Page 28 - Hurst FY19 Approved Budget

sections of our community. The Council continues to build upon that plan with
increasing neighborhood outreach, refocusing the efforts of our neighborhood
advisory committee, and working with private sector partners to invest in the
catalytic areas. City staff has worked to link all development, code enforcement, and
redevelopment efforts back to the plan’s goals and objectives. An immediate step
in the 2018-2019 budget is to upgrade our planning and community development
software allowing for an increase customer service and communications from our
planning office.

Provide for a competitive salary and benefit structure for City employees
in order to at-tract, and retain qualified staff to operate the City’s programs
and services. The operating budget continues to provide competitive wages
and benefits for all employees. Personnel salaries and benefits continue to be the
major cost factor in the operating budgets with 72% of the General Fund Operating
Budget being utilized for personnel costs.

Health care costs continue to increase, but at a slower pace than the city endured
in FY 2014 through 2017. Employees share in health care benefit costs and the
current cost-sharing model remains competitive in comparison to Dallas/Ft. Worth
Metroplex. This benefit is meaningful help-ing attract and retain great employees
for Team Hurst.

Employees are also offered participation in a wellness initiative called Healthy
Hurst. The program offers well-living education, personalized coaching, and
combines activities with the Healthy Hurst community wellness efforts. As part
of the program, tobacco cessation assistance is offered to employees. Employees
who use tobacco will be required to pay an additional monthly amount to-ward
their health care insurance. This surcharge will not apply if an employee elects to
receive medical treatment or chooses to go through a tobacco cessation program.

The city also offers the following benefits: life insurance, long-term care,
disability insurance, den-tal coverage, a deferred compensation plan, participation
in social security (many cities in Texas opted out of social security in the 1980’s),
tuition reimbursement, longevity pay, attendance pay, flexible spending accounts,
ten holidays per year, and paid time off for vacation and sick leave. The city regularly
reviews salary and benefit levels to ensure those offered to employees remain
competitive. By comparison to other North Tarrant County cities, Hurst provides a
generous total rewards package which supports Council’s goal for attracting great
candidates and retaining ex-cellent staff. Please see Identify areas of financial risk
that may impact the budget section of the transmittal letter for more information
on benefits and health care costs.

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