Close to 300 town of Marana employees will receive a one-time pay increase just in time for the holidays.
Most full- and part-time employees will receive an "employee appreciation pay increase" Dec. 9.
Full-time employees hired on or before June 30, 2010, will be paid a one-time lump sum of $450.
Employees hired on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, will receive $300.
Part-time employees will receive amounts based on their regular weekly work hours as of June 30 of this year.
The town will provide pay increases to 287 employees.
Town employees hired after July 1 are not eligible for the one-time pay increase.
Temporary employees and Town Manager Gilbert Davidson also are not eligible to receive pay increases.
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The Marana Town Council approved the increases at its Nov. 15 meeting.
The one-time pay increase rewards town employees for their commitment to Marana through economic challenges and is part of larger employee appreciation efforts, town officials said.
"The whole program is designed to recognize and thank employees for their hard work and dedication to the greater community," Davidson said.
The one-time payment is not a bonus, "which is usually given in the private sector to groups of employees who meet certain goals or something similar," town spokesman Rodney Campbell said in an email.
Employees haven't received pay raises or adjustments since Nov. 14, 2008.
Since then, costs related to pensions and health premiums have increased, as have living expenses.
"We know there has been a huge impact upon our employees," Davidson said.
Employees in 2009 gave back $500,000 to the town through voluntary furloughs and other reductions, Davidson said.
The pay increases will be paid out with funds budgeted for the town's Vacation Sell-Back Program, which offered to buy back up to 40 hours of vacation time from employees.
Not all employees took advantage of the program and the savings will be used to fund the pay increases, Davidson said.
Out with old, in with new
In other action Nov. 15, the Town Council approved the formation of a new Marana Citizens' Forum to replace five existing boards and commissions.
The forum, which is somewhat based on a traditional Town Hall, will consist of 25 to 30 members who will meet two to three times a year to talk about town issues.
"We're really excited. It's a whole new way to engage citizens in issues that mean something to our community," Davidson said.
Members who serve on boards and commissions being dissolved in favor of the new forum will be invited to participate in the Marana Citizens' Forum.
The parks and recreation, economic development, police, utilities and affordable housing boards and commissions have all been eliminated.
Other members could include town staff and representatives from regional partners. Forum members also could be selected from an application process open to all residents.
Forum members will serve two-year terms.
The town is expected to start soliciting forum members next month and anticipates holding the first forum in early 2012.
The council also approved other methods of citizen and employee engagement.
The town is bringing back two programs under new names for citizens and employees.
Budget cuts in 2008 forced the town to suspend the Citizen Resource and Education Workshop, or CREW, and Marana 101, which was for employees.
Marana has redesigned the programs and will start offering Community Connections in March 2012 to involve residents and help them understand how the town and other partners operate.
Employees will have the chance to connect with staff in other town departments through the Employee Connections program.
Both programs, which will fall under "Out & About in Marana," will share the town's vision with its residents and employees, officials said.
town survey
Marana is conducting an online survey to find out what residents want from a new Community Connections program.
The program is scheduled to start in March 2012 and will include a guided tour of the town, a look at the town's history and a chance to interact with town staff and other officials.
Go to www.marana.com to complete the survey.
Contact reporter Andrea Rivera at arivera@azstarnet.com or 807-8430.
