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Council approves 3% cost-of-living increase and targeted wage adjustments for city staff
Summary
The Dalles City Council approved a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and targeted pay table changes for SEIU and exempt staff, including equipment operator and certified operator increases and pay-grade moves for planning and facilities positions; changes effective July 1, 2025.
The Dalles City Council voted to approve the fiscal-year 2025–26 nonunion wage table and SEIU pay-table adjustments, including a 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) applied to exempt staff and union tables and targeted increases for recruitment- and retention-sensitive positions.
City Manager (as referenced) and finance staff told the council the SEIU adjustments include an additional 4% for equipment operator classifications and a 2% additional increase for certified water and sewer operator classifications (totaling up to 5% including the 3% COLA). The exempt pay table moves several positions up one grade (associate planner, assistant planner, planning technician, project development manager) and advances the facility supervisor multiple grades to reflect on-call duties; the library programming and outreach coordinator position would be reclassified to assistant library director (MG8). The changes are intended to make the city more competitive for recruitment and to address retention issues revealed by a consultant’s compensation study.
Council approved implementing the COLA and the revised pay tables effective July 1, 2025. The motion was moved by Councilor Ring and seconded by Councilor McLaughlin; the vote passed by voice vote with no recorded opposing votes.
Councilors asked for clarification of pay-grade labels (DH, MG, OP, etc.); staff explained labels denote pay-grade families (department head, manager, operator, etc.) and said a comprehensive pay-table review is scheduled on a three-year cycle. Staff said the budget presented to the budget committee in early May will include these adjustments and that the city intends to mirror SEIU insurance and bilingual-pay decisions for exempt staff where appropriate.
Ending: Council also authorized the city manager to execute SEIU-contingent addenda discussed in the executive session (bilingual pay addendum and insurance MOU contingent on SEIU approval).
