Title
GRU Com Organization and Job Classification Approval (B)
Explanation
The City Commission in 1996 established GRUCom, the City's telecommunications utility. GRUCom's primary business is the transport of private line and special access data circuits utilizing the City's High Speed Fiber Optic Network. Other business lines include antenna space leasing on City communication and water towers, GRUNet Internet access services and trunking radio services. Additional business lines are being evaluated and will be proposed as GRUCom grows.
As a new utility, GRUCom has relied primarily upon existing City employees to fill open positions. Existing job classifications and salary ranges, borrowed from other utility departments, were also used to recruit and compensate GRUCom personnel. However, GRUCom has now reached a level of maturity where it is necessary to formalize the organization structure and create job classifications relevant to the telecommunications business with wage levels that are competitive in the external market.
Telecommunications is currently the fastest growing industry in the world. The technology is changing constantly and personnel with telecommunications experience and skills are in high demand. GRUCom has not been immune from the significant personnel challenges that are affecting the industry. In several cases other companies offering higher pay and benefits have recruited GRUCom employees. Due to the small size of the GRUCom department, certain employees are critical to the ongoing stability of operation of the utility. Therefore, interim measures were implemented to retain these key employees. GRUCom continues to experience difficulty retaining and attracting skilled employees. We believe that the organization, job classifications and salary changes defined in the attachments hereto position GRUCom for continued growth and minimize, to the greatest extent possible, the need for reactionary measures in the future.
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