Columbia Falls approves wage schedule and ratifies three-year contracts with police, Teamsters

The Columbia Falls City Council authorized the city manager to sign three‑year collective bargaining agreements with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 6 and the Teamsters Union Local No. 2 and approved the fiscal year 2026 wage and salary schedule. City Manager Eric told the council staff proposed a 3% cost‑of‑living increase and a 2% experience‑based step for hourly employees; together the administration recommended a 5% adjustment for salaried staff (the manager excluded from that adjustment). The city estimated personnel costs at about $4,990,000 across funds for wages, pensions, workers’ compensation and related payroll expenses. Council also heard that the union contracts were negotiated consistent with previous personnel committee guidance and that both unions’ memberships ratified the tentative agreements. Council moved to authorize the manager to sign the collective bargaining contracts and then separately approved the FY 2026 wage and salary schedule and resolution 1948. Motions to approve the contracts and the wage schedule passed on roll calls with councilors voting aye and Mayor Barnhart recorded as aye; no recorded dissent occurred on the contract authorization or the wage‑and‑salary resolution during the votes taken in the meeting. The city manager said the wage schedule keeps Columbia Falls broadly comparable with nearby Kalispell and Flathead County and estimated personnel costs would remain about 20% of total appropriations. The council continued the larger budget hearing schedule for subsequent meetings, with debt service, water and sewer enterprise funds to be discussed in detail at the next session. Councilors did not amend the contract terms during the meeting; staff will finalize signatures and proceed with implementation per the collective bargaining agreements and the approved salary schedule.