Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Garfield city council considered city-employee raises, garbage rates and wind-turbine zoning at its meeting last Wednesday, Nov. 28.
After discussion on each matter, the council voted to approve a raise for the town’s public works assistant and a $3 rate increase for monthly garbage service.
The meeting opened with the matter of pay.
“I’ve been pondering Robby’s raise,” said Mayor Jarrod Pfaff, regarding Public Works Assistant Robby Johnson, who began in August. “I think we should give it to him, but we need to come up with a policy. It can’t just be at the whim of us every year,” he added.
Pfaff explained that the city doesn’t have a set policy for raises, whether for cost of living or otherwise.
“I like the guy, I think he’s doing absolutely fantastic,” said Pfaff.
Councilman Larry Hunt suggested a pay scale employees can count on or look at so they know where they’re going to be in two to three years.
“Right now there is no cap,” said Pfaff.
Councilwoman Sharon Schnebly suggested a policy saying city employees get a certain amount once they’ve completed a six-month probation, or other such arrangement.
“Is it a cost of living raise or is it a performance raise?” asked Hunt.
“Let’s not reinvent the wheel. It’s been invented,” Councilman Mark Young said. He suggested the city get a standard policy form from the Association of Washington Cities or similar source.
Councilman Daymon Marple then moved to approve a three percent pay increase for Johnson. It passed unanimously.
The Garfield agenda also included a report on city garbage, and a decision to raise rates by $3.
“I have not hardly paid attention to garbage in two years,” said Mayor Pfaff, noting the department has lost $10,000 in that time.
He said that initially he thought he made a major mistake until looking closer at the situation.
“Insurance, diesel, property insurance… every cost in it has gone up substantially,” he said. He noted the $3 monthly increase should cover the costs.
He then laid out two ways it could be done, including a “$3 hit to garbage” or take a dollar off water reserve revenue and 50 cents off of sewer.
“That leaves $1 in garbage that people would see,” he said, indicating any other combination could be used as well.
“Are we robbing Peter to pay Paul?” asked Schnebly.
Pfaff reported that results of an Association of Washington Cities survey issued that day showed the average monthly garbage fee to be $33.80.
“We’re at $25,” he said, noting the city’s $25.44 rate.
Also, the state average for sewer service is $46.05.
“We are at $38,” he said. “To me, rates should be comparable to the whole bill. You can’t have a house without water, sewer and garbage.”
“I propose we bite the bullet,” said Councilman Young.
Mayor Pfaff then suggested an increase could also be added over the next two years, $1.50 in 2013 and another $1.50 in 2014.
Young then made a motion to raise it $3.
It was also approved unanimously.
“It’s my fault. Back when we did rates in ’09 we were making money on it,” Pfaff noted.
Opening the old business segment of the agenda, Pfaff asked what the council wanted to do on the wind turbine topic. Garfield is in the process of deciding what it will allow within it three agricultural zones.
Marple then went through a list of regulations that Whitman County has placed on wind towers outside of incorporated towns.
“My thought is, let’s do it right and kick it back to the planning commission,” said Pfaff. “Let them do this… and give us a recommendation, that’s what they’re there for.”
The council agreed.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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