Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Whitman County Commissioners approved a resolution Dec. 17 to add $2 per hour in wages for all Public Works employees, union and non-union, following a presentation Nov. 19 by Jeff Stehr, District 1 superintendent, asking for a pay increase to help retain and hire employees.
The increase will take effect Jan. 1, pending union approval.
Stehr presented a spreadsheet of local workers who have left the county in recent years for higher-paying jobs with farmers, ranchers, Washington State Department of Transportation, City of Spokane, M.A. DeAtley Construction, Motley-Motley, Inc. and others.
“This is not a surprise to us,” said Commissioner Michael Largent after approving the raise. “It’s getting very expensive to retain and recruit employees.”
Whitman County Public Works currently has positions open for equipment operators in LaCrosse, another in St. John and for two mechanics.
“At this point, we’re lucky to have the winter we’ve had,” Stehr said Friday.
Operations Manager Brandon Kruger has held off advertising pending a decision by the union.
Will it make a difference?
“Time will tell. We’re very optimistic about it. Something needs to be done,” said Stehr. “It will help us in retaining the good employees we do have and better recruit new ones. I want to thank the commissioners. We asked for their help, and they gave it to us.”
The raises will be paid for by the county road fund.
Will this decision affect road work?
“It will in how much we spend every year on projects,” said Dean Cornelison, assistant county engineer, citing the example of the Sand Road work of the summer of 2017, paid for by all county road funds.
“Now we might do a smaller portion of a project like Sand Road. Or space it out over more than one year.”
Whitman County’s starting salary for heavy equipment operators is set to be $20.39 per hour, increasing to $23.38 after seven years – not including cost of living allowances.
As for union approval on the raises, it is expected to go through.
“I don’t see anything that would slow this process down,” said Stehr.
The operator positions (drivers of road graders, snow plows, dump trucks and more) make up 75 percent of the county road department staff.
In 2014, commissioners voted for certain layers of the pay scale to be removed, allowing for a higher starting rate.
Whitman County Public Works is funded by state gas tax and a road tax levy which attaches to property taxes on land outside cities’ limits.
Some administrative costs and Public Works’ salaries come out of the county general fund.
Whitman County consists of 1,897 miles of roads taken care of by 27 equipment operators, three foremen and three supervisors.
“I’m a little bit surprised this happened so quickly, pleasantly surprised,” said Stehr.
“Whether it solves it or not, it’ll help,” Largent commented.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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