Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016

Council Members

5



AN ORDINANCE

NO.



An Ordinance amending the Pay Plan for The Consolidated Government as adopted

in the Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Ordinance No. 06-40; providing educational

incentives available to public safety employees and repealing conflicting

provisions; and for other purposes.



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THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY ORDAINS:



SECTION 1.



Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40 is hereby amended at the Table III footnote

regarding the date from which longevity increases shall be measured by deleting

the date ?December 31, 2005? and replacing it with the date ?June 30, 2006?.



SECTION 2.



The Pay Plan adopted by Columbus Ordinance 06-40 is hereby amended by

adding a new section to read as follows:



?The implementation date for the longevity increases shall be July 1,

2006. In order to qualify for longevity increase, an employee must be employed

in a full-time capacity. Employees performing in a part-time capacity shall

not be eligible for a longevity increase. Time of service shall be measured

from the date the employee began continuous full time employment with the

Columbus Consolidated Government until June 30, 2006.?



SECTION 3.



The Pay Plan adopted by Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40 is hereby amended

by adding a new section to define a sign-on bonus for public safety officers to

read as follows:



?Public safety officers hired after June 30, 2006, shall receive a

sign-on bonus of $2,000.00, provided that they continuously meet the written

criteria established by their departments. Each public safety department shall

develop written criteria for receipt of the bonus and such written criteria

shall be approved in advance by the City Manager. The bonus shall be paid

semiannually, in increments of $500.00 to officers continuing to be employed

and to meet the written criteria. Public safety officers rehired within six

months of their separation date are ineligible for the sign-on bonus. The

sign-on bonus shall be reviewed by the Chief of Police, Mayor, City Manager and

Columbus Council every five years after the effective date of this

ordinance.?



SECTION 4.



Ordinance No. 04-10, Section I, Item 18 is hereby repealed and the Pay Plan

adopted by Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40 is hereby amended by adding a new

section to compensate the sworn employees who receive salary incentives for

being certified as Emergency Medical Technicians Intermediate (EMT-I) and it

shall read as follows:



?Effective July 1, 2006, Fire/EMS Department sworn employees certified as and

receiving a supplement on June 30, 2006 for Emergency Medical

Technicians-Intermediate (EMT-I) shall be placed in the Pay Plan adopted by

Ordinance No. 06-40 at their appropriate grade based upon their current base

salary plus appropriate longevity increases. Effective July 1, 2006, the

$2600.00 EMT-I certification pay supplement shall be added to said base

salaries. Any other EMT-I certification supplemental pay shall be eliminated

effective July 1, 2006.?









SECTION 5.



Ordinance No. 02-103 is hereby repealed and the Pay Plan adopted by Columbus

Ordinance No. 06-40 is hereby amended by adding a new section to compensate the

FireMedics and other Fire/EMS employees who receive salary incentives for being

certified as Paramedics and it shall read as follows:



?Effective July 1, 2006, Fire/EMS Department sworn employees certified as and

receiving a supplement on June 30, 2006 for Paramedic shall be placed in the

Pay Plan adopted by Ordinance No. 06-40 at their appropriate grade based upon

their current base salary plus appropriate longevity increases. Effective July

1, 2006, the currently authorized Paramedic supplement which exceeds $2400.00

shall be added to said base salaries and a new Paramedic certification pay of

$2400.00 shall be effective July 1, 2006. Any other Paramedic certification

supplemental pay shall be eliminated effective July 1, 2006. Qualified

employees shall continue to receive the new Paramedic certification pay until

such time as they are no longer qualified to receive said payment. The new

Paramedic certification pay shall only be paid to employees who are certified

and licensed by the State of Georgia as Paramedics and who are actively working

as Paramedics, supervising the work of Paramedics, or providing emergency

medical training to department personnel.?



SECTION 6.



Columbus Code Section 16B-3-2.1 is hereby deleted in its entirety and is

replaced by a new Section 16B-3-2.1 to read as follows:



?1. Public safety and general government employees that are selected

for promotion will receive the greater of:



(a) the increase of one step for each grade they are promoted, or the

equivalent thereof, measured from their current step for the position from

which they are being promoted, with a minimum of two steps and limited to a

maximum increase of four steps. The employee will then be placed into the new

grade at this salary.

Or



(b) the minimum step for the new position.?



SECTION 7.



The Pay Plan adopted by Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40 is hereby amended

by adding the following new section:



?Those certain employees whose salaries currently meet or exceed the

maximum step for their grades as set forth in the Pay Plan adopted by Ordinance

No. 06-40 shall receive longevity increases that will be calculated as set

forth in said Pay Plan with the exception that such increases may reach, but

not exceed, 100% of the Pay Plan submitted by the University of Georgia and

considered by Columbus Council and labeled as Pay Plan ?A.? Those certain

employees who, during FY 2007, would exceed the maximum compensation contained

in said Pay Plan ?A? shall receive a one-time payment for the amount that such

longevity increase would exceed the maximum compensation contained in Pay Plan

?A.? Except as provided herein, the maximum pay levels in said Pay Plan ?A?

shall be utilized for future implementation of the Pay Plan adopted by

Ordinance 06-40, unless changed by further ordinance of the Columbus Council.?









SECTION 8.



Ordinance No. 00-31 and Ordinance No. 96-79, regarding educational

incentives, are hereby deleted and Columbus Code ?Article III, Pay Plan? is

hereby amended by adding a new Section 16B-3-12 to read as follows:



?Section 16B-3-12. Public Safety Educational Incentive Payments.



(a) Public safety employees receiving their first Bachelor?s or Master?s degree

after June 30, 2006, shall receive an educational incentive of $1,200 for each

degree. The incentive shall be paid as a separate line item and not be

included in the base employee compensation that is calculated on a step basis.



(b) Public safety employees currently employed on June 30, 2006 receiving their

first Bachelor?s or Master?s degree on or before June 30, 2008, at their

option, may receive the educational incentive authorized prior to July 1, 2006.

The incentive shall be paid by advancing the employee?s salary two steps in the

same grade, up to the maximum pay for the grade.



(c) Entry level public safety officers hired after June 30, 2006, who possess

associate?s degrees or the equivalent thereof, shall receive an increase of one

pay step from the initial step in effect at the time they are hired. Public

safety officers receiving their first associate?s degree or the equivalent

thereof after June 30, 2006, shall receive an increase of one step in salary in

their current grade.



(d) The educational equivalent of an associate?s degree for the purpose

of applying subsection (c) above is defined as a minimum of 96 quarter hours or

63 semester hours of post secondary education as a college or university

accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or its

equivalent as listed in the Rules of the Human Resources Department, provided

said course work is above the developmental level and contains, at least: two

English; one math; two science or technology; one social studies; and one

humanity. This definition shall not be construed as waiving the associate or

higher degree requirement for promotional qualification or any other process.



(e) For Public Safety employees who were receiving educational

incentives up to June 30, 2006, such incentives shall continue to be paid in

the following manner. Such employees shall receive the greater of:



(i) the minimum pay provided by Ordinance No. 06-40, including all

applicable longevity increases, plus the educational incentive payment for the

degree or degrees possessed;



Or



(ii) the pay provided by the placement of the employee into the Pay

Plan adopted by Ordinance No. 06-40, including all applicable longevity

increases.



SECTION 9.



Ordinances No. 02-13, No. 02-1 and No. 04-31, regarding mandatory

attainment of associate?s degrees or their equivalency, are hereby repealed.







SECTION 10.





The Pay Plan adopted by Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40 is hereby amended by

adding a new section containing an operating procedure for Multi-level

Qualifications and Career Ladder positions to read as follows:





?1. Public safety and general government positions assigned multiple levels by

UGA, to provide salary differentials for different levels of qualifications

shall be administered by the following general rules:



(a) Clear measurable criteria will be used to determine qualification for each

advanced level. Where the criteria were not specified in the report,

departments will develop appropriate standards to be approved by the City

Manager.

(b) Employees that qualify for advancement will receive the salary obtained by

advancing the current salary in the current grade one (1) step for each grade

that the new grade exceeds the prior grade, or the equivalent thereof, the

employee will then be placed in the new grade at this salary.

(c) Initial placement of employees in multi-level positions will be as

specified by UGA or based upon their assigned position on June 30, 2006, if

different. Department heads may request changes in recommended levels with

appropriate justification and approval of the City Manager.

(d) Employees placed at lower levels during initial implementation must fully

satisfy approved criteria and/or present valid credentials prior to advancing

to higher levels.

(e) This procedure only applies to positions in the pay plan designated with a

numbered footnote and multi-level description. Positions assigned a ?tag?

number and having a separate job description are promotional positions and not

part of a career ladder, even if the title is numbered or contains the word

?senior? in the title. Employees may only advance to promotional positions by

successfully competing for an authorized vacant position.?



SECTION 11.



The Pay Plan adopted by Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40 is hereby amended by

adding a new section for positions reclassified in the Pay Plan to read as

follows:



?1. Placement of Public safety and general government positions reclassified

by the UGA Pay Plan shall be as follows:

(a) Initial placement of employees into the new pay plan will be based

upon the position they held on June 30, 2006.

(b) Placement into the new pay plan at a different level, title or rank than

held by the employee on June 30, 2006 is considered a reclassification and not

a promotion. Therefore the new promotion policy contained in this ordinance

does not apply to the initial placement of employees into the new

classification plan and will not result in a promotional salary increase.?







SECTION 12.



This ordinance shall be effective as of July 1, 2006.



SECTION 13.



All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are

hereby repealed.



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Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia held on the

1ST day of August, 2006; introduced a second time at a regular meeting of said

Council held on the ______ day of ________, 2006, and adopted at said meeting

by the affirmative vote of ________ members of said Council.





Councilor Allen voting ____________.

Councilor Anthony voting __________.

Councilor Davis voting ____________.

Councilor Henderson voting ________.

Councilor Hunter voting ___________.

Councilor McDaniel voting _________.

Councilor Pugh voting _____________.

Councilor Rodgers voting __________.

Councilor Suber voting ____________.

Councilor Woodson voting __________.







______________________________ ______________________________

SANDRA T. DAVIS ROBERT S. POYDASHEFF

DEPUTY CLERK MAYOR

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