Coeur d’Alene pay study ranks city third among peers

Coeur d’Alene’s $30,000 compensation study ranked the city third among its comparison group and found nearly 30 job classifications paid above market. The question for taxpayers is whether that pay structure is helping police, fire and public works keep people in place, or whether it is becoming another long-term budget burden.

David Jeppson, co-founder of Boise-based BestDayHR, presented the classification and compensation study to city officials on Monday. City department heads also listened in at the presentation at Coeur d’Alene’s public library, putting the findings in front of the managers who deal every day with hiring, retention and payroll decisions.

The study’s ranking puts Coeur d’Alene near the top of its peer group, but the detail that nearly 30 positions were above market rate points to a pay picture that is not uniform across the city. That matters because compensation reviews do more than set salaries. They shape which jobs are easiest to fill, which positions are hardest to hold onto, and how much overtime the city may need to absorb when vacancies linger.

For departments residents notice most, the effects can show up quickly. Police staffing, fire coverage and public works crews all depend on a wage structure that can compete with neighboring cities and private employers, especially as the region grows. If wages are high enough to reduce turnover, the city can avoid some staffing churn. If not, officials will eventually have to balance higher pay against other pressures on the general fund.

The study gives the City Council and department heads a fresh benchmark as they move into future budget talks. It also shows that Coeur d’Alene spent public money deliberately, with the city setting aside $30,000 for an outside review instead of relying on an internal comparison alone.