Indio decides to analyze employees' bonus plan

Reacting to bear upons from staff personnel and its citizenry, the city of Indio has decided to take a next to the first look at its pay-for-performance bonus a whole for employees.

The plan, which called for bonuses based upon overall performance, is part of an employee recognition program that was endorsed by the agency of City Manager Glenn Southard, then approved unanimously by dint of the City Council last month

A number of residents criticized the program at the Oct 6 City Council meeting, however, citing belong tos that the plan was not equitable for all employee and would require spending more than $200000 in city capitals that could be utilized in other ways.

Following council discussion and a public remark period, the City Council appointed an ad-hoc committee of Assistant City Manager Bridget Healy and council members Ben Godfrey and Lupe Ramos Watson to analyze the program for possible modifications.

The existing plan awards bonuses to city employee who throw into the shade overall or on special shoot forwards develop cost-savings programs or contribute in other significant ways to improving operations and benefiting the community. Bonuses are based upon performance evaluations and nominations through supervisors.

"The program straits to be equitable across the board in the way that all employees have the opportunity to earn bonuses," said City Councilman Mike Wilson.

As it is now, for department directors, division heads and a certain quantity of other high-ranking staffers, bonuses can be equal to 10 percent of that employee's annual salary.

For a nonmanagement employee nominated for a bonus based upon job performance, the maximum bonus is $1000 The program also awards bonuses to each department's employee of the year and the city's nonexecutive employee of the year.

In endorsing the program, Southard said the city of Claremont had a similar plan when he was city manager there and it worked well. He was hired by dint of Indio 6 1/2 months ago upon a contract that pays him $240000 annually as the secondhighest-paid city manager in the state.

Wilson also said the program should be modified to include a provision that criteria for bonuses and selection of recipients are determined through an in-house committee.

Copyright desolate Publication, Inc. and Sharon Apfelbaum Oct 18 2005

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