham politics, as he contended that regrading salary ranges and catering to managerial requests for pay increases to retain workers can become more and more complicated over time.

“I think we all want to pay people properly. I do, and I certainly want to do that,” King continued.

“But we’re our own worst enemy when it comes to this. We can’t hold it together for a year—I’m not talking about this group, I’m talking about 20 years of history.”

King expressed an openness to consider a new system for these roles. He raised the idea of establishing a bonus pool to use to reward exceptional employees; if those workers end up leaving Framingham’s government, their position’s salaries would revert to a certain base level.

No vote on the recommendations was taken during the most recent meeting. This matter is set to be re-addressed during the Finance Subcommittee’s meeting on Tuesday, January 28.