The Finance Budget and Personnel Committee saw a first draft of the job description and pay for a possible Communication Coordinator. City Administrator Steve Barg laid out the job descriptions based on four different models from Appleton, Oshkosh, Wauwatosa, and River Falls.
When asked about the pay for the position Barg said, “The pay would seem to be in the range of $50,000-$60,000 starting for the job descriptions we have seen, maybe up to $80,000. If we take a $55,000 starting and add in all the benefits we would be looking at around $80,000. The proposal I would make, it would come largely at the expense of the Cable TV Budget.”
Alderman Zaleski asked if City Staff had done enough work on their own to justify creating a new position.
“There are many opportunities for staff to do more, just do one more thing than you are doing today, reach out to our community newspapers, reach out to our community radio station, talk to the person managing our social media, create a social media post,” he said. “Just do one more thing than you are today, and that does not cost us any money and I don’t think we have even started down that path.”
Alderwoman Spiros also raised concerns about the total costs of the position, stating “I think I asked for a combined cost of what this position cost in totality, if they need an assistant, if they need to be filming or need to be editing. I have no idea of what lines are going to be co-mingling. For that reason, I don’t believe I can support this.”
In response Barg stated, “This decision really comes down to the expectation of the position. I think if it is better communication with the current local media, WDLB and others, I think that is something that staff, as they have time, could do a better job of. If you are talking about social media, managing the website, roll in cable tv as an overseer, now you are in a territory where that’s not going to be current staff.”
Alderman Buttke asked for more information, “I would ask to talk to other communities, ones that have communication position, and get a feel on if they feel it is helpful, a little helpful, it is a lot of money but see if they think it was valuable.”
No action was taken by the committee. Barg will be bringing back new info and a proposal at a future meeting.
