PURPOSE

The purpose of this memorandum is to recommend changes in the Planner career advancement series as well as classification changes.

DISCUSSION

The Department of Human Resource Development and the Planning Department have worked together to develop and recommend strategies that will help us attract and retain planners at the Town of Chapel Hill. Over the past three years, we have lost four Planners and two Principal Planners. The longevity of these four Planners ranged from 3 to 13 months with the average being 10 months. For the Principal Planners, longevity ranged from 52-61 months, with the average being 56.5 months (4.7 years).

To effectively achieve the Council’s priorities, we need a stable planning workforce, balancing experience with new energy. The recommended strategies to attract and retain planners were developed after we studied our planner career progression and compensation structure in comparison with municipalities with whom we compete for planners.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO TOWN COUNCIL

Expand the Career Advancement Series to include an intermediate level between the Planner and Senior Planner to provide a greater opportunity for career advancement. The title would be “Planner II”, classified as a pay grade level 38 to align with competitor municipalities’ pay ranges.
Change the present grade levels of the Planner Career Advancement Series from pay grade from 35, 37, and 39 respectively to 37, 39, and 41. This change is recommended to align us with competitor municipalities’ pay ranges.
Fold the Planning Coordinator Career Advancement Series, currently pay grades 41-44 into one pay grade level 45 to align with other competitor municipalities’ pay ranges and change the title to “Planning Manager” to appropriately reflect the position and duties.

We recommend that the Council enact the attached ordinance.