Board to discuss retention raises

Havelock's most valuable city workers could be eligible for a 10 percent retention raise when they're recruited by other employers.

The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to discuss the salary increase policy at its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Havelock City Hall.

Commissioners had voted in February's planning retreat to give the city manager authority to offer well-qualified recruits an increase of up to 10 percent over the posted starting salary. Previously, the manager could offer up to 5 percent.

Some suggested March 10 that the city manager should also be able to offer a raise of up to 10 percent to retain key employees who could otherwise be lured away for a higher salary with another employer.

The increase would be given by the city manager on a case-by-case basis, but some on the board - including Mayor Jimmy Sanders - fear it could reward city employees for seeking other jobs.

"If that person is considering leaving for a dollar and a half an hour, you give him that dollar and a half and he will be looking the next week for another job," Sanders said at the March 10 meeting.

Under the city's current personnel policy, the city manager would need commissioners' approval to make a counteroffer to an employee who is considering leaving. City Manager Jim Freeman said he's asked for the raises "a handful of times" in three years, but he isn't offering an opinion on the proposed change.

"At this point, I'm not going to make a recommendation," he said. "That's a policy decision by the elected officials, and the staff is going to carry it out."