Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Vehicles drive along the W Road on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, in Signal Mountain, Tenn.Property taxes could go up next year if the Signal Mountain Town Council decides to implement recommendations made by its personnel committee to give some town employees significant raises.
The committee’s recommendations are based on the results of a compensation study conducted by Burris, Thompson and Associates at the town’s request to help address issues with attracting and retaining employees, particularly in its fire and police departments.
At a special meeting called Tuesday to discuss the study results, Steve Thompson of Burris, Thompson and Associates told council members that the most concerning finding is that one-quarter of employees are paid less than 82% of market rates.
“That, to me, is the problem,” Thompson said. “Unless they were hired yesterday, that’s too low.”
Market rates are an average of the median rates in the public sector, determined using salary data from 13 Tennessee cities, counties and utilities; and median rates in the private sector, determined using salary data from Hamilton County businesses. Population is also factored in when determining market rates for department heads.