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Lewiston staff outline personnel and fringe-benefit increases; council freezes several positions
Summary
City staff told the Lewiston council that salaries and fringe benefits are rising modestly in the proposed fiscal budget, with several positions proposed to be frozen; officials flagged overtime, state-mandated programs and retirement costs as drivers.
At a Lewiston budget workshop, city staff presented projected increases in personnel services and fringe benefits, saying overall salary costs rose modestly and identifying several positions proposed to be frozen.
The discussion centered on the proposed fiscal-year personnel budget, with Director Roy noting, "The overall increase on salaries is $864,000 or 3.7%." Staff said there are no new positions in the recommended budget and recommended freezing six full-time positions and two part-time positions.
Why it matters: personnel and fringe-benefit lines make up a large share of the general fund. Changes to COLA, retirement contributions and state-mandated benefits affect the city’s long-term operating cost and the mill rate.
City staff described specific cost drivers: contractual step increases in union agreements, overtime in public safety driven by collective-bargaining obligations, and a set of employees rehired in retirement "drop" programs whose wages are reduced by 5%–15% under their contracts. Director Roy also told councilors the city recorded aggregate benefits paid of roughly $1.3 million in calendar 2024, up about $197,904 from 2023.
Staff also described several line-item shifts and technical accounting changes. For example, a consolidation of certain utility charge offsets moved some costs into salary reserve credits in departmental pages. The city said there are no new services proposed and that severance and some retirement-cost-line items changed year to year.
Council questions probed several details. Councilor Gallant asked about the state's new paid family and medical leave program and who funds it; Administrator O'Malley explained the program’s payroll contributions began Jan. 1, 2025, and the city is budgeting its employer share (see separate article on the state program). Councilor Chittum asked about union vs. nonunion coverage among the city’s roughly 364 general-fund full-time employees; staff said they would provide a breakdown.
Councilors also discussed the degree of flexibility the council has for nonunion COLA decisions and the possibility of a 0% increase for nonunion employees, which staff confirmed is within the council’s authority. Staff emphasized that COLA and step provisions built into union contracts are not unilateral decisions of the council and that nonunion adjustments are discretionary.
Ending: Staff said they will provide requested clarifications — including the count of union and nonunion employees and more precise carry-forward figures — at future budget workshops as the council reviews the proposed operating and capital budgets.
