City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2019
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of Improvements to the Retirement Benefits and the Pay Scale of Alexandria Deputy Sheriffs.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Consideration of improvements to the Retirement Benefits and the pay scale of Alexandria Deputy Sheriffs.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council authorize the City Manager to implement the following changes to the compensation and benefits of Alexandria Deputy Sheriffs:
(1) Transfer full-time Deputy Sheriffs to the Virginia Retirement System plan with enhanced hazardous duty benefits, effective on or about January 1, 2020;
(2) Require Alexandria Deputy Sheriffs to pay 1.5% into the City Supplemental Retirement System, effective on or about January 1, 2020; and
(3) Approve a 2.29% increase to the Deputy Sheriff pay scale increase effective in October, 2019.
BACKGROUND: Maintaining competitive salaries for the City's public safety employees in relation to the City's competing jurisdictions is vital to the effective provision of public safety of our community, courts, and detention center. It is equally important to maintain equitable pay and compensation among the City's employees. The FY 2019 Approved Budget included $3.6 million to address public safety pay issues, and in October 2018, City Council approved pay increases for Police and Fire/EMS personnel. At that time, the Sheriff and the Sheriff's Public Safety Work Group compensation priority focused on shifting Sheriff's Deputies and related uniformed staff from the general Virginia Retirement System (VRS) plan to the VRS plan with enhanced hazardous duty benefits (i.e., earlier retirement) that is designed for public safety officers. The plan provides for earlier retirement and increased benefits. The recommendation before C...
Click here for full text