With the retirement of the City Engineer/Public Works Director, the city went through a hiring process. The position was posted for more than three weeks, and we received a total of 8 applications. Of those applications, five candidates were interviewed in the first round. 

While hiring for the position, staff analyzed data from our comparable cities based on a City Engineer/Public Works Director salary range. Out of our ten comparable cities, only two cities had a similar dual role of a City Engineer/Public Works Director, Coon Rapids and St. Louis Park. The rest of our eight comparable cities have separated the role and have both a City Engineer and a Public Works Director.

Coon Rapids and St. Louis Park have their salary ranges for the City Engineer/Public Works Director annually from approximately $120,000 to $150,000. The eight cities that have the roles separated are paying between $203,000 and $270,000 annually for both positions. More and more cities are converting to having both a Public Works Director and a City Engineer due to their difficulties in hiring a dual position. 

Based on staying competitive within the market, and the need to fill the City Engineer/Public Works Director, staff is requesting that the position of City Engineer/Public Works Director be reclassified to a Grade 12.