Council won’t cut employee salaries
November 25, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
By J.B. Wogan
The Sammamish City Council decided not to cut employee salaries next year, even though the employees asked for it.
City employees voted in August to take a four-tenths of a percent pay cut that would have translated into $30,000 in cost savings to the city for 2010.
The cut was based on the rate of inflation from June of 2008 to June 2009 in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton area.
The same mathematical formula gave employees an average salary increase of 2.94 percent from 2002 through 2009.
During the council’s Nov. 17 meeting, Finance Director Lyman Howard and City Manager Ben Yazici recommended that the council approve the pay cut.
“It’s not a huge amount. It could be considered symbolic,” Howard said.
Several members of the council voiced concern about not honoring the gesture and taking advantage of the saved money.
In a moment of levity, Deputy Mayor Jack Barry addressed a member of the audience, his former opponent in the November City Council elections, Tom Odell. Odell will take Barry’s seat on the council in 2010.
“Frankly, Mr. Odell, I wish we could hold off on voting on this until next year,” Barry said, smiling.
Barry said he would vote to not impose the salary cut, and he hoped city employees wouldn’t be offended that he was rejecting their offer.
Jodie Bass, chairwoman of the city’s employee committee, said employees were happy not to have the pay cut. She described her co-workers’ reaction as “pleasantly surprised.”
“People are thankful that the council did that,” she said.
In explaining his rationale for not imposing the salary cut, City Councilman Mark Cross referenced staffing levels, which have remained at about 70 employees for the last three years, and employee turnover rate, which was 13 percent in 2008.
“If this council really wanted to reduce our turnover rate and reduce our costs, we would delay some major project or a basin study,” Cross said. “I am not going to take it out on our own staff.”
Councilwoman Nancy Whitten was also emphatic that the city not impose the pay cut. She said the gesture was especially important when police officers and firefighters are due to receive pay increases next year.
“I think it’s really critical that our employees know how much they’re valued, that we respect them,” Whitten said.
In the end, all seven voted to keep salaries at 2009 levels and not impose the four-tenths of a percent cut.
The council is scheduled to vote on the full 2010 budget Dec. 1. (See related story Page 1).
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
The Sammamish City Council decided not to cut employee salaries next year, even though the employees asked for it.
City employees voted in August to take a four-tenths of a percent pay cut that would have translated into $30,000 in cost savings to the city for 2010.
The cut was based on the rate of inflation from June of 2008 to June 2009 in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton area.
The same mathematical formula gave employees an average salary increase of 2.94 percent from 2002 through 2009.
During the council’s Nov. 17 meeting, Finance Director Lyman Howard and City Manager Ben Yazici recommended that the council approve the pay cut.
“It’s not a huge amount. It could be considered symbolic,” Howard said.
Several members of the council voiced concern about not honoring the gesture and taking advantage of the saved money.
In a moment of levity, Deputy Mayor Jack Barry addressed a member of the audience, his former opponent in the November City Council elections, Tom Odell. Odell will take Barry’s seat on the council in 2010.
“Frankly, Mr. Odell, I wish we could hold off on voting on this until next year,” Barry said, smiling.
Barry said he would vote to not impose the salary cut, and he hoped city employees wouldn’t be offended that he was rejecting their offer.
Jodie Bass, chairwoman of the city’s employee committee, said employees were happy not to have the pay cut. She described her co-workers’ reaction as “pleasantly surprised.”
“People are thankful that the council did that,” she said.
In explaining his rationale for not imposing the salary cut, City Councilman Mark Cross referenced staffing levels, which have remained at about 70 employees for the last three years, and employee turnover rate, which was 13 percent in 2008.
“If this council really wanted to reduce our turnover rate and reduce our costs, we would delay some major project or a basin study,” Cross said. “I am not going to take it out on our own staff.”
Councilwoman Nancy Whitten was also emphatic that the city not impose the pay cut. She said the gesture was especially important when police officers and firefighters are due to receive pay increases next year.
“I think it’s really critical that our employees know how much they’re valued, that we respect them,” Whitten said.
In the end, all seven voted to keep salaries at 2009 levels and not impose the four-tenths of a percent cut.
The council is scheduled to vote on the full 2010 budget Dec. 1. (See related story Page 1).
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
Other Stories of Interest: Sammamish Government
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
