HomeMy WebLinkAbout05(H) - Approval of agreement with Keystone Compensation Group for compensation consulting services. Report
February 24, 2025
Lori Olson
Assistant City Manager
City of Prior Lake
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
Dear Lori:
Thank you for requesting a letter of understanding from Keystone Compensation Group to provide
compensation consulting services to the City of Prior Lake. This letter of understanding outlines the
services we discussed during our last virtual meeting and provides a budget estimate for these services.
SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUESTED AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM
1. Project planning, program data collection, and preparation
2. Review, confirm, and analyze market data for Police Officer and Seargent jobs. There is enough
overlap between the historic cities and this group. Nine of the 15 cities are represented.
3. Prepare data analysis for the Officers and Seargent jobs and conduct an assessment of the City
ranges and comparison with the market for these jobs.
4. Review job descriptions for 21 union jobs, other than law enforcement.
5. Conduct employee interviews with one interview for each job. For a handful of jobs, we may
decide to interview managers if needed. Total interviews would be 25-30 interviews. These
interviews would be conducted online with assistance from City staff for setting up.
6. Confirm job evaluation points and grading for the jobs that may have experienced significant
changes in job responsibilities and scope of work.
7. Collect market data for 21 union jobs from the LMC survey.
8. Build a master database for City jobs and reconcile job grades and salary ranges.
9. Prepare statistical analysis for salary ranges and compare City ranges with market.
10. Review findings and develop recommendations for discussions with City leadership.
11. Prepare a final summary and project documentation.
February 24, 2025 Prior Lake Compensation Consulting Services
2 | P a g e
ESTIMATED BUDGET FOR PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
This agreement was prepared based on our understanding of the anticipated consulting services
requested by the City of Prior Lake. Additional work outside scope of this agreement would be quoted
separately upon request.
Based on the scope of work and steps shown on the first page of this agreement, we anticipate the budget
range for completing this project to be $23,500 – $25,500. This includes both phases of the project.
We appreciate the opportunity to assist the City of Prior Lake with this important compensation program
review. Please call me at: 612.810.3522 or email me at: sabboud@keystonecomp.net with any questions.
If you would like to approve this agreement, please sign and email a copy to Keystone.
TIMELINE FOR COMPLETING THIS STUDY
This study is planned for to start in Spring of 2025 with phase I completed that includes law enforcement
beginning in June. Phase II will start in late Spring and will be completed in October.
Please call me at: 612.810.3522 or email me at: sabboud@keystonecomp.net with your questions.
Sincerely,
Saado Y. Abboud, Ph.D.
Principal Consultant
Keystone Compensation Group LLC
February 24, 2025 Prior Lake Compensation Consulting Services
3 | P a g e
APPROVAL
This letter outlines our understanding of the scope of services provided and professional fees for this
agreement between City of Prior Lake and Keystone Compensation Group, LLC. If you would like to
approve this agreement, please sign below and return a copy to Keystone at:
sabboud@keystonecomp.net
Authorized Signature:
Approved by Title Date
February 24, 2025 Prior Lake Compensation Consulting Services
4 | P a g e
Saado is a founding partner of Keystone Compensation Group LLC with over twenty-five years of
experience in the field of compensation. His experience involves all phases of compensation
program development, strategy, design, and management. His clients include organizations in
private, public sector, and nonprofit. He consults with top executives and board of directors on
executive compensation design and management. His combined experience in managing
compensation programs within a Fortune 100 company and as a professional consultant gives him
a balanced view while working with his clients.
Most recently Saado served as Vice President, Compensation Practice for Stanton Group, a
regional consulting and survey research firm in Minneapolis. He worked closely with business and
HR leaders as well as Boards of Directors to develop rewards programs for executives, middle
management, and other employees. Saado’s compensation experience includes developing base
pay, short-term and long-term incentive programs to attract and motivate employees. He also
helps his clients with communicating reward programs.
Prior to joining Stanton Group, Saado spent several years in a senior leadership position at Best
Buy Co. with responsibilities over corporate compensation programs as well as executive
compensation. Among his other accomplishments was taking a key role in restructuring the HR
function and leading several technology initiatives to support business growth. He contributed
articles and interviews to several trade publications, including Workspan, a monthly journal for
total rewards professionals, Minnesota Bankers News, and the Twin Cities Business Journal.
Early in his career, Saado taught at the college and graduate school levels, domestically and abroad.
He has a doctorate and master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota in Quantitative Analysis.
He also received his MBA degree in Corporate Finance from the University of St. Thomas. Saado is a
certified compensation professional (CCP), a member of WorldatWork, and Chairman of the Local
Network Advisory Board for WorldatWork. Saado also served for several years on the Twin Cities
Compensation Network Board of Directors.
Saado Y. Abboud, Ph.D.
Keystone Compensation Group, LLC
Principal Consultant
3316 Ensign Ave North
Minneapolis MN 55427
Tel: 612.810.3522
Sabboud@keystonecomp.net
www.keystonecomp.net