East Valley Tribune
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Scottsdale City Council has been in a giving mood during the holiday season.
At one of its last meetings of 2024, Council approved “step system” pay increases for the Scottsdale Fire Department and pay range increases to many top managers.
“The implementation of a pay step system for all sworn employees of the Scottsdale Fire Department is a key component of our recruitment and retention efforts,” Mayor David Ortega said.
“This effort will complement the grand opening of our new state-of-the-art fire training center due to open January 2025 .”
According to a city press release, “Fire departments across the country are facing recruitment and retention challenges. Early retirements, resignations, and a shrinking pool of applicants is a common theme in the field.”
The action also tapped several pay increases outside the Fire Department.
Step Increments are 5% compounding for each of the seven steps in the program. Firefighter recruits start at $61,734 per year.
Firefighters start the first step at just over $62,000 per year, topping out over $83,000 annually. Engineers start at a salary of $87,500 — and can work their way up to over $106,000 per year.
The fire chief’s salary will range from $221,270 to $243,942.
“The step program is estimated to have an annual increase of $1.6 million to the Fire Department budget based on current personnel,” the staff report noted.
Lumped in with the firefighters’ pay program:
“Salary grade changes for the following positions: Assistant city manager from pay grade 37 to 39; chief information officer from pay grade 35 to 36; city clerk from pay grade 36 to 37; Communications and Public Affairs director from pay grade 34 to 35; and assistant police chief (civilian) from pay grade 34 to 35.”
The new pay range of assistant city managers Greg Caton, Bill Murphy and Brent Stockwell is $190,000-256,000 per year — up from a range of $172,000-232,000.
Bianca Lochner, the chief information officer, will have a new annual salary between $164,000-223,000. That is up from $156,000-210,000 — which is the new range for Kelly Corsette, Communications director.
City Clerk Ben Lane’s new pay range is $172,000-232,000 — up from $164,000-223,000.
Elected officials will be paid the same in 2025.
Lisa Borowsky will take over the mayor’s office from Ortega at the same annual salary, $61,373. Scottsdale’s six city council members are paid $37,336 a year.
(c)2025 East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Ariz.)
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