Board rejects catch-up raise for elected officials

 


Just as it has been since 2009, there will be no raise for Wahkiakum County's elected officials this year.

Citing unexpected sources of revenue, the county's elected officials on Tuesday asked the county board of commissioners to boost their salaries 15 percent to make up for the lack of pay increases they've had since the start of the Great Recession. The cost of living has seriously eroded their salaries' buying power, they said.

Commissioner Dan Cothren supported the request and moved to approve it. However, Commissioners Mike Backman and Blair Brady, citing the county's tight budget, wouldn't second the motion, and it died, thereby denying the request.

Instead, Brady said the officials should include the increases in their 2016 budget requests.

Acting as spokesperson for the officials, Sheriff Mark Howie explained the group's thinking.

The officials' last raise was in January, 2008, he said. Since then, there have been no raises as the county has dealt with the recession and revenue shortfalls. Meanwhile, the cost of living has increased, and the difference between the salaries of elected officials and their chief deputies has narrowed to a few hundred dollars in at least one case.

The officials have worked extra hours to handle reductions in staff, and they've made improvements in their departments, he said.

"We are not even status quo," Howie said. "We're going backwards in all of our salaries. We have a ways to go to catch up with status quo."

Clerk Kay Holland has started an online divorce filing program that will generate around $150,000 in unanticipated revenue this year. That money would cover the requested raises for this year, which would total $34,244.63.

Saying he recognized the elected officials' sacrifices and hard work, Cothren supported the request.

"When we did the reductions in 2008, the elected officials stepped up," Cothren said. "The cost of living? We know what it costs to get by.

"I've seen people work late. You can't keep going backwards on elected officials.

"Yeah, sure, things are tough. They've been tough a long time. But staying at the status quo doesn't cut it. It (paying elected officials' salaries) is a cost of doing business."

Backman and Brady, however, were concerned about the county's ability to cover the expense.

Backman pointed out that the county will spend around $175,000 to update the jail's computer system. Howie responded that there's money for that expense already budgeted in the Capitol Improvements Fund.

"We need every dime of that, plus," Backman said. "We're not sitting in extra land. In my opinion, there's still more needs."

"The problem of degradation of salaries is a national problem," Brady said. "I am aware elected officials have not had raises.

"We haven't made budget for a while now. It's not fiscally sound to spend money we don't have. It's a problem, and I don't see an immediate resolution to it.

"If we can balance our budget and do it, that would be great, but not if we have to keep hitting the Road Fund (for loans to the Current Expense Fund). It's just not the reality we're living in right now.

"We hit the Road Fund for over $200,000 this year. We're spending money we don't have."

Backman suggested a smaller raise such as 3 percent instead of the larger 15 percent figure which the officials requested. The smaller amount would be closer to an annual raise, he said, adding that the loss in pay rate could be made up gradually instead of all at once.

No one supported the suggestion.

"I'd like to revisit it (the raise request) at budget time," Brady said.

"I think there's money there," Cothren said. "Kay did a good job. We could catch up there."

The discussion came to an end when Cothren moved to approve the increase, but neither Backman nor Brady would second the motion, and it died.

"I'd be happy to revisit it at budget time to see if we can make it work," Brady said.

 

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