Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The City of Palouse approved an eight percent across-the-board raise for city employees Nov. 14, after extended debate at that night’s city council meeting.
Proposals discussed included rates for specific employees, such as police officer Joe Handley, who will move up in seniority after officer Joe Merry retires. Other varied raises batted back and forth were for Police Chief Jerry Neumann, Clerk/Treasurer Kyle Dixon, Public Works Superintendent Dwayne Griffin and Don Myott, waste treatment operator.
Councilman Rick Wekenman made a motion to approve raises for Handley and Dixon at 15 percent, Neumann at 12 percent, Myott at 10, among others.
Mayor Michael Echanove spoke against it, saying it would not be sustainable for the city budget.
Echanove had proposed a five percent raise across the board, with specific increases for Dixon, Handley and others.
After more debate, council member Mark Wilcomb proposed the package that was approved on a 4-2 vote.
“We struck a balance,” said Wilcomb. “If you pay too low you can’t get and keep good employees. If you pay too high it’s not being responsible to the city budget.”
Afterwards, in further discussion, the council decided it would revisit the final numbers for Handley – which will certainly contain the eight percent across-the-board raise. The final 2018 city budget is yet to be passed.
Officer Merry’s last day will be Nov. 28.
In the new wages agreement, Dixon’s title will become clerk-treasurer/city administrator.
“It’s not that we have a bunch of money, the city is in good shape, so the council wanted to give an above-average raise,” Echanove said.
Is this sustainable?
“We need to be prudent with our decisions so it is sustainable,” he said, citing increasing revenues from the R.V. Park, energy-bill savings from the new solar farm, an increase in building permits and state shared revenue being higher than expected.
“I take it as a good problem to have,” Echanove said. “When everyone wants to chime in on the size of a raise, not just a raise.”
The eight percent marks the largest across-the-board raise for the city in Echanove’s time at city hall, which goes back to 1994.
Reacting to the recession of the late 2000s, Palouse decreased wages in 2012 to 2008 levels before gradually raising them again.
Previous city raises, when granted, tended to be in the one percent to three percent range.
Overall, this fall’s wages debate produced an agreement for 2018.
“That’s what city government is supposed to do,” said Echanove. “That’s why there’s seven council members. It’s good when there’s healthy debate like that. I worry about sustainability, we have to be prudent. Our employees are our greatest assets.”
The raises will take effect Jan. 1.
The deal marks the last hurdle for the council before approving their 2018 budget.
A final hearing will be Nov. 28. Following that, the council is expected to adopt a budget Dec. 12, their last meeting of the year.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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