HR County Commission - Sheriff's Department Raises Controversy
Engage the Gorge from Facebook
The Hood River County Board of Commissioners meets Monday, July 19, with a work session beginning at 4pm and the regular meeting at 6. You'll find the info here: https://www.hoodrivercounty.gov/.../BOC_Packet_07.19.2021...
One of the potentially more interesting items will be the pay discussions and raises for a number of law enforcement positions. During the September 21 county meeting, after the County lost in an arbitration hearing (to which they sent no representatives).
Commissioner Joplin stated unequivocally that the board never intended the Public Safety levy to cover raises for the sheriff's department, and that the Sheriff's statement in the arbitration hearing that the Board had planned that the money would go for raises was a "false statement." Commissioner Benton also deeply disagreed with the statements made by the Sheriff to the arbitration board (Listen to recording at BOC website - Joplin's full statement begins at 2:31:25 http://216.110.201.232/ui/...)
Because the County lost its arbitration case, they were required to have " 3-year salary increases of a total of 18% plus new Certification recognition rates of 4% and 8% on top of monthly salaries paid to the Sheriff Deputies (subordinate roles)." You'll see the differences between what the Sheriff recommends (blue) and what the County Administrator recommends (pink). This has created a number of issues, include salary scale compression.
The arbitration loss and the annual compounding effect of the pay changes (unplanned and not anticipated in the levy) will create some "interesting" longer-term financing issues.
Other topics:
- Covid Update
- Strategic goals update
- American Rescue Plan Spending Update
- Energy Plan update