County freezes wages as part of budget battle

Whitman County commissioners Monday began chipping away at the county’s budget deficit by eliminating scheduled raises through the end of the year.

“We have to make a statement on wages,” said Commissioner Pat O’Neill.

County employees normally receive “step” raises of three percent when they are upgraded in the county’s classification system every 18 months.

Freezing the raises scheduled for non-union employees, approximately 60 people, through the end of this year is expected to save around $2,000.

“The compelling nature of our budget is such that we have to hold the line on salaries,” said Commissioner Michael Largent. “It is not with pleasure that we do this.”

Commissioner Greg Partch said the statement is more important than the savings, which are a drop in the bucket of the county’s anticipated $211,000 end of the year deficit.

“If this allows us to save one or two jobs, then that’s our ultimate goal,” said Partch.

He added that the move gives the county’s labor negotiator, Gary Hunt, a bargaining chip in asking for concessions from the unions that represent county employees.

“It does give our negotiator some help,” he said. “If you want to be part of the solution, the rank and file have to come along.”

Along with trimming the 2009 budget, commissioners will begin to tackle a projected $560,000 deficit in the 2010 budget.

They are working off a list of suggestions compiled by Sharron Cunningham, assistant county finance director.

Those include changes to the Sheriff’s staffing levels. Tekoa earlier this year cut in half its contribution to having a deputy patrol the town. Commissioners said they allowed the hire of an extra deputy to cover the patrol, but the reduction in Tekoa’s contract may lead to a reduction in staff.

Partch noted that reduction may not be needed because Sheriff Brett Myers has come up with new funding sources, such as housing federal prisoners in the county jail.

Also on the list for 2010 is setting a firm bottom line on budgets of individual departments.

Cunningham told department heads Monday that their budgetary leeway will depend on their levels of cooperation in finding savings in 2010 budget meetings held over the last two weeks.

The county’s forecasted 2009 deficit has been trimmed from $311,000 to $211,000 by spending reductions in individual departments.

District Court moved approximately $73,000 in surplus funding from its electronic home monitoring and public defense improvement funds to the current expense fund.

The assessor’s office saved $16,000 by not filling a vacant position, and the county’s juvenile services department gained $11,000 through staff reductions and from increased grant revenue.

Commissioners are scheduled to continue decisions on proposed 2009 cuts next Monday.

Also on the list are eliminating budgeted overtime costs, closing the Pullman office of the county health department, cutting vehicle rental costs and suspending a provision for cash reserves.

Commissioners will also consider elimination of the snow-damaged CETC building in Colfax. Cunningham’s report notes utilities and wage costs for the building have been a drain the 2009 current expense budget.