What pay should city department heads get compared with similar officials in similar Iowa cities?

Decorah City Council members Tuesday resumed their discussions about what constitutes "fair pay" for department heads.

City Clerk Wanda Hemesath is in the midst of compiling figures about salaries and benefits paid by similar cities in Iowa.  While City Administrator Chad Bird noted Tuesday that there are "so many variables" between city governments in Iowa, he has worked with Hemesath to gather information for city council members to use as a resource.

City Personnel Committee chair Kirk Johnson says once the salary figures from other Iowa communities are compiled, he'd like to see Decorah set its department head salaries at 60 percent of the statewide median.  "We're a better city than some of the other cities on the list," he told Tuesday's meeting. 

Fellow City Council member Steve Luse said it was his goal to set salaries in such a way that city employees felt "cared for."  Council member Dan Bellrichard noted, "Decorah is a more expensive city to live in" and said he might prefer a system of salaries that has some room for flexibility, to take into consideration job performance.

The statewide survey of city department head salaries is expected to be ready in November or December--in time for budget preparation in January.  Johnson says recommendations will be presented to the Personnel Committee well before budget time.