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Council discusses budget priorities, salary study and next steps for revenue planning
Summary
Councilors reviewed elements of the 2025–26 budget process, asked staff to ensure non‑union department head salaries are competitively benchmarked, and scheduled follow‑up work sessions on potential funding mechanisms and a management performance check ahead of the city manager’s first anniversary.
Scappoose — City councilors used Monday’s meeting to follow up on budget planning and a near‑term salary study for nonunion positions, and to request work sessions on revenue options and a management evaluation.
Councilor Holmes asked staff to confirm that the budget includes allocations for community events and senior‑center support and to ensure department‑head compensation ranges remain competitive. City Manager Ben Berger said staff is conducting a salary study for nonunion positions and has budgeted a buffer to allow range adjustments where needed.
Berger told the council he had begun the process of collecting comparable compensation data and said public‑works and other nonunion ranges will be reviewed; he added that some recently hired supervisors were placed at the top of existing ranges to match market conditions. "We are going through a current salary study," Berger said, noting the public‑works review is scheduled for 2026 and that staff will recommend adjustments as needed.
Council members also asked for a follow‑up discussion on funding mechanisms to close budget gaps; Berger said that topic is on the calendar for a June work session and that staff would prepare options for council consideration. Several councilors suggested the city pursue non‑tax options where feasible and explore scheduling for possible future levy or revenue discussions.
Separately, councilors discussed a leadership evaluation for the city manager as he approaches his one‑year anniversary. The council recalled a prior conversation about a 360‑style review tied to accreditation and agreed to schedule a shorter “health check” in July if members want a midterm conversation before a full annual review.
Why it matters: The salary study and funding‑mechanism conversation will affect recruitment and retention for critical public‑works and public‑safety roles and will inform budget priorities for the coming fiscal year.
Next steps: Staff will return to council with salary‑study findings and proposed adjustments, present funding‑mechanism options in a June work session, and schedule a performance check discussion for the manager before September.
Ending: Councilors emphasized balancing competitive compensation with fiscal restraint as part of finalizing the 2025–26 budget.
