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Woodland mayor cites pay gap, vows proposal to raise police compensation to retain officers
Summary
City leaders discussed a widening pay gap between Woodland officers and neighboring agencies during the June 2 City Council meeting; the mayor said he will return with a proposal to increase compensation to help retain police staff.
The mayor and Police Chief Gibbs told the Woodland City Council on June 2 that pay differences with neighboring departments are contributing to turnover and that the mayor will propose higher compensation for officers.
The mayor said the city’s analysis shows Woodland officers earn substantially less over time than peers at Washington State Patrol, Clark County and nearby departments and that the city’s contract structure and hours worked affect annual pay. “I will be coming to council with a proposal,” the mayor said, describing the package as aimed at retention, not making Woodland the highest-paid force in the county.
Police Chief Gibbs said recruitment bonuses and lateral offers from other agencies are large and hard to match: “Kelso PD is offering $20,000 plus bonus for laterals. Clark County is actually $25,000,” he told council. Gibbs noted Woodland has recently filled vacancies and that one newly sworn officer already attended the academy; he also warned that continual churn is “very taxing.”
Council members and other speakers backed the idea of increasing funds for retention. Council member Douglas said he would “certainly support putting another hundred K or so in the end of that program.” Council member Rounds and others framed the change as an investment in retaining trained officers rather than repeating recruitment costs.
No formal pay change was approved at the meeting. The mayor explicitly said he had not brought a formal proposal and asked for preliminary feedback; Council did not vote on compensation. The mayor and Chief Gibbs said they have reviewed the police budget and personnel steps and expect to present a specific compensation proposal to council in a future meeting.
Council and staff also discussed other retention measures: training and academy costs the city pays for new hires, the need to maintain morale and culture, and the role of step and longevity pay. Chief Gibbs said Woodland has hired five people since October, including lateral hires, but warned that long-term retention will require more competitive pay and benefits.
The mayor and chief characterized the discussion as direction to prepare a formal proposal, not a final decision. Council members signaled support for funding increases but did not set a dollar amount or timeline at the June 2 meeting.
