Employee Compensation is Still Under Review

WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg City Council will take a fourth attempt at reaching an agreement on issues surrounding employee compensation, at a workshop for that purpose on Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

At October’s council meeting, City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe was given the go-ahead to prepare the city’s 2016 preliminary budget with adjustments to city employee pay and benefits. Council members K.C. Kuykendall and Marty Dunn were absent at the October meeting.

When the preliminary budget came before council at the November meeting, with all council members present, there were enough questions regarding the adjustments that a workshop was slated for Nov. 30.

Council members were still unable to reach a consensus at the Nov. 30 workshop which Hinchliffe said was attended by several city employees. Instead, the council scheduled the work session for Dec. 14.

Issues up for consideration include whether or not to base wages on Association of Washington Cities averages, raising the cap on the amount the city will pay toward insurance to offset employee cost increases, institution of longevity benefits, and a possible adjustment to the current six-month waiting period for benefits to kick in.