5.2. ERMUSR 11-17-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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representing the Utilities at meetings/conferences that are in addition to the regular commission meetings. This additional stipend is at a rate of$50/day and must be supported by additional documentation. Based on survey information, the W&BC recommends maintaining the current level of compensation for the regular utilities commission meeting at a rate of$150/month. With the personal costs for a commissioner to take off from work to represent ERMU at additional meetings/conferences,the W&BC recommends increasing the additional stipend to $75/day. Electrical Contractor License An electrician's license is required for electrical work performed on the load side of the electric meter. Because of this, a few years ago ERMU registered as a licensed electrical contractor in the state of Minnesota. This was possible because one of ERMU's employees had owned an electrical contracting company and was the company's master electrician. This employee allowed ERMU to become registered as an electrical contractor through the use of his master electrician's license. This employee then would oversee any electrical work that was being performed under this license. This is ERMU's new normal. Now and into the foreseeable future, ERMU will need to employ a master electrician and maintain an electrical contractor's license. Currently the employee whose master electrician license is being used to maintain the electrical contractor's license is not being compensated to maintain his license. Nor is the master electricians license a minimum requirement of a position. Both of these issues need to be resolved. If this employee were to let the master electrician's license expire, or if this employee leaves ERMU, ERMU would need to hire another master electrician. This employee is currently an Electrical Technician. The W&BC discussed options to address these issues and recommends the following solution: Replace one of the current Electrical Technician positions with an Electrician/Electrical Technician position. The new Electrician/Electrical Technician position will include as a minimum requirement a master electrician's license. The points for this new position would be adjusted for the additional requirement. This would increase the position grade from Field Group Pay Grade 7 to Field Group Pay Grade 8. 2016 Cost of Living Adjustment,Market Adjustment, and Total Compensation On September 8 the Committee reviewed preliminary 2016 COLA survey numbers from our lineworker market. Those preliminary survey numbers indicated a need for ERMU to have a COLA for the lineworkers in the range between 3% and 4%just to maintain a metro market average. This range appeared to be higher for lineworkers that would be likely for all labor market sectors. Therefore the Committee benchmarked additional positions/groups: Water Operator, Customer Service Representative,Meter Technician, Electrician, and Utility Management. On November 2 the Committee reviewed the benchmarking information. The data lead the Committee to support a recommendation for a 2.75%COLA for all pay groups. This COLA, however,brings the lineworker group short of the metro average. The Committee recommends • 1' 0 / E8E11 O1 Page 2 of 4 NATURE Reliable Public Power Provider O W E R E D T O S ERV E 134