Commissioners ratify 2025–26 community health contract, set insurer contribution and salary alignment

Skamania County commissioners voted to ratify the county's 2025–26 community health contract and backdate its effective date to Jan. 1, 2025.

The contract ratification, moved and seconded during the March 4 meeting, passed with the ayes prevailing and no recorded objections on the public record. The motion specified an effective date of 01/01/2025.

The contract as described in the meeting notes ties community health employees to the county's nonunion salary schedule and requires the employer to pay 15% of each employee's health insurance premium. Commissioners described the change as intended to “smooth out some of the small hiccups we get with payroll,” noting the community health staff will be placed on the same pay schedule as public works managers and other nonunion employees.

There was no extended public discussion recorded; commissioners present said they had reviewed the proposed changes and voiced no questions before the vote. No amendment to the contract terms was recorded during the meeting.

The ratification is recorded as a formal county action; the board did not specify any additional implementation steps, reporting requirements, or budget transfers during the session.

The county clerk's office and human resources will maintain the contract records and implement payroll changes tied to the salary-schedule alignment and health-insurance contribution.

Further specifics of the contract text, including any budgetary allocations or funding sources to support the 15% insurance contribution, were not specified in the public record during the meeting.