Port budget calls for new H.R. director position

Hiring a full-time human resources director is the number one recommendation in the proposed 2022 City of Port Washington budget, City Administrator Tony Brown said.

The new position is needed to help as the city, like businesses around the country, works to retain staff and attract new workers, he said.

The director will be tasked next year with conducting a compensation study to determine if the positions in the city are properly classified and have adequate compensation levels, Brown said.

The director will also be expected to work on revisions to the city’s employee handbook, he said.

“Over time, it’ll start to migrate to more administrative tasks,” Brown said.

Those will include such things as program evaluations, searching for efficiencies and creating more of a team approach to issues.

Funding for the director, who will be paid an estimated $73,000, is included in the city’s proposed 2022 budget, which was presented to the Common Council on Tuesday.

“I think the investment for a multi-million dollar organization like ours is excellent,” Mayor Ted Neitzke said.

The proposed 2022 capital improvement budget includes $25,000 for a fire department study. Brown said the money could be spent on one of two things — a staffing study for the Port department or a second phase of a shared fire services study.

“I would not recommend we do both,” he said, noting the shared services study is focused on consolidation efforts while the staffing study is intended to improve the shortage of paramedics and emergency medical technicians.

Brown said he expects a proposal on the second phase of the shared fire services study could be presented to the Common Council in December.

The budget also includes $20,000 to create a plan to help officials better communicate with residents and $15,000 to redesign the city website.

Also in the budget is $50,000 for a strategic plan for the city, $58,000 for the downtown plan and $125,000 to hire a firm to revamp the city’s zoning code.

The city has relied on borrowing for much of its capital improvement program, and its debt service is expected to be $3.3 million next year.

Brown said he doesn’t foresee the city ever eliminating the debt, but said he wants to work on a plan to decrease the city’s reliance on borrowing through more creative funding plans.

Officials said the proposed general fund budget, which finances the city’s operational expenses, is expected to increase 2.7%, to $10.2 million, and the general fund levy to increase .9%, to $3.6 million.

A public hearing on the proposed 2022 budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16. The Common Council is expected to act on the spending plan that same night.